primadonna girl || wilbur soot

Chapter Nineteen

[REAL LIFE]

It's been four days since the meetup. Clara and Wilbur have talked every night. Clara wonders when their plans to have dinner will come to fruition. She worries if Wilbur was serious, or if they simply got caught up in the moment.

Clara ponders this as she slips in her earrings, fastening the back on tight. Tonight is Salem's night. She has just booked a job for Gucci, and the two are celebrating. There's a bottle of silver tequila sitting on Clara's bathroom counter, already opened.

"Are you sure you're alright drinking this, 'lara?" Salem asks, powdering her cheeks.

"Yeah yeah, I'll be fine. It's not vodka. And I can have a little sometimes."

Salem looks a little shocked for a moment.

"What?" Clara asks.

"Nothing. I'm just proud of you."

"You're proud of me for drinking?"

"No, I'm proud of you for drinking without having a trauma response."

"Well, the night's only just begun." Clara jokes, Salem not laughing.

"Shut it." She turns serious for a moment. "Don't be afraid to tell me if you want to leave. I'm all ready for some fun, but it's not worth a panic attack. If you're feeling off, just let me know and we'll go home."

"Nonsense! You're paranoid." Clara picks up the tequila bottle, and takes a sip straight from the source, scrunching her nose but taking the alcohol like a champ. The slightly smoky taste comes through clearly, and it burns on its way down.

Salem side-eyes her.

"Sure. I must be insane."Salem fluffs her hair. "Anyways sorry again I missed our lunch yesterday."

"No no, I get it. You're a busy working girl!" Clara teases her friend, making her giggle.

"Oh shut it. Seriously, I really do want to hear about what happened with you and Wilbur."

Clara blushes, adjusting her little black tank top to hide her face. "There's nothing to tell! It was all totally normal."

"Sooo you flirted a lot?"

"Well yeah."

"And..."

"And... and it was amazing to see him. It made all of this seem more... real."

"It is real. And I'm beyond happy for you."

"Awww stop it." The two girls smile at each other before Clara clears her throat. "Now this night is about you! Forget whatever is going on between me and Wilbur! Forget about how he agreed to have a date-type dinner soon but neither of us has brought it up since then! Even though we've talked every night!"

Salem swivels towards her, hand still poised while fixing the tie on her halter jumpsuit. "'A date-type dinner'? Oh my god! Who made the move?"

"I did because he's a pussy." Clara smirks.

"You're just a boss-ass bitch. So what are you guys gonna do?"

Clara shrugs, pretending as if she hasn't been dwelling on that question for the past few days. What comes next?

She shakes it off and playfully nudges Salem's shoulder.

"I thought I said this night was about you? Come on, I'm set. Let's get out of here." Clara takes one last swig of tequila while Salem fixes some smeared mascara.