#aurora2

‘I’m not going to Aruba.’

Vanjie spun around. ‘What?’

They were in the dressing room of Mickey’s. Brooke had just come off stage and Vanjie was preparing to join Silky and A’keria for the Dreamgirls number.

‘Don’t worry, you’re still going. I’ll just give you the other ticket and you can bring someone else. Bring Silky, she brought you to Hawaii. Or your mom, she’d love it.’ Brooke said this all extremely quickly without taking a breath, and was exhausted by the end of it.

Vanjie was for once, lost for words. She stared slightly slackjawed at Brooke, who was fiddling with her hair and refusing to look at her.

‘Did I do something wrong?’

Brooke spun around. ‘No of course not. I travel way too much, I don’t need it.’ She still wouldn’t look Vanjie in the eye.

Vanjie decided not to push it. Brooke was probably tired, It had been a long weekend.

‘Maybe you’ll even meet someone there.’ For reasons unknown to Brooke, she was still talking, without stopping to think. She needed to stop drinking. Again.

‘Probably some rich guys. He’ll definitely have more than post-its.’

Both queens froze. The only sound was the club music thumping above them. Then, a creaking as Vanjie slowly turned around in her chair.

‘B…. I already told you… I know I shouldn’t have said that..’

‘It’s ok. It’s a good line. Everyone loves it,’ Brooke rambled bitterly.

It was true, Everyone loved that line. Everyone was so proud of Vanjie for standing up to the fuckboy who wronged her.

‘I told you, emotions are high, people are gonna get over it…’

‘Easy for you to say..’

‘The fuck is that supposed to mean?’

Vanjie was on her feet now, prepared to square off. Brooke spun around, tears pouring down her face. This sight stopped Vanjie in her tracks.

‘Everyone loves you. Its so fucking easy to love you. You’re funny and wild and caring and sweet. Im just the cold cunt who’s too selfish to give you the fairytale you’ve always wanted.’

Vanjie opened her mouth but Brooke couldn’t stop. Every message, every threat, every point, whisper and smirk as she visited Vanjie at her booth. Every bitter thought from the last 3 days was pouring out of her like lava.

‘I know I have commitment isues, but there was more to it than that. You knew that, but you let me take all the blame.It doesn’t matter what actually happened or that we know we’re cool. Everyone thinks I’m just taking advantage of you and leading you on.’

‘You’re going to one of the biggest fucking stars in Drag Race history.I’m never going to be anybody but the bitch who broke Vanjie’s heart.’

Vanjie’s mouth fell open.

Brooke suddenly became aware that Morgan was standing in the door.Shit. She ran to the other side of the room, pretending to look for her phone. She heard Morgan telling Vanjie to get sidestage for her number. She heard Vanjie leave. She waited. She waited a lot longer than she would’ve liked. Eventually, she heard Morgan leave.

Crossing back to her dressing table, she found a hastily scribbled note.

‘Hey bitch, I know you don’t want me to pry right now. If you want to slip out the back you can. Don’t worry about the last number I know you wish me the best birthday ever. Please text when you feel better so I know you’re ok. M.

For all the reputation of her being a bitch, Morgan was truly one of the kindest queens Brooke had ever known.

Brooke grabbed her makeup, her bag and her boy clothes. And ran.

**

It was after 3 by the time Brooke made it back to her hotel, having wandered aimlessly around the city. Of all the people she expected to see sitting outside her room, Vanjie wasn’t one of them.

‘Can we talk?’

Brooke shrugged in response. If Vanjie was willing to talk to Brooke after she’d yelled at her, she probably couldn’t make things any worse.

Instead of sitting on the bed, they both ended up sitting cross-legged on the floor facing each other.

‘I’m so sorry.’ Vanjie opened her mouth to protest, but again, Brooke kept talking. ‘Whatever fans are saying to me online, is not your fault.  you just said what you felt, I made you feel that way…’

Vanjie finally held up her hand to bring Brooke’s rambling to a stop. 'B… its not your fault either. It 'aint fair of me to just expect The Notebook from you.And the post-it thing… I don’t even know what the fuck was sayin. I shouldn’t have said it…’

'We shouldn’t have said any of it,’ Brooke mumbled. Vanjie’s head snapped up. Brooke looked at her with a small smile. 'We don’t owe the fans or Rupaul any details about us or our relationship. we should’ve refused to answer or at least said it was private.’

Vanjie nodded silently. They sat in silence. Vanjie crawled over to Brooke and snuggled in to her, head into her shoulder, as they had done so many times. This should feel weird, make them want to tear each other’s clothes off… but it doesn’t.

'We’ll be ok,’ Vanjie whispered. 'The reunion brought up weird emotions but… we’re cool, right?’ She almost sounded worried.

But Brooke was smiling now. 'Of course. We’re friends right now.. and that’s ok. We’ll deal with the future when it happens.’

They sat in comfortable silence, until Vanjie piped up. 'Y'know what’d be funny?’ When we’re on the bus tomorrow, we’ll sit as far apart as we can, the fans will fuckin freak…’