public for the first time, and I’d had more than a little liquid courage in my system. I was feeling bold, and I was determined not to end the night without a man in my bed. I gazed around the small but crowded bar for my options, smiling at a few over my cocktail.
“Hey, how about him?” Trina asked, tugging on my sleeve. She nodded in a direction to my left, and I saw a lone man standing over in a corner, his dark frame casting imposing shadows on the old wooden walls.
“Whoa, who’s that?” I asked, trying not to gape. He didn’t have a drink in his hand, or any food either. He seemed to be waiting for someone, or something. He had an awfully grumpy look on his face though, like someone had terribly wronged him. I couldn’t see much in the dim light of the bar, but he looked like a worthy candidate indeed.
“I don’t know,” said Trina, “But he looks new. And dangerous.” She said it without masking the excitement in her voice. We may have been young, but the “tough guy” look had always been attractive, and I had already started forming several possible backstories for him in my head.
Some would have said I have an overactive imagination, but I liked thinking about the people around me, where they could have come from, and why they were here tonight. I’d look upon complete strangers, making up whole histories for them. And this strange man we’d seen over in the corner was no different.
Who was he? My mind demanded to know. As I continued my curious gaze, he looked up, over toward the bar, and our eyes locked for a fraction of a second.
A strange shock I wasn’t used to flowed through me at our eye contact, and I was startled, setting my drink down with a clank and putting a hand to my head. It was strong, powerfully so, and uncomfortable. It was if a flash of adrenaline had rushed through my body in an instant at our eye contact, and I was beginning to feel a little nauseous.
“Lisa, what is it?” Trina asked me, snapping her fingers at me as I swayed uncomfortably. Okay, maybe it was just the drink getting to me.
“I’m fine,” I brushed her hand away, standing after a struggle as I looked left and right for the exit. “I’m just going to get some air, I’ll only be a moment.”
“You sure don’t look very good, can I come with you?”
“No, you can stay, don’t worry about me. I’ll be right outside. Besides, I think the guy a few tables over was checking you out.” I flashed the best smile I could muster and shuffled my way towards the door.
The night air was cold and welcome as I stepped out into the parking lot. Taking a few deep breaths, I placed my hands on my knees, waiting for the sick feeling to subside. I had had no idea what had happened back there, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out. Trina had said he seemed dangerous…and she could very well be right. Whatever had happened, it couldn’t be good.
I noticed after a time that I had been walking, pacing the parking lot and down the road as I tried to collect my thoughts. Looking back towards the bar, I didn’t realize how far I had drifted away. Shaking my head, I scolded myself for not paying enough attention. It was late, to be sure, but there was a full moon tonight, and it cast a cool glow on the road that made it seem not so scary.
Feeling a bit bad for leaving Trina back there, I started back towards the bar, hands wrapped around myself as I tried to keep warm. I’d told her I’d only be outside…
I realized how little I had clothing wise pretty quickly, and as the jolting shock faded from my system, I began to shiver with cold. I could see my breath in front of me in warm puffs, and it added a strange foggy haze in my field of vision.
As I walked back down the side of the road, I noticed it was littered with garbage and loose stones, making it difficult to keep my balance. I had to focus on my feet in front of me just as much as I did