The bar was packed,
and Gus could already feel his body temperature rising. Just what he needed on his first date with
Regina, pit stains. He squeezed past a
couple of finance bros, and made his way up to the bar, signaling the bartender
the best he could.
The bartender, a
young man in a shirt so tight that his nipples threatened to rip through the
fabric, made his way down the bar, leaning over the bar top towards Gus. Even then Gus could barely here the guy
asking what he wanted to drink.
“A beer!” His voice
was instantly swallowed up by the noisy crowd.
The bartender
nodded, and wandered off.
When Gus turned back
towards the crowd, he found Regina standing directly in front of him.
“Hey!” He yelled at
her, but from the look on her face she hadn’t heard him.
She spoke, her voice
never reaching his ears, but it looked like her mouth was making the words
“This place is packed.” Or she was
telling him that someone had just gotten sacked, but he couldn’t be sure.
A minute later Gus
had his beer, and Regina ordered her own.
Then, drinks in hand, they made their way towards the terrace, which
really was just a few tables on the sidewalk blocked in by some rusted metal
fence.
“Sorry about that.”
Gus plopped down into one of the metal chairs.
Regina sat across
from him, “I was hoping for somewhere a little more… relaxed.”
“I’m not to familiar
with most of the restaurants around here. Or the bars, actually.” He cleared
his throat. “Honestly, most of my life is spent with take out and cable.”
“And you gave all
that up to go out with me tonight?” She smiled. “How sweet.”
“Why’d you ask me
out, Regina?” Gus sipped his beer, hoping that alcohol would loosen the knot of
muscles that was building in his back.
“Why do you ask?” She
leaned back, crossing her legs at the knee.
He was finally able
to get a good look at her. She was
wearing black skinny jeans and a light blue t-shirt. Her make up was light, her hair hanging loose
(save for a little clip holding her hair away from her face.) She looked totally, and utterly relaxed. She looked calm.
She looked
beautiful.
“Well,” he took
another sip, “you’ll think I’m crazy for saying this but my friend, the one you
met earlier, she thinks you’re some kind of succubus out to steal my soul, or
something.”
Regina laughed. She laughed loud, throwing her head
back. She laughed so loud that the
people in the bar turned to look at her.
Gus felt a little
chill zing up his spine.
“I am not a
succubus.” She leaned forward, taking a long drink from her beer. “Don’t worry about that.”
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