Split Evolution

“I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve always felt like I belonged here. I always felt that I was okay here, that everything was right. Until now. I’m restless, worried. Scared, all for no reason! It’s driving me mad. And that night two weeks ago... What happened that night just might have pushed me over the edge. In fact, that’s probably why I’m here right now.” 

The woman, who had yet to reveal her identity, asked, “What happened that night?”

xxx

“Don’t be such an asshole, dude,” Alayna said, shoving the man with the drunken breath away from her. “Twelve inches away at all times, especially if you smell that bad.” Alayna walked away from the man and the bar, her refilled drink in her hand. Taking a sip and feeling the burn in her throat, she scanned the crowded room as warmth went from her throat to her stomach. Soon she had found the head she was looking for and made a path straight for it. 

Passing dancing, sweaty bodies, she found herself at the entrance to the restrooms where many girls, stumbling and drunk, were entering and exiting. Alayna chuckled and took another sip of her drink, waiting for Caroline to exit. Finally, a blonde girl with a drink in her hand and elevated an extra six inches by black heels exited the bathroom, eyes lighting up at the sight of her best friend. 

“Those are some... High shoes,” Alayna commented as they started walking away from the bathrooms. Caroline immediately made a beeline for the bar, pulling Alayna with her.

“I found them in the bathroom. Some girl just left them there and they’re Louis Vuittons, so I thought I’d grab them,” Caroline said before ordering another drink. The bar tender immediately grabbed Caroline’s drink, mixing it and then quickly handing it to her with a wink, probably because of her low hem line that showed most of her boobs. 

“Do you really need another drink?” Alayna asked as Caroline drained the glass cup so fast that Alayna could only stare.

“Yes and so do you.” She grabbed a full drink out of the hand of a random girl and quickly dipped into the crowd. Handing it to Alayna, she yelled, “Bottoms up!” Both drinks were gone in a matter of seconds. Both of the girls were laughing when they pulled the cups from their faces. They looked at each other and they both headed to the dance floor, squeezing in between bodies awkwardly and then moving with them, melting into the crowd.  

Soon enough, Caroline had lost the Louis Vuitton shoes herself. Alayna stood at the entrance with her, listening to Caroline complain and ponder on how she could have lost them, slurring her words and swaying slowly. When someone opened the glass entrance door a burst of cold air would swipe the girls’ shoulders, making them shiver and hope that the coat checker would hurry up. 

People muttered good byes as they left, passing Caroline and Alayna. When they had their jackets in their hands, they left too, bundling up against the cold. People were scattered around the parking lot, walking to their cars. The moonlight was especially bright, glaring off the shiny paint and the wet, two lane road in front of the bar. Seeing all of the cars pulling out made Alayna wish that she hadn’t crashed her own a few weeks before, giving her the burden of calling a cab every time she went somewhere.

“Did you call the cab yet, Caroline?” Alayna asked, staying under the porches fluorescent light. Caroline had already walked into the parking lot a little ways and she stopped when Alayna asked her the question.

“Cab?” 

“Yes, the cab, Caroline. I crashed my car, remember? And unless you got one in the time that we were at the bar then we have to call one so we can get home. And it’s fucking freezing and I really don’t want to go back in there,” Alayna said.