Stranger Danger

**In light of the Fifty Shades of Grey obsessions, I decided to try and write my own story to join the masses. This is my first attempt, so any constructive (note: constructive means helpful, intelligent, kind advice) criticism is welcomed!!**

"It's seriously fucking hot out here." Zoey said as she pulled off her t-shirt, exposing her sweaty cleavage in her tight blue tank top. "I kind of want a drink but I want to wait a little longer, for when the sun goes down and it gets cooler. Me drunk in this kind of heat isn't good." She laid back down on her towel and covered her eyes with her magazine.

"We could just go inside." I offer. I glanced over my body. "I think I'm pretty tan. We've been out here for a few hours now." I checked my phone--5pm.

"Yeaaaah, I guess you're right." Zoey stretched before sitting up. "What to do now? We don't have to meet Sadie at the bar until 9." I stood up and pulled my faded blue jean shorts over my warmed skin.

"We could go eat somewhere."

"Like where?" Zoey was busy on her phone, as usual.

"I don't know...The Joint?" Zoey glanced up over the gleam of her screen and grinned.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure you want to go there."

"What does that mean?!" I could feel my cheeks blushing, and decided playing dumb was the best way out of my stupid suggestion.

"Do you really think I'm that much of an idiot that I wouldn't know why you'd want to go there?"

"It's right next to the bar, we could just walk over afterwards is what I was thinking." I started walking towards her front door.

"Yeah, okay. I'm sure you probably forgot about the sexy cook there anyways, right?" I turned around and playfully shoved her.

"Shut up, Zoey." She giggled. Of course she knew why I wanted to go there. I'd been crushing over the cook for months, and going there in hopes of catching a glimpse of him was pretty hit or miss. My friends all knew how I felt about this guy, since I usually make ridiculous sexual comments the whole time we're there and he's working. It's mostly just fun, since I knew nothing would ever come of it.

We walked in her apartment and I plopped down on the couch. Next thing I knew, Zoey was standing over me. Her hair was done up in a messy bun that looked perfectly sculpted; her bleachy blonde front strands hanging down her face in the most attractive way. Her make-up was light, but it made a noticeable difference from a naked face. She had to be the most convincing "surfer girl" in the whole Midwest. She was wearing a black tube top and her jean shorts.

"Damn, you're tan." I say as I yawn.

"Have you seen yourself, sexy mama?" She asks as she hands me a brush. I look at my arms as I stretch them out. She's right--I'm also pretty damn tan. My skin is even still warm, and I smell like flowers and sunshine. I did need to fix my hair, but after that, I'd be ready to hit the town.

"So, do you really want to go there?" Zoey asks as she slips on her heels.

"Um...hah." I laugh nervously, biting my lip as I pull the brush through my long red hair. "I guess I wouldn't complain."

"Damn right you wouldn't. We're going."

"Do you think this tank top looks okay?" I adjusted my swimsuit top and slipped my plain pink tank top over it.

"You look sexy, don't worry, hun!" I tried to believe her, but she looked so good, there's no way I came close to her. I guess my cleavage looked good, all tan and sweaty. But other than that, I felt like I looked like every other girl. The only thing that makes me look different than other girls at the bars is my hair--the super light reddish blonde that most girls outgrow when they are children. It's my only claim to fame. I fluffed up my hair in Zoey's mirror, my lips tilted up to one side in uncertainty.

"Val, you look great. Don't worry, he'll definitely notice you." She walked out of her room to grab her keys. "Ready?"

I took one more glace at myself in the mirror and applied some lip gloss.

"Yeah, I guess." I slipped on my matching pink wedges and followed her out the door.

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When we pulled up to The Joint, it was packed. I wasn't surprised, since it was a beautiful, sunny 80 degree day. Loud with laughing, kids with ice-creamed mustaches, it was easy to catch a good mood from the place's ambiance.

"Zoey?" Someone called from a patio table. She turned to see who it was, and practically screamed with delight.

