Chapter 110: Beam Apologize
After leaving Faye alone in that club parking lot, Princess walked home. Her mind was a mess of sharp edges and static. The walk was only a few blocks, and it took her just minutes to reach the front door of her clubhouse. She stopped there, her hand hovering over the handle, and let out a long, shaky breath. She was trying to force the tension out of her shoulders and calm the noise in her head.
She couldn’t help it. She looked back over her shoulder, staring down the empty street in the direction she had just come from. She stood like that for a long while, her eyes searching the shadows like she was actually expecting someone to show up.. she kept waiting.
Then, she gave up. She turned the handle and entered her clubhouse, the click of the lock sounding final.
The moment she reached the bar area, she saw Beam. She was sitting on one of the low cushions, looking small in the large room. Beam turned the second she heard Princess’s heels and saw her walking in. She stood up immediately, her body stiff with nerves.
Princess didn’t say a word to her. She walked straight up to the bar counter and hopped onto a high stool, her movements heavy.
"Richard, get me one," she demanded, her voice cutting through the quiet.
Richard didn’t need to be told twice. He immediately dropped an ashtray onto the wood and set one of her cigarettes next to it. Princess picked it up, her fingers trembling just a little, and looked over at Beam.
"You got a lighter?" she asked.
Beam didn’t hesitate. She checked the pockets of her black leather jacket, searched for a second, and brought it out. Without saying anything, she moved closer. She leaned in and lit the cigarette for Princess, the small flame flickering between them. Then she stepped back, standing in front of her like she was waiting for a sentence to be passed.
Princess took a long drag. The cigarette was already halfway gone, and a thick silence still hung between the two girls. The only sound was Richard in the background, busy wiping glasses with a white cloth.
Suddenly, Princess began to laugh. It wasn’t a happy sound. Her laughter filled the room, echoing off the high ceiling.
"I can’t believe you, Beamer. You went whoring over me... and now you’re here to get things back the way they were," she said. She kept laughing, but her eyes were cold.
"Look at us. We always said friends forever. We said that no one would ever come between us... hahaha... and you let that girl come between us. You fucked with my bitch behind my back. You drugged me just so you could have her all to yourself... and yet, look at you. She’s not by your side, is she?"
Princess stopped laughing abruptly. She closed her eyes tight, her jaw clenched as she tried to keep herself from falling apart right there on the barstool.
"Princess, I’m sorry for what I did. I had no idea what came over me. I was lost and I was filled with this unknown jealousy. I swear to you, I will never try to take your place again," Beam said. Her voice was thick and filled with a guilt that sounded real.
"Beamer Frost... where does your loyalty actually stand?" Princess asked. She didn’t open her eyes.
The moment her cigarette was finished, she crushed it out in the ashtray. Richard was right there, handing her another one. This time, Princess didn’t ask for help. She used her own lighter to flick a flame into life.
Beam paused, her hands folding in front of her. Then, slowly, she knelt down on the hard floor in front of Princess.
"My life is yours, Princess..."
"I don’t want your life. It’s yours to keep. I only want your friendship and your loyalty," Princess said. She finally looked down at the girl on the floor.
"I am your friend, Princess. We’ve been best friends for years, ever since preschool. I will always be your friend..." Beam said, looking up with wide eyes.
"I have never seen you as someone beneath me and you know that. You are my friend... and you always will be," Princess said. She closed her eyes again, the smoke from her cigarette curling around her head.
"I’m really sorry for what I said to you... I truly am. Please just take me back in," Beam said. Her eyes were teary now, the dampness reflecting the dim lights of the bar.
The bar fell silent again. Richard finished with the glasses, set his cloth down, and went into the back room, leaving them alone.
"We have two missions. Antonio has taken my place and is now Leo’s right hand. We need to take him down. We need to show him who is actually in control around here," Princess said, her voice turning sharp and professional.
"Okay, we’ll work on that. I already have someone close to him. They’re going to be our informant," Beam said. She was still kneeling, not moving a muscle.
"Can we trust them?" Princess asked.
"They’ll do anything to get back what they lost. Trust me on that. What’s the second one?"
Princess took a slow breath, her expression shifting into something confused and pained.
"Do you remember when we were 6? We were playing hide and seek at the school playground. I was looking for you and Kiara. It was supposed to be just you and Kiara... but ever since I marked that omega, I’ve been having these flashbacks. She was there too. With MG. Both of them were laughing... like they were mocking us..."
Princess paused, her brow furrowing.
"My memory was taken from me. I know it, and I know it has something to do with Faye Grande. I need you to find out exactly who Faye Grande was before she left Oakland. We need to know why we don’t remember her. We need to know what happened to us."
Princess stood up from the stool, still holding her glowing cigarette. She walked past Beam, heading toward the hallway that led to her room. Then, she stopped and looked back over her shoulder.
"Come on, Beam... let’s go play a game."
Beam stood up quickly, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. She followed Princess down the hall and into her room, the door clicking shut behind them.
