Ultraviolet

Chapter Nineteen: I Don't Know How She Does It

Two hours in, everyone has migrated from the bar to the dance floor and I had a moment to take in the club. I found that in moments like these, where I could just stop and watch, it was fun to just imagine everyones stories.

How many other people here were running from something? Being from a small town like Sunshine, in the dead centre of Nebraska, it's hard for me to picture people growing up in the city. My mind runs scenarios of babies learning to walk on concrete paths and teenagers learning to drive in Boston's gridlocked streets. I just naturally assume everyone here is from somewhere else.

As my eyes scanned the bar, they caught on the familiar gaze of Hadeon. When I met his dark eyes, he flinched, but continued to stare. I tried to smile at him, an apology for what I'd said. He just ignored me, turning back to the crowd and searching for someone to kick out.

"Can I get, uh..." A voice calls from my right. I turn to a guy sitting at the bar alone. "Whiskey. Neat." He adds, seemingly confidently but his mouth twitched like her found something about his statement funny.

He looks like the grown-up version of a child star whose name I couldn't place. He had curly blonde hair that turned green-red-blue-pink-purple with the blinking LED lights, but his big blue eyes stuck out through the rainbow.

"Okay." I hummed, trying my best to cool the blush I felt was creeping over my cheeks. He was cute, and I did NOT have a poker face when it came to crushes. I grabbed the Jack Daniels and a wide short glass, the next step a mystery. I turned to sneakily ask Jessica, but she had disappeared. I smiled apologetically to the guy before asking, "What does neat mean again?"

"I think it means no ice." He laughed lightly. "I don't know, I just wanted to order something that sounded cool. You can just get me something that tastes nice."

"I can put some vodka in orange juice." I offered. "Or some coconut flavour stuff, might be nice."

"Sure, up to you." His smile was on of those pearly white smirky smiles. The kind of charming grin that could con you into even the most outrageous of scams.

I poured a liquor called "Malibu" into an eighth of the cup then topped it off with orange juice. After tapping the order into the register monitor and finishing the transaction, I handed him the drink with a smile on my face.

"Is it alright?" I asked as he took his first sip.

"Its actually pretty good." He decided. "I'll have to make it my go to drink."

"You didn't have one already?"

"Oh, no. I just turned 21 today. Before now I'd only ever had sips of my dad's beer and I don't really like the taste." He seemed to catch himself speaking too candidly and straightened his shoulders. "What I mean is that I drink my own beers and because I'm a big tough man. I love the taste."

I giggled as I started wiping down the counter beside him, as an excuse to keep talking to him.

"What about you?" He asked. "What's your go to drink?"

I'd never had a sip of alcohol. The Wilkes' were extremely anti-drinking. They once had an absolute fit simply for smelling strong-scented hand sanitiser on me.

"I don't drink." I said simply. "But I can guess I'd be into fruity drinks like the coconut orange creation before you."

"I don't know why people subject themselves to beer. It's practically just liquid bread, tastes horrible."

"I'll take your word on it."

I smiled, taking a closer look at him. He had a thin silver ring through his left nostril that made his angelic innocent appearance seem almost mischievous.

An unexpected streak of confidence shot through me and I asked, "Whats your name?"

He looked up and grinned. "I'm Ty." He outstretched his hand and I shook it.

"Violet."

"Thats a pretty name." He noted. "It suits you."

Ty had parked himself in the centre of the bar, and I definitely don't mind. Between the spur of the moment drink rushes every hour or so, we talked over just about everything. Well, he did. I tried to remain mysterious about my past, just mentioning my life here in Boston.

After Ty finished his third paced-out drink, I had shirked all bartending duties to sidle up beside the cute blond, keeping an eye out for customers I could wave over to Jessica. In the corner of my Ty-focused gaze, I caught someone familiar in black heading towards us. With a quick glance, I confirmed my suspicions that Hadeon was walking straight into my budding flirtation with Ty.

"So, Violet." Ty started as Hadeon threateningly over his shoulder. "I don't want to be that creep who asks the bartender for her number."

"Then don't." Hadeon suggested, his eyes dark.

"No!" I shouted a little to emphatically. "I mean, sure, Ty. I'll give you my number."

"Violet-" Hadeon warned.

"Its fine. Here," I held my hand out for Ty's phone, which he handed over happily, and typed in the number I'd memorised as my own. "Maybe we could hang out some time."

Ty nodded, his excitement clear on his face.

I hadn't expected to ever find myself in any kind of relationship situation in Boston. For so long, the idea of anyone being interested was a baffling fantasy rather than a reality.

"Great, that's great." Hadeon spat sarcastically. "I'm gonna kick you out now."

Ty turned to me and asked, "Is he serious?"

"No."

Hadeon's stony expression made me think he hated Ty. "I am serious, he's well outstayed his welcome. Fuck off."

"Hadeon!" I scolded. "Stop being a dick."

"No, it's fine." Ty laughed half-heartedly. "I wasn't going to drink anymore anyway. Violet, it was lovely to meet you."

Ty grinned at me, and his wide goofy smile followed him as Hadeon aggressively marched him out of the club.

I spent the rest of the night silently seething at Hadeon as he continued to drag people who were simply enjoying themselves out of the club without reason. I stayed back as late as I could, waiting so thatHadeon would be absolutely passed out by the time I stepped back into the apartment.

I was too tired right now, but tomorrow morning I sure was going to give him a piece of my mind.