Taken
"But then I realized why. It's the same game all over again. The board is already set, the queen is already exposed, and every last girl has longed surrendered, waiting to for his final move."
"Sasuke?" The familiar cry rises above the pumping music of crowded club. Before I realize it, the Princeton dancer girl twirls around and grabs my shoulder.
"Sasuke!" she says, setting down her drink and descending down her barstool. Her heels makes cold contact with the floor. "I thought you were busy tonight- Oh!" She sees my brother, and her eyes instantly light up.
Flashing her brightest smile, she extends her hand. "My, we have not met. Are you by any chance Itachi Uchiha?"
"How did you know?" Itachi returns her handshake.
"Smaller campus than most people think," she winks, then waltzes to his side, displaying for him a glimmer of her attention-seeking orange dress. "A little bit of research also never hurts."
"No it doesn't," Itachi replies, grinning. "And may I ask what you have learned?"
She places a finger on her lips, and leans towards him in a flirty manner. "Your secret's safe with me Mr. CEO. Of course, only if you treat me to a dance."
"Are girls suppose to be this sly?" Itachi questions, amused.
She giggles, releases the ribbons typing up her hair, and tosses her curls back, hands at her hips. "Don't get me wrong, Mr. CEO. I may be a bulldog now, but I am still a Princeton tiger at heart. I know what I want."
"I don't know if I can deny such insistence, Sasuke," Itachi tells me. "May I?"
A little baffled, I give a numb nod. Before I know it, the girl has dragged my brother to the dance floor with her. The silence thereafter isn't long though, as I hear my name called again.
"Eh? Sasuke, is that really you?"
I turn around and see a girl wiping a glass from behind the bar counter. She sets the glass down, and leans in, resting her head on a fist. "Hey, it is you! From that stupefied expression you're giving me, you don't recognize me, do ya?"
I furrow my eyebrows. Taking the bait, I approach the counter. I take the seat of the Princeton girl and examine the features of the bartender. Her high, optimistic voice registers in my mind. But if she is one of the many girls I have the misfortune of interacting with on a daily basis, it's unusual for me to forget her face.
She lets out an exaggerated sigh. "I can't expect the oh-so-popular Sasuke to remember me... so... let's try... this!" With her fingers, she draws two boxes around her eyes. "Or, maybe this." She then proceeds to air-braid her hair.
Glasses and braids, that narrows the pool down to twenty.
When I make no reply, she throws her arms in the air and tries a whole different approach. Rolling up her sleeves of her uniform, she clears her throat. "Sorry to bother you, sir, but would you like, perhaps, a Choco Java-Twist?"
"You borrowed my notes," I affirm.
"Bingo!" she laughs, spreading out her arms wide. "So there is hope after all!"
I don't understand the reason for her cheeriness, nor do I exactly care. But in this suffocating place of headache-inducing noise and spinning neon colored lights and perfume, I figure asking her for a drink isn't the worst idea. "What drinks do you have."
"I'm glad you asked! How about I treat you to that drink I promised earlier?" she proposes. "Whatever you want, it's on me!"
"Anything is fine," I dismiss. I just need alcohol in my system.
The notes girl clears the last drink on the counter. "Anything, eh?" she says, glancing up at the variety of beverages and mixtures behind her. "Well, I learned you ain't a fan of sweets... silly me, should have realized that before I asked you to the cafe. How about I make it up to you with a premium?"
Humming, she whisks off to mix the drink. That is when there is a shy tap to my shoulder. I turn to my right, and see a long haired brunette in a blue dress settle down on the neighboring barstool.
"Hello, Sasuke," she greets sweetly, tucking her purse on her lap.
Unfortunately, I haven't the faintest recollection of this girl.
Catching onto my confusion, she sends a small smile. "You probably do not know me. My name is Hinata Hyuuga. I study immunobiology in Arts and Sciences."
"How may I help you?" I question.
