New Friends - Wei
"Can we have some Bud lights, please?" She was young, brunette, likely undergrad.
That night I was seeing the bar from an unusual perspective. Jack had a family emergency, the usual backup was out too, so the owner asked me to help on slow nights. The real bartender would mix drinks, I took food orders, poured beer, wine.
Life had, for the most part, returned to its quiet, boring routine broken by the occasional, unannounced visit from Sam. Her hair was longer, which was fun for play. I learned how to bind a ponytail, making suspensions more, well, interesting. Even though I was standing at the bar, my attention was distracted by how she'd asked to have her head pulled back when hogtied. Her groans after a while were unbearably alluring. Couldn't keep my mind off the memory.
"Happy to help - can I see ID's please?" She was with two friends, out having fun on an early weeknight.
She leaned over the bar, trying to look cute, flirtatious,. I didn't take the bait, not looking down her loose top as she'd hoped. "Do you really need to see ID's - we're grad students." All three laughed. "We could have some fun later you'd like."
"That's a terribly kind offer, but the law's the law. ID's, or would you like a few diet cokes on the house?" Not waiting, I poured sodas. They pouted, complained, took the free drinks.
"You handled that pretty well. Why didn't you take her up on that?"
"They gotta learn that's not a good way to get ahead in this world. What ever happened to fake ID's?"
"Don't know. Weren't they written with a quill when you were their age?"
"Nope, carved into stone tablets."
She laughed. "Sense of humor. Surprising. Another?"
I gave her another glass of our best wine, which wasn't very good. "Aren't you usually on this side of the bar?"
I knew she seemed familiar, tall at almost six feet, lanky. She could have been conventionally beautiful but clearly avoided that, wearing ugly glasses, hair up in a messy sorta bun, no makeup, hoodie and sweatpants. Trying very hard to avoid notice.
"I am. David." Put my hand out.
"Wei." Gave me a handshake. "Oh wait, David? You know Izzy, right?"
Izzy had been one of her TA's, so of course she knew all about my business. Wei was from Hong Kong, left young on a British passport after the handover, lived in England, then the States. She didn't go out much, but sometimes wanted a beer, be around people. She wasn't a regular, but I'd seen her around. Now when she came in, she'd sit near me, talk. Turned out to be brilliant, so much so that I didn't understood most of what she said, but loved listening to her voice.
Unusually, one Friday night she came in, sat on the stool next to me.
"Can you do me a favor?"
"Sure - what's up?"
"I really needed to get out of my place, have a drink, but there are so many knuckleheads here on a Friday."
"Indeed."
"I don't want to be hit on. Help a girl out?"
"Happy to run interference. Cover story?"
"You're an old associate of my dad's, who's asked you make sure I get out every once and a while."
That worked surprisingly well. She'd find me at the bar, sit down, let me buy her drinks, complain about other students, professors, stupid shit. I'd happily listen, enjoy her low-key company. Easy.
I was at a charity fundraiser schedule for parent's weekend to attract rich alumni, when in walked an expensively dressed older Chinese couple and their stunning daughter. I was talking to the group's executive director, who I knew, they came over to her.
"David, let me introduce you to the Chen's, they've been very generous in the past. We couldn't run the place without them. Mr. Chen, this is David - one of our volunteers."
Shook his hand, then his wife's, and was shocked to realize their daughter, decked out beautifully, jewelry, long straight hair, was Wei.
"Nice to meet you, David. Have I seen you around town?"
"Perhaps, it's not a very big place. And thank you your support, it is greatly appreciated." Having had some business dealings with Hong Kong before, I knew to offer to her father "and if there is anything I can ever do for you or help your daughter, do not hesitate to ask."
"Thank you, David, I appreciate knowing there is an adult I can trust should my daughter need anything." He gave me his card, I gave him an old one of mine, said reach out anytime, excused myself.
Later at the bar, I smelled an intoxicating perfume.
"Thanks for not reacting. My dad is very traditional, doesn't like the idea I have friends, especially male ones. Just supposed to study all the time."
"No problem, though to be honest, I didn't recognize you at first. Quite the transformation."
"My mother thinks I dress like this every day - she'd be horrified." We laughter a bit, I excused myself, went home.
Soon I was seeing her most Thursday nights. She opened up about family background, expectations, limitations on her social life. After a while, she asked about me.
"Not to be rude, but why the sudden interest? I'm an open book, but you've never seemed interested."
"You're not really an open book, though, are you?"
"What do you mean?"
"C'mon, I know Izzy." Pause. "About Izzy." Looked at me, raised eyebrow. "I'm impressed you've never brought it up, asked what I know. Tried something."
I stared at my drink for a moment. "We've been drinking buddies for long enough; I'd started hoping you didn't know."
"Why?"
"'Cause I don't love being a creepy old guy."
For first time since I'd met her, she laughed. "Can you keep a secret?" She smiled. "Let me put that another way - can I confide something, well, complicated?"
"Of course." Turned. "What's up?"
"You've met my family, but you have no idea how hard it is to date. My dad expects me to marry a rich Hong Kong man, right family, money. I don't care about that, but when it hasn't been one of their setups, I've gotten burned by guys actually interested in my money. So, I dress like this" pointing to clothes "whenever they're not around, keep to myself."
"And?"
"I'm getting tired of it, hiding who I am, what I want. I have a fucking awesome closet, never wear any of it 'cause I don't have anyone to go out with." Took a sip. "And I'm horny. Haven't had sex in - shit, I can't remember. Izzy told me I could trust you - but I had to be sure."
"Trust me with what?"
"All of this - my poor little rich girl thing. Avoiding issues with family, needs. So, are you game to not only keep the idiots away, but maybe help me enjoy life a little more without taking advantage?"
Stared at my drink for a minute, trying not to seem too eager. "You can definitely trust me. You're clearly brilliant, interesting, pleasant to be around, have a beer with. But how do you define take advantage. I mean, I don't need anything from you and - as I'm sure Izzy has shared - I don't kiss and tell. So, secrets are safe with me. But I'm still not sure what you're asking for."
She looked around, as if that would make a difference. Took another sip.
"It'd be easiest if you'd come with me. Are you free?"
"Depends, getting close to my bedtime."
She laughed. "That's not gonna fly - I know how late you can stay up. Come on." For once, someone else paid the tab - Jack got a kick out of that.
We left, walked toward campus but taking an unexpected turn past grad-student housing toward the best part of town, with big houses, manicured lawns, fancy cars. She walked up to a small but beautiful older home, discreet but really nice. Inside, it wasn't over the top, but everything was high quality - not the usual place for a student to live.