chapter 3.28
Siobhan
I finally got to meet Tulip's boyfriend, Tobias. Oh my God, the guy was GORGEOUS! They met at a modeling gig for fashion week here in San Myshuno a few years ago. Tulip was a plus size model in addition to her fashion design aspirations.
We all met up at this new club called Inferno. It was such an awesome place. I hadn't gone out in so long, and I was excited to finally let loose. My mind had been filled with Julien nonstop. Sometimes, I'd stare at my phone, warring with myself on contacting him. We'd been broken up for over a month now, but it was killing me. Sometimes I'd call myself an idiot for letting him go and then other times, I'd remind myself that I didn't want to deal with his drug issues. He had them. The crowd he hung around was such a bad influence. I knew if he didn't untangle himself from them, we'd have the same fight over and over. So, logic won out even though my heart felt like it had been ground into hamburger.
We all ordered a lemon shot to start out the night then some beer to wash it down. I was already having a blast.
Three beers later, I took to the dance floor, feeling pretty good. I didn't care that all my friends were paired off like a decent poker hand. It was nice just to feel the buzz of the music and the warmth of the alcohol.
After a while, my bladder tightened as I wound my way through the place, trying to find the restroom.
When suddenly, I stopped short, almost falling over.
Julien was groping a woman right in front of me.
I felt cold like someone had dumped a pail of freezing water on me. Pulling in a breath, I chanted in my head, "You will not cry, you will not cry. Damn it, you fucking will not CRY!"
What did I expect? I'm the one who would not make up with him. It'd been a month. Julien was always a ladies' man even back in high school. He couldn't help it. He had this charm about him.
It's one of the reasons I fell in love with him.
Then to my left, I heard Eun shouting out to Julien and laughing. I wasn't sure if he found it funny that I was here witnessing Julien snogging some whore. Me, who hated Eun with a passion.
I had to get away from them.
Seth
There were three different bar areas in the club. Mine happened to be the main one and the rock princess hadn't graced my presence all night. But I figured she'd come over to me eventually. I wasn't sure if she even recognized me and that was a good thing. The last word she'd said to me when she was coherent on that fateful night was, "Jackass." Not exactly sweet nothings. I couldn't wait to mess with her again, though. I was addicted to her angry eyes. They were so fucking beautiful.
But her face told me she was in no mood to be messed with. She looked on the verge of tears. I needed to pull out all my charm to make her forget her problems. Give her the famous, Seth Gallegher magic.
"What'll it be, beautiful? Buffalo Wing Tea or me?"
I flashed a sultry smile, hoping she'd at least lift the side of her mouth in a laugh.
But it was as if she didn't hear a word I said. In fact, she didn't even notice me. I was just some bartender waiting to make her a drink.
"Can I have a sour punch, please?"
"As you wish," I said, pouring out the liquor. I decided to give her a good buzz. Looked like she needed it.
"Do you like strawberries or ginger and mint? I can use either as garnish." I saw tears reflecting in her eyes. What was wrong? She came in with her friends and seemed in good spirits then.
Not glancing my way, she stared at something behind me and said, "Ginger and mint, I guess."
Following her gaze behind me, I saw the problem. A short, British, douchebag problem.
God. They were still an item? Or I guess the better term should be "were". I laughed at this. They'd been seeing each other for three years? That sounded like an eternity to me. I hadn't been with someone for longer than three weeks. But then, my life didn't leave room for girlfriends.
Swishing the contents of the drink, I said, "Want me to beat him up for you? It'd be no problem. I could probably lay him out in like five seconds. He's a shrimp."
But it was like that night when she found out about her dad. She had no clue what I was saying.
And lines like this don't get any better. I was giving her high dollar Seth Gallegher wit. Women swooned over this shit.
Sliding the drink over to her, she grabbed it and guzzled.
"Damn...you better go easy on that. It's not made for slamming."
After she downed it, she asked for another. I promptly obeyed like a good bartender then added, "That one is to be sipped. I'm a craftsman and you swilling it like it's some cheap crap you got at the corner gas station is offensive. I might be a bartender, but I got feelings you know."
She ignored me, gulped it empty, then ran off somewhere for about an hour.
But she was back again, and this time she ordered something different. "Granny smash, please."
I arched an eyebrow. "Did you have a drink since you last saw me because if you did, I'm cutting you off. We have a rule against alcohol poisoning our patrons."
She glared at me and said, "No lectures, please. I'm not in the mood."
Well, she wasn't slurring her words, so I guessed she was okay to have one more.
Looking at the glass like it was her best friend, she smiled for the first time all night.
I didn't like the look in her eyes.
Taking the glass with her, she launched up the stairs where I didn't see her until about an hour before closing. The crowd had changed like it always did this time of night. The music seemed to get louder, the clients drunker, and the air smokier. I hoped the sad princess had licked her wounds and gone home with her crowd. I hadn't seen them for hours. As I was wiping down the bar, she hopped on the barstool in front of me. "Could I have a Pink Tinkle?"
In no mood to talk to her now, I made her order. I wondered where her friends were, but she wouldn't answer me even if I'd asked. I could only hope she was having a better time.
But no sooner had I put the drink down, she threw it back like it was a sports drink.
My eyes widened. No fricking way was she getting another drink from me.
"That's your last drink. I'm telling the bar to cut you off."
Raising her arms and wobbling, she ordered, "Another, kind sir!"
Oh God. She was fucking wasted. She must have been swilling shit upstairs, too.
"Listen, let me call you a cab, okay?"
But instead of answering me, she threw her head on the bar and grew limp.
Patting her hand to wake her, I said, "Miss? Are you okay?"
Then I shook her. "Siobhan. Wake up. I'm going to get a ride for you, all right?"
But she was totally gone.
Shit.
******
Siobhan
My brain felt like it was pounding on my skull, trying to leap painfully out of my head.
What was I thinking drinking so much last night?
Oh yeah. Julien.
The sunlight hit my eyes and I moaned. Where were the damn shades? I always had them closed.
And then it hit me.
"Oh my God," I whispered. "Where the hell am I?"
******
Want to give a huge shout out and THANK YOU to xjojox or Joanne Bernice for making the poses for this story at the bar. She made me a bunch of poses that I'll be using. She's such a master at it. Go over to her story and check it out. She creates her own poses for it and it enriches the story so much! Fine Lines is one of the best romance stories out there!!! I highly recommend it!
