„Okay, Zack. If you like her, you need to do more than just staring at her. Next time she comes, you need to talk to her. With you only staring at her, there will happen absolutely nothing, you know." Silence. He just stares at him, like he stared at me before. Looks like he wants to say something, but just like when I asked him, what he'd like to drink, there comes no word out of him.
"So, what can I do for you, today? Was kann ich für euch tun?" I ask the new group of people, which just came in. They only want beer, some German tourists. Easy enough, so I can still listen to the two interesting guys on the other table.
"God, Zack! Stop freezing at me, I told you not to do that.", the older one still tries to force the other, probably Zack, to say something.
"You told me not to freeze when we have to keep secrets or something at work, not when we're at a bar and you tell me to just talk to someone who just made me..."
Ah, he is able to speak.
"Makes you what, dude?"
"Stop saying dude. You know... made me... you remember this song, the moment we came in and she smiled at us?"
"You're the one who never forgets anything, so, no, I don't remember which was the first song I heard when we came in here before an hour."
"It was one of the older ones, I think the interpr..."
"Zack, come on, just tell me what this has to do with that song."
"She's so high, high above me... I know where I belong, and nothing's gonna happen" he starts to sing quietly.
This time, I freeze for a few seconds. His quiet and somehow special voice when he speaks, turned to be a little more wow when singing, even he almost only hums. His friend seems to be surprised, too. Wow. Now I am really interested. Just hope, that he will find some words when I come around next time. Only forty minutes to go on my shift...
~
"Did you just use a line of a song to explain something you feel to me?"
"Um..."
"Okay, so you think you have no chance. She made you feel like that guy in the song."
"Yes."
"That may be true, but you will never find out, if you don't try. And she doesn't seem uninterested."
"How would you know that?"
"She smiled at you, not at us, when we came in. She, of course, noticed you're staring at her, but it doesn't seem to bother her. And she heard your singing. That caught her for like... 3 seconds? So, obviously, she is not that disinterested."
"So... that's good, yes?"
"At least she likes how you look, I think. And of course, your voice."
"But there is still this genius thing that makes me so bad in conversation."
"Yes, but for that, I told you what to say like a hundred times. Don't tell me the only thing you don't remember forever was that."
"But that's not me, Hodgins. I want that she likes me, but if I talk to her like you told me to, what is of course not what I would say, she won't get to know me, so I won't know what she thinks about me."
"Oookay, fine. So, that makes it a little harder... but maybe you're lucky. As I said, you'll never find out, if you don't try. Just be as normal as you can, okay? And since when are you interested in people liking you?"
~
The last two sentences catch my ear again. Very interesting. Trying to be normal and liking people? Looks like I have a good timing here.
"I will, but I still don't know what I actually have to do. And just because most times, I am unsure about how persons might feel and unable to read their expressions, doesn't mean I absolutely don't care."
"Okay, just leave this to me. Only thing you need to do is being normal, that should be hard enough. And stop freezing!"
"Okay, I will try, but I cannot guarantee for it."
"You could talk to Naomi too, so what's the problem here?"
"Overthinking what happened and how things developed, I would conclude, that it was easier, because we met at the Jeffersonian. That made it easy to find something we could talk about."
"Right, and she didn't even want to talk, but only jump in bed with you, because you're a genius."
"What makes you think that?"
"Okay, listen, Zack. She was not interested in you as a person, but in you as a 'sexy genius'. You know, only sexual. Where ever she found the sexy in you..."
Oh, I might be interested in a sexy genius, too. And I already found the sexy parts. Nice, sweet face, interesting dark brown eyes. Body perfectly matches what I like, not too big, but tall, still not only skin and bones. His hair says 'touch me'... at least to me, it says that. It actually couldn't be better. Looks like I owe Angela 5 drinks. Or at least, one. Now, enough about this Naomi, guys.
"Oh dude, she's coming back. What exactly are you going to do now? Better if I knew the plan too, right?"
"Too late. Did you just say dude?"
Yes, too late. I want to know what he is going to do, too.
"So, you're okay guys? Need anything?"
"Oh, hey" the older one says "yeah, I'd like another beer and my friend here needs three shots I think."
I think I know where this will go. "Three? All for him?" I need to ask. He absolutely doesn't look like he needed 3 shots, nor that he wanted them.