"Lilly!" She ran towards the girl and pulled her into a hug. I recognized the name as being a girl that Zoey used to dorm with when she went to the downtown university. I had a feeling they would take awhile, so I decided to go in and look around. The inside wasn't as loud as the outside, as most of the older folks were sitting at the tables, trying to escape the heat. I slid uncomfortably into a booth, as the leather was hot and sticky and my legs stuck to the material. I casually looked around the place, trying to be inconspicuous about scoping out my crush. It wasn't a big place, just one room with maybe a handful of booths and tables and a small counter. It was a very mom and pop locale, so not a ton of people were working at any given time. And I didn't see him. I sighed and sat back, looking out the window at Zoey and Lilly. Right when I did, they were hugging again and Zoey headed in towards me.

"Val, that was Lilly! Do you remember her?" She sat across from me.

"I do, from school?"

"Yeah! Ah, it was great to see her. I haven't seen her in probably a year and a half! I haven't even heard from her. I guess she's still with that Steve guy, he was with her if you didn't see him..." I caught something out of the corner of my eye while she spoke, and it took me away from her words. He was here. There was no mistaking the long, luscious hair. Zoey must have noticed that I wasn't listening to her, because she was suddenly silent and looking across the room like I was.

"Ohhhh!" She slapped my arm repeatedly. "He's here!" She stared at me expectantly.

"And?" I pulled my eyes away.

"Dude, go give him your number! You look hot." I looked down at myself.

"Nah, I don't and I'm not gonna give him my number! How? He's busy at work and he never comes out here." Zoey started laughing as I said that, pointing out the window.

"Too bad you're totally wrong and he just lit up a cigarette out there." I turned my head to look out the window, and sure enough, Zoey was right. He had walked outside, and was leaning against a black GTO, one arm resting on the rolled down window, the other smoking a cig. His long, wavy blonde hair was in a ponytail, and he had a folded black bandana wrapped around his forehead.

"God, he's so fucking hot." I turned back to Zoey, who was beaming at me.

"I don't get why you won't go give him your number. How long have you been coming here and staring at the guy? If he never sees you anyways, what do you have to lose? If he doesn't call you, he won't notice if you ever come back." I thought about what she said. She was right--what did I have to lose? The worst he could do is just not call. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I turned back to look at him again. He was wearing a plain black t-shirt, but it was still obvious how skinny he was. That didn't turn me off--in fact, it did quite the opposite. He wasn't lacking, though. His arms were very muscular for someone so thin. I felt a surge of braveness rise up from my lower stomach. I stood up and walked towards the side door.

"Val, are you actually doing it?!" Zoey downed the rest of the soda she had been drinking and practically tripped over herself to get up and follow me. I ignored her. For some reason, her words gave me courage but her voice made me nervous.

I opened the door and headed to my car. Zoey was close behind, and she frowned as she stood at the passenger side door, staring a few cars over at my crush.

"What are you doing at the car? I thought you were actually going to do it. You really should." I really had planned on doing it. My motivation weakened with every step. I had hoped my car would be a neutral, comforting point for me, but apparently not. I opened the door and searched for something that would give me an excuse to Zoey for having come to it. I couldn't find anything.

"Ah, I don't know. I was going to, but I don't want to. Look, he's going in anyways." I nodded my head in his direction, and she turned just in time to see him walk right past his crushed cigarette butt and through the side door.

"You missed your chance, bitch." Zoey laughed. I slammed the door and started walking through the parking lot towards the other end of the little strip mall.

"Whatever. Let's just go to the bar now. I don't want to go back in there, anyways." She followed me, but wasn't quiet about it.

"Oh, you're such a baby. How old are you? I swear, you act like a 16 year old when you're around guys. What do you think he'd do if you asked him for his phone number? Scream and run away?"

"Yes. That is what I'm afraid of."

"Well, then, I hope you do ask him eventually, and that he does exactly that."

I opened the door of the bar for Zoey and myself. The smell of stale cigarettes and booze rushed through my nostrils. A faint scent of popcorn also floated through the air. I checked my phone--almost 8pm. It was so early yet. We still had an hour until people even started showing up. We decided to grab a table away from the bar and order food.

We sat and chatted about our lives as only best friends can do--telling each other nothing we didn't already know, backhandedly throwing insults that don't even get absorbed as the other continues talking as if there was no interruption. I didn't have to check my phone for the time again. Sadie came strolling over with her sad boyfriend following behind her like a puppy, as usual.

