Herophine: All Good Things

Chapter 20

Jo's POV:

"Just take the damn drink, Joey. Please!" Kath whines as she shoves the glass into my hand. We've been here for all of thirty minutes and I'm about to pass out from all the alcohol currently pumping through my system between drinks we had at dinner and the constant flow of shots she's been ordering.

What started as meeting up for an early dinner quickly turned in to painting this damn town red. Quarantine apparently does crazy things to people.. myself included. And honestly, it feels nice to be out and about again, in the company of other living and breathing human beings.

"Oh my, God. Jo! We have to play pool. Remember at uncle Steve's when we were kids and I accidentally ripped a hole in the top of his pool table?" Kath laughs, covering her mouth like she's embarrassed to say the words. Of course I remember.. her and I got into plenty of trouble living under our parents roof and apparently, tonight is no different. However, I can't imagine the owners of this bar being so nonchalant about us destroying property like our uncle once had when we were kids.

"I'm not playing pool in a skirt, you psycho," I laugh as I take a drink from whatever concoction I'd been given. It's not bad.. too sweet for my own taste but less than horrible I suppose.

"Oh come on, you baby. There's a million people in here, you think everyone will be trying to sneak a peak?" She rolls her eyes, words slightly slurred.

I know if one man were here right now.. that's exactly what he'd be doing. Only difference? He's my boyfriend.

"Jo.." Kath turns to me dramatically, clutching my arm. "We haven't gone out in fucking forever. You have no one to get home to. Hero is out of town. He'd want you to have fun.." she continues. She does have a point. It's not like I have any obligation to get home in a certain amount of time. And really.. when was the last time her and I went all out? With both of us working and putting our nose to the grindstone, times like these have been limited.

Okay okay. Maybe it's just the alcohol talking and my inhibitions have been significantly reduced. But that's the point right? I just got off the phone with Hero minutes ago and could barely hear anything over the background noise, although I'm pretty sure he told me to have fun. I think.

Whatever the case, I guess I'll treat tonight like it's my last night as a woman free from work with filming in Bulgaria coming up soon. And who am I kidding.. my eyes were glued to the pool table as soon as I walked in the door.

Within seconds, my sister is pulling me by the hand through the swarm of people by the bar. Towards the back of the building, where all the pool tables and dart boards are is a little less crowded and I know that's right where she's headed.

"That game looks like it's just getting ready to end," she leans into me, motioning towards the table feet away. Three guys surround it, all looking to be early twenties much like us. Two of them look damn near identical, giving me the impression they might be brothers and the other one just a friend.

All of them seem to be drinking the same exact kind of beer, which makes me want to smile. It's like that saying.. birds of a feather fly together? Or something like that? Whatever.. I can't think all that straight at the moment. I can see out of the corner of my eye that Kath is seizing up the competition not all so subtly.

"The one in the blue shirt is not hard to look at.. at all," she says into my ear, making me roll my eyes. Of course she would think that. He's exactly her type from what I can see. He's tall, slender and looks like he just came from the beach. He's wearing a dark blue flowy button up shirt with little white Art Deco triangles all over it and khaki shorts that hit just above the knee. His hair is sandy blonde and looks to be highlighted from the sun. It's long and naturally wavy, giving him the standard appearance of someone who spends all his free time surfing. The guy is basically a statue of all that she would want, and I smile to myself as I watch her watch him lean down and take his shot, sending the solid 6 ball into the corner pocket.