The bar was dark and seedy looking by design. Very "hipster", a term he'd picked up over the years. He had slid his lanky frame into a small table in a darkish corner. Twinkle lights would have been inches above his head, carelessly draped in a conscious effort to not care. That was the vibe of this place, actually this whole world now. Care, but don't look like you do. It was heaven for the ones who could take advantage of it and enjoy life, but hell for anyone who dared to live an existence of vigilance.
The Girl was with her friends, shooting Picklebacks and singing songs about female empowerment, not needing a man. Mr Wonderful hadn't showed up again due to a work emergency. So here he was, making sure she didn't get into any danger nor get too drunk. To be honest, he would have been here anyway. He didn't know why The Girl drank what her friends liked when she absolutely hated pickles. He could feel the waves of disgust with every shot she took. And he liked pickles. Or at least he used to.
What he did know was that being in this bar was equally thrilling and annoying. Thrilling because extremely inhibriated people could see him. Annoying because they were often annoying. They always insisted on buying him a drink or picking a fight. Per the rules he existed by, he would switch their drink with water if he could or walk away. But honestly, he should have done those things when he was alive. Oh if his mother could see him now. But she couldn't. Not when she suffered with cancer, not when his brother married, nor when she cried alone in his room. But he saw her. It was then that he knew he had to atone for what he had done. It wasn't easy, but he had to do it, if not for his own soul but his family.
He pushed away thoughts of his family when he noticed The Girl calling for more drinks. A Bloody Mary this time. He sighed to himself and focused harder on her, looking for signs of trouble. She ran her hands through her now messy brown hair and fluffed the ends, smiling sweetly at the server as she sipped the drink he brought. If only she would look at him like that..... in another time, it could be him that she cooed about to her friends and defended so passionately. He would come up from behind, surprise her, bringing her a drink without pickles, and he would.....
"No," he told himself. He shook his head as if to shake away the image. He took off his hat to run his own hands through his hair as he watched The Girl look intently at her phone and get up, telling her friends quick and very rushed goodbyes. "What the hell?" he said aloud as he got up to follow her out.
"Hey cutie, where are you going?" a very intoxicated woman purred in his face. Oh god. Again. A drunk blonde stood before him, clearly drunk enough to see him. He took her drink and placed it on the table.
"I'm going to find a friend," he replied tersely. "I'm a friend," she replied. He sighed. Oh god. An angry, not as drunk man walked up and guided her away, scolding her for talking to an empty table. He drew in a breath and shook his head as he walked outside in search of The Girl.
Nothing. She was nowhere.
Suddenly, he felt an intense pain shoot through his body, bringing him to his knees. Then terror. Confusion. She was in trouble. He ran a few blocks till her heard an unmistakable voice screaming. It was The Girl. A random man had her pinned to a brick wall. Her face was tear streaked and she was trying to free her arms.
Fuck. He wasn't allowed to physically attack any human. But he had to do something. He got closer, as she finally got a hand free and pulled her to him, away from her attacker. Frantically, he looked for a cab as the attacker fell back and looked baffled. He didn't need to look back. He knew. The guy was too confused to run after them, but he had to get her home. He had run a few blocks when he realized her hand was still gripping to his and she was keeping up. He turned to look at her face. Some of her eye makeup had rubbed off, and her face was flushed. It made her look way younger than she was. She was beautiful, but it was the expression on her face that surprised him. The Girl was looking at him directly into his eyes. She couldn't...... No.
"You- you saved me," she gulped, "Thank you, but who are you?"
If he had a heartbeat, it would be leaping through his chest.
To be continued