It wasn't until a full month that I saw her again, that girl with the wandering eyes and soft smile.
She was sitting at the same table as she did before, but this time her eyes didn't wander and her soft smile wasn't there. One leg was folded over her knee, beer in her left hand and fingers drumming in beat with the other. She took sips occasionally, but she didn't seem interested in the bottle. Instead she was watching the live band that was playing, but in a way that it was obvious she wasn't paying attention to them.
"How long are you going to watch her this time without saying anything?" Karin asked as she stood next to me, cleaning a glass with a rag.
I frowned and muttered, "Last time I went for her, a guy stepped in. She's probably waiting on the same kid."
"If she is, she doesn't look to care if he shows or not," Kagura countered with a nod towards her, "Maybe something happened to him. Maybe she needs a little comfort."
Her nudge to my ribs was annoying, but her reasoning was sound. Maybe the asshole fucked up some how, and it was my second chance to say hi. But it was hard to convince myself when she looked so deep in thought. Before I felt the urge to keep her company, now I was getting the vibes she wanted to be left alone.
"If you won't talk to her, I will," Karin finally threatened, and it sounded anything but idle, "And trust me, if I go over there first there would be no chance to redeem yourself. Your game would start at zero."
Sighing, I rubbed the back of my neck, "She looks like she doesn't want to be bothered."
"For someone who's into girls, you know nothing about them," Kagura snorted, giving the girl another glance, "She looks like she's fed up, and that's the perfect time for you to show."
I wasn't the type to have to be coached to talk to girls, my apathetic nature usually brushed every fuck I gave into the wind. But she was far too pretty, and I wasn't full of myself, I could admit she was out of my league. Still, despite that, I couldn't stop staring. I couldn't tear my eyes away. If I stood here watching for any longer, I'd look more pathetic than I already did.
"What did she order?" I asked them with a glance.
"She's a platinum type girl," Kagura answered with an encouraging smile.
Budlight platinum huh? Go figure. Her hair sure did seem more platinum then blond.
Karin passed me two of the blue bottles with a pointed look, "Now go say hi. I refuse to be friends with a punk."
Taking them with a sigh, I didn't bother retorting as I moved from behind the counter.
"Takin' ten joe," I called as I passed the old man leaning with a cigeratte in his mouth.
"Take twenty and grab me those good pills from my pack, would ya?" He grunted, but with a glance added, "And don't dillydally this time, sport. She's far too pretty for you to be making a fool of yourself a second time around."
I shook my head, but smiled. It didn't surprise me that he had figured me out.
Again my mind was blank when I was walking towards her. No decent lines or charming conversations came to mind as my feet moved. All I heard was the music playing from the stage, the drunken laughter of the crew in the bar cackling, the way the lights feathered over her concentrated features as she took slow leisure sips of her beer.
She's gorgeous.
And I'm out of my league.
But what's the worst that could happen if I kept on my best behavior?
That's what I remember thinking when I finally reached her. When she had finally caught my eye and I had pulled a small smile in return.
She's just another girl at the bar.
Just another random face that caught my eye.
"You don't strike me as a rock girl," I commented while slipping into the seat in front of her, placing her extra beer on the table while popping open mine.
She smiled with a shrug, "You don't strike me as a girl who give out drinks on the house often."
Just another girl who would come and go.
Another smile I could possibly catch here and there.
Eyebrows raising, I asked, "Who said it was on the house?"
The tug at her lips pulled a little more, "Why else would you be here, if not to treat me to a free drink?"
"To say hello," I answered with a shrug.
"Hi," she replied, finishing up her beer with a last sip, her eyes never leaving mine.
She's gorgeous and I'm out of my league.
"So what's your name, freeloader?" I asked, leaning back in my chair as she opened her other bottle.
"Ino," she answered with a smile, "And I only take what others generously give me."
What's the worst that could happen if I kept on my best behavior?
"Well I'm Tayuya, the ever so generous," I joked with a nod towards the beer, "But you only get one of those on the house."
"Is that so?" She asked with her eyes slipping down the bottle before before wandering towards mine as she continued softly, "Guess I'll have to work for the other ones, huh?"
"You never know," I replied with a shrug, leaning forward with the smoothest smile I could muster, "A girl like yourself wouldn't have to work too hard around here."
