Loud Silence

Chapter Four

The waitress—a gorgeous blonde hair, blue eyes twenty something that I didn't even know we had—rushes over, as Taylor replaces Violet in her seat.

"Can I get you something? Anything?" she asks sweetly.

"Yes, another martini please," I say as I look up at her. Okay, she was definitely not asking me, because she's batting her fake lashes at Taylor like they'll fly her away.

"Just a Coke, please," he replies, not looking away from me.

"Sure thing!" she says as she turns to leave, swaying her hip so hard, I'm afraid it might dislocate from the rest of her body, all the while, the man that she had performed for haven't even noticed.

"I wonder if I'm gonna get that second martini," I say looking after her sympathetically.

"Why wouldn't you?"

"Are you serious? Did you not witness the same thing I did? Do you like women, Taylor?"

He lets out a loud laugh showing of rows of straight teeth, his face lighting with amusement.

"Yes, I like women very much. And no, I was watching you trying to down the rest of that martini before you got your next order in." His eyes are still on mine, causing me to twitch in my seat.

I blush. Great, now I look like an alcoholic. What else? Battered, abused wife with a missing child because she's an incapable mom not enough?

"What are you doing here, Taylor? I can't imagine that you have that much time on your hands, coming to babysit me. Again. And don't dare say to get a drink. Who comes to a bar and orders a Coke?"

I'm spinning my empty glass around by the stem with one hand, my other hand propping my face up, trying hard to sound annoyed and bitter.

He smiles again, not letting it bother him, still watching me. God, I hate that smile. His teeth are so perfect but not in an unrealistic TV-commercial perfect. And the way that dimple keeps showing up, I can't take my eyes off of his lips. Where is my drink?!

"I'm actually on call tonight but I just finished my rounds," he says coolly. "Violet told me to come assist you." Told him.

"Assist me?" I scoff, as our drinks arrive at our table, the waitress's hand lingering a little bit longer around his cup, not that he even noticed. "I can take care of myself, Taylor. And unless she's forgotten, I've taken care of her most of her life."

I pick up my drink and chug half of it. So much for being classy while drinking a martini, but I really don't care right now. I just want to drown this blackhole in the pit of my stomach.

"No one doubts that. But sometimes leaning on others is not a sign of weakness. It's just having someone to hold you up when you're feeling down," he tries to convince me.

"Drink your Coke doctor. I didn't realize you had your doctorate in psychology too." Where is all this sass coming from? I finish the rest of my martini. Oh, that's where.

I won't admit it out loud, but I know my infamy is to mask a deeper admiration, yet, I am clueless as to why I feel this way whenever he is around.

"Jasmine, I know I might not be the person you wanted to see, but I'm here just as a friend, as a support," he says to me, not aware that as standoffish as I am, his presence is more comforting to me than he can understand. My head is starting to spin lightly and my heart is skipping beats again, signaling me that I need to depart this scene away from him, before it leads to anything else.

"Well I think I'm ready to head home. It's just two blocks from here. I can manage. Heard Violet say this was on you. Bye!" I slip off the stool and try to dash towards the door before he could respond, not caring how rude I may seem.