Chapter 2.5: Getting Down With Your Bad Self

A/N: A third chapter posted within a couple days?! Yup! Read on! =D

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“Oh…”

“My…”

“WE LIVE HERE?!?!?!”

“FUCK YEAH!!!” Buttercup yelled just outside the building, causing some pigeons to fly off angrily at her outburst.

“AWESOME!” I yelled just as loudly.

“Race you in!”

“YOU’RE ON!”

Buttercup and I tripped over each other as we both bolted for the door to the lobby at the same time. Of course, our race was halted when we realized we had no idea where to go from here.

“Uhh…now what?” Buttercup asked, staring from the doors all around us to the call box.

“There’s an elevator here!” I said, rushing over to it to be the first to mash the button.

“An elevator!?!?”

“Good thing too. Did YOU want to walk up twenty flights of stairs?”

Do, do, do do do do do….do do do do do do….

“This music sucks.”

“Yeah, well, it’s musak, what did you expect?”

Going up!

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, I know what you’re thinking…how in the world can two people with no jobs and farmers/fishermen for parents afford this? Well…we can’t. BUT, Buttercup and I expected to be rolling in the dough anytime now AND we got the first month of rent for FREE as a special deal AND Mom and Dad gave us money from their recent earnings to get us started here. We’d be completely, 100% fine….

“OH MY GOD! REED! THERE’S A HOT TUB OUT HERE! ON OUR BALCONY. WE HAVE A BALCONY! AND THERE IS A HOT TUB ON IT!”

“OH MY GOD YESSSSSSSSSSSS,” I suddenly yelled out upon a new discovery.

“What!?” Buttercup asked excitedly, running back into the apartment.

“A nice little corner for me to work in and look outside at the same time!!” I cheered gleefully.

“….seriously Reed?”

“SO AWESOME.”

“…..”

So as you can tell, Buttercup and I were pretty damn excited about Bridgeport so far. It was everything we dreamed of and more—but we also weren’t stupid. We knew that if we didn’t get working NOW, we’d lose all of it before you could say “HA HA!” so it really wasn’t too long after that we were out and about the city looking for work.

Buttercup went down the local theatre while I, well, I went down to the Business Complex of course.

Now, I’d like to say they instantly loved me and gave me, I don’t know, a management position or something, but they actually laughed when I told them I was looking for a job and it wasn’t until I told them I was serious that they finally stopped…to look at me in complete bemusement that is. Sigh.

“Look, I’ll tell you what kid. I like you. I do—which is why I’m going to offer you this position we have.”

“Really?” I asked hopefully, trying not to come off as overly excitable.

“Yup, you can get me my coffee.”

“…sorry?”

“We need a coffee courier and you’re just the man to do it! And hey, be prompt enough with it and you may just get a promotion or two. It all depends how much work you put into this.”

“I’ll take it,” I said.

Anddd that’s how I came to make coffee for people who threw it at your shoes if it was too cold or literally spit it out if you didn’t add enough creamer. BUT HEY, I was still optimistic. I’d show them. I’d make the best damn coffee ever and they’d see what a hard worker I was and I’d make it to the top!

This was my chance.

Meanwhile, Buttercup got a job as a roadie at the local theatre. Which meant that…well, she was making the bands’ sandwiches…or picking up stuff for them…or hey, even bringing them coffee too.

We all have to start somewhere I guess. …at least Buttercup and I could relate and vent to each other whenever we came home with coffee soaked shoes or bits of coleslaw in our hair…long story.

“If I hear one more tattooed drunk guy ask them to ‘make me a sandwich, sweet thang’ I will tear off their arm and beat them with it,” Buttercup said angrily after work one day, storming into our apartment.

“I’d feel sorry for you if I weren’t nursing like….third degree burns here,” I muttered, running my arm under the sink. Never spill a freshly brewed coffee pot on yourself kids. Never.

“This sucks,” Buttercup pouted.

“Yep…pretty much.” Could you actually get third degree burns from hot coffee, or was I just exaggerating?

“You know what?”

“What?”

“We should go out tonight,” Buttercup declared, suddenly in the kitchen with me.

“Out?”

“Uhh yahh, to a club. To have fun. Dear God please tell me you know what fun is.”

“I know what fun is,” I retorted, feeling annoyed. “I just…well, where would we go? There’s like 50,000 clubs here and we don’t know anything about them.”

“I know of one. One of the equipment guys was talking about it. Something called ‘The Grind’? Well anyway, he said I should go tonight and well…I think I will…but…I don’t want to head down there alone,” she admitted, giving me a puppy dog face. “So please….please…..” Awww man, seriously? She didn’t want to just go out and relax, she wanted to meet up with some guy, and she wanted ME to make sure he wasn’t a creeper. REALLY? “Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.”

“Only if you stop saying ‘eeeeeeeee!’ My ear drums are about to burst.”

“Done. YAY!!!!!!!! You’re the best, Reed!” Buttercup cried, practically strangling me as she hugged me around my neck and then skipped off. Man…what had I gotten myself into?