"Then put me to work," she replied with another sip of her beer, "Because I can stand to have a couple more of these."
"You look to me like a girl who isn't used to lifting a finger," I countered with my eyes on her.
"Mm, you'd be surprised what I'm willing to do for a good time," she hummed, placing her beer on the table.
And what's the best case scenario if I kept on my worst behavior?
"Willing to show me sometime?" I suggested conversationally.
Her lips lifted slightly higher, "Maybe for a couple of more beers."
X
Sure, I flirted a lot. Had more than one girl on my phone who texted me. A few more girls who kept me company during my shifts here and there. And maybe I was one or two over the definition of occasional casual sex. But one night stands?
That's something I didn't do.
I believed in self control, though I lacked a lot of it. I believed in getting to know the girl, figuring out if she was my type, feeling around to see what they wanted out of me. If it was ever something I couldn't give, I always laid it out up front. My routine wasn't something you could do with one night stands.
Yet here I was, panting as I hovered over Ino who was spread in my bed beneath me.
"Fuck," she breathed out in a way that caused me to shiver, her hands running up my naked back, "If this is what you mean by working for a few beers, I'll be there tomorrow night." A smile peeled my lips, followed by a laugh that surprised me. Her eyes flickered towards me in an amused sort of way as we slowly came down from our high, "What, do you find my love of beer funny?"
"Not at all," I muttered, leaning down to nip at her lips as I continued, "But I thought it was the mind blowing sex you'd be back for."
"I've had better," she brushed off, crushing my ego but smiling to show she was only joking, "But I wouldn't mind coming back for that too."
"And I wouldn't mind watching you work," I replied with a small smile, rolling over and sitting at the edge of the bed, "You want a smoke?"
"Mm, smoking after sex type?" She hummed as she rolled to face me, smile dancing her lips, "So dark and mysterious. You remind me of my boyfriend."
I glanced behind me with a raised eyebrow, "Still with the guy? Didn't know."
She peaked at me with unnaturally piercing eyes, for a moment I wondered if she was trying to see through me, "So you know about him?"
"I saw him once when you were at the bar before," I answered while holding her eyes, "But I thought you guys broke up."
She shrugged, sitting up with the blankets falling off of her. I watched for a moment before looking away, listening as she asked, "If I had told you, would it have mattered?"
"I'd like to think that I walk around in life with some principle," I replied, leaning down to grab my basketball shorts, beanie, and sports bra. "But honestly, as you are concerned, I don't think so."
"I'm special? So sweet," she replied as she shuffled about behind me.
I stood to tug on the few items I grabbed, turning only after placing my beanie on my head and slipping out the joint I had hidden between the folds. With a glance, I saw her standing there, one of my shirts by my favorite band on and panties barely hiding underneath. I gave her a look, but she only grinned as I informed. "You don't get to keep that. It's my favorite shirt."
"How else am I supposed to remember you?" She asked, messy hair tumbling her shoulder as she tilted her head with a pout.
I narrowed my eyes, "Used to getting what you want, huh princess?"
"Maybe I am a bit spoiled," she admitted, biting her lip.
I had to struggle to hold onto my resolve, "Well I'm not your boyfriend sweet heart, I don't owe you the world. Or my favorite shirt for that matter."
Her smile split in amusement as she slowly walked over, inspecting the drug in my hand before eyeing me and taunting softly, "What if I promise to work for it?"
"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into sweet heart," I mumbled while watching her, "It's easy to get in debt around here if you keep asking for things."
"Mm, and if I don't mind?" She whispered, taking a step closer.
"Then you'll be seeing a hell of a lot more of me," I replied, placing the joint between my lips before lighting it up while muttering, "And I'm sure that boyfriend of yours wouldn't like that."
She paused, giving me a quiet look.
It was my turn to grin, taking a quick hit before offering, "So about that smoke?"
"I'd hate to be in debt, so I'll pass," she joked with a smirk, moving to sit on my bed before slowly laying down, "But hurry up, because I'm definitely willing to work a little harder for this shirt."
Needless to say, she walked out of that door with my shirt that night.
I am only so strong, I didn't stand a chance once she spread her legs with that pout on her face.