Chapter 2 - Secrets Revealed
Barry's head swam as he downed the third drink. The music had eased to a lazy tune. The few dancers that pirouetted on the floor didn't even follow the rhythm. The club's energy had shifted to the tables, to casual chatting and flirting and kissing.
Caitlin sat with her legs tucked underneath her—her heels lay on the floor somewhere—while he had stretched his over the sound system. She held her glass with precision and cringed each time the alcohol touched her lips.
She wasn't much of a drinker, Barry deduced.
The colored lights illuminated her eyes and her teeth—whenever she shared a smile.
At first, they chatted about his graduation and his passion for forensics science. As with all things he loved, he spoke in a frenzy. It was crazy, he thought. He'd only met her minutes ago and it was like he was trying to compress the story of his life into a short summary—scary details excluded. (Though a voice deep inside told him she wouldn't mind the scary details. She would understand.)
The truth was, he liked her reactions.
She didn't just nod and smile. No. Her eyes and mouth widened with proper shock and surprise as he told her about his hearing accident.
"No!" she said, leaning forward.
"Exactly!" Barry returned the emotion. "I mean, out of all the places I could have been when the speaker system went off, I happened to be right in front of it. I couldn't hear anything for an entire day! At least, Iris enjoyed teasing me."
She laughed and shook her head. Then, when her eyes sobered, she said: "You had reversible hearing loss."
Barry stopped over his drink. "I had what?" he asked.
"Reversible hearing loss," she repeated, blushing. When she saw his blank expression she scurried to explain: "It's a mechanism your ears use to adapt to the loud noise and protect you from real damage."
He stared at her in awe. "Wow that's so... educated of you," he remarked.
She shrugged, turning her attention to her drink. "I read," she said.
Barry nodded, though he didn't quite buy her excuse. He realized she'd never told him about her major. She had skipped the question when he asked her by turning the focus to him.
In fact, each time he tried to center the conversation on her, she shrank inwards and guarded her expression. She cut her answers short. So far, he'd only managed to learn about her friendship with Cisco—he was the one who had recommended her for the job and had also tutored her on the art of mixing music. She hadn't always been as proficient as she was now—Barry imagined her struggling with the buttons, showing extreme caution. A smile tugged on his lips.
He stared at her profile-the way her intelligent eyes caught the light, the way her hair brushed her skin and her lips balanced each other.
"You never told me what you specialize at," he commented.
She turned her face and raised her eyebrows, as if she hadn't heard him. It was kind of cute, Barry thought. She actually believed she could fool him. The innocent looks were basically his expertise. He smiled, deciding to humor her anyway.
"Your major. You never told me what you're studying," he repeated.
This time, her hesitation was visible.
"I promise I won't feel intimidated," Barry said, raising his palm.
Her eyes squeezed into a smile. Barry's gaze caught on her dimples for a moment.
"I'm a biomedical engineer and geneticist," she said. Barry shaped a silent wow with his lips, his eyes widening.
"You said you wouldn't feel intimidated," Caitlin reminded him, pointing with her finger.
Barry closed his mouth. "I'm not—I mean I'm not going to pretend I understand what that is about, but you... you are a scientist-aside from a DJ, which I-I think is-is an interesting combination," he struggled to find the right words, to not sound like an idiot and at the same time compliment her mind.
A smile pressed into her left cheek. "You are not so bad yourself, Mr. Allen. A pizza delivery guy who's secretly a CSI detective."
He accepted her praise with a nod. "Yeah, people tend to think I'm fast at delivery."
Caitlin tilted her head.
"And that sounded not how I intended it to," he scurried to add.
Caitlin laughed.
Quiet settled as if carried by a breeze. Caitlin focused on her drink and switched the song.
5,4,3,2,1… the lyrics started. The voice was sweet melancholy and inner complaint.
5,4,3,2,1...
He holds the guuun... against my heart.
I close my eyes... and I'm... I'm dead.
He saw her close her eyes and bite her lip.
His eyebrows pulled together in a furrow as he watched the pain battle with her expression. It didn't take a genius to fill in the pieces. The song hymned romantic love and how it could murder you.