"Ah no, I thought you might have a drink with us? Of course, it's on me. By the way, I am Jack and this is Zack." Okay. Did not see that coming. But looks like a good plan, too. I thought I just should take a look at him...
"I have to work another fifteen minutes, if you..."
"Yes." Wow. He said something. I look at him, trying not to look too surprised. He's surprised enough for the two of us.
"Okay, so I'll bring three shots the sec my shift ends. What do you guys like?"
Zack only slowly opened his mouth, while Jack already decided tequila would be best.
"So, see you in fifteen minutes? Of course, I'll bring your drink before, Jack. Anything else I can do for you?" this question goes to Zack, and again, I get surprised.
"I.... I'd like a vodka I think. One. Not three. Of course..."
Oh, wow. Someone needs to pluck up some courage.
"Okay, Zack. Comin' soon." I smile at him, feeling how it's not the same 'I am a nice waitress'-smile as usually. It's a 'you're so sweet, I can't stop smiling at you'-smile. Hope Jack doesn't see it. Would take away some fun, if he'd make him feel too safe. He smiles back. Completely freezing again, but really cute smile.
~
"You drink vodka?"
"I will, obviously."
"You ever drunk vodka before?"
"Mixed in other drinks, yes. Pure, no. It seems to me, you want to know why I decided to order it. I hope the alcohol will make me feel more comfortable and will 'loosen my tongue' how it said in that article I recently read..."
~
"So, what's going on there?" Matt wants to know, while I'm getting the drinks for the guys.
"Yeah... I don't quite know, I think. They invited me to have a drink after I'm done here... and I said yes."
"Wow. What about your principles? The one which says, not to drink with strangers."
"You know, Angela told me they were coming. She told me to take 'a closer look' at the young one. They are colleagues of hers and last time..."
"Okay, so she kind of planned a blind date for you with that boy who is staring at you all the time?" he cuts my start of one of my never-ending stories about how something happened. I turn around. He indeed stares at me, while Jack is talking to him. I'll better bring them their drinks. I look back at Matt, and I sure don't have to say one more word to explain.
"Better bring their drinks. The boy will need it."
As I go back to them, Jack makes Zack stop staring at me.
"Here we go." I say, more to Jack than to Zack, looks like he has no idea what to do, so better give him the last minutes to prepare himself.
"See ya in a few minutes, just have to do... rest of waitress stuff, you know." Okay, now I get nervous, too. Didn't felt this kind of excitement for a long time.
I get the two tequilas for them and a beer and vodka for myself, heading over to them. He looks really nervous now. Still cute. But nervous.
"So," I say, "you two are working at the Jeffersonian Institute?" Zack just stares at me, so, of course, Jack answers
"Oh yes, we do. And you know that because...?"
"Oh, I saw you in the newspaper, like last week or something?" Both, truth and lie in one sentence. Of course, I know because of Angela, but I saw the article, too. I sit down, able to watch them both.
"Oh, right... so you knew our names, before I told you?"
"Dr. Jack Hodgins and Mr. Zachary Uriah Addy, yes." Wow, that sounded cool.
"I am on my doctorate too. On two, actually." Zack suddenly says.
"Wow, so you'll be Dr. Zachary Uriah Addy, soon?"
"Yes. Yes, I will." Another smile. Seems like he found his words back. Or it's just the vodka, but who cares. I used my 'connections' to bring the whole bottle.
"What's your name?" He asks.
"Ilyana." I tell him, somehow feeling a little shy.
"So, guys, to what do we drink?" I want to know, rising my shot glass.
"To new friends, I'd say. By the way, call me Hodgins. Better than 'Zack' and 'Jack'"
"Alright, to new friends, Zack and Hodgins."
A few drinks later, I understand what Angela meant about Zack 'being different in a little strange, but somehow lovely way'. He says what comes to his mind. Like when Hodgins asked me about Sam, a flirting with everyone kind of guy, who came to ask me to 'talk' two times, after he realized I was off work, so right then Zack decided to tell us he had never punched someone in his life and wondered if he will have to do so someday. With a little interpretation (and a big ego, what I got) you can see a flirt in that. That's strange and lovely. And he's a genius. I like that comb.