So, because I’m a pushover, we headed down to this club by the bay called “The Grind.” We got a little lost on the way, and I’ll admit for a moment I panicked and was pretty sure we were going to die in the subway, but Buttercup kept her cool as usual and we eventually found our way. …I think.

“Er…are you sure this is it?”

“Yup! Can’t you hear the music? Oooh, I’m so excited!”

I practically had to run to catch up with Buttercup as she raced into the club…and immediately ditched me for, presumably, the random equipment guy who told her to show up. I could already tell this was going to be a fun night.

“Hey, glad you could make it babe,” I heard the guy say to Buttercup, smiling. I laughed to myself, waiting for my sister to punch him in the face for using an ‘objectifying nickname,’ but instead, to my complete horror, SHE GIGGLED.

“Of course I did. I wouldn’t miss hanging out with you for the world,” she responded, her cheeks turning red.

WHAT?!

“I don’t mean to be forward but…you are, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life.”

“Really?” Buttercup asked in a weird voice.

“Absolutely.”

Must resist urge to punch blue sleezebag. Must resist urge to punch blue sleezebag. Ahh fuck, I needed a drink.

“Hi! I’d like a drink,” I said politely as I walked up to the bartender.

“……”

“…..please?”

“Shit you are weird. What kind of drink do you want?”

“Uhhhh….”

“Yeah okay, I have just the thing for a guy like you honey.”

Bewildered, I watched as the bartender began throwing bottles over her head, catching them behind her back, and mixing who knows into my drink.

“Uhh…I think you might be going a little heavy on the vodka…” I said, watching as she turned the bottle VERTICAL over my drink.

“Heh heh, you need to loosen up kid and this’ll do the trick.”

Well, here goes nothing.

ZING! This stuff was AWESOME!

I immediately downed the rest of my drink and ordered another one, much to the bartender’s amusement. This one was all glowy and tasty and freaking amazing…

So I ordered another.

And then ordered just one more…give or take a few.

“Cause baby you’re a fireeeeeeeework. Come on show ‘em what you’re worth! …YEAH, YEAH, YEAH YEAHHHHHH.”

Don’t know the rest of the lyrics? Improv baby!

“Heh, heh, heh, you’re pretty.”

“Aww, well thank you, honey. That’s mighty sweet of you.”

“Heh, heh, boobs.”

“Excuse me?”

“I like! Likeeeeeeeeeee, I like your rack!” I said drunkenly.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!”

Giggling, I walked away from the temperamental blonde, refusing to let her ruin my night. I was feeling AWESOME. The bass of the music thrummed so loudly that I could feel it vibrating in my chest, the rhythm gradually taking over me. How had I not noticed this fantastic music before!?

I started dancing in place, executing some sweet ass moves for any honeys watching and that’s when I noticed the little table nearby. Why, if I got up on that table, ALL the honeys would see my rockin’ moves! Laughing again, I clumsily got up onto the table, nearly falling in the process, but somehow that just made everything funnier. God I felt so freaking happy right now! Life was awesome!

“YEAHHH. Get down with your bad ass self! I’m a muthah fuckin’ dance MASTER bitches!”

“You just can’t handle this ride! …oooh except you baby in the gold. Hell yeah, I know you can handle this. Mmmm hmm!”

“FUCK YEAHHH, pelvic thrust baby!”

“You know you want this.”

“Hey hot stuff, I just leapt off that table for you and ran over to make sure I could say hello to the likes of you. What say you join me on that table?”

“Umm…you’re a little drunk, aren’t you?” Oh jeez, I was a little drunk, wasn’t I? “Are you here with anyone else?” she asked concernedly.

“Uhh, yup! Them!” I said, pointing at my sister and her Smurf making out. I started laughing then and left blonde hat girl, making my way back to my awesome stage when all of a sudden a flash of yellow caught my eye. I stopped and turned only to see a freaking HOT babe with the biggest rack I’ve ever SEEN.

“Damn. You are REALLY sexy,” I said upon walking up to the girl, not even feeling the least bit shy. Man, drinking was AWESOME.

“Thanks. You’re pretty sexy too,” neon yellow girl responded with a grin. “I love a man in glasses.” HELL YEA, my first non-rejection! I knew she wouldn’t be able to resist this!

“And I love…women,” I slurred with a giggle. Neon yellow girl laughed as well.

“Well that works out, because I am definitely all woman.” AWWWWWW YEAHHHHH. “So what’s your name?” she asked, smiling sexily.

“Reed…but it can be anything you want it to be hot stuff. Heh heh heh. What’s yours?”

The girl giggled and then looked up at me…or at least I think she did—it was hard to see her eyes with those gleaming purple glasses on. “You can call me Kitty.”

“MeeeeOW!”

I love Bridgeport.

“Mmmm that was nice. What do you say we go back to my place?” Kitty asked with a sexy leer.

“Depends. Do you have food? Like…really greasy food?”

“….what?”

“I suddenly want to eat the greasiest food EVER. SO HUNGRY. Hey, was the food truck out there? I think it was out there.”

