The Player Next Door ✓

59 | I See You

The countertop was made of red marble and bartenders served drinks in test tubes. Yellow lamplights were set on every table, but the room still had many dark areas. A boy waved us over from one of the bigger booths.

They must be who were meeting.  Boys from Alpine High. The reason I knew that, was because Christopher Hayes was amongst them.

Oh shiiiii

Bianca waved back at him and then clicked her fingers at a girl, "Amy. Spot me."

Amy checked Bianca's make-up, making sure her bronzer was blended and mascara hadn't smudged under her eyes.

"Yo, I can't join that table," Austin said, flat-out refusing to go any closer.

"Why not?" Bianca pouted, "You planning to hook up with random girls? I can tell you already that we're the hottest."

"You tell me a lot of things B, but somehow you didn't tell me who we were meeting tonight."

"So what, Austin? They're some cool guys from Alpine."

"He's our arch rival in basketball," Austin glared at the back of Chris' head, "Luke and Chris have mad issues."

Bianca exclaimed, "Why does everything always lead back to Luke? It's like he brainwashed all of us to fall at his feet. He doesn't own me. If he doesn't want to hook up with me, I'm free to be with whoever I want."

"OK," Austin said, "and I'll be at the bar."

Bianca wanted him to stay, but Austin had already moved on. He was ordering six test tubes by the bar before anyone could do another hair flick.

"We should get drinks though," Amy said, as she stared longingly after Austin. "I'm thirsty."

Austin was oblivious to the admirers he had. I looked at him now, already cracking jokes with one of the bartenders. The girl next to him was listening in and laughing. And that's when I realized who she was. I knew that ponytail and scrunchie. I knew that laugh.

It was Julia.

**

There was a stage in this bar.  Faded green lights shone in the background, creating a misty glow over the wooden stage.  One lone microphone stood in center stage, waiting for a performing to take the attention.

I walked up to the bar and squeezed myself in between Julia and Austin.

She was taken aback by the interruption, having cozied up to Austin very quickly in the last 30 seconds. Austin gave me a friendly, one arm hug.

"Can I have one shot of worst friend ever and a side of betrayal?" I asked.

Austin's arm went stiff around my shoulders.

I was staring at Julia. She suddenly realized that it was me under all this anger and makeup. She took a step back and laughed.

"What are we, in a teen movie? You need new lines."

"I need new friends," I said.

Oh, come at me, girl. I am so ready for you.

The bartender placed a row of test tubes in front of us, filled with a pale green drink. Austin put his card on an open tab, but his eyes didn't leave me.

He slid a test tube near my hand to give me liquid courage. I didn't notice. My attention was fully focused on Julia.

It felt like another life when we were in my room, talking about summer camp, Netflix and the player next door.