Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

Enjoy!

-

The bar was packed, and it didn't help that there was a game on the big screen.

'Just great,' she thought to herself, all smiles on the outside, 'Another night with a packed place, of idiots, and out of towners.' She jumped the ledge of the bar, and landed graceful next to Malady; pulled her hair playfully, then went to the side, and took off her coat, stuffing it underneath, just where her favorite coat still laid.

At least the coat was still in one piece, in the same place where she left it, and there was nothing spilled on it.

"Your turn," Malady cracked, grabbing her own coat. "You are very lucky tonight." She let out a laugh of excitement.

"Why?" Jondy asked, leaning against the bar, arms folded. Whenever she said that Jondy was "lucky," she was referring to a hot guy, which was true. Though it didn't always compinsate for their temperament, and personality.

Sometimes it worked out, and sometimes it was just enough to get them drunk, until they totally forgot that they were perusing her, and she could kick out of the bar with the excuse of their excess of too much liquor; or harassment.

"There's a hottie in here that has had his eye on you ever since you walked through the door," the energetic blonde said, trying to keep the glee out of her voice, but she was too energetic about this guy, for her to calm down in any way. She was acting like a young teen with a crush.

"Where?" Jondy said, calm, and unfazed by her friends excited babble. This was nothing new to Jondy.

"By the pillar," she said, directing Jondy in the direction, and pointing right at them, not caring, or not knowing that pointing directly at someone was considered very rude.

It was Zack.

A plan formed in her head.

"You're right," Jondy said, playing along. She quickly scrounged up a drink, and handed it to Malady.

"Here, give this to him, and say, 'The bartender thinks you're hot, she wants your number.'" Jondy put on that fake smile; she practiced just for Malady, and got her even more pumped up.

"Wow, you're going to persuade this guy?" Malady was in shock, and she had reason to be. Most of the time Jondy was reluctant.

"Yeah, I'm in a great mood," she smiled, "Add something else in, if you want to." It was a mistake for Jondy to say that, especially to Malady, for she would run her mouth, and make up so much that she 'thought' would work, to hook Jondy up.

But it was going to be said to Zack, and not somebody who would be around to 'follow-up' on her.

"Will do, love," Malady said, and bounced her way toward Zack.

Taking care of a new arrival, she kept an eye on the scene. Malady walked up to him, and even before setting the drink down, she was already talking at him a million miles a minute.

The look of irritation on Zack's face didn't seem to faze her, for she continued on, set the drink down, and pointed in Jondy's direction, and then she walked away, still talking.

Did she even breathe?

Head down, and on her work, the smile on her face showed that she was enjoying every minute of this little show. It was very entertaining to see Zack under interesting circumstances, and keep his calm. She didn't have the means of it in her body to keep her calm, when it came to circumstances like that one she put on him.

It was one thing that set him apart from her.

A song came on that she knew, so she started to sing along, and mix whatever it was that they wanted her to mix.

-

It started out as a good night; nobody was fighting, and all the rowdiness was under control. She was mildly impressed; not really. It was still early, and the night was young.

But most importantly, Zack was there. After about a good half hour, he took a seat right in front of her, once the seat cleared out from one of Jondy's wondering admirers.

"You want another?" she asked Zack, taking the empty glass away from him.

"I want to take shots against you," he said matter-of-factly.

The people around her looked at her, and he, like it was a show to go down. Nobody knew that they knew each other, and nobody knew that they knew each other since practically birth. They grew up under different circumstances than everybody else in the whole bar.

"Nah man," the hipster said, right next to Zack, putting a hand on his shoulder, which he took back a second later, by the look on his face. He still had his speech, though the look on his face said differently, he said, "No one can out do this hot stuff right here."

Jondy beamed.

All of the best, she has outdone them nine times over. She's simply amazing. For someone so thin, she can put it away."

"I told you Rex," she said over the music, "I put it in my ear."

"Yeah, yeah," Rex said, taking the sunglasses off his eyes, and putting them in his pocket, to reveal red, bloodshot eyes, "If this guy can beat you, I won't drink no more, ever." He shot his hands off like an 'x'.

"AA, never thought'd you go," Jondy said as a casual statement; one that has been brought up many times before. Taking a bottle, and popping the lid off with her nail, she handed it to another customer, and took their money.

Back to them, she leaned suggestively against the counter, hip out in Zack's direction; she faced Rex and said, "Though the idea of you fixing your life sounds nice, and I want that a lot, he will not win."

"What if I win?" Zack cut in, casual as ever, "What do I get? I don't even know this guy. Why should I care about his alcoholic problems?"

"Hm?" she pretended to think, then jumped up onto the counter, in a crouch, feet flat down, she said, "You get me!" She spreaded her arms wide.