Way too soon, how it feels to me, the party has an end. Hodgins gets a call. With a now serious expression he explains "We need to go back to the lab, Zack. New body." I am already shocked by how he says "body", the now hard face of Hodgins shocks me even more. This seems not to be part of his and Angela's plan.
"But I am drunk! I cannot do my job the best right now. I might reach a maximum of... I am not even sure, maybe 60% of my usual standard." I can understand that. Hodgins really got Zack a little drunk.
I just watch and listen.
"Oh man, you're not even sure about your calculation? Dude, that's bad. But I think Dr. B is not drunk and Ang..." He stops and just goes on with "I think she will be okay without you. But I gotta go."
"And what am I supposed to do now?"
"You decide, if you'd rather come with me, to the lab, drunk. Or if you stay here, drunk. But with sweet Ilyana." And now looking at me "Who will take care of you, until you're ready to come to the lab, less drunk, or I come and pick you up when we're done?"
I just do something like nodding and shrugging.
Zack just looks between us, with an unintentionally hilarious confused face. I need to hide my laughter behind a coughing fit.
"Okay Zack, one more hint: Stay with her. Trust me."
"I will follow your advice now, without rethinking it, because I feel like I can trust you more now, than myself."
"Alright buddy, I'll call you, don't forget what you know about dates!" And with that, Hodgins leaves.
Zack stares after him, before he asks me "Did he say the truth?"
"The truth about what? That staying here with me was the better choice?"
"No, I am sure about that. In this state of mind, I am now sure, it is better to be here, than in the lab. What I meant was, if this was a date." This guy, straight forward, without even knowing. "Because, I need to adjust my behavior to the social situation."
"You don't have to adjust your behavior, Zack. Just be yourself, if it's a date or not. And that, I will leave up to you. I wouldn't mind calling it a date." I say this, before I even think about it, still smiling at him. I'm not sure if it's him making this so easy, or the liter of beer I just drank within one hour...
He just shows a short, slight smile, before making a face again. "What's wrong?"
"I don't want to be drunk anymore. I wan..." He stops, blushing a little.
"I wanted not to say anything more." Robot-face with slightly red cheeks. Cute.
"Okay, so you're unhappy about being drunk?" I can't decide, whether that means he is too drunk, or not drunk enough. But for him, it seems to be terrible. At least, that's what his expressions says.
Yes. You said, I should be myself. Plus, I need to work now, actually. I am not myself when I am drunk, I cannot even remember being drunk like this ever. My brain works so slow... "
"Okay, I will help you getting sober and then I'll bring you back to the lab, alright?"
"Alright. I should drink wa..."
"I know how getting sober works, trust me." I laugh and head off to the bar, getting a can of water and a coffee for Zack, a coke for myself.
"So, why do you have to work at 10pm on a Friday night?" I ask, but he just looks at me "You know, if you don't want to tell me... when it's a secret or something..."
"It's not. But most people think my job is disgusting." I know a little about what they do. Angela told me, that they were involved in investigations of murder crimes from time to time. But I want to hear it from him, she told me he would be afraid to tell me.
"Just tell me, I'll stop you before I puke all over the table" I send him another, hopefully encouraging, smile. It seems to help, after he smiles back reluctantly and takes a sip of his coffee, he tells me about his work.
"That's amazing!" I finally manage to say, after I tried hard to follow him, while he talked and explained for like 5 minutes. But it really is amazing.
"I am aware, that it's possible, you only say that, to not make me uncomfortable."
"It is possible, right. But I really think it's amazing! You guys do an absolutely great, important and somehow fuckin' cool thing!"
"Did you just say my job was 'fucking cool'?"
"Ehm, yes. That's inappropriate?"
"I don't know. But it means, you think it's 'very cool'?"
"Yes, I think you're doing a very important, special job. There are actually more disgusting jobs, I think. But where is a job, there is work to be done. And obviously not many people are genius enough to do your job."
Wow, that was quite the right answer, I think. He looks so happy and relieved.
"I think now I should ask you something." He says thoughtfully. Oh man, looks like there is nothing he wants to know about me. "Why do you look sad suddenly?"
Oh, didn't want to let him know, but I don't really ever have my face under control. Only thing I'm good at, is being always nice to customers.
So, when he always speaks his mind, I think I'm allowed to do so, too.