"What happened?" he asked quietly.
She opened her eyes and stared. Her gaze turned cold and distant.
"I... lost my fiancé," she answered, her voice firm. "We both studied at the same college until... there was an explosion nine months ago. Basically, I lost a year of my studies and the man I loved... died." Her voice dried at the last word.
Barry sat up straight and looked at her, shaking his head. "I'm so sorry," he muttered.
"Yeah, me too," she said. "So, since you asked why I don't smile too much, this blank expression feels kind of the way to go."
Barry nodded. Her words connected strangely with him. He'd made a similar pact with himself. Only different. He couldn't vindicate his father. But still, hoping felt like the only way to go. The muscles around her mouth twitched, as if she was restisting emotion.
"Hey," Barry said. Before he realized it, he was reaching out and placing his hand on her shoulder. Caitlin jumped slightly. He pulled away, curling his fingers into his palm, but still held her gaze.
"Everything is going to be okay. You will be fine," he told her. He didn't know how he'd ended up offering support to this girl—this girl he barely knew—but it was almost an automatic reaction. Somehow he knew that she could survive this and he needed to tell her.
He almost expected her to protest, to shake him off, but Caitlin's eyes stretched wide as a tiny speck of hope glimmered in the depths of her irises. She was stunning. She nodded.
Barry tried to clear his head and smiled. He decided he wouldn't leave this place if he didn't see her smile again.
"I have an idea," he started.
Caitlin squinted and leaned a little back. "What?" "Let's play a drinking game," he suggested. "We'll both describe our worst experiences of a certain type and if yours are worse than mine, you'll take a shot, or the opposite." He grinned with pride.
Caitlin's expression shrank in hesitation. "I'm not sure…"
"Oh come on. You deserve to have some fun," Barry pressed.
Caitlin's eyes opened in protest as she resisted a smile. "I have never done a drinking game!" she confessed. "I'm not even sure I will be any fun!"
One hour later…
"Worst birthday party ever!" Caitlin shouted as soon as she slammed her glass down. Cisco gave her a look, then leaned toward Barry and covered his mouth with his palm. "Who is she and what have you done with Caitlin?" he demanded.
Barry laughed and lifted his shoulders, shaking his head. "Okay, me first!" Caitlin said. "It was the year my father died. He was the only one that remembered my birthday, so that year nobody was home to celebrate. I made a cake on my own, which turned out to be salty. Much like me." She snorted and snickered.
"That sucks, but not as much as my worst birthday," Barry pointed out. "I was eleven years old and I visited my father in prison for the first time, but they wouldn't let me see him, because they considered him a a threat to me, after he was accused with murdering my mother."
He frowned as soon as he uttered the words. He was sure this was something he wasn't supposed to say.
Caitlin pouted. "Fine, you win!"
Barry cheered and downed another shot.
"How about this?" he pointed a finger. "Worst pick-up line you've ever received," he suggested.
Caitlin wrinkled her nose and twisted her lips. "Hey Snow, I bet I can make you fall for me," she said, imitating a male voice.
Barry folded in half laughing.
"What did you tell them?" he wondered.
"Something about how I could freeze them to death instead. Which was pretty mean, but he deserved it." She almost looked like she was muttering to herself, which gave Barry another round of laughs.
As he straightened up, he saw Julian approach. His smile faded. Julian stopped next to him and studied Caitlin. Barry tensed.
"You were supposed to buy her one drink, Allen. Not get her wasted," Julian remarked.
It took a moment for his words to set in and create their disaster. Caitlin was too drunk to react to them. But the same didn't apply to the barman.
Barry met Cisco's grim eyes. His hands had frozen over the cocktail he was brewing. Barry opened his mouth and raised his palm in panic.
"Hey let me explain-"
"I thought I had made it clear to you that Caitlin wasn't in a place to date, much less be played with," Cisco said through tight lips.
"I didn't intend to-" Barry tried to explain.
"I think you need to leave now," Cisco cut him off. His voice stayed within civilized volumes, but somehow it sounded more threatening than direct yelling.
Barry got the message. He nodded and turned to leave.
