Intertwined //l.p

Shake Shake

In a room where alcohol is abundant and the dancing, laughing and music never stops, a woman furiously blends the contents inside the cocktail shaker together. Unknown to her, at first, her phone below the counter, out of sight, vibrates frantically. Dangerously close to the sinks edge it teeters on the chrome lining before the woman notices and makes a grab for it before it falls into the soapy water. She doesn't look at the unknown number flashing across her screen. She pours the drink out into a tall glass and passes it down to a visibly drunk woman before picking it up again and squinting at the bright screen. The combination of numbers is random and unfamiliar.

With the pounding in the room and the pounding in her head she can't think straight. The phone buzzes on. How long had it been. One minute? Two? She best answer she thought. Who knows who it could be. But now was not the time. She was at work. A quick scan of the room tells her that her boss is nowhere to be seen. Should she risk it? Possibly. Her thumb hovers over the green answer button before pressing down and lifting the phone to her ear cautiously. She speaks.

~R o s e~

"Hello?" I answer confused. Had my parents changed their number? Had my aunts? Uncles? They would've told me right? I have no new friends. No boyfriend. Family. It has to be family. Or.. Mrs. Jenkins. "Is Abby alright!" I blurt out before the person on the other end can speak. I hear laughter and it's familiar.

"I'm sure she is. Hi Rose." Liam. Holy shit I totally forgot. I mean I didn't forget. Of course I couldn't forget him. I had forgotten, as the evening wore on, that he had my number but I didn't have his.

"Oh! Liam!" I squeaked out. "I mean..." I stuttered nervously. "Hi. I thought you were Abby's babysitter but that's dumb because she's at my house and would have called from my house phone and she's too old to know what a cellphone is or how to work one and..." I'm blabbering. "Sorry." Liam laughs again.

"It's fine. Hello." he repeats.

"Hi." I reply out of breath as my cheeks turn red from embarrassment. I hope none of the customers are paying attention to me. Fortunately they are all too preoccupied with their drinks or their partners to be paying me any attention.

"Are you at a party or playing music? It's very loud on your end." He asks. I bite my lip unsure of what to say.

"Umm no. Neighbors! Are pretty.. Noisy." I tell him. Wow that sounds so unconvincing.

"So you're off work already?" He asks. Shit. I forgot I told him, well indirectly told him, that I had work.

"Haven't gone yet." I reply trying to force some enthusiasm. Silence. "So umm what can I do for you Liam?" I say pushing the conversation away from me.

"I actually wanted to ask you something." A person waves their hand in front of my face and shouts a drink order over the music. I shoot him a thumbs up and grab all the necessary ingredients.

"Fire away." I tell him as I pour in alcohol from one bottle and another on top of that before handing it off to him. He slips some money into my hand and walks away taking some cautious sips.

"I actually wanted to ask you if you were free tomorrow." Spinning around my back against the counter I almost drop my phone like its on fire. Is he asking me out? So soon? What about the three day call rule?

"Hey! No cellphones Rose." Carl says walking past me heading toward the other side of the bar.

"Give me a second Liam I have to check my calendar." I finally say before covering up the speaker. "Carl!" I whisper fiercely. He looks back at me as he puts a drink.

"What Rose?" He asks arching an eyebrow. "Can I have the night off tomorrow?" I ask making my eyes wide and clasping my hands together in a pleading motion.