heavensent - jpm

twenty-one

     "he's been at the bar for about an hour now. come down and meet him." liz whispered to me through the phone.

i smiled, wrapping the curled cord of the hotel phone around my finger. i changed positioned in bed, laying my back and head down and placing my legs and feet up against the wall above the headboard.

"i don't want it to be weird." i said, shaking my head. "i don't want... you know, that right now." i didn't know if i'd ever feel ready to start dating again, honestly. it seemed repulsive to me at that time.

liz sighed. "you don't need to have that, annie. you could just make a friend."

i liked the idea of a friend. friends were nice. it would be nice to make a friend who wasn't just iris and liz.

i stepped down the last few stairs of the staircase, turning to enter the bar.

there he sat on the barstool, drink in hand. sally sat silently next to him.

as soon as i entered the room he looked up at me fearfully, then quickly looked back at his drink. i smiled, standing in front of the empty seat beside him.

"may i?" i asked. sally rolled her eyes.

"yeah- um... of course." he cleared his throat, seemingly shocked.

"well, i'll be in my room. room 51. if anyone wants to visit." sally said dryly, like she was bored. she glared daggers at me as she left. i felt a chill run down my spine from her unabashed hatred for me. nate stared at me, wide eyed.

"what are you doing here?" i asked him casually, with a smile. i hoped to lighten things up, to show him i wasn't scary or intimidating.

he looked away quickly. "uh- on a business trip. i'm leaving tomorrow." he told me quickly.

i nodded thoughtfully. "what kind of work do you do?" i asked. his eyebrows shot up quickly in surprise. like no one had asked him that.

"oh... um, mostly, uh, stocks. shareholding." he told me with a nod.

"interesting. do you like it?" i asked.

he took a deep breath and shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. "it's alright. pays the bills. my heart is in music, though."

i smiled. "really? what kind of music?"

"oh, uh..." he looked like he wasn't anticipating this question. "i'm not good or anything. not seriously. i'm in a kiss cover band. it's... ridiculous, really, but it's fun." he told me awkwardly. i smiled.

"what do you play?"

"oh, guitar." he mimed shredding the guitar, mouthing, "na-na-na-na-na."

i giggled. he was warming up to me, slightly. he leaned against the bar, still eyeing his drink. be was too nervous to look me in the eye still, or even turn in my direction when taking to me. "why are you here?" he asked.

i felt my smile falter. i sat up a little straighter, looking away. "oh, just for vacation. i'll be heading back soon."

he looked perplexed. "by... yourself? where's your family? or... your boyfriend, husband...?" he questioned awkwardly. i almost laughed at how much i could see through him.

"no family. my mom's dead, dad hates me, sister locked up. no boyfriend, no husband. and i'm not looking, honestly." i said truthfully.

his face fell slightly. "i see." the corner of his smile twitched slightly. "i see." he repeated. he continued to stare at his drink.