Chapter 9 - Freeze

After getting out of the shower I trade

places with Brooke. Putting on my clothes first, after doing my make up.

Looking in the mirror after I'm done and after Brooke has finished my hair. I

look good. My hair looking shiny and tamed even, my make up highlighting my two

different colored eyes. My outfit perfectly complimented my figure. I was

dressed to kill.

"Girl, every neck tonight will break

when you walk in." Josie said dramatically.

"Look at you though! You look good,

very 'Kpop'. I love the Fila's." I looked over at Brooke.

"You look stunning."

Brooke was wearing a crop top showing

off her midriff. Black jeans and boots. She left her hair wild and teased it to

give it volume.

"Damn Brooke, you look good, especially

for someone who dresses like a nun." Josie teased.

"Let's go I wanna get food on the way."

I said with my stomach growling.

We leave and head for food.

"I don't wanna eat anything to hardy

and it come up in chunks later." Josie said.

"I don't know if I wanna get that

drunk."

"Bitch, it's your motha fuckin birthday,

you bet your sweet ass you're getting trashed with me." Josie said hooking my arm

and Brooke's arm in hers taking the middle spot.

"We're off to see the Wizard, the

wonderful Wizard of Oz" we sang doing the skip from the musical. We always

compared ourselves to the side characters. I was the Tin man, because I'm kind

of unfazed by most things. Josie is the Scarecrow because she get's the lowest

grades of us all. And Brooke is the lion, because she's the crybaby.

We stop and eat Italian for dinner,

figured Alfredo wouldn't be too bad if it came back up later.

The little Italian place we ate was

adorable, looked like a small ancient Roman city.

A server brings us menu's and takes our

order.

"What drinks can I get you ladies." She

asks.

"We'll take waters, we have a long

night ahead of us." Josie answered for us.

"Okay, do you guys know what you want

to order or need more time to look at the menu?" She asks.

"I'll have an Alfredo with extra

mushrooms."

"I'll have the same but add chicken and

no mushrooms." Josie said.

"I'll take the marinara ravioli."

Brooke said quietly.

"You got it." She says and leaves to

fetch our drinks. Moment's later she's back with our three waters.

Through the course of our meal we try

really hard to hydrate. We finish our meal pretty quickly, Brooke paid for our

dinner, and we leave for the bar.

Arriving at the bar, theres a lot of

people outside standing and smoking cigarettes having their conversations at

first oblivious to us as walk up. But once they did conversations ended

quickly. Every stared as the three  of us

walk buy. I saw some people speak low as they look at us. More specifically me.

Guess I really was a knock out like

Josie said.

Getting to the door a bouncer was there

to greet us. Asking for our ID's made me so excited.

"21 today, well then congratulations

and happy birthday! Get yourself a shot at the bar. First drink at a bar on

us." The man said smiling. I was surprised by how pleasant he sounded, the way

he dressed and carried himself definitely looked like he'd have a rougher tone.

Inside the bar was buzzing with

activity and conversation from customers. Walking up to the bar, I notice all

the different ages of people here, young and old alike.

Reaching the bar, immediately the

bartender notices us and walks our way.

"Hello ladies, what can I get you

tonight?" The bartender asked with a sexy velvety voice.

What was it with this town having so

many beautiful people, it's weird.

"It's her 21st birthday

today, bouncer told us you'd give her, her first legal shot at the bar on the

house."

"Well Happy Birthday. I've got just the

shot for you." He said before turning around and mixing a few alcohols and a

juice or mixers of some kind. Turning back to face us the bartender passes the

three of us our shots.

"This is called 'A Good Time' it's of

my own my making, it's made with tequila, whiskey, strawberry margarita mix,

and sour mix and strawberry Schnapps. Shaken with ice." The bartender said.

"Cheers to my girl for turning 21

today! WOOOUUHHHH!" Josie yelled as we cheers and take our shot.

"Happy Birthday!" Many in the bar

yelled to me putting their drinks in the air to join the cheers for me.

"You guys are a great crowd!" Josie

yelled back. Brooke had sat down on a stool and ordered a drink for each of us.

"The tequila sunrise for you." Brooke

says handing me a drink that was orange on top and pink on the bottom.

"A Long Island for our resident

alcoholic for you." Broke hands Josie her drink.

"An apple crown whiskey on the rocks."

For me.

"Let's go check out the bar, and find

our table." Josie said "I had our patron secure us a table. Near the stage, but

close to the games." Pointing to a gaming area.

There were people laying darts on wall,

gun shooting, and pool. A group of men are playing pool and I notice staring at

us. Nodding in our direction. It was making me a little uncomfortable.

Then I someone whisper something to

another man, his posture froze, he turned around and the looked me right in the

eyes. He was the most beautiful man I've ever seen, his long blonde hair pulled

back in a bun with a few strands hanging loosely framing his face. His jaw line

was strong and square, his lips soft and full, his eyes glared at me seeing

into my soul instantly. I felt completely naked, the hair on my body stood up

as static ran through me. My heart sped up only to stop short choking me.

Putting a wrench in my beating heart. My breath caught in my throat. My body

got hot and started to feel like it was catching fire. When he saw me the look

on his face darkened like he was disappointed to see me.

Oddly it cause my heart to ache in a

way I've never felt.

"Are you okay girl?" Josie asked.

I clutch my chest and say "I just need

some air, wait for me I'll be right back." I turn and rush for the door.

When the bouncer putting wrists bands

opened the door for me, I was blasted in the face with crisp cold air. Instantly

I felt the air fill my lungs once more.

