The Alpha For Her

Candy and Billie had put the finishing touches on their project, and all that was left to do was to give it a final once-over, then decide who would take what aspect of the presentation. But that had to be done on the fly, for after dinner, Flint announced that the presentations would begin in an hour. People scrambled.

“You’re not wearing that?” Vera asked as they met in their sitting room.

Jennifer realized that there was more than just her statement on the line, so she dressed to the nines in the maroon Vera Wang that she had not brought. She did her make-up urban chic.

The presentations were drawn by random lot, and they were called in the middle.

“Team-Emo – Plus Two,” Marla called, checking to see if she’d gotten it right.

Candy led; they had all decided that her accent would add some sparkle. Billie and Jennifer took their small roles, while Vera stood at the big screen like Vanna White presenting vowels. As with all of the presentations, the applauds were polite.

After the last one, Flint stood, thanked everyone and said that their decision would be announced in the morning. Jennifer couldn’t help but see the overly fond way that he led Marla away, and she thought about how Vera had described him as a bad-boy.

His words had been so charming, so very seductive, and when they were alone together he had made her feel as if she were the only woman in the world. But it always seemed as though, when he wasn’t beguiling her, his eye would stray. He had even hit on Billie.

In her heart of hearts, Jennifer knew that she just couldn’t take another set-up. She felt that she would emerge, not just hurt, but with something akin to hate. She decided, again, that her dream was just that, and in so doing, felt a wave of relief.

And then she felt so suddenly very, very tired.

People hung out by the pool, reveling in the end of the stress. They congratulated one another, and mutual admiration societies were born.

Jennifer got a text from Flint, asking if she would like to continue her coaching that night. She ignored it.

She thought to just go to bed, but she knew that she couldn’t sleep. So she took a walk in the grapevines. There was a delicious scent in the air, stirred by a small breeze. And then she heard someone weeping. She crept up to Vera, and when she saw Jennifer, Vera fell into her arms.

“Oh, Jenny, I just want to go home.”

“Why?”

“Because…because I thought that it would be different here. I thought that being with like-minded people…but it’s the same thing. Nobody likes me, and I just can’t seem to fit in. I just want to go home to my garden and my cat.”

Jennifer’s phone toned with another text message, but she didn’t bother with it. She held Vera in her arms. Vera, the tall, sleek black goddess was, in that one vital way, so like herself.

“I like you,” she said, softly. “I’ll be your friend.”

Vera looked at her. Jennifer smiled, nodded and said,

“Let’s go home.”

They both quietly packed, leaving all if Flint’s swag.