Where are you? We can’t reach you. Mum is worried.
I’ll reply to him – once only.
I’m taking a break from it all. You deal with Mum.
My breathing starts to speed up and I stop altogether. I start my silly habit to find some manner of calm again. I imagine an eagle taking flight, and I let all my feelings soar away with it. I let the eagle cry on my behalf, and I breathe out. “No! No more.”
I close my eyes, pressing the phone to my forehead. How I wish I could just close off the world like I just did my dad.
~*~
Well, I said I’ve come here to experience life, and the first experience is to find a pub and live it up so I have something to report to Chloe.
Wearing a pair of jeans and a white top covered by a light jacket, I don’t exactly scream hot girl looking for a bloke to help her get rid of the old V-prob. But then, I don’t want to dress up like a skank. I still have a slither of pride, even if I’m going to try and land some poor fellow.
Luckily, it doesn’t take me long to find a place. I only walk a few blocks from the flat when I reach the town. This is why we picked this flat; they said it was nice and close to everything. It’s a pity it’s dark out so I don’t get to see much of the town on my quest to find the pub. I’ve never set foot in a pub and don’t have a clue as to what to expect.
After passing a few restaurants and shops, I spot a couple of skankily dressed girls disappear into a dodgy-looking place. Strikers Bar and Grill, maybe I’ll strike it lucky in there. There should be booze, and where there are girls dressed like that, chaps are likely to follow. Like Chloe said, I only need one half-decent-looking bloke.
I stop in the entrance first, taking in the people and surroundings. I want to make a quick getaway if the place is too dodgy. The music is beating loudly, and it looks just like any old pub I’ve seen in the movies. Weathered, overused dance floor to my right, with some people already dancing. There’s a really overused bar counter to my left. The lighting is dim, and even darker in the corners. People are scattered everywhere. Some are sitting at the bar, where others seem to be having a great time at the separate tables and booths.
It looks decent enough so I make a mad dash for the bar with the goal of getting rat-arsed first. I find a seat in the far corner, reckoning the darkness could work well to my advantage. It gives me a good view of the rest of the pub, while I can hide and drown my inhibitions.
My stomach does that nervous twist again as I look over all the people. There are so many blokes I can’t even focus on one. A couple of them look my way and my mouth dries right up. I feel my cheeks flush, and the nervous twist turns into a full-blown war, tearing every last one of my nerves to shreds.
“It’s like killing two birds with one stone – two massive birds. Like prehistoric size birds. Alright, enough about the birds. Search and destroy all inhibitions by getting thoroughly sloshed,” I mumble, only making the nervous feelings worse. I need to shut up. The last thing I need is for these people to think I’m mental.
There’s a happy student thrill in the air. If you’re looking for a place to get lost, this might just be it. I watch the bartender help some patrons, his hands working fast to get the glasses filled.
A door behind the counter opens, and I watch as another bartender place some clean glasses behind the counter before he looks up. He smiles at me and I have to admit, he’s not too bad looking – that’s if I’m into the kind that has more piercings than I do.
“What can I get y’all?” he asks, sending my stomach off on a mad dash around the pub. I’m a sucker for American accents and oh my, as long as he keeps talking I won’t need a flag. Forget about Queen and Country, I might just be able to do this thing.
“Uhm…” Hell, I don’t know. I give him an awkward smile. “Anything you can suggest?”
“Start her off on tequila.” Some smart-arse goes off next to me.
I scowl up at fellow next to me and then wish I hadn’t even given him the time of day. Yu-uck, not even for Queen or Country. I keep my hands on my lap, making sure I don’t touch the bloke by accident.
The bartender glares darkly at the bloke, and then gets busy. I watch him prepare the drink. What he’s doing looks rather interesting. Seconds later, he places a tall glass with some mixture of crushed ice and red fluid in front of me.
“Strawberry Daiquiri,” he says, winking at me. I reward him with a smile and tip.
I hope the drink will soothe my nerves real quick. It’s sweet and actually refreshing, not at all what I expected alcohol would taste like.
American men. I haven’t even dated a British bloke, how am I going to handle an American one? I’ve heard they don’t take nonsense, not exactly the Mr. Darcy types. If they see something they like they go for it, and I’m hoping that will work in my favor tonight. I hope if I throw the offer out there, the bloke will just take it and not ask me any questions.
Halfway through the dink, which is really only seconds later, a loud roar erupts from the entrance of the pub, and just like all the patrons, my curiosity gets the best of me. I glance back.
It must be the ‘in’ crowd that has just entered. Most of the girls are beaming and I think they’re just about ready to drop their knickers all over the place, as the hot group of men saunters in. There’s a whole lot of hugging going on. There’s only one girl with the testosterone brigade, and she’s built like a brick shit-house. And she definitely knows it. I can’t tear my eyes away from her. I’ve never seen a girl move with so much confidence before. Her black hair shimmers in the dim light, and the sparkly top and short skirt don’t cover much. But then, if I had her legs I’d be walking on my hands to show them off.
The men are built, I mean muscles ripple and even the stale air gives way to their presence. Definitely a crowd that knows they have the ‘IT’ factor, especially the girl and the bloke walking next to her. They just give off a vibe that says, ‘screw with us and you’re shit-paste.’
And I’m right, because the second her eyes meet mine the jittery feeling increases, and a cold shiver runs down my spine, making my stomach go all knotty. Her eyes are cold, merciless – like those of a shark – making sure this small British fish knows she should simply head right back to her faraway pond. Then she smiles, and no matter how I try to force my lips to curve up, I know it must look pretty grim.
I take big gulps of the drink. I shouldn’t have stared. The last thing I need is some crazed American Amazon woman getting – AHH! Brain freeze! Bloody hell. I slam my hand to my forehead, trying to rub the freeze away.
“Hey, sweet thing.” The husky drawl crawls down my spine.
Please, please, please let it not be her, but even as I send up my quick silent prayer, I know it’s going to go unanswered. My first night out and the first person to take an interest in me would be the Amazon woman. Just my bloody luck.
I take a deep breath before I look over my shoulder. Bugger! She’s got eyes straight from King Neptune’s deepest oceans.
“Ah …Hi.” I’m willing her to go away, but she doesn’t.
She squeezes in next to me, way too close, and I’m starting to wonder if I read her wrong. Is she lesbian? Did I give her the impression that I am? Just so not my thing and I don’t think it’s what Chloe had in mind for me.
“Rob, the usual, and one extra for our new friend here,” she practically purrs at the bartender before turning her sapphire eyes back on me. “Come on. A pretty little thing like you shouldn’t be sitting here between the uglies. We’ll take care of you.”
She’s not asking. She’s demanding I join them, and I can’t begin to imagine why. If I looked like Chloe yes, I would understand. Chloe has brown curls I’d kill for and brown eyes to match them, and a body that would fit in with this group. Me? With my blond hair, green eyes and pale skin I look anemic, because I hardly ever got to leave the house.