Sorry for the hiatus!
The bar looks like an abandoned building from the outside. The street lights are dimmed, and the only indicator that there are actual real, live people in a mile vicinity is the large bouncer standing outside of the door with his arms crossed. His muscles are bulging gigantically out of his tight, dark blue shirt, inviting us all to the gun show. His blonde spiky hair is short, almost like an army cut, and as we approach, his eyes follow our every move.
"What are you doing here, Roger Clemens?" I chuckle as we walk towards him.
I feel a serious shove in my back and turn around to see Spencer with wide, angry eyes. "Are you serious Ash? You'll get your ass kicked for that around here."
I'm feeling those shots of tequila I did earlier pretty strongly. I feel the liquid almost as if it were flowing through my veins, making its burning path to my brain, to my eyes, to my throat. It is not pleasant.
"It'd be worse if we were in Boston," I mumble as we walk inside the bar, Court giving the bouncer a wink as he goes.
The inside is much more promising than the outside. There is a low glow of lights, a low pounding of bass, but not too high that it'll bust your eardrums. We are not in a club, and that is evident by the small number of people dancing. Most people are seated around and at the bar, talking, fighting, drinking, singing.
Something inside me clicks the second I reach the bar. I feel good. My body feels good, my eyes feel great, my hands are doing well. Maybe it's the tequila.
Always the tequila.
My eyes look over to where Spencer is standing, talking to Court, Aiden, and Blake. She looks just as sexy as she did in my kitchen, leaning over the counter, her mouth so very close to mine. She looks better in the dim, pulsing light, she looks better, pushing a long strand of blonde hair behind her ear in what seems like slow-motion.
Not always the tequila.
"And what are you staring at?" Kyla says to me as she slides over. She's grinning like a mad woman. When she looks over in Spencer's direction, she raises an eyebrow at me. "Figures."
"I just…" I trail off, not knowing what to say, not knowing exactly why I even started talking.
Kyla's eyes probe mine. "You just want her."
"I just want her," I repeat. There could never be a better phrase.
Now, Spencer is talking to the bartender. The bartender who is very obviously flirting with the blonde. She has on this tight little vest so her cleavage is practically popping out all over the damn place. Spencer is leaning across the bar, in which I hope is only a ploy to receive free or discounted drinks. Because she looks sexy, and I'm positive that bartender knows she looks sexy as well.
My eyes stay intently focused on Spencer until I feel a nudge to my elbow.
"Does she know the bartender or something?" I ask Robin, who is now at my side with a gin and tonic in her hand.
The red head nods and speaks only after she's taken a sip of her drink. "She fucked'er."
I blink. "What?"
"They had sex. I'm pretty sure it was a one time thing."
"Awesome," I mumble
I grab my beer and move over to the other side of the bar where Spencer and this stupid bartender womanizer are flirting.
"Hey." I smile at Spencer, ignoring the fact that she was just in the middle of talking to the bartender.
"I'll catch ya later, Spence," the bartender lady woman says to Spencer with a sweet smile. I glare at her as she moves to the other side of the bar.
Spencer turns towards me and raises an eyebrow. "Ashley, that was a little rude."
I shrug. "Sorry, was she important?"
I glance again at the bartender with her long, dark hair and tight vest and pants.
"Not particularly." Spencer takes a sip of her half empty beer. "How're those tequila shots treating you?'
I focus my eyes on her because they had just gone a little dizzy and crossed. "Perfect, thank you for inquiring." I think about getting Spencer another beer but then realize I would have to call over the bartender lady woman. I frown. "How are you?"
Spencer smiles at me, all shiny white teeth and cute little dimples. I really want to kiss her and whether I know it or not I have moved forward on the bar stool close to her. "I'm good. I'm…not a lightweight."
"Excuse me, are you calling me a lightweight?" I'm pretty sure I slur my words a little bit, but I'm grinning like crazy.
Spencer chuckles. "Yes, I am. Did you know that most of the bars and restaurant in the city now recycle all their bottles and caps?"
I roll my eyes. "I can't believe you're talking about recycling while I'm fl-"
"Guys, you have to come see this, Aiden says he's gunna re-create his twenty-first birthday and take twenty one shots," Court interrupts me with a goofy smile on his face, and he's giggling like a ten year old girl watching Miley Cyrus come out of an ice cube on stage at her concert.
I squint my eyes at him and head to the bathroom, but not before I curse him with impotency.