"Thanks, Julian," he muttered as he swiped past him toward the exit. The other man had opened up his eyes, as if he'd just realized his mistake.
Too late, Barry thought, more to himself than to his colleague. He felt like the worst jerk in the world.
And he deserved it.
The next day he returned around the afternoon. The sky had opened up and was pouring on the earth, so he'd brought an umbrella with him.
He walked several times around the block, ignoring the chill of the rain, until he built up the courage to go inside.
The club worked as a pub during day time. Quiet background tones had replaced the echoing music. The air smelled of spicy perfumes and smoke. But mostly, it was dry, which was a nice change from the wet weather.
Barry shuffled toward the bar, closing his umbrella and slicking back his hair.
"Oh, you again," Cisco muttered nonchalantly once he noticed him. He was tasting a lollipop.
"Hi," Barry said breathily, pretending not to notice his attitude. "Is Caitlin here?"
Cisco pulled the lollipop out of his mouth. "She is Dr. Snow to you," he corrected him, his gaze a sharp knife.
Barry winced and waved his head. "Fine. Is Dr. Snow here?"
Just as he asked, he saw her coming from the bathroom. His heart hammered and his breath caught. Her gaze met his, cold and impassive, but she didn't stop in her tracks. His eyes travelled up and down her body on their own initiative. She wore a black tank top and grey trousers, while a stylish silver clip held her hair on one side.
"Hi," Barry said in a clipped voice, as soon as she came within earshot.
Caitlin turned her side to him and pressed her body against the counter, completely ignoring him.
"Give me a jean tonic, Cisco. With extra ice."
"Right away, m'am," he replied and instantly pulled a bottle.
Barry had never wanted the earth to swallow him as much as he wanted it at that moment. Her direct indifference was like an icicle cutting through his chest. He leaned on the bar, scraffing the surface with his finger. He struggled to find a creative way to start speaking. The seconds passed, and the silence took giant dimensions, and Cisco slipped the drink toward Caitlin.
"Hey, listen," Barry started, pivoting. Caitlin picked up the glass and took a sip. "Yesterday night-"
She whirled. Barry only caught a glimpse of her staggering glare before she tossed her drink right into his face.
He closed his eyes and pressed his lips. When he looked again, she was gone. Cisco stared at him with shock written all over his face, before he raised his eyebrows and returned to his work.
Barry wiped the water off his face with the back of his sleeve and turned around. The door of the club closed after a half hint of Caitlin. He ran after her.
The rain soaked him to the bone. It was the kind of rain that fell down in cascades, creating rivers down the road. Barry searched in the blurred view until he noticed a grey-coated figure heading to the parking lot, holding a black umbrella.
"Caitlin!" he shouted.
She didn't slow her pace.
He started running. He thought he would probably catch a cold later, but he ran regardless. He only wished he could run faster.
He stopped her just as she was about to enter her car, gently pulling her shoulder. Caitlin shook his hand off and pierced him with her eyes.
Water spilled down his face and lips. Her umbrella looked particularly appealing to him as cold had started to set in his bones, but something told him she wouldn't exactly welcome him under it.
"Caitlin, listen please," he begged her. "Yesterday-"
"Yesterday what, Barry?" she cut him off. "You took advantage of my emotional state to have a laugh with your friends? You used me to boost your stupid ego? You insisted on getting me drunk so you could then exploit me further?"
"No-NO! Please, I swear I only insisted on getting drunk, because we both needed it. I never intended to take it any further than that," he promised.
She frowned. "You don't have the slightest clue about what I need," she said through gritted teeth. "What I need is for you to get out of my sight. I have enough troubles in my life as it is. I don't need you to make fun of it," she spat, pain and anger painted all over her eyes. Barry's heart sank as she opened the door of her car.
He stood alone in the shower as her headlights shone in the dusk. He watched them fade away.
Lightning split the sky. Suddenly he wished it would strike him.
A/N: Thank you so much for the sweet response! I'm incredibly moved by the warm welcoming I've received since the two stories I've posted. I hope I can keep your interest up ^^
The song lyrics '5,4,3,2,1…' are from 'Murder Song' by Aurora.
