8 Nothing a few drinks can't fix IV

Chang was touched but shook her head and declined. She would rather keep busy, it kept her mind off the thoughts which inevitably kept swirling back to him.

"We got one night, let's go!" Without further word Justin took Chang's arm and led her away from the neon pink glow of La Vie En Rose's sign. She sighed and acquiesced, curious as to where he would be taking her. Luckily it was still warm in late August, so Chang wasn't chilly in the slightest in even in the tiny spaghetti strap top and shorts. Even with the earlier events buoying down on her heart she was thrilled to have made a wonderful first impression on her new boss, without a word. She loved the energy, and high paced action, she had been a waitress before, but this was more like cocktail hostessing, something she'd never done before. She loved her new coworkers, even Brandy, who was a little overly clingy. She was so glad to have got the job, the extra money would help her mother immensely. The tips alone she had stuffed into the front pockets would be enough to party tonight and be groceries for the week. Things were looking up in her life.

When she had first arrived in L.A., she'd only had the clothes on her back and a backpack with a change of clothes and a few thousand dollars cash. She didn't know where else to go, and she certainly didn't want to turn to her mother with all her burdens. She had met Justin in a bar a few hours after she had left the airplane terminal, looking for a stiff drink after her previous 36 hours. After chatting with him for around 20 minutes, she had felt a liking to him. He like her was 23, and was new to the area. He had also come looking for a fresh start, though a couple months prior. It had already come up that he was gay so when he brought up that he had a couple of rooms that he needed to rent out. she immediaty inquired as to how much the rent would be. It would be a a third of the money she had, but without hesitation she drew the amount from the backpack and put it on the counter in front of him.

"Roomies?" she inquired with a smile.

"Well, damn! Didn't expect that! Let's get out of here, get some champagne or something to celebrate, and take you to your new place!"

She had once worked as a traveling magazine writer. She would write different exposés, usually regarding business and technology, she had never known though that her trip to Shanghai last year was her last. During that trip her life changed unexpectedly and dramatically. It had never been unusual for her to be unable to see her mother for long periods of time due to her job, so she called and talked to her frequently. She hadn't known at the time how to tell her mother what had happened in Shangai. Now she couldn't tell her and couldn't go home.So she lied constantly to her on the phone and supported her, far from home and anyone that she had known.

After several blocks they walked in front of a giant building which looked like a converted warehouse. The sign had a bright orange bird and read Canary Sue's.

She was surprised he took them there. She came here she was thinking about him to the point in clogged her brain up. She would come here alone to rent a personal karaoke room, after a couple hours and a good cry she'd be ready to face the world again. She had told Justin before about this place, but he didnt really like karaoke, and she felt uncomfortable singing in front of others, so it had become her solo thing.