She opens her mouth, then averts her gaze and blushes. "Ah, you see... your brother invited me here tonight. He said you were interested in my company...?"
"Did he now." I snap my head to the dance floor and catch a glimpse of Itachi and his latest dance partner. The Princeton girl is still there, as is a dozen or so other girls crowding around him, all swaying and shaking to the beat. Seemingly innocent enough.
"Um, y-yes. He was quite... convincing, and he was very persistent on my meeting you... I... did I make a mistake?"
The multicolored lights flashes; the mass of people shifts, and I lose them. "No," I say, returning to the girl in blue. "I'm sorry, Ms. Hyuuga. My brother did."
Hinata's eyes widen, her expression crestfallen. "O-oh... I- I'm sorry!" she squeaks, and becomes all too eager to leave the bar stool and flee. She manages one feet or so before she collides with someone.
"Hey babe, wanna dance?"
"Oh!"
A glass hits the counter. "Ouch."
I look up to see the bartender shake her her head in disapproval. "You let that go? Have you lost your noodles?" she asks, knocking her skull.
I bring the drink to my lips. "I'm not interested."
"Not interested!" the bartender exclaims. "That's the Hinata Hyuuga! She made groundbreaking research in medicine, published bestsellers, and saved at least thousands of poor children in Ghana. Her name is all over Time's watchlist, and I heard she's an insane judo master and ballet dancer. Fucking hot to boot!"
"Is that so," I say, deadpanned.
The bartender is not amused. "Do you know how impossibly rare it is to see her out? I would jump at the opportunity. Treat her real good too."
"I'm not interested," I repeat myself.
The bartender intrudes into my space. "How?" she demands. "It's impossible to score any better than that. Who, just who, can possibly top her? Just who is good enough for Mr. Sasuke Uchiha?"
I say nothing, only swirl the drink and take another swig. Noting my silence, she huffs and returns to cleaning glasses. "Sometimes, I swear you are asexual, Sasuke."
"Are you always this intrusive?" I ask, casting her a chilly glare. I don't recall her ever being this bold before.
As suspected, she is unaffected. "No, no I'm not," she airily admits, rubbing her nose. "I've had a few drinks. I'm sure I'll hit myself on the dry wall in the morning, but I need some intoxication to deal with idiot-heads like you. No offense."
"Hn." I drain the rest of my drink; she replaces it without thought.
She watches at me some more, before resigning, "But hey, at least you're here. I can't complain."
I take a deep gulp of my next glass. "Why do you even bother with me," I mumble. It isn't meant to be a question, but she answers anyways.
"Well... personality aside, you're smart, talented, and good-looking. I'd be stupid to throw in the towel just yet," the bartender laughs. "Most importantly..." She sobers up momentarily. "Most importantly, you haven't said yes to anyone else. Nor have you said no to me, and that's enough hope to cling onto, y'know?"
"That's it? How stupid."
She swipes my third glass and replace it with a fourth. "Meh, if you're a girl, you might just understand. To watch him go again and again, but as long as there's some hope, you'll forgive him every time and keep trying. Just wait for that day he finally makes up his mind and makes a move." She sighs, stares at me with a forlorn look.
"How many drinks have you had?" I question.
She snaps back to shape. "Less than you now," she informs me with a pleased smile, snatching the empty glass in my hands. "Might wanna dance some of that off-"
"Sasuke!" As if on cue, a giddy Karin, skips over to me, dressed in a skimpy, stringy what-ever-it-is that must be illegal in at least twenty states. "Have you been sitting here this entire time, grumpypants? Wait, six glasses?"
The bartender gives a toothy grin. "I can tell he's also a light drinker."
"Ooh-la-la, let's dance, sugarstick!" It's here my oh crap radar finally activates, just a few buttons shy of having my I'm fucked ain't I alarm blaring.
Against my protest, Karin has already dragged me over to the dance floor.
"See ya, Sasuke! I'm always here if you need me!"