When I push through the doors of the very small bathroom, I grab ahold of the sides of a sink in the back and take a deep breath. My head hangs low before I bring it back up to look in the mirror. What is wrong with me? If I like a girl, I should just kiss her, right? Maybe I haven't thought this out well enough, maybe Spencer doesn't want me to kiss her. Maybe she's just engaging in this cutesy slash sexy banter for fun.
I try to fix my eyeliner because it's a little smudged, but my clumsy hands just make it worse.
"You okay?"
I turn to look at Robin leaning against one of the sinks. I didn't even hear her come inside.
"I didn't even hear you come in," I tell her. "I'm alright."
Robin shrugs and takes a look at herself in the large mirror in front of us. "I'm not too stealthy."
I look at Robin again, and she looks happy. Her and Kyla got together so easily. Something that pushes past my understanding.
"You sure you're okay, Ash? You look kind of…upset."
"Just drunk I guess," I mumble and muster up a small smile for her.
She nods. "It'll work itself out, don't worry."
When she leaves I'm left in the bathroom by myself. I didn't want some deep conversation in the bathroom of a bar about things. I push past the doors with force and back into the room. It's much darker than the bathroom and my eyes take a few seconds to adjust. Aiden, Court, and Blake are huddled together giggling stupidly. Kyla and Robin are making out rather heatedly against a wall and Spencer is talking to that bartender again. This time the bartender girl is touching Spencer's arm and Spencer is just smiling and not pushing her away, like I want her to. I have to work on my mind control, I guess.
I take two more shots and then I leave, giving everyone a short goodbye. I don't even think when I get in a taxi and tell the awkward man behind the steering wheel to take me somewhere that is not my home. Everything blurs past me as I look out of the window. My head is swirling and I feel myself slipping into that sad drunken state.
I inadvertently give the taxi man a very large tip and he winks at me as I get out of the car. I want to take it back.
My knuckles knock on the crappy wooden door and I stare at my hand until I hear the chain being unchained and the lock being unlocked. She looks surprised when she sees me, her pretty eyebrows bunched together, her brown eyes looking over my shoulder.
"Ashley?" Bailey questions, even though she knows it is, in fact, me. Sometimes we ask the questions we already know the answers to. No one knows why.
"Hey."
"Um, are you okay?"
I nod and bite my lip. I don't know what I'm doing here. She lets me inside and closes the door.
"Are you drunk?"
"Uh, possibly." I shuffle my feet.
"What are you doing here Ash?" Bailey has her hands on her hips and she looks a little angry.
"Shit Bailey, I'm sorry," I tell her hurriedly.
She sighs and crosses her arms over her chest. "It's okay. Wanna tell me what's going on?"
I shrug my shoulders and look at the carpet. "I dunno. I guess, I guess I just had a crappy night."
Bailey blinks and I can almost see her mind working. "I'm feeling like I should be really offended, but since you look like a complete mess and we are still friends, I'm gunna move past that. What's going on Ash?"
"I don't know, I just, felt like I needed to talk to someone or see someone or something. I didn't mean to come over here so late," I ramble stupidly.
"Shit happens." Bailey has a small, sad smile on her face. "You…obviously have someone on your mind." She pauses and studies me for a moment. "I'm sure Spencer will come around." My head jerks up and I squint my eyes at her. "Don't look so surprised," Bailey chuckles and shakes her head. "There's something, it's pretty noticeable."
"Is she good in bed?"
"Ashley!" Bailey yells, her eyes opening in surprise.
"I'm totally kidding, totally joking," I say quickly, raising my hands in surrender, in innocence.
Bailey rolls her eyes. "You've overstayed your welcome."
I wake up with my head pounding off of my body and my eyes are hurting even though there is barely any sunlight in my room. I quickly look around the room, to make sure that I am in my own room, in my own apartment. I sigh contently when I realize I am alone. I have no idea what my thought process was on going to Bailey's last night.
I groan as I move out of my bed like an old woman, slip on my slippers, and basically stumble into the kitchen rubbing my eyes. It's bright, and there is a light chatter going on.
Kyla and Robin are giggling and smiling at each other over bowls of cereal and cups of coffee.
"What are you doing here so early?" I mumble towards them as I head straight towards the coffee. I can smell it and I need it in my veins.
"Early?" Kyla chuckles. "It's one thirty in the afternoon, Ash."
I shrug. "My bad. Why are you eating cereal then?"
"Because eating cereal is acceptable at any time of the day," Robin says matter-of-factly. "Where'd you disappear to last night? You left the bar quickly."
"Just home." There's no need to tell them I stopped at Bailey's.
