The Proposition - Completed

Part 15

"I'm going to miss you" Clare slurred as she threw a clumsy arm over my shoulder. I looked at my watch it was only a quarter past eight there was no way she had only got here fifteen minutes before me, she was well on her way to being pissed.

I'd been so concerned with Clare and her obscene alcohol level I hadn't noticed the body sitting uncomfortably close to me until I felt a hand on my knee.

"Can I get you a drink?" Enquired the owner of the unwanted hand.

"Erm no I'm alright thanks" I replied awkwardly, as I looked up into Mike eager face. I shuffled closer to Clare so his hand fell off my leg and I busied myself in conversation with my clearly intoxicated best friend.

After a couple of minutes of listening to her incomprehensible ramblings I decided she needed water, probably a lot of water. Rather than wait to be served I slipped behind the bar and found Annie the landlady.

"Hiya" I said brightly as she hugged me close to her "is it ok if I just grab a glass of water?" I asked as we separated.

"Sure love help yourself." She answered happily. I thanked her and grabbed some glasses and headed for the ice buckets.

"I'd like some service bar maid" a familiar woman's voice boomed at me from across the bar. I knew who it was but I ignored her and continued with what I was doing. "I said I wanted serving!" She demanded as she raised her voice so those around her stopped their conversations and stared between the two of us uncomfortably. I didn't need to turn round to know it was Ang .

"What can I get for you?" Annie's voice cut through as she made her way from the end of the bar to where our stand off was.

"I want her to serve me" she scowled the word 'her, and despite having my back to her a knew she was looking at me with a look of undisguised disgust.

"Well tough, either I serve you or you don't get served." Annie dead panned daring Ang to challenge her. I didn't stick around I poured water into the two pint glasses I'd half filled with water and exited the bar as quickly as I could.

I sat on the other side of Clare and made her shuffle over to Mike so I could put the whole of my behind on the seat and avoid any more uncomfortable conversations with him. I sipped my tepid beer as I wondered how much longer I needed to stay before I could make my excuses and escape. For the next twenty minutes I avoided looking away from my small group of friends, I didn't have any fight in my for a stand off with Ang and whoever was with her. Although I hadn't seen him I suspected John was either sat with her and Rob or would be arriving anytime.

Mike had gone the bar and returned with a drink for me. He held the drink out to me and pushed his way into an invisible gap between Clare and me. Once again sitting next to me he touched me at every opportunity, tapping my hand before he spoke to get my attention, making sure he was sat so close to me the sides of our bodies were almost flush, touching my arm when he spoke and dropping his hand so it brushed my leg when he didn't. When he touched my face under the pretence of removing a stray eyelash I couldn't stand it anymore.

I remembered what John had said that night in the club and how I'd looked at him like he was being stupid when he'd suggested Mike had made physical contact whenever he could. At the time I hadn't even noticed but now I wondered if I was more aware of my body and how it responded to touch, even unwanted.

I stood up with the aim of getting as much distance between the two of us as possible. As I lifted my face to try and decide where I could escape to my eye scanned the bar unconsciously and stopped dead. I knew the colour had drained from my face as I took in John's icy cold stare, glaring at me. I ducked my head and turned away, straight into an awkward looking Mike.