It had been a long week at work for Lina. Deadlines, non-stop email, and a boss who felt completely incompetent. She had planned to spend the weekend at home, curled up on the couch under her favorite fuzzy pink blanket, Netflix and takeout and her favorite vibrator. How she ended up in this bar was a mystery.
Well, not really. She knew exactly how. Sabrina. Sabrina was Lina's best friend from college. They had been assigned as roommates during freshman year, when you didn't know if you'd been stuck rooming with a neat freak or a slob. Sabrina and Lina hit it off right away and became fast friends. They bonded over listening to Taylor Swift, eating Thai food, and bingeing murder mysteries. Their friendship had remained intact all throughout college and into their first careers.
And now Sabrina had been dumped. Lina was secretly grateful Sabrina's relationship with David had ended. He took advantage of her friend's generosity, never paying for meals, not helping with chores around the apartment. According to Sabrina, his dick was worth the trouble.
Lina had received the call a few weeks ago, a sobbing Sabrina on the other end. Lina had rushed over to Sabrina's apartment, Ben and Jerry's in hand to comfort her distraught friend. Sabrina had taken the break up pretty poorly. Though now it seems Sabrina had moved on to the next phase of the break up - rebound sex. Sabrina had called Lina a few nights before, begging her to come out to the bar with her this Friday. If it had been anyone else, Lina would have said no, but Sabrina was one of her dearest friends. She could suffer through one night out.
Lina was having difficulty remembering that empathy for her friend as she sat at the bar, alone. Sabrina had already found a potential suitor and was off making out with him in the corner of the bar, leaving Lina sitting at the bar, nursing her rum and coke and staring at her phone. She was very seriously debating if she could leave - Sabrina obviously didn't need the moral support any more.
Just as Lina had reached a decision, a man sat down on the stool next to her. Lina gave him a quick glance, and continued her mindless scrolling on Reddit. "Two shots of vodka, please," the gentleman said confidently to the bartender. A few moments later, Lina heard the clink of two shot glasses being set in front of him. "Crap," she thought to herself. "I should have left while I had the chance."
The gentleman turned toward her. "I guess I should have asked first, but can I buy you a drink?" Lina was not in the mood, and replied brusquely, without glancing up, "No thanks, I was just about to head out."
"C'mon, one shot won't hurt you. It's already poured. Have a shot with me and then you can go."
"I said no. Thank you though."
"Just one shot," he insisted again.