"You look like shit," Kyla tells me seriously as she scoops some Lucky charms into her stupid mouth.
I take a seat at the counter and place my hand on the cold linoleum and sip my coffee. "So sweet of you to notice."
I hear a knock at my door and groan in anticipation of having to open it.
"Chill, I'll get it," Robin says with a smile on her face.
I silently thank her and my mind grants her good orgasms. Then I remember she's sleeping with my sister and I cringe and take it back. Hangovers are bad.
I barely notice anyone come into the kitchen, but when I look up, Robin has her hands on her hips and her eyebrow is raised like she's in a special episode of Law and Order. Bailey trails behind her.
"Heeey," I say slowly. "Bailey."
"Bailey wanted to come and make sure you were doing alright. My first thought, she has ESP?"
I glare at Robin, but smile at Bailey. "I'll be fine. Thank you. And, I'm sorry for being a tool."
Bailey shrugs and takes a seat next to Kyla. "No worries. You look like shit though."
I moan distraughtly. "Everyone is just so fucking kind in the morning."
Kyla coughs. "It's one thirty, actually, remember? So when you said home you meant Bailey's apartment, right?"
"Oh," Bailey says, "Ashley just wasn't feeling good last night. No big deal." She winks at me and I smile appreciatively at her.
"Whatever," Kyla says. She kisses Robin sweetly. "I gotta go get my laundry. I'll be back."
"Oh good," I murmur. "Please, take your time."
I lay my head on the table and close my eyes. I feel a marshmallow hit my cheek.
"Thanks Robin." I pop the sweet treat into my mouth and then regret it. Pure sugar. "So, um, what happened with Spencer and the bartender girl." I scratch my neck innocently.
"She was definitely hitting on Spencer the whole time," Robin tells me. "I don't think she was into it this time though."
"So why wasn't I invited to this little kitchen…" I hear Spencer's voice speaking as she walks towards the kitchen. She trails off as her eyes scan over Bailey sitting at the table, eating cereal form the box. "Party," She ends quietly.
I open and close my mouth and Bailey looks a little nervous. "Hey, Spence," is all I say.
"Hey," she responds. "Hey Bailey. Robin."
"Cereal?" I ask her. Because that's all I can really think of saying right now. This is a bit awkward.
Spencer shrugs and pours some Lucky charms into her hand. "I hope you recycle this cardboard. You know cardboard is usually recycled separately but at the recycling center you can go bring it with paper and plastic and such."
"Right," Bailey says slowly and smirks. "I was actually leaving. I'll see you guys later, feel better Ash."
Spencer watches Bailey leave and then turns back to me and Robin. "What's wrong?"
I shrug. "Just drank too much, bad hangover."
"Obviously can't handle her tequila," Robin murmurs as she grabs a handful of cereal, crams it into her mouth, and then pours some milk from the container into her mouth. I just stare at her.
"Oh, is that why you left so early last night?" She asks me innocently, like she wasn't totally flirting with that bartender lady when I…when. Well, when I nothing. I blink and sigh, realizing that Spencer could do whatever. It's not like I made any move, all we were doing was flirting.
"Yeah. How was your bartender friend?" I say this more meanly than I really mean to.
"Uh, fine." Spencer glances at Robin.
"I'm gunna go find Kyla, that laundry is taking so long, I hope she didn't fall into the machine." Robin smiles at me and kisses the top of Spencer's head before she heads out.
I just look at Spencer. "Why was Bailey here?" She asks me.
"O-oh," I stutter, "she just wanted to make sure I was okay or whatever. I wasn't feeling good after the bar so I just went over there for a minute." I'm rambling and Spencer is just watching me. "Nothing happened. We just talked." Stop talking, stop talking. "And stuff. But not actual stuff."
"Ashley stop." Spencer puts her hand up to silence me. "You can do whatever stuff you want." She gets up to leave and closes the cereal box. "I'm not into the bartender girl." Spencer says this as she walks away, out of the apartment.
Later, I am sitting on my couch flipping mindlessly through channels of television. I can't stay focused on one channel nor do I actually care what's on. I run a hand through my hair, and take a deep breath.
I walk out of my apartment and down the hallway, not even bothering to knock on the door in front of me, I just let myself inside. Robin and Kyla aren't there, but Spencer is sitting on her couch, with glasses on, knitting. I wanted to stay serious but as I keep moving towards her I let out a chuckle. Spencer looks up and she looks confused. But before she has a chance to say anything I bend down and kiss her.
