I Know Places

Failure to Launch

"Althea," Jade says breathlessly as she approaches them. She's probably grinning like a lunatic, but she also probably doesn't care. "You're here."

Althea's smile falters a bit upon seeing her. "J-jade! Hey! Congratulations," the photographer greets her. "I'm... I'm happy for you."

"Thank you." Jade thinks that Althea is sincere, but there's something off about her; like she's a deer caught in the proverbial headlights.

Althea quickly averts her eyes away from Jade and turns to Jeremy once again. "Anyway. Jeremy, I have to go. I just came her to congratulate you and Jade and - "

Jade's face falls. "You're leaving?" she cuts her off, not even trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. She knows she doesn't have the right to get mad or irritated, but that's what she's feeling right now. "The launch hasn't even started yet. Didn't you just get here?"

"I... well, yes. But I have an early - "

"Jeremy, excuse me but can I borrow her for a minute? We'll be quick. Thank you," Jade says as she takes Althea by the arms and drags her as gently as she can to... she doesn't even know where.

"Jade, where are we going? Are you crazy?"

Jade sees an unused photo booth set up near the elevator, a good distance away from the entrance of the hall. It's private and relatively quiet. She gets her and Althea inside once they get there and closes the curtains behind them. The booth is a little musty, but Jade could hardly care.

"Jade, what the hell?"

"Are you mad at me?" Jade asks her as she paces the small space of the booth.

Althea crosses her arms defensively across her chest. "What?"

"Are you mad? Did I do or say something wrong?"

Althea drops her hands to her sides but refuses to look at Jade. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You haven't replied to my texts, Althea. You haven't answered my calls." Jade didn't want to come off as accusatory but she couldn't help it. "You've been avoiding me for the last ten days, you can barely look at me tonight, and the most logical conclusion that I can derive from that is I did something wrong and now you hate me."

Althea raises her head and looks at Jade. "Why would I hate you?" she chuckles despite the situation.

"I don't know. Because I'm annoying?"

"You're not annoying, Jade," Althea answers with a roll of her eyes.

"Then why? Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I'm here, aren't I? I came here."

"But you didn't even talk to me. And you were about to leave," Jade says, even if her own words make her feel like such an entitled brat. "You would have left if I didn't drag you here so we could talk."

Althea smirks playfully. "Talk? And here I thought you dragged me here so we could make out."

Jade feels her cheeks heat up. "What?" she sputters. "I didn't drag you here to - "

"I was kidding, Jade," Althea says dryly.

"See? You're enjoying riling me up! And you're avoiding! You're such an avoider, Althea Guevarra!"

"I am not!"

"You are, too!"

"Are you my girlfriend?"

Jade's brain short-circuits at the question. Is she what? "What? No, but - " she answers weakly.

"Then I don't think I have to explain myself to you, right?" Jade knows that Althea is right. Althea doesn't owe her an explanation, doesn't owe her anything. "Look, I am grateful for... for last week, okay? I really, really am. Beyond words. But I can't do this, Jade."