Possibilities

Danny: The Punch Line

                                                                           It all started when met her.

Friday, July 9, 2010 9:28 PM

Taking a swig of the warm beer, which I had been fostering for the last half hour, I peeked at the clock and groaned. It wasn't as late as it felt.

"Hey, guys, I think I'm going to head out," my friend's voice interrupted my internal loathing. I swiveled in my bar stool to watch my best friend, Dylan Blossom, give us a small wave and walk out the bar's door.

Glancing slightly to my right, I sent a sad smile towards my twin brother, Thomas Mayfield, also known as Tommy Fastsmile. With our dad's broad shoulders and natural tan, our mom's blonde hair, and a well defined muscle tone, we weren't too bad to look at. Although I was stuck with our parent's dull brown eyes, which don't have any cool ways to describe them, Tommy followed suit with our grandpa and uncle. All three of them have charged eyes, where there are small bolts of white blending with a dark blue sea, like electrified water.

Snap! Snap! Tommy snapped his fingers in front of my face.

"Sorry, what?" I asked, dazed.

"I was wondering if you wanted to get out of here or not," he rolled his eyes at me.

"Um, why don't we just stay for a bit longer? I want another drink," I answered after realizing I had finished my second beer. I waved down the bartender easily, seeing as how the old country-like bar wasn't doing so hot for business.

"Rum and Coke, please," I decided to order something different. A few moments later, I had paid for and obtained my drink.

"Pool?" I suggested to my brother, sliding off of my bar stool.

"Sure, why not?" he continued in my foot steps.

On my way over to the pool tables in the back of the place, I noticed that there were only about 15 people at this popsicle stand.

Splash! Before I could even blink, my once crisp and clean white V-neck was now wet and sticky. I cursed under my breath at the mishap.

"I am so sorry," I looked up at the female apologizing to me. Her chestnut brown hair was wavy, cascading down past her shoulders, framing her pretty face.

"It's fine, " I grumbled irritably. It wasn't fine. The woman met my gaze, disbelieving, her high arched eyebrows rising more.

"Then why don't I believe you?" my brain malfunctioned at that moment.

"Because I wasn't being sincere," I finally answered.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

"You're very welcome," I smiled despite of myself, noticing that my brother was playing a game of pool alone. Tommy caught my eye, giving me a knowing look. He sent an "okay" with a curt nod.

"Well, I have to go," the woman's voice shook me from the mental conversation with my brother.

"What, I don't even get to buy you a drink?" I asked, startled.

"I think I'll pass," her lips formed a straight line, "Thanks for the offer, though."

"Can you at least buy me a drink?"

She chuckled, "And why would I do that?"

I glanced at my shirt and then answered her, "To compensate for the one that my shirt got to digest instead of my stomach."

"Fine."

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11: 10 PM

"You can make a wish in like 20 seconds from... now," I told the woman sitting across from me while keeping an eye on my watch.

19...

18...

"Why's that?" she questioned.

16...

"Because the time will be 11:11."

14...

13...

"Oh," she responded, a dim interest shining in her

11...

"10 seconds left," I stated.

9...

8...

"Duly noted," she replied.

7...

6...

5...

4...

"3...2...1... it's 11:11 at night, make a wish," I practically whispered, closing my eyes.

I want this to not be the last time I see her, I wished upon a time. As I opened my eyes, I saw her staring back at me.

"So what did ya wish for?" I questioned slyly with a devilish grin, irrational hope flipping out in the pit of my stomach.

"If I tell you, then it won't come true," she argued.

"Unless I am doing something in your wish," I fought back.

"Good point, but I'm still not telling you."

"Fine."

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11:54 PM

I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, yet with the right person.

Storming in, a guy, with a mop of of short salt and pepper hair and intense, piercing gray eyes, stomped right up to the table I shared with the girl.

"Ember, what are you doing here?" he stared at the girl across from me.

Before she could answer, he turned to me, "Who is he?"

"I do have a name," I informed the guy, who was itching for a fight.

"Ember, let's get out of here," he said calmly, his anger dissipating a bit.

"It's Danny," I cut in.

"Listen, Danny," he spit out my name harshly, "Why don't you sit back down and keep living your pathetic life without my girlfriend in it."

I hadn't realized that I stood up, but I didn't back down.

"Or what?" my hands folded themselves into fists. The good news was that I got my answer. The bad news was that...

Crack! Pain rushed to my nose, now bloody and possibly broken. Instinctively, I moved my hand to cover it.

"Oh my God, Blake, stop!" Ember shrieked. Like most adrenaline junkies, Blake did not stop there.

"Get up!" he snapped at me. Reluctantly, I did as the man ordered. Apparently, he didn't like to kick someone when they were already down.

Blake took another swing at me. Even with a foggy mind, I was able to duck just enough so it missed me. What I was not expecting was his leg swiping my legs out from under me.

Thunk! My head followed my body to the ground. I tried to see what was in store for me next, but everything was blurry and tinted red.

"Let's see if you can go up against someone who wants to fight," a gruff voice, oddly sounding like Tommy's, shouted.

Then I blacked out.