Chapter Seven

 

At the crowded Radar…

 

“How do I look?”

 

“For crying out loud,” said Jake, rolling his eyes, “You look fine now. You looked fine ten minutes ago and you’re gonna look fine ten minutes from now.”

 

“She’s late,”

 

“It’s only a minute past nine,”

 

“Yeah and she said nine o’clock,”

 

Jake stared at her, “You’re so spazzing.”

 

“I’m not,” replied Randy, a little too defensively.

 

“You are. Just chill out already,” said Jake, taking a sip of his drink, “I can’t believe you convinced me to go on a double date with you.”

 

“You’ll be fine,”

 

“I’m not even gay Randy,”

 

“Well, Alex thinks you are and I can’t say I blame her. Look at you,”

 

“Fuck you,” replied Jake, “What did she say that girl’s name was?”

 

“Lucy…I think. Oh, here they come,”

 

At the entrance…

 

“There they are,”

 

“Which one is Jake?”

 

“The brunette,”

 

“Ooh, she’s hot,”

 

“Don’t…I think she’s more comfortable with masculine pronouns,”

 

“Okay, so he?”

 

“Bingo,”

 

“Got it,” said Lucy, “How’s my breath?”

 

“You’re good. Mine?”

 

“All clear,”

 

“Sweet?”

 

At the table…

 

“Brace yourself,” mumbled Randy, before standing to greet Alex and Lucy.

 

“What?” whispered Jake, rising to his feet, his back still to the entrance.

 

“Shh,”

 

“Brace myself for what,”

 

“Hi Alex,” said Randy reaching to give her a hug. “You must be Lucy,” she continued, turning towards Alex’s friend.

 

“Yeah, that’s me,” said Lucy, extending her hand for a handshake which Randy ceded to.

 

“This is my friend Jake,” said Randy, turning Jake around forcibly.

 

Jake’s eyebrows rose when he saw the shock of pink hair, but he managed a slight wave and a crooked smile, nonetheless.

 

“Shall we,” said Alex to Randy.

 

“Sure.”

 

Outside Radar…

 

“Okay so Bette isn’t Bette.  Tina’s name is Randy. And Jake is Shane,”

 

“And just in case,” added Kenny, “Jenny is named Elizabeth something and she thinks she’s an actress and Tim carries around a shotgun and has an ultra bi-polar personality.”

 

“Okay. And Dana’s a cop and your girlfriend?”

 

“Yep. Officer Karen Crane,” he said, cracking a grin. When you think about it all it is pretty funny.

 

Inside Radar…

 

“So you’re a welder?” asked Karen, who had since joined the group.

 

Alex nodded. “By day…dancer by night.”

 

“What kind of dancing?” asked Randy, with a coy eyebrow and a grin that was matched by Alex’s.

 

“Exotic dancing,”

 

“Excellent,” said Randy.

 

“Could you two be any more annoying? Just get it on already,” suggested Lucy.

 

Jake couldn’t help but laugh. Actually he was rather enjoying himself. Lucy was a riot, once you got past all the pink hair.

 

“Is that Kenny?” asked Jake, as he felt himself being inspected once again by Lucy…and liking it.

 

“Yeah, who’s that chick with him?” asked Randy, brow furrowing. This statement caught Karen’s attention.

 

“I bet I know who that is,” said Karen through clenched teeth.

 

“I know her. I met her this morning. She kept calling me Alice,” said Lucy.

 

“Hey guys,” said Kenny, nervously looking around the table, “What’s up?”

 

Suddenly Karen stood up so that she was face to face with Kenny.

 

“Is this her?”

 

“Is who what?”

 

“Dana. Is this her?”

 

“I don’t know what..” he started, but Karen had already moved past him and was now in Helena’s face.

 

“Are you Dana?”

 

“Am I Dana? Are you ma…”

 

She didn’t get to finish because Karen hauled off and hit her.