Red Strings of Fate

Chapter 7- A Game of Pool

Alice

I laugh as we made our way over to a pool table after we got our drinks. Smirking, I grab a pool stick as I turn to face Darien and wait for him to make his selection. "Come on, show me what you got."

Darien grabbed his pool stick and turned to face me with a devilish smirk crossing his face. "Oh, someone seems mighty confident here. I like that. Why do you not show me what you got first, sweetheart?" He raises an eyebrow, his amber-brown eyes twinkling with mischief.

I laugh softly, "Sure, if that is how you want it. Do not blame me when you are biting your nails." I lean down to line up my shot to break the balls apart. I sink three balls off just the break: two stripes and a solid. I glance over at Darien to see he was staring at me with a look that seemed to be impressed. "So, your solids." I laugh lining up my next shot and sink another stripe.

"Fuck, am I going to get a shot off before you run the table on me?" Darien speaks up as he walks over to the table, setting down his drink.

"Maybe, if I feel bad for you." I giggle. "You were the one who wanted me to go first." My eyes drift over his body as I watch him lean against the table watching me. I take a couple more shots before I sink the cue, leaving myself with only one more striped ball and the eight-ball. "Or I mess up. Good luck; do not waste your turn." I winked at him before I walked over to the table next to him and grabbed my drink. I take a few sips of it myself, watching him carefully.

We start to finish the game up. He manages to sink a few balls, leaving himself with three solids on the table before it was my turn again. I looked over at him, carefully eyeing his movements, a grin spreading over my face once I realized he was intentionally holding back. "Want to make this interesting?"

Darien glances up at me, his eyes meeting mine, and I could see the curiosity emanating from them before he spoke. "Sure, what do you have in mind?"

My grin turning into a smirk. "If I win, you have to dance with me. If you win, well, that is up to you."

Darien shakes his head. "I would dance with you anyway; all you have to do is ask. I kind of feel like you are wasting that, but okay. If I win, you have to dance with me and admit I am the better driver."

"Ok, at least you realize that is the only way that will ever happen." I laugh before I start to line up my next shot. "Fine, so since I get to dance with you either way, I want to know what has you upset then." I raise my eyebrow looking at him. "And do not try telling me that it is just work stuff; there is more to it than that."

Darien stares at me for a moment before I look back down, pocket my last striped ball, and move to set up to sink the eight-ball. I pause when I feel a hand rest on my arm right before taking my shot. I look up to see that Darien had moved to stand next to me; his eyes searched mine before he shook his head, taking a deep breath. "How are you able to read me as well as you do?"

I shrug as I stand back up, my eyes gazing back at his. "I do not know. Call it a gift, I guess. If you really do not want to talk about it, you do not have to. But I really am curious. Whatever it is, it had seemed to cause your mood to flip a couple of times already tonight."

Darien nods his head before he steps away from me, letting out a sigh. "I will answer. It is only fair. Besides, you will hear about it soon enough anyway. Take your shot, then we can go outside for a smoke and talk after we get another round of drinks."

I nod back in agreement, my mind spinning now with questions trying to figure out what was going on as I quickly potted the eight-ball, bringing the game to an end. I step back over to the table, grabbing my drink and finishing it in a couple of swigs as Darien does the same with his before we both head back over to the bar, each ordering another drink.