"I just felt like... you know, like I am boring. Your job and everything, it's so interesting. And you don't even know what to ask me, I can understand, I think."
Now his face does some strange things, looks like a warm-up and stretching. "I apologize," he finally spits out "I have a lot of questions, actually. I'm just not sure which are appropriate to ask."
"Oh, you can just ask everything, I think? I won't be mad, I promise. If there's something inappropriate, I'll just tell you and don't answer, when I don't want to, okay?"
"Alright. So, you have an accent. What is it? Where are you from?" Good question. I'm really happy again.
"You want to guess?"
"Usually, I don't guess, but I think this time it's okay. I would say something European. It sounds a little bit British... but there is something else Germanic. I don't know, it's confusing."
I wait a moment, to see if he hears more out of it. "I don't think I can guess more."
"Okay, so you still don't guess." I laugh. "You know the Germanic thing, that was no guess."
"Oh, right." He says thoughtfully.
"So, I'll just tell you. I'm from Germany, I lived in Britain for a year, now I am here. Makes it complicated to figure out where I'm from. I just mix everything the way I like it..."
"I think that is interesting, I have never been to another country for more than a week. Why are you here? And why do you work in this bar?"
"Because it's nice, I like working in bars. And because I can sometimes speak German here, with the tourists or other immigrants, who come here for the same reason. You know, the owner of the bar is from Germany, too. And I live here for my last study."
"Your last study?" Ha, now it's my turn, soon-to-be-Dr. Addy. Not as impressing as you, but still good enough, I think.
"Yes, I have a bachelor in German and English philology, master in German linguistics, that's what I studied in Germany. In Wales I added the master of English linguistic philosophies, which took only a year, and now I just started psychology here. And I did a lot of psycho-linguistics..."
"I don't like psychology." I feel how my face shrinks. "But that's just my personal meaning." He adds fast. I feel how I light up a little again. Doesn't matter now, I can tell him later, that I think he may don't like it, because he doesn't understand it. Would be a little bit too offensive right now, I think.
"How old are you? You don't seem to have the average age for that much of education." I expected that question. "I'm 23. And like I said, the last master took me only one year."
"Why are you studying so much things? You could have started to work, couldn't you?"
"Yes, but I don't want to. First, I want to learn. And I work here, as you know." I smile. I'm happy, because I know, he is impressed somehow. Maybe not like other people, but he is.
I see, he drunk all his water and the coffee, just the same moment he says "I really feel better now. Much less drunk." (does that make any sense?)
"So, you want me to bring you to the lab?" I wish, I could be more selfish and just try to draw his attention away from his work, but maybe they need their genius. Probably they do.
"I'm not sure, if I want. But I probably should go, yes. Maybe they need me." Even if he says he doesn't want to go, he looks like he wants that they need him. I definitely need to talk with Angela soon.
He wants to get a taxi, but I have a better idea.
"You know, the Jeffersonian is actually not that far away. I know a way, maybe 15 minutes by foot."
"But we drove 12 minutes in the car, with 40 miles pe..."
"Yes, but it's a shortcut." I cut him, "a little walk would be good for you, I think."
He thinks about it. He looks a little scared, does he think I'm going to rape him?
"It's not dangerous, Zack. And you're tall, I'm sure nobody will try to kill us or something." I smile up to him, as we're standing in front of the bar now.
"But you don't have to come with me."
"But I want to. I told Hodgins I'll take care of you and you can't be completely sober now."
"Okay." He shows a very reluctant smile, I'm not quite sure why he smiles about me saying, that I want to take care of him, an actually full grown man, but it makes me happy.
So, I lead him to the Jeffersonian. We just go next to each other and he doesn't say anything, but the silence is okay. To me, it doesn't feel uncomfortable, but we're there too soon.
"So, there we are." I say.
"Right." He again looks like he has no idea what to do now. "I should go in." He probably should.
I'm not sure what to do as well. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy you just hug or even kiss goodbye, after you first met. I usually don't do stuff like that. Usually, I don't even date. I met the two boyfriends I had in my life in school or university, saw them in classes and we talked in breaks, so the first date was usually the time when the serious relationship started and we already knew each other.
"So, bye?" That's awkward, but I don't know what would be better to say.
"Yes. Goodbye." He says, with an expression on his face that absolutely looks like I feel. Awkward.
