Miss Independent Read Free Page B

Bloody Mary’s at the Auden Bistro & Bar located within The Ritz-Carlton, Nikki wrapped one arm around Vanessa’s and escorted her out onto the sidewalk. She wanted to flee the scene as soon as possible in case someone had decided to call the paparazzi seeking to earn a quick buck.
                  As they strolled past various citizens on skateboards and rollerblades, Vanessa suddenly began laughing almost uncontrollably for what appeared to be no reason at all. Those same people began staring with wide eyes and confused looks, as did Nikki. They hadn’t said a single word to one another since leaving the bar.
                  “V--” she started, her face reddening from extreme embarrassment.
    She grabbed her stomach and doubled over, which forced Nikki into a slight panic. “They are going to be so damn miserable together,” she hollered, laughing until tears spewed from her eyes. She wiped them away with the back of her hand and sniffed. “They’d be better off continuing to live in sin rather than try and make it legal. Once it’s legal, anyone who knows anything knows it all goes to shit.” She stood up straight, still laughing. “Ooh, ooh! Maybe they SHOULD get married, so that when it DOES go to shit, I can point and laugh. Or send them an invitation to my ‘I Don’t Give A Shit’ party!”
                  “Throwing a party in honor of not giving a shit defeats the purpose of not actually giving a shit.” She tried holding Vanessa close to her so that she wouldn’t fall over. More people began staring. Nikki became paranoid that nearly everyone who looked in their direction was a paparazzi of some kind.
                  “You are squeezing the circulation out of my arm!”
                  “Sorry. Hey, V, maybe we should get you some coffee before going back to the office.”
                  “Oh screw that place, to hell with it.” Vanessa snatched her arm from Nikki’s and straightened her dress, while doing her best impression of someone slightly intoxicated attempting to appear straight and sober. She cleared her throat and started walking on her own, slightly wobbling. “I’m not going back up there and facing those people after I made a complete ass of myself. I’m sure someone’s called Page Six by now to tell them that the daughter of Alexis Brown just lost it in front of her employees and then skipped out to go to the bar. God knows I said it loud enough.” She stopped walking and dropped her face in her hands, rattling her head. “I can’t believe I said all of that up there. I didn’t mean any of it. Well, that’s not true, I meant all of it. Especially the day drinking and the part about him not saying ‘I’m sorry’. God forbid he apologize for screwing me over by screwing my best friend. And I loved her like a sister. A fucking sister, Nikki.”
                  “I know,” she responded. “I know, I was there, remember?”
                  “The whole time she was screwing him. The whole time. Why didn’t the gossip rags ever run that ?” She pat her chest and shut her eyes to keep from crying. “My mother warned me against her, she said that girl was no good for me. She said she was a fame whore, money hungry…”
                  “She also said I had no ambition,” Nikki mumbled.
                  “That was high school, not now. And she was wrong about that, anyway. You’re finding yourself, that’s all, and there’s nothing wrong with it. You’re not out there screwing my boyfriend or anyone else’s.”
                  Nikki became pensive and waited a moment. “What if I were?”
                  Vanessa turned, staring at her in confusion, and glowered. “What the fuck are you talking about, Nicole?”
                  “I’m not saying I did. I wouldn’t do that to you, ever. But I’m saying if I