"Ah man," the hipster dropped his arms at his sides, with his exclamation, "I always wanted 'ya, and now this guy gets 'ya? This is not far. This is bull!" He was really pumped up about this. The look on his face showed that he was ready to beat Zack down, for her honor; though instead of being a man in armor, he was nothing but a guy in tin foil.

The guy, Rex was always asking her out, and she was always turning him down. It was a low blow to Rex's ego. A really, really low blow.

"Don't worry, hun," she put up a southern accent, "Don't worry. Nobody will be going to home with me tonight!"

She jumped back down off the counter, a simple jump, she landed on her feet.

The look on Zack's face begged to differ, about her not going home with anybody. Zack was going home with her tonight. He could go to her any time he wanted; she just wished that he would more often.

"So you ready or not?" Zack questioned, he tapped the ball of his wrist on the table twice.

Jondy looked around, then reached under the bar, and pulled out an unlabelled bottle; clear, with blue liquid, and two sets of shot glasses.

He looked at it, then her. "Are you serious?"

"Sir, don't judge it by its color." She looked forward as a whole group suddenly came in. "We'll take shots between customers, that way nothing will fall behind, except yours off the barstool."

He didn't say anything. He looked amused, at her words.

She poured two shots, downed hers, and slapped it on the bar.

"It's different this time."

He took his down, and slapped it on the bar as well.

-

So that's how it started. Between people, and everyone who flirted with Jondy, they downed shot after shot. Both held clear eyes, at the start, and both had a great attitude, even with the little crowd that formed.

Rex was very clear with who he wanted to win; as well as the crowd. They knew who he wanted to win, and they had to stand him. He was very rowdy.

Jondy smiled at Zack, and filled both their glasses with another round, downing hers.

Zack didn't touch his, he gave one nod of 'no,' with his head, and his dark, stern eyes stayed on her.

Jondy's smile widened, and she showed pearly whites.

"It comes with the job," she bragged, and downed his shot, "I win."

Her eyes caught her bosses, and the bottle, and shot glasses went away.

"It was a normal night," she said, under her breath to Zack, and gave a stern look to Rex, and leaned forward on the bar like this was normal conversation.

She had to be friendly with the customer's right?

"Jondy is everything okay?" he said, "There are no smashed bottles, I see," The tall, muscular, dark man said, a casual greeting she was all to use to.

"Yeah, it's calm tonight," she said, all too used to his poor attempt that the truth, with the mix of sarcasms. She had to force a smile in his direction.

"Listen, can you watch the bar for a sec?" She asked.

He nodded, and she hopped over the bar, and took off toward the bathrooms. Before going in, she looked back at Zack, who had one eye on her, and gave a jerk of her chin before going in.

Inside, she went straight to the toilets, and 'drained the lizard.' She could put it away, though it had to come out a short time later.

Even though it was the girl's room; the cleanest room in the entire place, despite the fact that using 'clean' was saying too much, she heard him come in by the means of the sound of the boots on his feet. They were very old, and very familiar.

He took up space by leaning against the wall, by the conked out hand drier.

"So what do you want?" he offered, by means of her winning their little competition.

She peed, and took care of business, and came out to wash her hands. Eyes on the mirror she spoke directly to him. "That's true, I won," she said complacently, doing a little happy dance, "I never said what I wanted if I won."

She touched up her hair.

"I'll think about it," she added, biting on her lip. She went over to him.

"Are you shot?" she urged, a wicked smile on her face, and a chuckle in her voice. She laughed.

"No," he said. He put both hands on her face, and examined it, "Your eyes are shot, and there is color to your face. Don't you feel it?"

She nodded her face still in his hands.

"But you're still alert."

"I will be if I get that kiss that you still owe me."

She took both his hands into hers, and lowered them, holding them down at waist length.

"You are feeling it," he came to terms.

She shook her head, "I am serious about it, and I am not drunk. I haven't been drunk in so long."

"So you are alert?"

"Unfortunately yes," she answered.

He gave her a raised brow.

"Can I have a kiss before I get back to work, or not?" She crossed her arms, and shifted her weight. She didn't stagger, and her eyes didn't space out.

"You will never cease with that." He shook his head, and put his lips on hers, for a brief second before taking them off. "There."

"That wasn't so hard," she smiled, and let go of his arms. "Well better go, otherwise the boss is going to wonder, and then bother me for the rest of the night."

"Do you want me to wait it out for you?"

"Sure," she agreed with a nod.

"Aright," he said, and walked out before she did.

She smiled into the mirror, and stretched her arms above her head. The outlook of this whole visit was looking better, and better as it went.

Maybe it was going to end just the way she wanted it.

She went back out, and back to the bar, to 'man it' for another two hours before close up.

-

There are two chapters left. Drop me some love. Next chapter will be up soon.