The Bar

7 - Cathy

Your soul is haunting me and telling me that everything is fine but I wish I was dead.

Every time I close my eyes it’s like a dark paradise, no one compares to you, I’m scared that you won’t be waiting on the other side. – Lana Del Ray, Dark Paradise.

7

…

Cathy

“Cathy! Who was that man last night! He was so hot!” Mina shook Cathy roughly, trying to wake her up.

“Who are you talking about?” Cathy groaned turning to her back and looking at Mina’s shocked expression.

“That guy, brown shaggy hair, good build!”

“Max?” Cathy spoke softly.

“He was Max?” Mina got off her bed and looked confused. “He looks older for his age”

“Wait, how do you know if Max was my age?” Cathy sat up, surprised.

“Well since the past one hour you have been murmuring in your sleep about facing some Max at college and then you mentioned Carter and a little bit of moaning in your sleep” Mina giggled.

“Okay, um Carter? Wait! Carter!” Cathy was trying to put last night’s pieces together. “Max’s friend Ashley was a bitch last night; she threw me out of the party. Then I went to The Bar and got a free drink from some bald guy named S – Stan? –

“Oh wait you mean…Steve” Mina corrected her.

“Right, Steve and then I met a guy I had clashed into at the park one day. We were talking… then we danced and I was so tired so he offered to drop me home. I said no but he still followed me till my building.” Cathy scratched her head and looked lost at Mina.

“Wow, you had an interesting night it seems. I don’t think you remember very clearly but Carter was really hot. I couldn’t sleep very well so I was looking outside the window when I saw you and then him. Nice move kissing him on the cheeks” Mina winked.

“Wait? I kissed his cheeks? Oh my god, I don’t remember that” Cathy bit her lips.

“How much did Steve make you drink last night?” Mina placed her hands on her hips.

“Just one dry martini” Cathy looked up at her.

“Ah, that’s a strong drink if you’ve had something before it –

“Beer” Cathy added.

“There you have it!”

“Steve looked like a nice bartender” Cathy smiled, remembering his hospitality.

“Oh sweety, he isn’t the bartender there” Mina shook her head, “He’s the owner” she smile naughtily.

“What? Really? I would have never guessed!” Cathy looked shocked and pushed herself out of the bed.

“You should shower and get dressed for college, you’re late” she pointed at the watch in the room that Cathy hadn’t noticed before.

“Oh gosh!” Cathy panicked and ran for the shower.

She tried not to seem too noticeable in class especially with Max around. She was hoping he hadn’t seen her when she entered the class but that was impossible since, she sat in her regular place and so did Max.

After sometime Cathy summed up the guts to look at what Max was doing. She turned around to see that he was looking at her all this while. He moved his fingers in a rhythm and lipped a ‘Hi’.