Love me or hate me it's still an obsession

Chapter 1

"Yo, Ace!"

The whole bar seemed to stop at the abruptness of the greeting. Ace, a brunette, green-eyed man in his late twenties laughed, holding the girl's hand whom he had brought with him that evening as he walked over to the guy calling him.

"What's happening Shaun, how are you?" Ace replied, grabbing the girl's hand again as she caught up.

"Who is this beauty then?" Shaun remarked, flicking his blonde hair over his shoulder and looking her up and down in her skimpy pink dress, revealing a busty cleavage and long slender legs.

Ace looked at her admiringly and shook her hips within his grasp, making her laugh, "this is Paris. Hot thing ain't she?"

Paris shook her blonde hair, giggling, making the bartender behind the bar roll her eyes and laugh.

"Sorry, did you want to say something?" Shaun snapped, the bartender's sassiness not going unnoticed.

She grabbed the empty shot glasses off the bar in front of them and shook her head, "honestly, I really have nothing to say..."

Ace suddenly turned, the sweet sound of the bartender's voice making his ears prick up. Shaun grabbed the bartender's wrist tightly in his hand, "well then I guess you should learn to keep quiet then!" he snapped aggressively.

Paris stood twirling her blonde extensions and gently put her hand on Shaun's arm, "let the darling go, she probably didn't mean it. Maybe she could get us some drinks as an apology?"

The bartender raised her eyebrows at her and looked back at Shaun, wincing as his grip tightened. Shaun suddenly let go and laughed, "you're lucky she is feeling so kind. I wouldn't let you off that lightly."

The bartender gulped.

"Ace, mate, I'm gonna take this sweet thing of yours over to our table. Order me my usual. I can see Alistair; he is going to be so jealous of this one you have managed to grab again!" Shaun grabbed Paris' arm and whisked her away, leaving Ace shaking his head and laughing.

The bartender busied herself, grabbing glasses from in front of her and refilling the nut dish on the side, accidentally knocking an empty fruit juice carton on the floor. "Can you make drinks, or are you just the cleaner here?" Ace asked, leaning over the side to get the bartender's attention as she knelt to the floor to pick up the empty carton.

She stood up too quickly and knocked her head into his. "Oh my god, I am so sorry!" she stammered, clutching her head tightly as it throbbed, using her other hand to reach out to him. "Let me get you, uh, some ice?" she asked.

Ace laughed nervously, his hand rubbing his head gently where she knocked into him, "it's fine honestly. Don't worry about it." He paused, taking her in. Her face seemed perfectly symmetrical, her eyes a deep purple that sparkled in the light against her olive skin.

Suddenly he caught sight of a muscly looking man with broad shoulders walking over to Effie, looking very unimpressed, "Effie! For Gods sake, please look after our customers, not knock them around."

"I.." Effie stammered but was interrupted.

"Look, it's no trouble, more my fault..." Ace started.

"No, no, no, I am so sorry Mr Wesley, this won't happen again", the man, who had a badge on saying 'Manager' turned to Effie aggressively, shoving a round grey tray into her, "Effie, make yourself useful and fetch this regular customer of ours some drinks, on the house!" He winked at Ace and walked off.

Effie turned her back to her manager instantly and rubbed her head once more as a girl with dirty blonde hair walked up to her wearing a matching Seven's t-shirt. Ace watched her whisper to Effie, making her smile a little. "No, it's okay, I'm fine", she replied, knocking her hip into the other girl, "thanks Hayley." The girl, Hayley, looked at Ace then smiled back at Effie as she walked off to serve another customer further down the bar. Ace quickly turned his eye gaze and watched Effie as she impressively flipped six shot glasses onto the tray. He watched in awe as she poured two different spirits into them and jumped over the bar, grabbing the tray as she landed her feet on the ground in front of him. "So, where am I taking these?" she said sounding fed up.