Carte blanche, p.33
Carte Blanche, page 33
Jazz thanked her for letting her bypass the line without paying the cover. Jackie’s assumption that she was here to hang out with her brother was not entirely accurate; Jazz was on a mission to find Blanche.
It didn’t take long. Their blond pigtails were easily found in the crowd on the first floor. Weaving her way through the glamorous, glitter-coated crowd (which smelled like perfume, liquor, and clean sweat—delightful after the stale sock smell of the frat house), she greeted them with a hug from behind and a kiss on the cheek. “Hi, Beautiful!”
Blanche turned to face her, their face breaking into a grin. Blue and purple Harley Quinn makeup crinkled as their eyes lit up. “What are you doing here, Jazzy? I thought you’d be with your partners!”
“You look so good!” Jazz gushed. “Your thighs are amazing in those shorts!”
Harley was a great costume on them. Temporary hair dye brightened the tips of their hair. Their curves were luscious in red shorts and a crop top, paired with a jacket over their shoulders.
“Jazzy, you helped me get ready,” Blanche teased. “Did Teddy and Mimi come with you? Or is there drama you want to vent about?”
Jazz waved her hand. “Nah, no drama or anything. Jules and I weren’t really feeling the frat house vibes, so she took Mimi home and I came here.”
Blanche’s hands slid around her waist. Jazz half leaned in for a kiss, before remembering they were in public. “Let me buy you a drink before we go up for the show. Bombay and tonic?”
Jazz nodded. “You know it!” Jazz didn’t particularly like drinking, but at least gin tasted more alive and less like poison than most liquor. The botanicals saved it. After the joint and the couple of seltzers at the party, she didn’t need a drink, just something to do with her hands.
Gin and tonic in one hand, Blanche led her upstairs by the other, their fingers lacing together. Every time Blanche held her hand or kissed her or—a recent development—squeezed her ass, Jazz felt like she was in a dream. She was still anxious that one day Blanche would come to their senses and realize they were dating their friend’s kid sister, when they could have literally anyone else.
No self-doubting, Jazz. That’s your dad talking. She still had so much bullshit to unlearn. You have a lot to offer in a relationship. The mantras and affirmations were going to be her new attitude, her new outlook on the world. Eventually. As soon as she could get his deeply-rooted opinions out of her head. You have intrinsic value beyond being an obedient housewife. It wasn’t always him, either. Her mom’s voice could be just as biting.
But, she was free now. Aside from the occasional dinner with her parents, Lee, and Antonio. And the frequent texts and calls from her mom that she ignored, because Jazz had told her mom that she would only respond twice a week unless there was an emergency.
Now she simply had to retrain her brain; it still hadn’t gotten the memo that she was free.
When they joined the rest of their friends upstairs, Lee and Antonio were with them, hanging out before the show started. Jazz admired their costumes, laughing when she saw Gabe’s. He was dressed as Lara Croft, in tiny shorts and a tank top, strapped into various holsters. “Gabe, you look hot.”
Gabe scowled, crossing his arms around his wide chest. Even as he tried to hide it, it only emphasized his muscular frame and massive pecs. “Thank you, but I would much rather have dressed on theme if I had been given a choice.”
Tara patted his arm, dressed in a glittery blazer and black maternity pants: Beyonce’s pregnancy reveal outfit. Teddy would be so proud of me for recognizing that. “I keep telling you, there was no planned theme. This is a complete coincidence that Lee, Tonio, and I all dressed as Beyonce. I just wanted an iconic pregnancy look.”
“And I do this number every year.” Antonio wore the black one-sleeved leotard and heels from the “Single Ladies” music video. He huffed, “Sorry I didn’t check to see if you wanted to be matchy matchy this year.”
“He didn’t ask me either, but I wanted to coordinate with him.” Lee twirled, wearing the long, yellow dress from the “Hold Up” music video. One of Antonio’s wigs gave him the iconic waist-length honey-blond hair.
“Does Dad know you’re in drag?” Jazz teased.
“Does Dad know your ass is hanging out like that?” Lee shot back.
“Not my concern if he did.” Jazz scoffed. “But where’s your bat?”
