Perfect Impurrfections

Aftermath

Chapter 19

Later that evening they were all sitting in a local bar owned by a married couple they all knew. In fact, Taylor and Danny were probably the only two in the group that didn't live or work at one of the complexes. They had all met them because of Casey's other friend Chase. Crystal had never really liked Chase from the start. Mostly because he was such a womanizer. Perhaps he reminded her of her own grandfather a little too much. She really hoped they didn't know each other when they all became old and grey. She never wanted to see another old man running around naked ever again. In fact, she was so traumatized by the earlier events she wasn't even going to allow her husband to walk around naked when they got to that age. He would have to wear his underwear at least.

Currently everyone of her friends was at the bar along with some other co workers and locals. The pool tables sat empty as everyone was listening raptly to Anna's recounting of the events of the afternoon. Crystal would have gotten up to shoot some games but there was no one that wanted to play her. She would have liked to think her skills were just that good, but she knew better as the whole bar burst into riotous laughter. The most grating one of all was Casey's girlfriend. She was laughing louder then everyone else reminding Crystal of a donkey braying. The jarring shrieks of her laughter were piercing, and more than one patron had moved away from the woman to protect their ears. Crystal thought the night couldn't get much worse than it already was until she saw Chase heading her way. He sauntered over to her leaning up against the table next to her.

"Up for a game?" She asked. Desperate enough to play pool with even him. Chase smiled charmingly at her as he shook his head.

"And miss out on the epic story? Not a chance. Your grandfather is my hero by the way."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Crystal asked taking a sip of her beer as he shrugged his shoulders. Chase wasn't a bad looking guy and if it hadn't been for his personality his charms might have worked on her years ago. The man looked like a damn Greek Adonis, but the problem was that he knew it and used it. Crystal cringed at the sound of Casey's girlfriend's laughter as it clawed its way across the bar damaging ear drums in its wake. Crystal smirked when she saw Chase rub at his ear glaring lightly at the offending woman. Apparently, there were women that even Chase was turned off by.

"Want me to get rid of her for you?" Crystal looked away from said woman back to the man beside her. He ran his hand through his hair before turning a questioning look her way. If Crystal didn't know any better, she would say he was serious in his offer.

"If you want to make a move on her by all means go right ahead but don't use my delicate sensibilities as your reason for doing so." She shot back making him chuckle in response.

"Believe me the thought had crossed my mind."

"But." Crystal coaxed waiting for the next words out of his mouth. Again, the woman laughed making the two of them frown in her direction.

"But then that happened." Chase stated causing Crystal to burst out laughing drawing the attention of everyone around them since no one else had overheard them. Chase smiled down at her brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Now that's a laugh worth listening to." Crystal snorted at his play shaking her head at his antics.

"I'm not the girl for you Chase. I want things. Things like commitment, and rings, and little hellions running around." Smirking Chase leaned away looking quickly out of the corner of his eye as he did so. Crystal almost asked him what he was doing but he cut her words off before she could.

"I never said you were perfect for me but for someone...." He let his words trail off as he pushed away from the table. Looking back over his shoulder at her he couldn't help but put in a few last words.

"Don't forget my offer." With a wink he walked away. Crystal gave a little smile at him shaking her head before taking a pull on her beer. It wasn't long before Taylor and Anna joined her at the pool table.

"What was that about?" Anna asked watching Chase meander through the crowd.

"What?"

"Don't play dumb with us." Taylor snipped shaking a dirty rag at her in the process. Crystal held her hands up in surrender giving in without too much of a fight.

"He was asking if I wanted him to take one for the team." Crystal had expected some kind or reaction from the both of them but not in the form of anger.

"Just who does he think he is?" Anna growled out moving to leave after Chase and give him an earful. Taylor and Crystal held her back before she could cause too much of a commotion.

"What the heck Anna?" Crystal asked utterly baffled by her reaction.

"Dating you isn't taking one for the team, the ass." Anna bit out glaring at Chase's back. Crystal and Taylor looked at each other before turning back to their pint-sized friend.

"He wasn't talking about dating me. He was offering to sleep with Casey's girlfriend so he would dump her." At Crystal's revelation all of Anna's steam ran out.

"Are you serious?" Crystal nodded in response as she took another swig finishing off her bottle.

"I'm confused. How's that a hardship for him?" Just as Crystal was about to answer the woman's laughter was set off once again. Crystal subtly pointed in her direction.

"Apparently there are some things not even Chase is willing to work with." Taylor and Anna burst out laughing. They apparently found the notion just as funny as she had. The sound of the three of them ended up drawing over Lewis and Casey as well as his abhorrent girlfriend. Taylor leaned in taking hold of Crystal's bottle as she whispered in her ear.

"There's hope for that one yet." Crystal chuckled as Taylor leaned away with a wink. She left the table with a promise to return with fresh drinks. All of them were drinking draft with the exception of Casey's girlfriend. She had some fruity little cocktail citing that she couldn't stand the taste of beer. Chalk another one up in the, reason's to not like the woman, column. Crystal played with her pool cue as she watched everyone around her grabbing theirs off the walls and testing them out. A booming laugh from the bar drew her attention away as she looked over at Taylor and Danny. From the merriment playing across his face Crystal could only assume that Taylor had filled him in on her conversation with Chase. There was little doubt left when he turned in her direction sending her a wink of his own. Shaking her head, she turned from him smiling taking the offered bottle that Taylor handed to her before leaving the group again. Casey came up beside her leaning a hip on the table while tapping her cue with his to gain her attention.

"Up for a game?" He asked smiling at her in question. Crystal took a pull off her fresh drink smirking back at him.

"Rack 'em up. I'm about to wipe the table with you." She answered back making Casey laugh good naturedly. Tipping his imaginary hat, he moved off down the table setting the game up and rolling the cue ball her way. Crystal chalked her stick before leaning over the table. She watched as Casey's girlfriend pulled a stool up cheering him on from the side. Crystal snorted at the woman turning her eyes back to the table. She was determined to make Casey grovel in defeat while teaching his trick how real women played. Lining her shot up she sent the ball careening over the felt. Smirking as it made contact with the break. Standing up she winked at Casey before setting up her next shot. Let the games begin.