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It definitely wasn’t the right time to be partying – Boss knew that. Nevertheless, she was very reluctant to putting down the half-empty cup of alcohol in her hand or turning down the obnoxiously loud EDM pounding its way through the stereo speakers. She was surrounded by an overabundance of dressed down women, yet her eyes always found their way back to big windows, and then to the doors that led to the pool.
Not that she would admit it out loud, but she was rather concerned about Shaundi, after her argument with Pierce. When she stormed out in a fit of boiling anger and clicking heels, Boss wondered if it would be okay to leave her like that. In the end, she didn’t bother to go check on her at all, hoping that this was just another tantrum that she’d eventually get after cooling down a bit. But she, out of all people, should’ve known what Shaundi was feeling was more than just mere rage.
A dashing woman slithered her way across the arm of the sofa and into Boss’s lap. Typically, this was an encounter she wouldn’t mind indulging in, but now was not the time. She gently pushed the woman off and made her way to the bar instead. Perhaps, she and Shaundi could do what other girls did and hug it out of a cup full of strong liquor – if that’s what they actually did.
Once both of their purple cups were heavy in her hands, she carefully stepped between the dancers to avoid the drinks spilling over and went outside to meet Shaundi. From behind, she saw her sitting on the case of stairs that led down to the helipad. She had no phone, book, or any sort of entertainment out to occupy herself. She was just staring down at they busy streets of Steelport. Maybe, Boss wondered, she found it soothing. The perfect place to spill her guts and empathetic feelings.
“Hey,” Boss took a seat on same set of stair with just enough space between them to set their drinks down. “Drink with me?”
She watched the younger girl shoot an unpleasant glare at her, the kind of look that she wouldn’t take from anyone else but her. Boss just lifted her eyebrows and held a cup towards her convincingly.
“Whatever.”
Shaundi gave up and grabbed the cup from her fingers. Before she spoke again, she took several deep gulps that probably stung the back of her throat more than she anticipated. Still, she didn’t let it stop her from speaking her mind.
“I’m still fucking mad at you. Don’t think this stupid drink can make it up to me.”
Boss cracked a small, amused smile. “Of course not, girl. I just came to check on you.”
Shaundi didn’t respond, she just looked down at her drink and sipped at it like it was just a mere cup of warm tea. Tonight, Boss finally noticed, there was a somber feeling that seemed almost as if it was embracing Shaundi, keeping her from feeling anything but grief and sadness. Boss didn’t know whether to feel empathy or to feel sorry for letting Pierce shut her down like that. A person that is mourning should be allowed to mourn.
“I –um…” Boss looked away from her and out at the city of Steelport like it would make it any easier for her to say this. “I’m sorry Shaundi – for what happened back there.”
Shaundi turned to her with some kind of expression that was meant to encourage her to go on. It was ironic how she could do some many crazy and unimaginable things, yet it took an arm and a leg to apologize to Shaundi. If it was Piece – hell, if it was Zimos, this would be so much easier. But there’s something about Shaundi that made this much harder to do than it should’ve been.
“I know you can’t just get over somebody’s death – Johnny’s death. That’s not how grief works. Pierce is an asshole, I’m an asshole for not thinking about that.” As she spoke to her, Boss was not looking at Shaundi. She was afraid she’d mess up everything she wanted to say if she did.
“And I know not everyone mourns the same way. This could be Pierce’s way of coping after losing our boy, but it’s still mad disrespectful to you, me, and Johnny. I just –um, I’m sorry, Shaundi.”
Shaundi was quiet even when Boss finished, and she tried to find something to look it. Perhaps the skyscrapers clinging to the air or the cars below that were scribbling across the streets like little ants from this height. She almost flinched when she felt Shaundi’s hand fall on top hers. She looked down at their hands and then back up to Shaundi, who made it her turn to stare out at Steelport. Her drink was long forgotten, placed in the space between the two of them and Shaundi had put hers alongside it.
“Yeah, you are an asshole but I’m glad you came out here; I’m glad that you care about how I feel.”
Boss squeezed her hand, causing Shaundi to look away from to city and back at her. She felt her chest instantly plummet at the sight of the smallest of tears threatening to fall from the corner of her deep, brown eyes. Boss wanted to take her thumb, wipe them away and hold her until she could no longer cry, but that would be too sappy for the two of them, wouldn’t it?
“Shaundi, I know you better than all of the motherfuckers here – even Pierce. Of course, I care about how you feel.”
She took it upon herself to wipe her own tears away and shined Boss a smile incomparable to the glare she gave her earlier. It felt good to see her smiling instead of wearing that revenge-ridden scowl on her face she carried on her like a purse. She wanted to see that smile on her more often from now on.
She watched her move the cups away, removing the barrier that kept them from getting any closer one another, and scoot over just enough to break through Boss’s personal space. Boss’s brows rose upwards and her eyes widened when Shaundi leaned in to steal a small kiss on the curve of her cheek. Immediately afterwards, the latter laid her head down on Boss’s shoulder. Boss could feel loose strands in her ponytail tickling the side of her neck and jaw.
“Thanks, Boss. Really.”
“Always.”