My heart seems to falter when she walks in the bar. I vaguely hear my friend Samantha, who reluctantly dragged me out tonight, yell at me from a few feet away. I don't make any movement though. I am staring at what, until this moment, was only a dream. My friend finally fights her way over to me, muttering something about me being deaf and all I do is nod forward. A beautiful platinum blonde creature is making her way through a crowd with what seems to be the grace of a cat. I tense as she makes her way quickly past, settling at a bar stool about 15 feet away, before quickly motioning for the bartender.
I can't think, instinct kicks in and all I know is that I need to lessen that space between us, and before I know it we are an arm's length apart. I realize I have no idea what to say. She smiles and looks up from the drink that was just placed in front of her; it is almost as if she expected me to say something. I trip over my simple, "He-ello."
I see her bright blue eyes light up as I hear a slight giggle.
"Hello," she says, extending just another smile and an arm toward the bar stool next to her. I jump almost immediately, like a well-behaved puppy.
"I'm Christina, would you like a drink?" She points to the bartender who seems to be waiting. I nod.
"Anything particular or are you an 'anything goes kind of woman'?" I think surely that was not as dirty as that sounded, I mean why would she hit on me? I am not bad looking: 5'4" brunette, green eyes -but she could, and probably has done better.
As I begin to smile, I point to her drink. "What are you having?" Asking, because while I may like to come out, truth be told I am a light weight and know that two drinks is enough to do me in.
"Vodka and Cranberry Juice." I notice that the color almost matches her dark lips and smile before looking away from her mouth. "Sure, my name is Nicole, nice to meet you."
I lean out for a hand shake which she almost all too well turns down and instead leans into me before sliding her hand over the top of mine, causing me to almost shiver, and pushing it onto the top of the bar. She waves the bartender over and makes quick work of ordering. I falter in my thoughts, trying to figure out what to say aside from 'Come here often?' which she must sense because she quickly breaks my thought, "Anything to do in this town besides drink at the bar?"
I laugh a little before gliding my hand over to my drink when it arrives and turning to look around the room. "Not really actually, I see most of the same people here every time I come, which is not often." Christina smiles as I draw my attention back to her. "I am sure I stand out then?"
I reply, "You do...but in a good way. Are you here just for the cheap drinks?"
She takes a sip and pulls her ruby lips off the rim of the glass before shaking her head, "I am not much of a drinker actually, but it seemed like the only place open this late." She scans the room as if to make sure it is open, the crowd has started to trickle out and neither of us had noticed.
"Well it seems that may be changing soon," I say nodding to the twenty odd people who have lingered around the small bar. She smiles in agreement before pushing her drink away and I hesitantly decide to finish mine.
The second my glass hits the bar she, seemingly concerned, touches the back of my hand, "Do you have a ride home?" I quickly look around for my friend. I scan two or three times before looking back to her and sighing back down into my chair.
"I did have one," I murmur, "but I believe she found someone else to drive home."
Christina smiles, her lips parting and her eyes seemingly getting brighter, "Well, not to sound odd, but if you live nearby I would not mind giving you a ride home."
I hesitate and notice that she is waiting, "I would hate to put you out like that and I really can call someone else, it is not a big deal," I say, rolling the glass on the bar before standing up off the stool.
She stands up next to me, she must be at least 5 inches shorter, "Really it is no problem, besides I would hate for you to have to call and interrupt your friend's good times."
She laughs before locking her hand onto my arm and taking a step towards the door. I take the step with her and we make our way to the door, "I suppose I will have to owe you the next round or ride home," I say, smiling as we exit into the dark parking lot. She escorts me to the door of a blue sedan and crosses to the driver's side.
As I open the door and get in I start to thank her again; she seemingly brushes it off and assures me it is not a big deal. I realize that while I only live a few minutes away that this might be an awkward ride, it had been ages since I had been alone with a woman I just met, let alone one of this caliber. As she pulls out of the lot she asks, "So where are we heading?"
I snap to and point, "Right at a stop light."
She nods before asking, "You seem worried, roommate going to be upset?"