He turns to go in. Then, probably the rest alcohol in my blood and the fact I just found a chewing gum in my pocket, make me call after him
"Hey, Zack, wait." He stops and turns around. I fast take the few steps to him, pass him the gum. "Maybe you should take this. I'm sure smelling like vodka is not that professional."
He smiles again. Such a cute smile, I can't do anything against myself stretching, kissing him on the cheek, standing on my toes. He's so tall and I'm quite short. "You know where to find me." I say hastily before I turn and go, as fast as my short legs allow me to, without running.
~
He has so no idea what happened. He stands there, staring after that girl. Did she just kiss him on his cheek? He read about that. Angela does it sometimes. But not like that. This was different. This was the romantical kind of way. And that doesn't make any sense. He looks after her, his jaw dropping a little further with every second, with everything he notices, everything he remembers.
Her little wavy hair, almost the same color like his own, just a little brighter. And so long. Covering her whole back down to her... yeah, down to her butt... after she removed the hair tie.
And she's so small. But still everything seems to be just the right size. Only her eyes... her eyes, they seemed so big. But beautiful. Brown as well, but he's sure, he saw some green stains in there.
But that doesn't matter, actually. Her appearance doesn't matter. She was so nice. She wasn't distracted by his way to talk. And not intimitated by his intelligence. She didn't resent him for that. She didn't resent him at all. He touches his cheek with his hand, right where her lips touched him.
She seems to like him.
What makes no sense.
~
On my way, back to the bar, I try to analyze what just went on within the last 3 hours. I wonder, what the fuck just happened. I'm usually very confident, I spent a lot of my time thinking about myself, I know me, and I'm absolutely okay with myself. But this guy... I know he likes me. It was obvious, but he seems so damn shy and somehow that makes me unsure. And maybe everything was just his normal reaction when talking to girls. So maybe, he doesn't like me. Oh Jesus. Looks like actually, I don't know anything. I absolutely have to talk to Angela. How is it possible, that I can understand everyone, doesn't matter how strange they use language, but I'm unsure about a guy who says exactly what he thinks?
Before I fall asleep, I remember the whole conversation I had with Angela two days ago, when she came to the bar with Hodgins.
"Another date?" I asked her with a knowing-grin.
"Kind of, yes. This is Jack Hodgins. He's a colleague of mine."
"Hi, kid" he said with a friendly smile.
"Hi, elderly man." He giggled a little about my lippy answer.
"So, you don't want to tell me that you think she" he looked at me, up and down and up again "will try it with Zack, do you?" Wait what?
"Oh yes, that's absolutely the plan. She likes intelligent men and when I know someone strange enough to make out with Zack, then it's this girl here."
"I feel like you should tell me, what this is about." I absolutely felt like that.
"I thought about what you said, when we talked about guys the last time. And you know, there is this cute boy working with us. He is a real genius. Okay, I better say it now, he is different than others. But that's what you wanted, right? Get to know someone special?"
"Oh yeah, he absolutely is...special." Hodgins says, still obviously not convinced.
"He's cute and somehow lovely, really."
"I don't blind date anyone, Angela." She grabbed out her phone and showed me a picture of someone who was absolutely concentrated on something in front of him, one couldn't see what. I only saw floppy brown hair and that he's tall.
"You took a picture of him?" Hodgins was clearly surprised.
"Of course, I knew she would say that, and now, it's not a blind date anymore."
"Alright." I said, without being sure about why. But Angela is good with this kind of stuff, so why not, give it a try. It makes her happy. "But if it goes wrong, you owe me... let's say 5 drinks."
"Alright. But if it's good, you owe me five." "Okay."
Hodgins just watched us unbelievingly, while we shook hands over the deal.
"You should just come here with Zack then, Jack. It's probably better, when he doesn't know he has a date" Angela said thoughtfully.
I needed to go back to work, so I just said "okay, let me know before you come. I have early shift on Fridays, it's over at 9 pm. So, that would be good for me, I think." And with a look to Angela "You know, I only do this for you. And because I want to see what's a 'real genius' for people who work at the Jeffersonian."
She laughed and I went over to the next table, I knew they were now going to plan everything, only thing left to do for me was waiting. Little did I know.
(I edited this, maybe anyone wants to say something about that? :D)