what happens in Maine, stays in Maine.

9.

december 29th

"come on bradley it'll be fine"
"alex someone will see us"
"i'm telling you they don't care. i've been staying here for years, they don't even blink when they see me anymore"
bradley sighed as she reluctantly pulled her coat on.
it was 7pm and after a day of doing nothing, alex had finally gotten fed up and decided they should go into town and head to the local bar that she claimed "wasn't that bad".
it was already pitch dark when they set out, down the driveway and along the road leading further into the town.
their breathe hung in the air around them as their boots crunched on more freshly fallen snow.
"this is it" alex finally said as they stopped at a stone building, set slightly away from the houses on the street.
the windows were stained glass and above, a wooden sign read 'the poacher'.
"looks kinda british" bradley commented as alex pushed the wooden door open for them to be met with a wall of noise.
music was playing, people were playing pool or darts, the tv was on in the corner although no one was watching, but everyone was talking and laughing loudly.
just as alex has said, people barely looked up at them as they headed over to the bar, bradley following alex like a lost child.
"can i get bottle of heineken and..." alex turned expectantly to bradley,
"oh i'll have the same"
"make that two bottles" alex smiled turning back to the bartender.
when the drinks were placed on the bar bradley was slightly suprised and amused when she heard alex say "just put them on the levy tab"

"so you come here often then?" bradley asked as they finally sat down at a table in the corner.
alex chuckled, "atleast once everytime i'm in maine. i started making a tab after a while because i kept forgetting to bring money"
"well cheers to the levy tab" bradley smiled as they clinked their glasses together.
"you know i never saw you as someone who would like beer"
"hmm?" alex smirked as she took another swig of the bitter liquid.
"i don't know you always seemed like a wine girl to me"
"well sure wine is still great, but when you're here you get funny looks if you drink fancy stuff" alex laughed.
"what other stuff do you normally get then?"
"well...one time...a longgg time ago when we were much younger, me and jen decided to try out every cocktail they make here"
bradley laughed loudly as alex smirked.
"well let's do that then" bradley said excitedly.
"what?" alex asked, almost choking on her drink.
"oh come on it'll be fun, i haven't drank properly in soooo long"
"i'm not gonna have to carry you home am i?"
"oh you really think you can handle your alcohol better than me?" bradley smirked mischievously.
alex stared into her partners eyes, competitiveness striking through her veins.
"fine, you're on" alex finally said, getting up and walking to the bar.
bradley felt her eyes follow as she watched the taller woman stand, and walk away, readjusting her shirt.

"what number are we on?" bradley asked, her eyes slightly unfocused as their 4th cocktails were brought over. these were bright orange, with a coating of sugar around the rim of the glass.
"you're not bowing out on me already are you?"
alex smirked. she enjoyed how easy it was to tease bradley.
although she wasn't too sober herself anymore, the zingy and fruity cocktails had started to buzz through her system, her hair had been pulled out of its messy bun and she was sitting a lot more relaxed than she normally does.
that is until a man walked through the door.
bradley watched as alex tensed, sat up straighter, squinted towards the door before slouching down as far as she could.
"what the fuck are you doing?" bradley laughed, her southern drawl getting stronger with each drink.
"shhh" alex hissed as she looked down.
bradley turned and looked towards the door and saw a tall, dark haired man wearing a black coat and hat walking towards the bar.
"is that...?" bradley turned back to alex
"is that the guy you fuck?!"
"bradley" alex hissed indignantly at how loud and blunt she was being, she could feel her face starting to burn red.
bradley cackled loudly causing the man at the bar to look over.
"oh shit he's coming over" bradley choked out as she continued laughing.
"what?!" alex looked up and sure enough, there he was.
"oh...hi james" she smiled pretending she hadn't known he was here.
"fancy seeing you here alex"
bradley gasped slightly as she was shocked to hear the british accent flow from the handsome man's mouth.
bradley started struggling not to laugh again as alex and this james man smiled awkwardly at each other.
"oh! this is bradley" alex forced a smile as she indicated the woman sat beside her.
"hi" james smiled as he shook bradley's hand,
"well i'll leave you two ladies to enjoy you're night" he said finally, nodding to bradley.
"will i see you again before you head back to the big city?" he asked alex, hidden meanings lacing his tone.
"who knows" alex shrugged, a goofy smile playing across her lips as she saw james nod his head, knowing how unpredictable she could be.
"ok well, goodnight" he smiled again, leaving his hand lingering on alexs shoulder for a moment too long before turning and joining his friends at the bar.
alex finally looks back to bradley who is biting her lip to try and hide the grin breaking across her features.
"please don't-" alex starts.
"he's cute" bradley interjects anyway.
alex laughs, shaking her head as she looks down.

her fingers felt oddly cold wrapped around the warm flesh.
rings against rings.
thumbs intertwining like promises as they walked across a snow covered field, hand in hand.
alex had steered them through the gate and onto the field, claiming it was a faster way home.
their palms slightly sweaty as they swung their arms dramatically, laughing about some nonsense the other had said.
everything is funny when you've drank almost 9 cocktails. (or 7 in bradley's case).
"mhh hmm hmm hm hmmm hmmm"
bradley looked at alex, eyebrow arched, unsure if she was imagining it.
was alex levy...humming a song?
bradley continued listening and soon she had figured out the tune alex had decided to serenade them with. material girl, madonna.
"they can beg, and they can plead" bradley started singing the words as quietly as she could.
however this didn't go unheard as alex looked at her, eyes shining just that little bit brighter.
she carried on humming the tune as the smaller woman carried on singing the words softly.
"but they can't see the light"
"that's right" alex started to sing quietly along now.
"cause the boy with the cold hard cash" their voices grew louder.
"is always right" and louder.
"cause we are living in a material world, and i am a material girl" their voices echoed around them as they drunkenly sang loudly for all too hear.
"you know that we are living in a material world and i am a material girl" neither of them were carrying a tune very well with the alcohol buzzing through their systems.
however before they could continue their performance onto the next verse, alex heard a gasp and felt a strong tug at her hand as bradley tripped over her own foot, sending herself and coincidentally the taller woman tumbling into the snow.
alex landed slightly on top of the smaller woman with a soft "oof" before they made eye contact and started laughing hysterically.
the shudders of the other woman making them each laugh harder.
the sound of hilarity mixing in the air and echoing around for no one but the sleeping birds to hear.
after a few minutes the laughter started to die down.
bradley's eyes were still closed, slight tears collecting in her eye lashes from laughing so hard.
alex let out one final sigh as she looked around the dark field before looking down at bradley, just as bradley's eyes opened staring back at her.
suddenly their close proximity loomed into their consciousness, alex sprawled out on top of her, their hair and breathe mingling together.
the smiles faded from their faces as their eyes flicked down to the others lips.
"alex-" bradley started breathily.
however she wasn't given much chance to continue as the older woman's lips collided with hers.
warmth on warmth.
hot passion mixing with even hotter passion.
the fruity bitterness of the cocktails lingering on each other's tongues as they intertwined.
bradley's whole body fluttered as alex moaned breathily into the kiss....