Lee scowled. “I had a dick joke ready for that question, but I wasn’t expecting you to ask it.”
Jazz wrinkled her nose, luckily interrupted by the arrival of Sunny and Richard, dressed like a sexy Morticia and Gomez Addams. Sunny wore a plunging long-sleeved black dress and costume jewelry, while Richard’s pinstripe suit had nothing underneath it, showing off the deer head and flowers tattooed on his chest.
“Hello, Titties!” Tara reached for Sunny’s chest, who laughed and smacked her hand away. Instead, Tara grabbed Sunny’s hand. Her jaw dropped as she examined the diamond ring on her finger. “Got something to announce there, Sunny?”
“Seriously?” Sunny sighed. “I was hoping we could at least make it to intermission.”
Richard shook his head, frowning at Tara. “Spoiled our fun.”
“Wait, you two got engaged?” Blanche asked with a squeal. “Babygirl, that’s amazing! Congratulations! When did this happen?”
“Last night. We thought it’d be fun to see how long we could go before anyone found out.” Sunny shrugged at Richard as everyone congratulated them. “Lasted five seconds.”
With a low whistle, Lee admired the ring. “Damn, I’d be sweating if this was on my hand.”
“I am,” Sunny admitted. “Especially since we haven’t resized it yet. But I think it fits okay? Or at least it didn’t come off around the house, so fingers crossed! Literally!”
“Angel, we gotta go.” Strangely quiet up until then, Antonio tugged on Lee’s billowing yellow sleeve. Even in drag, Antonio seemed subdued. “Any of you up for the costume contest? I can bring you up.”
Richard shook his head. “I’m already wearing a costume for the first time since I was a child. I am not getting on stage, too.”
Sunny shook her head emphatically in agreement. “I’m not really an onstage person.”
“We should, Blanchy!” Jazz grabbed Blanche’s hand. “Ivy and Harley are canon, you know.”
“Oh, are they?” Blanche smiled as if they hadn’t coordinated their costumes for that reason, putting their arm around her waist. Jazz leaned into their touch. “Let’s do it.”
“Anyone else?” Antonio pointed around, searching for more volunteers. “Gabey, you’re looking positively edible tonight. You’d have a chance.”
Gabe shook his head resolutely, awkwardly hiding his body behind Tara. “I’m already out of my comfort zone. I’m only wearing this because I lost the bet.”
Tara grinned. “I asked you who your celebrity crush was as a kid. Not my fault you were a pervy nerd, Coop. You could have said literally anyone else.”
“You look good tonight, Jazzy,” Blanche murmured in her ear as they sat down at the VIP table Chas had booked for them. Their hand trailed from her waist to where her dress rode up her ass, their fingers teasing the hem.
Jazz realized belatedly that there were only four chairs at the table for the six of them. Before she could look for another, Blanche pulled her into their lap.
She hoped no one else could tell how high she was, even if her cheeks hurt from smiling like an idiot at the onslaught of affection from the normally hesitant Blanche. “Let me know if I’m crushing you.”
“I would never complain about being crushed by you, Jazzy,” Blanche muttered. “Best way to go, I think.”
Jazz laughed too loudly, then whispered. “Are you high, too?”
Blanche shrugged. “A little. Tara brought Gabe over to smoke with me to help him be less self-conscious, but I think it backfired.”
Gabe pulled Tara onto his lap, hiding behind Tara’s body as best he could. “Am I paranoid, or is everyone judging me?”
Sunny sat next to him. “Everyone is staring, but they’re drooling, not judging. Seriously Gabe, I knew you were in good shape, but I had no idea you were hiding all of that. Do you ever take a day off from the gym?”
Tara shook her head. “No, he works out in the basement on his ‘rest’ days. Hopefully, our hotel in New York doesn’t have a gym. We’ll never leave the hotel.”
Richard frowned. “You’re going to New York?”
Jazz smiled, not following any of the conversation anymore. She loved how Blanche’s hands rasped across her skin, with the thump of the music in her bones.
“What did you take, Jazzy? You’re grinning like a fool.” Blanche murmured, smirking as they leaned into her. “And did you bring enough to share with the class?”
“Teddy gave me a joint earlier,” Jazz laughed. “I have a gummy, though. You want it?”
