Yeah, me again. Just thought you would like another story.
I hope you enjoy it.
Updates will be slow because I haven't had the chance to write (although I have written a chapter since Thursday, I hope that this is a good thing and I will get back into it.) Also this story will be updated on a Sunday but I am heading to Cheltenham today and wouldn't be able to post it tomorrow, so you are getting it a day early.
I will warn you now, I have included themes of self-harm, depression, suicide attempt and abusive relationship. I haven't experienced any of these myself, so please tell me if I get anything wrong. I would rather someone point it out to me than just be insulted by it.
I also want you guys to stay safe as well. I don't want anyone getting any idea so please, if you don't think you should read this story, I would rather you stay in a happier place than read this story. Please remain strong and you can defeat any demons you have.
Let Me Buy You A Drink
They all broke out into laughter as the story ended. Clara could remember the last time she really felt this carefree. Maybe it was because they were heading towards the end of the school year and all the stress of exams had disappeared.
Everyone in the staff room had said yes when the pub was mentioned and it was a relief to have most of them there. Clara was friends with a lot of them and it was nice to just be able to speak to them all so causally, rather than just speaking to the teachers in the English department about school stuff.
Clara picked up her glass to find it empty. She frowned at it before telling her friends that she would be back in a minute. She weaved her way through the crowd, only stopping when she saw some of her year 13's sitting at one of the tables. They called out to her and she told them to have a good time but not to get too drunk. She couldn't help but smile as she carried on towards the bar. She knew as a teacher they thought that she was strict but kind. She really didn't see how it worked but they all seemed to like her.
She leant against the bar. The pub was quite full for a Thursday and Clara hoped that her height wouldn't lead her to a disadvantage. As she waited, she took her time to look at the other people waiting for their drink.
Her eyes stopped on one certain gentleman. She recognised him from somewhere but just couldn't place where. She guessed that he just lived locally and she had just seen him about from time to time. Even so, that wasn't what drew her to him in the first place. He was rather handsome as he stood hunched over the bar, swirling the last of his drink in the bottom of his glass before knocking it back in one. By his greying hair, she could guess that he was considerable older than her. But that thought didn't put her off him.
The bartender when straight to him when he dropped the glass. They spoke for a while before the man pointed to her. The bartender walked over to her and asked what she wanted.
She ordered her vodka and coke before fumbling around with her purse.
"It's okay, he has covered the cost of your drink."
Clara looked up at the bartender before looking over at the man she was staring at. He held up his refilled glass at her before talking a large gulp of it. She smiled over at him before placing her money back in her purse and taking her drink.
She debated with herself for a few minutes about going over to him to thank him. She decided against it for the moment and hoped that he would still be there later.
He was still in the same spot when she returned to the bar an hour later. The pub had become a lot quieter in that time and she very easily made her way over to him.
"Thanks for earlier."
He slowly turned to her. "It's alright lass."
Clara didn't have him down as a Scot but she was quite thankful for the accent. It just added to her first impression of him.
"Let me buy you a drink."
He raised his eyebrow at her, like he had just heard the most ridicules thing every. "There is no need for that."
"I want to."
"You don't need to. A pretty woman such as yourself should never have to buy your own drinks."
Clara couldn't stop herself from blushing. "Even so, I like to. You brought me one so I want to buy you one to repay you."
The man chuckled. He swayed slightly as he turned his body towards her. He leant against the bar.
"Or maybe you should stop. You look a little drunk."
"I am fine lass." He said.
Clara could smell the whiskey on his breath. "Then what are you drinking?" She asked again.
"The same. What are you drinking?"
She leant against the bar and asked the bartender for whatever he was having and just a coke for her.
"Come on lass. Don't you want anything stronger?"
"Some of us have to work in the morning."
"You're young enough. Hangovers down affect the young."
Clara laughed. "Even so, I do get them. I don't want to have to try and deal with a headache as well as a class of screaming children."
The bartender placed their drinks in front of them and the man quickly told him to put it on his tab. Clara tried to protest it.
"I was meant to buy you that."
He turned from her and took a mouthful of his drink. "And as I have said, a pretty woman shouldn't be buying her own drinks." He gave her confused look when he turned back. "What's that look for?"
"I don't know what to make of you. I don't know whether you are just being gentlemanly or you do this for all the girls you want to get with."
He remained to look confused. "What aren't you here with someone?"
"I am here with friends."
"But no boyfriend."
"I doubt I would have spoken to you for this long if I did. Anyway, you don't just buy drinks for someone if you don't think that they are single, would you?"
"Maybe I had just hoped for the best."
Clara looked at him properly. "You didn't expect me to come over. How many other people drinks have you brought tonight?"
He shrugged. "One or two. Don't know really. You lose track after a while."
"Makes me think that you have more money than sense."
He chuckled. "That I do."
They stood next to each other in silence for a bit. Clara sipped on her drink and stole little glances of him. She watched how his hands shook as he held the glass but he didn't spill any of the content.
"Then why did you come over then? Hmm. For all you know, I could have been married."
"There was always a possibility of that. But on a Thursday, any married man would have left the pub by now and I doubt any married man would give me a second look, let alone buy me a drink."
"I would."
Clara looked up at him. She really had no idea whether he was being serious or not. She had suspected that the drink was doing most of the talking really. By his body language, he didn't seem like the guy to go out and just pick up some random person. He was hunched over and only really looked at her a couple of times. It was like he didn't want anyone to disturb him and maybe that was why no one had, until she had come along.
"You can tell me to leave you alone if you want me to."
His hand shook more visibly and he placed his hands in his pockets. "Why would you think I would want to be left alone?"
"Don't you?"
He turned to her and looked at her properly, taking a few moments to trace his eyes over her. "No."
Clara smiled at him before starting up the conversation again.
