The Girl at the Rock Show

Know Your Enemy

"So Jersey, have I at least gotten to a name basis yet?" He raised his bottle of beer and the bartender brought him over another.

I was sitting in a stool next to the stranger who invited me here to this bar.

"Dakota," I giggled, grabbing the bottle and taking a sip. I scrunched my nose at its bitter taste.

"Oh!" He shook his head. "North or South?"

"What?"

His studied me carefully before resting his cheek on his palm. "Are you from North or South Dakota?"

"I'm from New Jersey," I corrected with him with a smirk.

"Huh?"

"My name's Dakota, silly."

He tapped his index fingers against the table like drumsticks. "Dakota, that is a pretty name for a pretty girl."

"What about yours, drummer boy?"

"Unimportant."

"Oh, c'mom, don't be shy. I'm gonna need your name for when I sign our marriage license," I joked. He was definitely to drunk to remember what I was saying anyway.

"Is that so?" His fingers tapped the table again. "And here I was, just beginning to like drummer boy."

"Xander, who's the babe?"

So that's his name, I thought. I liked it; it suited him.

I looked to my right to meet eyes with a boy that had hair that resembled a night sky- raven black with a tint of royal blue- prop his elbows on the bar counter across from us.

He licked his lips, reached into his back pocket, and fished out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes; lighting one intently before placing the tiny death wish between his lips.

With a mighty breath, he blew a cloud of smoke our way, while a smug smile tugged at his lips. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and coughed. "What's wrong, love? You want?" He teased.

"Fuck off, Caden," Xander groaned. "Can't you go bother Jas tonight?"

"Whatever happened to Violet?" Caden challenged, huffing out another puff of smoke, this time directly in my face. I stifled a cough and shot him a bitter glare.

"Cinderella, you mad, baby?" He cooed, taking a strand of my hair and tucking it gently behind my ear. I tilted my head the other way in disgust.

"Don't call me that." I scolded.

"Don't call me that!" He mocked.

I could already tell this was going to be a problem. More or less, he was the problem.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom..." Xander bit his lip as he stood up and brushed his jeans off.

"Please don't," I mouthed. He shrugged his shoulders with an apologetic expression and started on his way before I could protest.

"Want me to let you in on a little secret?" Caden pressed.

I gritted my teeth. "No thanks."

"Drummer boy over there? He already got a girl who plays with his stick."

I rolled my eyes. One hundred billion nerves in my body, and he managed to get on every single one.

"Whatever," I muttered, rubbing my temples.

"Don't believe me?"

"Or I just don't care."

"Feisty- I like it. You're not like her."