What the fuck happened. Why did he make

me feel that way. I could feel tears in my eyes building at the corners.

Quickly I blink them away not wanting to ruin my make up. I walk over to the

side of the bar were there was no one and lean back against the wall. Putting

my hands in the pockets of my denim jeans, I breathe slowly in and out. Slowly

grounding myself again in reality. And then a shadow approaches me and when I

look up my breath is once again sucked from my lungs leaving my with no air.

There was the man I saw playing pool

standing right in front of me.

Did he follow me out here? Why?

He looked so sexy, as Josie would say,

in his white collared button down shirt, he was wearing a grey vest that buttoned

in the middle, complete with matching grey pants.

I was afraid to look up and see his

beautiful disappointed face up close.

"Why are you here?" His voice was thick

with seduction, and deeper than the ocean. It made every hair on my body stand

up, drying out my mouth.

"Excuse me?" I was taken back by his

question and his tone.

"I said, why are you here?" His voice

just as annoyed as it was the first time.

"What business is it of yours?" I snap

back "Who are you do you think you are?"

I got angry immediately, with all the

beauty you'd think he'd have some respect.

He seemed a bit shocked by my reaction.

I mean how did he expect me to react?

"Fuck off now bye."

"You shouldn't be here, you need to

leave." His face flat his voice sounded so familiar and unusually aggravating.

"Excuse me. I was here first it's you

who should leave." I said now matching his intense stare with ferocity.

We stood looking into each others eyes,

neither one of us blinking, neither of us giving in.

"Fine, if you don't leave I will." I

said pushing off the wall.

He pushes me, my back slams against the

wall, pinning me between his arms.

The sudden shove backwards scared me.

He was inches from my face. I should yell, scream for help. But I couldn't move

his eyes held me frozen in place. His minty alcohol breath warming my face. His

expression was tense, like he was holding something back. Restraining himself.

I've never looked at a pair of lips and

wanted to kiss them so much before. Taking a hard gulp, one I'm almost positive

he could hear.

"This is a little too close."

It was hard to breathe having himself

close.

"You shouldn't be here." He repeated

again.

Does he know any other words?

"Listen man, is there someone I should

call? You look like you've seen a ghost or that you drank way too much."

Slamming his hands into the wall behind

me again. Cracking the cement. I flinched.

"Back the fuck up." I said shoving him

off me. Fuck his chest was a brick. How could someone have muscles that hard?

"You and your friends need to leave and

I won't tell you again." He said with a deep low growl.

Wow, what the fuck?

"What's your problem, I don't even know

you."

"You don't belong here. Look at you."

He said.

His words hurt, why was he going out of

his way to be so mean? Why did his words hurt so ugh.

"Move." I say pushing him hard. He

stands up letting move.

"Pig."

I leave quickly without turning around

and back to my table.

What was his deal? My heart ached, but

I was infuriated, by a stranger. Did he really just go out of his way to say all

that to me? Why?

Huffing, heated and angry now, I needed

my drink. When I approach I see Josie standing next to two men chatting.

When I approach the conversation ends

and Josie turns around loudly says. "That's the birthday girl!" She pulls me in

for a hug. "Cheers!"

Clinking our cups and taking a drink.

"This is Daniel my friend whose hosting

this party." Josie said introducing us "And this is his friend Zack"

"Hi, I'm Seri." Shaking their hands.

"Are your eyes real or are they

contacts?" Daniel asked.

Both men were pretty attractive, but

nothing like that man. I look over to the pool table again and watch him watching

me, his eyes never straying. Not even when I catch him staring with that pissed

off look.

Why is he so mad?

"They're real. So is my hair, and I

don't have carpet I have tile flooring." I say.

Both guys stare at me for a second, I

look over and smirk at Josie and its all she can do to hold her laugh in

waiting for it to click with the guys standing with us.

"Ha! Oh my God I get it now." Daniel

busts out laughing.

I notice the man by the pool table

leaning back against the wall was staring hard frowning deeper. It almost

looked like he was jealous.

Hmm…

"You're pretty funny Seri. I like funny

girls." He gave me an angelic, but dangerous looking grin.

Josie give me 'the look' to tell me

he's flirting in case I missed the very obvious clue.

"Glad I fall into that category, the

ones of girls you like, that is." I give him a slightly flirty smile, making

sure He see's me give it to Daniel.

"Do you want another drink I see you're

almost done with yours." He asked seductively.

"Yeah I'll take another one."

Daniel looks to the bartender and gives

him a hand signal. "When he's done he'll bring it over to us."

"Thank you." I say sweetly.

The lights dim and the colored light

lit up and a hard guitar rip hits the speakers.

The whole bar screams, clapping and

stomping their feet.

"How are you doing tonight Eureka?"

The crowd yelled back "GREAT!!!"

"That's what I like to hear! It's great

to be here with you guys in such an intimate environment. Tonight's concert is at

a personal request of a friend of mine.

The bar erupted with applause.

I could feel my skin heating up and my

face turning red. I can't believe they just said my name. to a whole crowd. Oh

my god.

Everyone was looking at me, I tried to

give a confident smile, but it couldn't have looked more awkward. I was

insanely anxious, I can't believe this right now. Today is so totally crazy. I

met such 2nd most beautiful man I've ever seen and was gifted a valuable

painting. I made a friend at a cat café. I got verbally assaulted by the

hottest guy I've ever seen.

"This songs for you." The leader Tommy

Vext said starting off with their famous cover of  Zombies by the Cranberries.