“Maybe Shane here can take you anywhere Carmen. She’s quite a tour guide. Anyway, I’ve got something to take care of so I’ll leave you guys be.” He gave Shane another weird smile and a wink before leaving them both.

Shane laughed at that, rather awkwardly. “Uh, not enough time for a little tour? High school? You don’t exactly look 21 to me.”

“Neither do you.” Carmen smiled at Shane. “Fake ID’s. I assume you go by the same thing.” Shane took another sip of her coffee before shrugging at her. “But you’re right. School’s due next week. Bummer right?”

“Yeah. Summer’s gone…” Surprisingly, Shane couldn’t find something longer to say – not that she was taken so far aback by the new girl’s exquisiteness but it may also be because of too much liquor she ingested. Still, she didn’t rule out the fact that there could probably be something in Carmen that got her a bit tongue-tied. “I can’t change my plans now. Tonight was supposed to be the night I get to spend without so much as talking to some new chick.”

“Uhm… So… About what Joe mentioned? From barista to bartender?” Carmen asked, to keep the conversation going instead of letting uncomfortable silence hover over the two of them.

“Oh, uh, yeah. You see, this place, uh, The Planet works two-ways. It’s a café during the day and it kind of transforms into this bar at night, catering to 98 percent, you know, gay people…?” Shane answered her. “Wait, what? 98 percent gay people? Great going. I fuckin’ sound like a homophobe. I’m losing it.”

“Oh. Really? That’s cool. But the straight ones are always welcome too, right?”

“Of course.” She nods, along with her response. “Okay, she’s straight. W-ell, most girls are until they met me…” Shane stood up, not finishing her coffee, and staggered to fix herself. “Fuck. I’m embarrassing myself in front of her.”

“Hey, you need any help…?” Carmen offered.

“Thanks, but no… I’m all right.”

“Tipsy?”

“Somewhat.”

“It’s still kind of early. Going somewhere? Mind if I tag along…? I mean, if it’s okay. Just thinking what else is there to see around here…”