I immediately ran outside, vaguely wondering what the FUCK was in these drinks, but knowing that all I wanted right now was the greasiest damn thing that truck offered. After downing nothing but drinks with NO food, I was STARVING.

Glorious, heavenly day! It is the food truck! And I am it’s customer! Watch as I wander to it, yell into that little speaker, and receive godly food dripping with LARD. YESSS.

“One greasy ass burrito, bitch!”

“Sigh. That’ll be ten simoleans.”

“TEN!? DAMN! Should I give you my arm too?!”

“Do you want the burrito or not?”

“HERE HAVE TWENTY.”

Oh God, so happy!

IT’S LIKE A PARTY IN MY MOUTH!

And then…well, and then I’m not entirely sure what happened. I have random memories of the city at night…possibly being on top of a building at some point…wandering the streets, something or other…but eventually somehow I got home. How, I really have no idea. I mean, I feel like I have a vague memory of Buttercup and her Smurf finding me and taking me upstairs, but I’m not sure if that was reality or just a dream.

Either way, I woke up that morning feeling like I had been trampled all over by a herd of psychotic llamas.

“Zzzz…eff my life…zzzz.”

Eventually though, I got out of bed, which was a HUGE effort. I felt dizzy and my head hurt and my stomach, oh god, my stomach felt horrible and the room was kind of spin-y…and….and….

“BLARGHAHRAEH!”

I spent the rest of that morning puking up my guts and vowing never to drink ever again. Oh my godddd, this just wasn’t worth it!

After I had successfully puked up my digestive system, I ambled into the hallway to go downstairs and get a cold drink of water, but LO AND BEHOLD instead I got a horrible surprise!

“Uh…hey,” Smurf-dude (I still didn’t know what the fuck his name was!) said. “Well, this is awkward.”

“Am I in the right apartment?” I asked with a groan, rubbing my head. I had thought it was, but why the hell would a half naked guy be in here?

“Uhh….”

Mr. Smurf Genius was interrupted though when Buttercup suddenly came walking out of her bedroom.

“Hey babe, is everything okay?” she asked in a soft voice. Hungover too. Hmph. At least I wasn’t the only one.

“I…think so,” he responded, looking at me warily. But why would he be afraid of me right now?

I mean yeah, he was here in the morning in nothing but his boxers and Buttercup just came out of her room in her nightie, which was where half-naked Smurf dude must have come out of too and…and….

“AHHHHHHHHHHH YOU SLEPT WITH MY BIG SISTER!!!!!!!”

“He did not,” Buttercup said with a roll of her eyes, ignoring my outburst. “Isn’t that right, babe?”

“….O_O;….”

“Oh relax, he’s not going to kill you, Tony,” she said, half-amused, half-exasperated. She turned to me then. “Look Reed, we slept together, but we didn’t sleep together, got it? Although even if we had I’m a grown woman and it’s none of your business whether I-”

“Stop! I’ve heard enough. You guys didn’t….yeah. Okay. That’s all I care about. I’m going downstairs so I can resume my puking in that bathroom instead. Ugh.”

Andddd so I did.

Ever since that miserable morning, Smur- I mean Tony, was over pretty much everyday…all day…and into the night. Seriously, if Buttercup was home, Tony was here was too and wherever I would turn I’d see them kissing or cuddling or giggling together. It was enough to make anyone sick.

But since he was over all the time, it came as no surprise to me whatsoever when Buttercup announced that he would be moving in. She asked me as an after thought whether it was okay with me, and hell, I just said yes, because he was over all the time anyway, so he may as well help out with the rent. And to be honest, we needed the help. We were BARELY getting by, and the only real reason we were was because Buttercup would often go play for tips after work. Apparently, Tony would join her then too and the two would get a hefty sum of money. Meh. Whatever. As long as the bills get paid.

Of course, it was getting easier, because both Buttercup and I had received a couple promotions at work, which meant that we were earning more money.

From bringing people coffee, to filing papers, now I was processing reports and although I’d gotten plenty of paper cuts, it was still getting better all the time. I had even heard rumors that I would be given my own desk and cubicle soon, so I was hopeful, and excited. Meanwhile, Buttercup was a stagehand now, just like her beloved Tony, so that had her excited for multiple reasons.

We were both getting that much closer to achieving our dreams…but understood that we had a very, very long way to go. Still, I continued to be hopeful…and I continued to believe in magic.

The paper crane stood on my end table next to my bed.

You know…

Just in case.

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A/N: Hope that was as much fun for you to read as it was for me to write! Apologies again for the abrupt ending…sometimes there’s just no smooth way to end these things. Thanks for reading! ^_^

Oh yeah and random story, while I was playing the game a burglar came, but I didn’t notice (because my camera was in one of the clubs) until I got a pop-up about it. So I go back to their apartment, and I see Buttercup staring down the burglar, and she has the moodlet for “Won a fight.” The burglar ran off soon after that. So bad ass. I’m just sad I missed getting any pictures of it for the story!!! But I shared it with you guys here, hehe.