Raphael /BoyxBoy/

||One||

I stuffed my hands in the pocket of my coat, clenching my fists.

My legs were aching, but I kept walking.

There was a club at the end of the street, a short line of people waiting to get in.

I stood at the end of the line a minute later.

I handed the built man by the door my ID, he let me in, holding my gaze for a moment.

I looked away, and walked into the club, instantly shrugging my coat off and placing it on a bar stool before I took a seat.

The bartender shook a drink in his hand, laughing and conversing with a drunken customer.

He came over to me a moment later. "What can I get you tonight?"

I didn't know what to say, I wasn't thinking when I'd walked in. Did I even want a drink?

He smiled at me lightly. "Can I make a suggestion?"

"Sure," I replied.

"How about a virgin mojito?"

"Virgin?"

"You don't look like the type who drinks."

I used to, I wanted to say. I drunk texted Nate too many times in my life time.

"Ian ends up tipsy almost every time we do. I'm starting to get used to it and it doesn't bother me anymore."

"I don't," I replied.

"Virgin mojito it is."

He grabbed a few things from the large shelf behind him, buzzing around behind the counter as he mixed a concoction together in front of me.

I watched him move around, hands expertly preparing my drink.

He slid a glass towards me with another friendly smile. "Enjoy."

I nodded, lifting the glass up to my lips.

I sipped at my drink as I carefully observed the bartender's movement.

He was attractive, I noticed. His smile was broad on his face, his eyes alight with delight, his hair pulled back in one of those manly buns people were sporting a lot these days.

His arms looked strong, muscled, his fingers firm with years of hard work.

He caught my gaze once and walked over, grabbing my glass before refilling it.

"I don't-"

"It's on me."

I watched him walk off, resuming his work.

I lifted the glass again.

This time I turned in my seat and viewed the rest of the club.

Typically, there was a dance floor in the center, where a crowd of people danced along with the loud music blaring from the giant speakers.

A few people sat in the booths that ran alongside the walls, while others like myself chose to sit on the bar stools instead.

A man about my age took a seat beside me, raising an innocent hand to gather the bartender's attention.

They conversed back and forth until the man decided on a drink.

Meanwhile I was still cradling my (non-alcoholic) drink in my hand, still scanning the people around me.

I caught sight of a woman at the very other end of the bar, nursing her own drink.

She was staring at me.