Blanche nodded. “Sure, if you don’t mind. I feel like I need to catch up with you.”
“It’s not like I’m going to take it. I’m high as shit!” Jazz fiddled with the scrunchie on her wrist, unzipping it and retrieving the tangerine-flavored gummy from within. “Here.” Blanche opened their mouth, sucking on Jazz’s fingertips subtly as she fed it to them. Their lovely dark green eyes smiled up at her as Blanche kissed her fingers.
Sunny cleared her throat. “You two look cozy.” She raised her eyebrows as she looked between Jazz and Blanche. She turned to Richard. “Really? Not going to pinch me?”
Richard didn’t reply. His jaw was working back and forth as he glared at Gabe.
Still grinning, Jazz zipped up the scrunchie again so her house key and cash wouldn’t fall out. Her phone, with her ID and debit card tucked into the case, was still wedged into the top of her dress. She touched the scrunchie three times to reassure herself that everything she needed was still there, and tapped three times on the phone. Then with a grin, she tapped Blanche’s head three times, too. Everything was in order. Her fingers touched the pendant.
The lights went down as Jazz settled against them. Tracing up and down her thighs, Blanche’s fingertips dipped along the hem, nails scraping her skin. She tried not to squirm; Blanche was probably not trying to tease her. They were barely comfortable making out for too long, let alone driving Jazz mad with want on purpose.
Jazz cheered as Carlita took the stage with two other queens, flawlessly recreating all of the Single Ladies choreography. Blanche sang along to the music with Jazz, and to the number after that and the one after that.
“And to think, you only listened to grunge before I moved in,” Jazz teased.
Blanche stuck their tongue out. “I’m not that old, Jazz. You listen to this pop stuff often enough that I can’t help but learn it.”
From when she’d met them, Blanche had always been fun to be around, always coming up with some scheme or game to play together as they observed everyone. But since moving in, Jazz had found the side of Blanche that let loose. That danced while they did the dishes, that giggled until they snorted, and then giggled more because they snorted.
There were dark sides, too, like the night she had come home to find a zombified Blanche barely able to move. Or who woke her up at night with a scream because they were having a nightmare. But Jazz loved seeing all of the new sides she’d found, not just the in-control survivor mask they always wore.
Carlita took the stage after Chas finished a rousing performance of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” to announce the costume contest. The individuals went first, the crowd cheering for their favorites. A person wearing full body paint as Mystique won easily, with second place going to a shirtless fireman who strategically tore away his pants to reveal a glittery jockstrap to the crowd’s delight.
“Coop, I think you could have come in third at least,” Tara teased Gabe.
“What, only third?” Gabe scoffed. “This skimpy ass costume isn’t good enough for first?”
“Maybe we should have made some tearaway shorts. Next year.” Tara winked.
Gabe shook his head vehemently. “Kitten, I am never agreeing to another wager without naming the stakes first again.”
“You could have backed out,” she taunted.
“You’d never let me live it down.” Gabe kissed her shoulder with a grin.
Blanche and Jazz got up excitedly as Antonio called up couples or groups for the costume contest. Jazz handed her phone and scrunchie to Tara. “Promise me that you’ll keep this safe.”
Tara nodded solemnly. “I promise.”
“I’m trusting you, Tara.”
“I got you, Jazz.” Tara laughed and put the scrunchie around her wrist, holding it up so Jazz could see.
“Are we about to make fools of ourselves?” Jazz asked, ascending the stairs with Blanche right behind her.
“Beautiful, if you’re feeling anything like me right now, we should not watch any videos of this in the morning.” With a giggle, Blanche gripped her hand as they waited on stage.
Jazz giggled with them, unable to focus on anything Carlita was doing with the other contestants.
However, as soon as Carlita got to them, Jazz’s muscle memory of dancing with Blanche in the kitchen took over. Jazz strutted around Blanche and brought them into a spin. She caught them around the waist and dipped them, as Blanche hooked a leg over her hip. The crowd cheered.
She looked into Blanche’s eyes, who grinned up at her. Their tongue poked out between their teeth like always, when Blanche was happiest. This was normally when Jazz kissed them. She really wanted to kiss them.
