**

When Jenny enters, carrying several shopping bags, the bedroom is dark.
She flips on the light and snaps.
“Jesus!”.
Shane is sitting in a chair, wearing her shades, journal in hand.
Jenny places the bags on the floor and chuckles.
“A little melodramatic, don’t you think?”.
Shane doesn’t look up.
“I have a flair for drama”.
“Mind if I ask you what you’re doing in my room?”.
“You wanted an answer to your question”.
“Carmen?”.
Shane takes off her glasses. Her eyes are reddened, swollen.
“Devastated beyond repair. I doubt she’ll ever trust a lover again”, she says, expressionless.
Jenny smiles.
“Well done”.
Shane holds up a bottle of champagne.
“I thought we should celebrate”, she adds, joylessly.
Jenny chuckles.
“I’d love to, but unfortunately I’m expecting some company”.
“Tasha?”.
“Not that it’s any of your business but yes”, Jenny replies proudly.
Shane holds up a letter, her expression still unreadable.
“From Tasha”.
Jenny takes the letter, caught off guard.
“I haven’t had the chance to read it…”, Shane starts, casually, “…But I am sure it goes something like ‘Yada yada yada you mean a lot to me. Yada yada yada I hope we can be friends. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera’… You see, I expected your sort of bullshit so I took the liberty of phoning Tasha and Nikki. Right now they’re having a little get together in my love shack at the Grand Central Hyatt. I’m so sorry she chose Nikki over you, but I promised her I would see you through your crisis”.
Jenny stares at her for a long time.
“Well done”, she replies then, coldly.
Shane nods her head.
“Thank you. Now, where were we?”.
The champagne cork pops.
“Oh, yeah, the celebration”.
Shane reaches down and picks up tow glasses. She fills then and hands one to Jenny.
“What shall we toast to?”.
Jenny half-smiles but her eyes are detached, distant.
“To my triumph, of course”.
Shane smirks bitterly.
“Not my choice of toast, but it’s your call. To your triumph over Carmen”.
Jenny giggles.
“What’s so funny?”.
Jenny shakes her head, disgusted.
“Silly rabbit. My triumph isn’t over her. It’s over you”.
Shane blinks.
“Come again?”.
Jenny’s eyes are victorious.
“You were very much in love with her and you’re still in love with her. But it amused me to make you feel ashamed of it. You gave up on the first person you ever loved because I called you names…”.
Shane stares at her, speechless.
“…Don’t get me wrong, I am flattered that you chose me over her, but please understand, I never loved you, Shane. You’re just a toy. A little toy I play with. And now you’ve completely blown it with her. I think that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard”.
She smiles, clicking her glass.
“Cheers”.
Shane doesn’t drink. She looks ill.
She turns her cold eyes to Jenny.
“In any event, you still owe me my reward”.
Jenny chuckles.
“I am sorry, but unfortunately I don’t fuck losers”.
Shane gets up and slaps her across the face.
“You motherfucker!”, Jenny growls, grabbing her and starting to throw wild punches.
They both fall to the ground.
“Nobody hits me!”, Jenny hisses.
“Calm down!”, Shane replies, rolling on top of her and pinning her to the ground.
“Get off me!”, Jenny yells trying to wriggle out of her grip.
“Will you calm down?”, Shane repeats between her gritted teeth.
She stands and gives Jenny a hand up. They both catch their breaths, staring at each other.
“I am very sorry about that”, Shane says, “I apologize”.
Jenny’s eyes still look angry.
“I accept that”, she replies though, “Now get out”.
Shane shakes her head, chuckling bitterly.
“Get out? We had an arrangement!”.
“Didn’t you hear what I said?”.
Shane points her finger to Jenny.
“I don’t care what you said, we had an agreement. You’ve slept with half of the city so don’t tell me you’re being choosy”.
“Get out!”, Jenny shouts, stomping her feet.
“I’m giving you to the count of three to plop your ass down on the bed”, Shane states.
“And if I don’t?”.
“Then I will consider it a declaration of war. One. Two… Three”.
Jenny crosses her arms.
“I think you have your answer”.
Shane purses her lips.
“War it is”.
She grabs her journal, leaves and slams the door behind her.