It was Tuesday night, Danielle would be coming over soon to help do hair and makeup for whatever costume she’d picked out for her. Deana’s stomach was in knots, afraid of what she’d be forced to wear. She hoped Dani would pick something fun, but was afraid it would be super sexy. 

She had a light dinner, when Dani buzzed to announce she was coming up. She had a key, but they had a code to buzz in case one of them needed privacy. Deana hadn’t needed to buzz in reply in months, and Dani would go over to Jonathan’s for that kinda thing. The less she thought about that, the better.

Danielle opened the door and Deana sighed. “Of COURSE you’re a sexy nurse…” she said. 

“Well, when your brother decided to be a doctor, it did help me decide to get into medicine.”

“You two did like playing doctor when we were kids…” Deana sighed. 

“Still do,” Dani laughed. 

“Ew, that’s my brother…” Deana tried not to throw up. 

They went into the bathroom, Deana sitting on the closed toilet lid so Dani could do hair and makeup. Her hair was pinned half up, the parts hanging down straightened. She did eyeliner, mascara, and a bright red lip, with a little blush. 

“I feel like I look like a hooker,” Deana said, looking at herself in the mirror.

“Ready for your costume?” Dani asked. 

“Not really but I don’t have much say. It’s this or don’t go.”

“Your mystery man could be back this week, send you another drink…” Dani reminded her. 

“If he does, I’m getting his number. Happy?”

“I’ll believe it when I see it, but yes. I just want YOU to be happy. I have a feeling after tonight you’ll get a BUNCH of phone numbers…”

Dani handed Deana a brown paper bag. Deana slowly pulled out the costume. Her eyes went wide and her face was a mix of white and blushing cheeks. “You didn’t…”

“Just put it on and thank me later.”

She put on the costume, definitely uncomfortable with what she was given. “Really? This is what you chose for me?”

“I also bought you some quality handcuffs, you know, in case you ever need them…”

She was in a sexy cop costume, complete with hat, badge, and handcuffs. “You are KILLING IT in those fishnets...”

“Dani, this isn’t me…”

“Exactly. Hopefully this gives you some confidence. Shows off your boobs, your ass, hips, and thighs. Guys will be drooling over you.”

“No, they’ll be drooling over YOU, the hot, thin, sexy nurse…” Deana said. 

“Jonathan will be there tonight, no one will come near me.”

“Ugh, I don’t want my brother seeing me like this. I’m sure he’ll feel the same way.”

“Hopefully you’ll be distracted by a guy. He’ll have me to look at anyways.”

“I know how this is gonna end. He’ll show up, take one look at you, and you’ll ditch me to go back to his place…”

“Hopefully you’ll be going home with someone, too.”

“Wait long enough to see if my mystery man shows up and I get his number.”

“You’re seeming confident that it’ll happen…”

“I like to think of it as cautiously optimistic, but it would be nice to meet a guy.”

“Well then, let’s finish up and head on over…”

They got jackets on and started their walk to the bar. Dani got looks from men passing by, but that was nothing new. Deana, however, was unsettled by how many men seemed to be looking at HER. She could swear she even heard one say “you can arrest me any time” as they walked past. She couldn’t decide whether it was empowering or disgusting to be getting so much attention. 

The bar was somewhat empty, the DJ was finishing setting up, music playing on the system until it was time to start. They grabbed their normal seats at a table near the front. Deana felt a nervous excitement about what would happen that night. 

…

He stood in his bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror. 

Is this worth it, for someone I haven’t even met? That voice still haunts me, I HAVE to see if she’s there tonight. As for the beard, I’ll have plenty of downtime to grow it back. I won’t do a clean shave, leave a light stubble, like a 5 o’clock shadow look. That feels pretty Dark Knight.  

He took his electric razor in his hand. Alright, here goes nothing…. He carefully trimmed his beard, surprised at how much there was in the sink. He did a rough trim just to get the bulk of it off, then worked on refining it to the right length for the look he wanted. Not a clean shave to give him a baby face, just enough stubble to give a more rugged look than his full beard gave him. 

He suddenly looked up at himself. What’s my plan when I actually see her on stage? Fuck, I haven’t done this in a while… I’ve gotten laid, sure, but I haven’t felt like this in years. Not since Jess.  I messed that up, but this is different. God, I’m this wound up by a face I haven’t even seen. I don’t even know her name and she’s been all I could think about all week. I’ll buy her a drink. Do I give it to her myself, or repeat last week and have it sent over?  Yeah, I’ll send it over, see what she does. By the end of the night I’ll approach her though. Fuck, how do I talk to her? Text? That’s one way to get her number, keep in contact with her. It’s almost time, better finish getting dressed. 

He put on the costume itself, the padding accentuating his muscled physique. The mask was the final touch, hopefully enough to throw off anyone from recognizing him. He headed downstairs and towards the bar. He’d walked past it a couple times in the past week to make sure he could get there again without getting lost. 

As he walked in, the bar was pretty full, a few seats open at the bar itself, rather away from the stage. Justin sat at a stool, just ordering water. Any other night and it would’ve been a one-two gut punch, no singing and no drinking, but it was worth it to see what she looked like, to hear her voice again.

…

Deana stayed under her jacket as long as she could inside the bar.  It wasn’t until she felt like she was starting to be too warm that she reluctantly took it off, resting it on the back of the chair.  She got up, walking through the crowd, and got slips to put in her song choices.  She grabbed three, knowing she’d need a LOT to drink with this costume, but also knew she’d want to sing more once she’d started to imbibe and lose her inhibitions a bit.  She’d never gotten too crazy when out drinking, but it definitely relaxed her.  She sat back down to fill out her slips, returned them to the DJ, then walked to the bar to order her first drink.

Justin tried not to look directly at anyone in the bar, even with shaving his face and wearing a mask.  He watched out of the corner of his eye at the crowd; the costumes, and friends having fun.  He wished he could have a bit of that, especially now.  They wouldn’t want to go to a place like this, for some of them it was a chance to see and be seen whenever they hung out.  It would’ve blown his cover for sure.

He listened as people started to sing, hoping each time a woman got up that it would be her.  I doubt she’ll sing the same song, but I know that voice, the tone, that richness of it, full bodied.  Like she’d lived it and written the song herself, the passion behind the words.

“Welcome Deana to the stage everyone!” the DJ announced, Deana stepping up to take the mic.  She started with the vocals that came before the music started.  

It doesn’t matter if you love him, or capital H-I-M.  Just put your paws up, cuz baby you were born this way.

The crowd cheered and started dancing as the music pulsed.  Justin’s ears perked up a bit as she started the first verse.  This was it, this was her, it had to be.  As if he was actually having alcohol, he slammed down what was left in his glass, “ordering” another, and requesting to send a drink to her after she finished her song, before looking to see the woman he couldn’t stop thinking about all week.  He slowly turned on his stool, standing to get a better look.

Wow, was all he could think.