"What's uuuuup!" She yelled, reaching out for Zoey, who promptly stood up and hugged her. She then moved onto me. I stood and returned the hug. Sadie was a friend from high school that we've always stayed in touch with, but I wasn't her biggest fan. She didn't have the best reputation, and yet, her love-drunk boyfriend stood by her side through all of it. It was disgusting to watch her manipulate him when we were younger, and it seemed to just get worse as we got older. She said jump, Michael, and he said, yes ma'am, how high, and would you like me land any certain way? He did everything and anything for her, and everyone was smart to keep their mouths shut about it. One of our acquaintances in high school tried saying something to her after graduation, and she ripped her a new one. That's when we learned that relationships between two people are just that--between the two of them, and no one else's business.

"Michael, go get us drinks." She waved her hand behind her head towards him, as if he was her assistant.

"Bombs?" He asked without hesitation.

"Good idea." She said, not looking back at him. He turned and walked away. I'd known Michael a little bit before they started dating. He was always so outgoing and friendly. A little shy, but not nearly as shy as he acted around Sadie. It was like he was always waiting for her to tell him what to do next. I was starting to think he actually enjoyed it. If he didn't, why would he stay? I have to admit, the idea of a man doing whatever I wanted him to do kind of turned me on...

Michael returned with three jaeger bombs. It was nice to go to a bar we've been frequenting since we were 17, because they never carded. That was always so scandalous to us, though now I think we'd actually like to get carded. Twenty five isn't old, but it's far enough from high school and close enough to thirty that you start to think it is.

We grabbed our glasses and clinked cheers. I sucked it down, then squeezed my mouth closed, trying not to completely contort my face. I'd never liked Jaeger, but bombs were so easy to get for free, so I learned to like them enough.

"Ahhhh." Zoey sighed as she set her empty shot glass on our table. "And so it begins. Let's go over to the bar now. I wonder if Luke is working." She led the way as I followed. Michael didn't move, and I pretended not to notice. I heard Sadie quietly say, "Come." I was blown away. Did he really wait for her permission to move?! He followed behind her and sat next to her at the bar. I sat next to him. I wanted to get a chance to talk to him, if possible. But I knew I'd need to get some alcohol in his system if I wanted him to give me any information.

"Michael, can I buy you a drink?" I offered.

"Uhh..." He turned on his chair to Sadie and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Sadie, is it okay if Valerie buys me a drink?" He asked in a voice I hadn't heard him use before. It was deep and friendly, not his usual high pitched, frightened voice. She leaned into him and whispered into his ear. I couldn't hear much, so I leaned a little to the side to try and hear.

"If you're not in the mood tonight, that's fine. I'm probably jut gonna drink a lot with these guys, we haven't hung out in awhile, so if you wanna do your own thing, that's fine." Sadie had so much concern in her voice, and understanding. She kissed him on the cheek, patted his shoulder, and turned back to Zoey, who was ordering them more drinks.

Michael turned to me. "Sure, I'll take that drink, Val." He smiled a big smile. He seemed different, like he had just woken up out of a trance.

"Alright!" I hit the bar with both my hands, excited to feel that everyone here so far was on the same page. We hadn't seen each other in a while, we didn't have work in the morning, and we were gonna have fun like we hadn't had since we were younger. "What'll you have/?"

"Scotch and soda." I turned to him and smiled.

"Oh really? Interesting." I ordered him that and bought myselfa whiskey soda. We small talked about our jobs for awhile. He told me about his and Sadie's new condo, just down the street.

"It's within walking distance, which is why I think it's cool that I'm drinking." He finished off his drink and flagged the bartender down for another. I quickly sucked the rest of mine down, and told him to grab me another as well.

I decided to just go for my question.

"Why do you need to ask Sadie for permission?" A brief wave of fear brushed over his face, and his body became tense. He looked down at his new drink and chuckled a little.

"It's not the first time I've been asked that, but it has been awhile. I'm surprised you'd ask." He took a swig from his glass, but didn't offer any explanation.

"So...?" I waited. He turned to Sadie, who turned to him and kissed him on the lips. I rarely saw them act intimate with each other. This time, I was the one who was surprised.

"We're gonna go to the ladies' room. Val, you need to come?" She asked me.

"No, I'm good, for now." I smirked, holding up my glass.

"Ah, we've already broke the seal!" She giggled and grabbed Zoey's arm, walking off.

Michael turned back to me and leaned in slightly.

"Sadie and I have a...different relationship." I laughed.

