Let's Not Meet - A Collection Of Short Stories

The Man In The Bar

My senior year of high school was somewhat of a blur. I was incredibly focused on just graduating and getting the hell out of my poverty driven ghetto town of Mittle, Tennessee. I had collected a large pool of fake friends throughout high school leaving me with a steady stream of fake blondes and pierced stoners weaving in and out of small circle of what I can only consider mere acquaintances. I did however hold my two best friends very near and dear for the entire bumpy ride.

One of these girls, Jenny, had been my best friend since the 5th grade. We were having an anniversary-esque celebration at a small bar in Jenny's college town. The bar was packed, as it was a Friday night, and the bartender had been keeping us company due to the abundance of biker gang members hanging around the bar. I was still milking my first beer while Jenny was 3 beers and 2 tequila shots deep, laughing at seemingly nothing and constantly yelling and congratulating me on our ten years of friendship.

After a while, I got up to go to the bathroom and noticed a tall man who had to have been at least 6 feet tall, leaning against a wall by the door watching Jenny and smiling. I found it a little strange but brushed it aside knowing that Jenny was a socialite and it was very possible she knew the guy from school.

My interest in using the bathroom was short lived when I walked in and found a group of 6 or 7 girls nibbling on brownies. Edibles. I really wasn't in any mood to deal with a bunch of ditzy sorority chicks offering me drugs so I booked it out of there.

Weaving my way back to the bar, I noticed the tall guy by the door still watching Jenny. I realized that now the man was frowning which made me uneasy but I didn't sweat it. He began scanning the room and his eyes stopped at my chest and then he made eye contact with me. I froze for a second, holding his gaze to try and appear intimidating. Well, as intimidating as a 120 pound girl can look in a too tight skirt and heels she could barely keep upright in

After a few uncomfortable seconds, I looked away and strutted back to Jenny trying not to look nervous even though I was sort of terrified of this man.

I took my seat again next to Jenny and kept trying to jump into the conversation she was having with the bartender, who's name I found out was Evan. Unfortunately, all I could focus on was the man who was seemingly staring at my best friend and possibly me. It took all my willpower and more, not to turn around to see if his eyes were still on us.

After too many long minutes, I couldn't help it anymore. I looked back to see if he was still staring. He was.

That was it. I was officially creeped. I picked up my phone to look at the time. "Oh look at that, Jen we should probably head back."

"Hmm? What time is it?"

"Er- 11:30."

"It's not even late silly. We can stay."

"Jenny. We have to go."

Suddenly the stool next to Jenny became occupied, and despite my pleading that it wasn't him, it was. I started silently freaking out.

"You ladies are very stunning. But you look a little tense dear, can I buy you a drink to help with that?" the man asked.

I was slightly set back by him noticing that I was tense.

"Um no. We were just heading out." I replied.

"Aw honey, thats too bad. I'm sure I could show you girls a good time."

I was petrified at this point, he was creeping me out and I had no idea what to do. So I did something that had been of my expertise since I was about 14 years old, I lied.

"Actually we're both already involved sorry." I grabbed Evan's hand between mine and squeezed it, causing him to turn around, "Babe, we're gonna head out. Can you walk us to the car?"

I gave him a look and he pulled his lip between his teeth and raised his eyebrows. I was pretty sure he understood. "Yea, of course. I'll be home in a little while, my shifts almost over."

I had never been more thankful for another person in my entire life. Evan walked into the back, probably to alert someone of what was happening, and came back with his phone and the apron he had around his waist gone. Walking around the bar he grabbed my hand and I wrapped my other arm around Jenny's.

As we walked out to the car, Evan typed his number into my phone in case we needed help since he bar was walking distance away and I told him about the man. I explained that I noticed him staring at Jenny 3 times and then when he sat next to us I just freaked out. He completely understand and told us he was there if we needed help which I really appreciated.

When we got to the car Evan looked around, checking under my car and inside the ones around it. When the coast was clear, I got in the drivers seat and Jenny in the passenger side. I noticed the creepy man getting into a car a little ways away and was so thankful that he was leaving.

I said goodbye to Evan and promised to contact him both when I got home and in the morning just so he knew we were safe and then I drove off.

When we got back inside Jenny's apartment, I felt much safer and was able to sleep soundly after watching a few reruns of 16 and pregnant with her. Although the next morning, I woke up to a knock at the front door. Jenny told me she didn't know anyone who would be here this early.

I walked over to the front door and peered through the peephole. It was the man from the bar. Chills ran down my spine, this meant that when he got in his car he wasn't leaving to go home. He was following us back to the apartment. The man knocked again and I turned to Jenny.

"It's the guy from the bar." I whispered.

Her eyebrows shot up and I held a finger to my mouth, she looked into the peephole and her hand flew over her mouth. We both stepped away from the door as he knocked once again. I could tell she was panicking as much as I was, as we wrapped our arms around each other.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally got up the courage to look outside again. Thankfully he was gone. I breathed a sigh of relief through the peephole as I noticed the same maroon sedan leave the parking lot as I had seen him get into last night.

I told Jenny and we have not heard from the man since. Although, I did receive a Facebook friend request from a man named John Malik, a name I didn't think I had ever heard. I don't know if it was the same man because the profile picture was of a piece of artwork and I never gave him my name, but I blocked the account immediately in fear that it was.

So, to the man who watched me and my best friend at the bar before following us home and coming to our front door, let's not meet ever again.

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