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When Victoria Javadi was a kid, she found it easy to predict what the rest of her life would be like. The minute she’d been told she’d be skipping a grade, then two, then graduating high school before even getting her first period, she could see it clear as day: she was going to be a doctor. It was really no surprise when she got into med school at 18, as somehow everyone knew she was going to follow in her parents’ footsteps (no matter how little of a say in the matter she had had). Victoria is now exactly in the place where she predicted she would end up, even if she’s not entirely sure how she feels about that yet.
What Victoria did not, and could not have anticipated, is that she’d be spending her 21st birthday going out to a bar with her hospital friends. On a Tuesday night. When she has to go back to said hospital tomorrow. No time like the present, she supposes.
She’s still not sure just how they were able to convince her, but after Trinity’s insistence on the fact that 21st birthdays must be celebrated “wildly”, she figured there was no harm in trying. The fun part is that they’re not just going to any bar, but a queer one (again, Trinity’s idea). Admittedly, Victoria hasn’t given much thought to that area of her life just yet, but it feels nice to be here, regardless of whom she may or may not like to kiss. Regardless of the fact that the girl that has been popping up in strange dreams and random thoughts before bed is standing right next to her, asking the bartender for 4 tequila shots. It doesn’t mean anything, Victoria gathers. It’s normal to think about your friends, especially those you see almost every day. She also thinks of Dennis from time to time and she’s sure that doesn’t mean anything (sorry, Whitaker).
Victoria watches as the bartender lines up the shots, and Trinity grabs one of them and offers it to her.
“Come on, Crash. All in one go.”
Crash. She used to hate the nickname at first, but it feels like it’s a part of her now. She’s become so used to it that it feels strange whenever she hears Trinity call her just Javadi when talking to other doctors at PTMC. And part of Victoria silently wishes she was witty enough to come up with a nickname for her too. So it could be their thing.
As Victoria grabs the shot glass, she traces her finger over its rim, doubt smeared across her face. Her encounters with alcohol prior to this day have been few and far between, and she doesn’t think tequila might be the best place to start.
“Uh…” Victoria tries to utter, not daring to look Trinity in the eye. “I’m not sure I even like tequila.”
“Look, they’re drinking it too,” Trinity replies, pointing at Samira and Dennis and looking at them in a playfully threatening way.
“Not by choice,” Samira says.
Victoria lets out a laugh. When she decides to look up, she sees Trinity smiling at her, and somehow that’s all the encouragement she needs to pick up the glass and down it. She feels the tequila instantly burning down her throat, but the taste is not too bad. She can do this.
—
After an hour spent on the dancefloor with her friends, Victoria can feel the first signs of exhaustion from her work day catching up to her. Her feet are killing her, and she decides it’s time for a short break. She yells “Be right back” over the loud pop music to Samira, and makes her way to a stool by the bar. This time, she opts for a cosmo.
As the bartender pours her drink, Victoria thanks her and turns around on the stool to face the dancefloor again. She has to fight off a laugh at the sight of a now very energetic Dennis’ dance moves, which she didn’t think were even physically possible. Samira is standing by him, her movements calmer and not as sped up as Dennis’. And then there’s Trinity. Her hair is loose in a way she rarely ever sees, and it falls and moves away from her face as her dancing matches the song’s beat. Victoria cannot bring herself to look away. Trinity looks simply beautiful. Objectively speaking, of course.
Victoria continues sipping on her drinking, and her eyes are suddenly drawn to a woman who seems to be heading to where Trinity is dancing by the group. Victoria watches as the woman approaches Trinity, telling her something she can’t make out from where she’s sitting. She observes the woman grabbing Trinity’s hand and pulling her towards her, pushing their bodies closer together, and Victoria feels her chest tighten. She doesn’t know what she’s feeling. She can’t explain why the sight of Trinity with someone else is affecting her so much. But she knows she definitely does not like what she’s seeing.
Before Victoria can even attempt to put a name to the feelings she knows deep down she’s been harbouring for months, she sees Trinity whispering something in the woman’s ear and then making her way out of the dancefloor, heading towards the bar.
Trinity sits on a stool besides Victoria, whose breathing has barely begun to slow down.
“Tired of dancing?” Trinity asks, gently nudging Victoria on the elbow.
“Yeah, my feet are really tired,” Victoria replies, looking down at her glittery shoes. “Figured I’d take a break. I…,” she attempts to continue, emboldened by that second drink. “I saw you dancing with that girl. She was pretty, what happened?”
Trinity seems to think her answer over for a few seconds before speaking.
“I wasn’t really interested. She’s not my type, I guess.”
“Oh…” Victoria says, part of her suddenly feeling hopeful. For what, she does not exactly know. “What is? What’s your type, I mean.”
“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know, Crash?” Trinity replies as she gets off the stool, a smirk forming on her lips. “Maybe I’ll tell you as a birthday present.”
Victoria feels herself blush as she struggles to come up with something to say, words suddenly escaping her. But before she can utter a word, Trinity gets closer to her and places a soft kiss on her cheek.
Oh. Best birthday present ever.