"You could say that. You seem totally whipped, is what it is." He nodded understandingly.

"That's what everyone thinks, and that's okay."

"I don't understand."

"Yeah, no one would, that's why I don't explain it. People are going to think what they want anyways, so I don't need to explain myself."

"Well, I want to know." He turned to me.

"You aren't drunk enough yet." He laughed, ordering me another.

After my third, I was starting to feel it pretty good. I hadn't drank in awhile, and I had lost so much of my tolerance. But I was feeling pretty good. Sadie and Michael were being cute and had started dancing, and Zoey had found Luke, her bartender crush. I sat there observing everyone, and eventually, Zoey noticed.

"Hey, sulky, come have a drink with us!" She waved me over to where she was talking to Luke.

"I'm not sulking! I'm feelin' pretty good, so I'm just enjoying it." I stood up to walk over to her, and realized I felt the drunken sensation in my head when I stood up more than I had originally thought. I sat next to her and tried to steady my eyesight.

"You drunk?" She asked, giggling. No doubt she was.

"Yeah, but I can definitely stand to be more drunk." I winked at her, and she looked at Luke, touching his upper arm in a flirtatious way.

"Can you bring us two shots?" He smiled and turned away. "Ah, he's so damn adorable!" She clapped her hands together. "I think I can get him to take me home tonight...if I play it right." She watched him make the drinks. He was tall and built, having spent a few years in the Army. His hair was starting to grow back, and he did everything with calculated discipline. He made good drinks.

He came back and set down three shot glasses and a napkin with three lime wedges. He leaned over to my side and grabbed a salt shaker.

"You ladies ever had Tequila cruda?" Zoey raised her eyebrows at me, giggling again. She gets so girly when drunk.

"No." We both said in unison. I tried to stay away from Tequila. My co-worker always told me, 'Tequila makes your clothes fall off.' He took Zoey's hand, and she looked at him like she'd do anything he asked. He looked up at her eyes and smiled a seductive smile. Yep, he was going to take her home. He held her hand to his mouth and licked the back of it. Zoey moaned out loud, and I laughed. He shook the salt shaker onto the now-wet spot on her hand.

"Lick the salt, take the shot, and bite the lime." She grabbed the shot glass in one hand, licked her left, downed the shot, and then grabbed the lemon and bit.

"MMMM!" She squealed, squeezing her eyes closed. "Ahh!" She opened her mouth and took a deep breath in. "Wow. That's sour. But that was fun!" She laughed, turning to me. She began slapping my knee.

"Do it, Val! It's so fun!" I giggled and reached out for the salt shaker. I licked my hand, poured on the salt, and took the shot just as Zoey did. I had the same reaction.

"Wow. That is strong and salty." Zoey kept laughing and flirting with Luke. I reached in my wallet to grab some money, but Luke pushed it away.

"It's on the house." He looked at Zoey as he said it, and I realized that for the rest of the night, she was a lost cause. I sighed and decided to look for Sadie and Michael. They were still dancing. I checked my phone--10:15. Where the hell were our other friends that said they were coming? Or did they work until later? I decided to go out for some fresh air, since I was starting to feel pretty unsteady.

I walked out the door, and the warm air enveloped me again. It was getting late, but the temperatures weren't dropping. I wasn't complaining; I love warm weather. I was still wearing my swimsuit top under my shirt, so I adjusted it. My boobs were slightly sweaty, so they were glistening. They were also tan from having sat out all day. They looked great, and I wanted to make sure they were noticed. When I thought they were good, I straightened out my shirt and looked back up at the parking lot. I was hoping some more of my friends would show, so I would have an excuse to keep drinking. It was starting to look like the night was over, since Zoey was planning on leaving with that bartender and Sadie & Michael were doing their own thing. I decided then that I was done drinking for the night. I was pretty drunk already, and if no one else was going to show to take me home, I would need to sober up or risk sleeping in the parking lot. Fresh air always sobers me up a little more than being inside, so I sat on the curb. The bar was loud, and I could hear music and laughing just as loudly as if I was inside.

I heard some commotion to my right. I turned to see three girls laughing, walking out of The Joint. The lights were off, and they had their keys. Two of them got into one car, and the other waved. She turned and walked back to the side door, opening it just as someone else was walking out. It was my crush, handing her her purse.