Rock My World - DabiHawks

I Wanna Be Sedated

3rd person

Kaina is a good person. She works hard at Giran's bar, she gets along with the customers, and she stays away from crime and drugs.

Of course, she hasn't always been this "good," but in the past five years, she's really turned herself around. No more hanging out with the wrong crowd and shooting up heroin in back alleys; no more robbing people at gunpoint and throwing up from the terrible guilty feeling.

She's good now. Smarter. Friendlier. And most importantly, happier. She doesn't feel bad about making friends or catching someone's eye across the bar. She finally feels like she deserves the healthy relationships around her.

So when a cute blonde guy sits down at her bar counter, Kaina lets the conversation flow.

"Hey," he says, quite obviously intoxicated. "Uh, I'm looking for something strong. Something that might kill me. Or, uh, something sweet. I don't know." The tone of his voice fluctuates up and down like a light switch. It's like there's two different people in his mind fighting over his tongue, both wanting to speak.

Kaina can't help but smile at him. He's like a stray dog, all mangy but strong. She loves the juxtaposition. "How about a Shirley Temple?" she suggests.

"If my brain is working right," the guy says. "I don't think that's alcoholic."

"Nope. But it's pretty sweet," Kaina teases. "What's your name, blondie? I feel like I've seen you somewhere."

"It's Twice," he says between a hiccup. He lays his overheated head down on the bar counter, his cheek flush against the cool wood, watching as Kaina mixes his drink. "You probably know me from the L.O.V. I'm the drummer."

"Oh, that's right. You're the guy with the mask, right?" Kaina asks as she places the drink in front of him.

Twice tucks his face in his arms, stifling an irritated groan. "Yeah, that's me," he mutters. "I usually don't take it off 'cause I get real bad headaches without it, but..."

Kaina holds up her index finger, cutting Twice off for a moment. She tells him to wait before spinning around and rummaging through some drawers. A few moments later, she spins back around with a black face mask, similar to the ones doctors wear. Twice sits up, confused, and Kaina hands him the mask.

"Not what you're used to," she says, "but it might help a little."

Twice's eyes light up as he accepts the offer. He tucks the strings behind his ears and adjusts the paper mask over his mouth and nose. It's more comfortable than his usual mask that covers his whole head, but it's not quite as effective. His skull-splitting headache still rages on, but now it's mixed with a warmer, sweeter feeling. A happier feeling.

"Thanks," Twice says. "Uh, mind telling me your name, love?"

"It's Kaina," she says. "Glad I could help."

"If only I knew a way to thank you," Twice says, a devious smile under his mask. Kaina waits for him to continue, amused but unimpressed. "How about this: you give me your number, and I'll pick you up tomorrow at 8?"

"I'm working tomorrow at 8," Kaina says. "And I doubt you can drive."

"Okay... how about I give you my number, and you let me know when you're free?"

Kaina smiles, pulling a napkin from the basket on the counter and a pen from the drawer. She jots down her number and hands it to Twice just as a group of customers enter the bar. Twice moves to sit at one of the booths, watching the performances and sipping his Shirley Temple. Every glance he shares with Kaina from across the room sobers him up a bit, and for the first time in a while, he's able to walk in a straight line by the end of the night.