Oct 2 2004

Back By Popular Demand

A long pause. She stares disconcertingly at my near-empty martini glass. "How many of those have you had?" Another pause. "Boy-I think you need to get off the Klonopin, guy."
"Forget it. I knew it was a crazy question. Forget it," I say, trying to smile, shaking my head. "So who's been sleeping in your bed?"
"I'm enjoying the art of being semi-single," she sighs.
"I'm seeing your face in a new light," I say, resting my chin in the palm of my hand, staring straight at her. "And your lying."
"About what?" she asks hesitantly.
"About being single."
"How would you know?"
"Because girls who look like you are never single," I say faux-confidently. "Plus, I know you, Jamie. You like guys too much."
She just stares at me, mouth open, and then starts laughing hysterically and doesn't stop cracking up until I ask, "Did you have cheekbones like that at Camden?"
She takes a couple of deep breaths, reaches over to finish my martini, and, flushed, panting, asks, "Victor, what do you expect me to say to that?"
"You dropped a bomb on me, baby," I murmur, staring at her.
Startled, pretending not to be, she asks, "I did what?"
"You dropped a bomb on me," I say. "You, like, affected me."
"When did this happen?"
"When we first met?"
"And?"
"And now I'm in the same state."
"Well, get over it," she says. "Get over yourself as well."
"You're thinking something, though," I say, refusing to break eye contact, not even blinking.
"Yes, I am," she says finally, smiling.
"What are you thinking, Jamie?"
After a pause and looking directly back at me, she says, "I'm thinking you're a potentially interesting person who I might want to get reacquainted with."
"You've always been one of the fifty most inspiring women in the world to me."
"Would you like to get reacquainted Victor?" she asks, daring me, lowering her eyes, then raising them up, widening them.
Suddenly, the way she says this and the look on her face - total sex - flusters me, and with my face burning, I try and complete a sentence, but only "I, um, don't know..." comes out. I end up staring down at the table.
"Don't be shocked," she says. "I'm not saying let's fuck. I'm just saying maybe we can get reacquainted."
"Hey, nothing shocks me anymore, baby."
"That's good," she says after a while, studying me. "that's very good, Victor."
After the table has been cleared and we've had desert, she asks, "What are you thinking about?"
After a long pause, debating which way to go, I say, "I'm thinking does she still do drugs?"
"And?" she asks teasingly.
"And...does she have any on her right now?"
Smiling, getting into the spirit, Jamie says. "No." A sllght pause. "But I know where we can get some."
"Waiter?" I lift my hand. "Check please?"

- Taken from the book Glamorama, written by Brett Easton Ellis

Posted by Kyle in Permalink

Comments

Posted by: skunkeye at October 2, 2004 11:08 PM

Posted by: Brooke at October 4, 2004 11:25 AM