But they were on stage and in public. Even as high and slightly tipsy as she was, Jazz made herself settle for pressing a kiss into Blanche’s hand instead.
“Everyone give it up for Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn!” Carlita shouted as the crowd cheered. In a quieter tone, Antonio added in her ear, “Sorry Jazz, but Lee is asking me to do this.” Carlita gently tugged on the back of her dress as Jazz set Blanche upright, pulling the hem down over her ass again.
Jazz flipped the bird to the control room, rolling her eyes while the crowd and Blanche booed.
Carlita covered her face. “Yeah yeah yeah, boo me. I deserve it. You know I would never want anyone to hide their bodies—especially such a prodigious ass like Miss Ivy has—but in my earpiece, my husband is complaining that he can see his little sister’s tuchus on stage, and I live to make him happy.” Carlita explained, waving a hand in the direction of the control room, before putting it on her hip. “Are you happy, Lee? You got me booed! The things I do for you!”
He moved on to the next couple, dressed as Korra and Asami. Jazz stopped paying attention, closing her eyes as Blanche wrapped their arms around her waist. Carlita came back and announced them as the second place winners, giving first place to a group of four dressed as Sexy Golden Girls.
“Chas is calling me, babe. I’ll meet you back at the table in a minute,” Blanche murmured in her ear.
Jazz nodded, going to reclaim the chair next to Tara. Gabe and Richard must have stepped away, because only Sunny and Tara were at the table. Tara handed her back her belongings.
As usual, Jazz checked everything. Not that she didn’t trust Tara; it was just her habit, especially when she was not the soberest. Phone with ID and debit card went back in the reliable storage space in her left bra cup, wedged against her titty. Jazz patted it three times. The scrunchie, stiff where the metal key and her cash was rolled inside of it, slipped back over her wrist. She patted it three times once it was in place.
Jazz looked up to see Tara and Sunny grinning at her with twin smiles; she forgot to complete the triplet.
“What?” she asked. “Did I make a fool of myself? How much of my ass could you see?”
Tara shook her head. “No, you guys were great. It was barely peeking out; Lee is just a drama queen.”
“Then what’s with the looks?” Jazz waved between them, unnerved at how wide their grins were.
“I’m just happy,” Sunny beamed. “Happy that you’re happy. Happy that Blanche is happy.”
Tara nodded, practically smirking. “I’ve never seen them this silly.”
Jazz snorted. “I think we’re both just high.”
Tara raised an eyebrow at her. “I have seen Blanche high many times, and never have I seen them that geeked.”
“It’s sativa. They usually go for an indica,” Jazz muttered in a weak protest. But her grin felt comically huge.
“I know you probably can’t confirm or deny anything, but if something happened to be going on between you, we’re supportive,” Sunny said, patting her hand. “Blanche needs someone like you in their life.”
“And we’ll keep it quiet. This isn’t something I’ll tell Lee, but you should. Soon.” Tara raised her eyebrow again. “Because that little show up there? The chemistry was sizzling.”
Blanche rejoined them before she could answer, perching themself in Jazz’s lap without a word. Gabe and Richard returned soon after, passing out drinks for the table.
Gabe sniffed a glass and took a sip, before putting it in front of Tara. “That should just be sparkling water with lime. But I got confused with the two gin and tonics I was carrying. Someone was distracting me.”
Richard frowned at him. “Someone needs to use his fucking brain!”
“Are you arguing with him now, too?” Tara teased.
“I told you, I’m not arguing with anyone.” Gabe huffed. “Phin and I are cool now, you know that.”
“Yeah, but Antonio’s been acting pissy as hell.”
“If he’s mad at me, he hasn’t told me why. And there’s nothing I can fix if he doesn’t tell me.” Shaking his head, Gabe gestured to the drink in her hand. “Does that taste like booze to you or not? I’m not sober, so you should double-check.”
Tara huffed, but she sipped it with an approving nod. “Unless you asked for the smoothest gin ever, this is water.”
Blanche turned to Jazz suddenly. “Do you want to go dance?”
Jazz nodded, worried. Their vibes were off. Everyone’s vibes were off. “Sure!”
