The Bar

2 - Cathy

2

…

Cathy

Cathy was looking through her new room’s window onto the street below. There was a huge line on the pavement, opposite the building she was residing in. The men, she observed, had worn casual but smart wear and the women were dressed, as shimmy as possible. Their dresses ranged from short mini black skirts and loose white tops to revealing red dresses with black pumps. It was an entertaining sight for Cathy to watch young and timeless people waiting to get inside some place exciting down the street. For a second there she wanted to call up her ‘ex’ best friend and ask her if she wanted to check out this new happening place that had opened up near her new apartment, but she knew it would be pointless. Helen would only deny such a request, giving an excuse that she was too tired or lazy which she always was or that her parents wouldn’t allow her which was not the truth because whenever a boy she liked asked her to do something this crazy, she would always be available.  

Cathy broke off her visual connection from the curious crowd and stared at the bed that was right in front of her. It was eight thirty in the night and Mina wasn’t back from work. Cathy did have her college the next day but she was more of a night person so she couldn’t even go to sleep. She loved to stay up late in the night and have all the fun in the world. Sometimes she would play games and listen to music. Sometimes she would a read new book or pass her time over the internet but this all would only be possible when the house was occupied by her family and she would be locked alone, in her room, by choice.

She walked out her room since she was not yet used to the bright, yellow shades in there and instead went to the living room and sat on the sofa. There she tucked her feet under buttocks and sat there, taking turns staring at the wall and then the ceiling.

“Ah, I’m guessing you’re enjoying scrutinizing every crack in this apartment aren’t you or you’re just bored till your wits end?” said an extremely tired voice from behind…

Excited, Cathy swiftly turned around and caught Mina already inside the apartment, standing in the kitchen and filling up the refrigerator that was slightly emptier than before.

“Holly – molly, how did you sneak in so quietly?” Cathy got up from the sofa and walked towards the kitchen area.

“Out of habit I guess”

“What do you mean out of habit?”

“Well, I’ve been living her long enough with my ex-boyfriend who always hated it whenever I made noise while entering the apartment. Just to keep his mouth shut and to escape his stinking open -mouth- kisses I learnt to enter my apartment quietly and escape from him, thus forming a habit there on.” Mina simply shrugged.

“Wow, you had a lousy ex” Cathy rolled her eyes and observed the way Mina was so confident about herself.

“And that is why I dumped his sorry ass. It’s been a year although, but it’s cool” Mina smiled.

“A year since you guys broke up!”

“Yup, a year and I have been single ever since!”

“Wow, such a smart, beautiful woman like you and single? What the hell is going to happen to girls like me after break – ups??”

“Break- ups make you stronger and they increase your self-worth. After a while you’d prefer to go for a gentlemen then a pig mouth who calls you sweet –ass” Mina sighed. A chill ran down her spine. Mina was not the kind of a girl who would give up her dignity for sex. No, she was the kind of girl who put up with crap, just to find the inner soul of the opposite person, no matter how long it took. But she also knew the deadline to a person changing and so she didn’t have many friends or a boyfriend for a very long time. It was because she never found the right people who cared enough about her that would stay, just like Cathy.

“So, since I promised you I would be here by eight but instead came half an hour late, I owe you one. What do you want to do tonight?” Mina asked Cathy while she took out some leftover food from the refrigerator and placed it in the microwave.

“How about we go check out that new place, that entire line that you can see outside is for” Cathy very obviously suggested and Mina broke into a fit of laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Cathy looked confused.

“No, I’m sorry but whoever comes into my apartment on a Friday night, always suggests me to go try out that ‘new place’ that every ‘Friday night line’ is for”

“I didn’t get you…”

“Okay, look” Mina cleared her throat and stopped laughing, “There is a bar a few buildings away at the turning, of the opposite pavement from our apartment, called ‘The Bar’ cliché, tell me about it but yes, every Friday, the owner of The Bar has kept an offer that women get free drinks all night long. This offer, for its obvious reasons to attracts girls to come to his bar which also drags along the men, like little bee’s attracted to honey, who would love to be surrounded by boob flashing, drunk, blonde girls that always need a favour from strangers and thus that explains you the line outside my apartment and the small outburst of laughter I had back there” Mina concluded.

“Wow, that’s amazing. Have you been there before?” Cathy looked amused into Mina’s eyes.

“Yes I have, in fact I’m a regular customer.” Mina spoke proudly.

“Yay! Do you think we could get in there tonight?” Cathy asked, hopefully waiting for a yes.

“Not today love, I am so tired but we shall go there and drink like crazy women and be hit on all night if you want, a week or two later.” Mina winked and pulled out the heated pizza from the microwave and placed it in between the kitchen platform. “Today we might as well talk. Maybe get to know each other better, since we are strangers and now even new roommates” She winked.

Cathy picked a piece of pizza from the plate placed in between Mina and her and before stuffing it in her mouth she said, “I think your plan is way better than mine and as far as being strangers, it feels like I have known you forever.”