Last moments together

"Can I pick a different card?". Diane pleaded.

Gwen shook her head to disagree since there was never any alternative from the start.

"Ohh well, I'd have liked to be the one doing the biting - but I guess I could live with this". Dave shrugged with a dirty grin before turning his butt to Diane. "Just go easy, okay?".

Diane glared at him then rolled her eyes before kneeling up in silence. She picked another card, but just as she was about to flip to the next one Gwen snatched the card away. The disappointed gaze she sent at her friend made Diane turn to face Dave's back.

"His bare butt". Gwen corrected. "So feel free to lower his briefs".

"No way!". The dared duo chorused. When there wasn't any further argument, Diane leaned over to take a bite.

"Bloody hell! It's not a freaking sandwich!". Dave jerked away after being bitten a bit too hard.

Diane could only bare to hold back her laughter. This was payback for buying perverted cards. "More like a frozen sandwich". She'd never been friends with any of Gwen's boyfriends nor said more than five sentences with guys other than Josh. And even when she did try to talk to them, it always consisted of a simple greeting.

What was the point of getting close to your bestie's boyfriend?

With a miffed expression, Dave picked up the next card. "Have you ever done it with the same gender?". He hesitated before replying. "Fuck no! I'm as straight as a stick".

"Sticks aren't exactly straight". Gwen cupped her chin. "And Mark is gay, so I thought-".

"Don't!". He raised a hand in protest. "He's my step-brother, so don't lump us together". Bringing up Mark seemed to have annoyed him like they'd had some personal feud.

Gwen picked up the next card. "My body count".

"I lowkey always wanted to know".

"Same here". Dave added. "Twenty maybe?".

Gwen's sarcastic laughter told him something else.

"Thirty?!".

She cupped her chin to think.

"Forty?! You're shitting me if it's more than that!".

She clapped once to draw their attention. "Truthfully, I'm not sure". If it had been anyone except these two, she'd have been too embarrassed to answer the question. Well, this was the end of such a promiscuous lifestyle.

And to say the truth, everything up until now had felt like vanity. She'd gained citizenship in Rudertine as her parents wanted, but it had gradually become like a second home to her.

It was after her parents had informed her about the engagement that she'd begun to live however she'd wanted. Would her fiancé still be interested if he found out about her past?

Maybe. But who knew? They might not even get married. After all, what would happen after the honeymoon? A quick divorce? Or would her relationship remain strictly business? Could it go both ways though? She didn't know anymore. As far as her parents were concerned, marriage should last for life.

However - she didn't love him.

"You alright over there?" Dave asked with a tilted look.

Gwen snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head before responding. "Oh yeah! Totally good. So what was the question again?".

Her sad eyes turned to Diane. "I have one question though. Does love exist? Like - Is everyone destined to find love?".

There was silence for the following seconds before Diane's hand landed on her shoulder in comfort. "Who knows". Her answer sounded unreliable, but it cheered Gwen up a bit to know she wasn't alone.

The volume of the music downstairs suddenly increased before Dave's phone rang. After glancing at the contact name, he stood up to take his leave. "I gotta go now". He paused at the door. "Take care of yourself, Gwen".

She nodded with a mild smile but the moment he left, she broke down with tears and Diane could only spare her shoulder. She'd thanked her stars that the game had been cut short since her next question was something of 'life and death'.

She rubbed her friend's back in comfort. "Let it all out, sis. You made a promise to me this morning remember?".

Gwen sniffled. "I did?".

Diane nodded with a light smile. "I think your exacts words were - 'can't wait to get wasted tonight, let's forget about men'...".

Gwen finally raised her head up to analyze her friend's face. "Okay, but I can't keep up with you".

With a rough tug, she pulled Gwen towards the door.

"Wait! I have to put my underwear on".

***

In a few minutes, they were making their way downstairs and to the bar. The first floor was already quite congested with humans-

And the loud music was almost deafening. It was a riot!

"Two shots of whiskey please". Diane told the bartender who nodded before moving away. No matter how much she disliked crowds or socializing, she could always put up with it as long as Gwen's interests were on the line. These would be their last moments together, and it would be better if they'd part ways without tears.

"Diane". Her friend bumped her shoulder. "The bartender is pretty hot, and I think he was looking at me just now".

Diane's eyes twitched in disbelief. Was this the same lady who'd been bawling her eyes out a few minutes ago?

"What do you think? How does my hair look?". Her fingers combed through her curly hair. "Why aren't you saying anything? Does it not look good?".

"I'm speechless, that's all". She shut her eyes in thought. The bartender seemed to be in his late twenties plus he had way too much hair on his chin. He didn't seem the least bit attractive to Diane.

He finally returned with the two glasses and Diane raised both in her hand. "Cheers".

"What are we cheering to?". Gwen took the glass from her friend.

"Life".

They both clanked their glasses together before gulping everything at once. "Four more, sir". Diane smiled before turning to her friend.