Blackmailing The Untouched

Bartender

After the man is gone, I feel jittery, and the blood in my veins bubbles with excitement.

I need to find him again. I have to see who's behind that mask.

When suddenly, a ring sounds off somewhere in the background of my mind, quickly tearing me from the hazy fog the stranger has placed over me.

My eyes flutter open, blinking to find the man in the mask, and my heart sinks when he is no longer in sight.

"Hey, Toby. Are you here?" I sigh into the phone as Toby chuckles, desperately spinning on my heel and scanning the entrance for the mystery man.

Still nothing.

"You can say that." He chuckles again manically just as I open my mouth to speak and I feel firm hands at my hips, squeezing me. "Boo!" He shouts as he pops out from behind me.

I can't hold the scream in, "Damnit, Toby!" I pant heavily with a hard slap of his arm. He's wearing dark navy slacks and a red and green striped sweater, with a light brown hat to top it off.

He's gone as my worst nightmare. He knows I'm terrified of this movie.

"Seriously?" I huff with folded arms, "Why would you wear that? Was It your goal to scare the living crap out of me?"

He just laughs like he's the funniest guy on the planet, which earns him another shove. "I don't even look scary. I don't have the hands, and I didn't do the makeup." He raises a point. He does still look like cuddly Toby masquerading as Freddy Krueger.

"You're lucky." I frown, "Sally hates him too." I add with a cock of my head.

"Oh." He breathes, "Oops."

"What oops?" Sally approaches with two martinis in her hands. "Toby?" She hands me my drink and then faces Toby with shocked eyes.

"Yeah, so I didn't know you hated my character too." I watch with joy as Toby runs a hand through his brown locks. "That oops."

Sally takes a long moment to scan him up and down. I expect to see her annoyed, but instead, she lights up and beams at him. "Normally, yes. However, I'll make an exception for you." Her eyelashes flutter as she flirts.

How could I forget? She's head over heels for him.

"So much that you'd dance with a killer?" His face softens as he grabs her by the hand with one of his charming smiles.

I watch with a heavy smile as he leads her deeper onto the dance floor, twirling her as they go. Soon, they disappear into the heavy crowd of Halloween costumes and décor, leaving me all alone.

With a sigh, I sip at the fruity Martini in hand, scoping out the guys in the crowd.

A tall blond-haired cowboy wearing only a pair of tight jeans and a red handkerchief catches my attention as he lassos with his arms high above his head. There's a Warrior princess with razor-sharp red hair dancing beside him. He towers over her, hands firm at her waist, directing her short physique against him.

The DJ switches songs in the background to a faster-paced jam with an upped tempo and then I realize the couple is Travis and Anna.

Leaning back against the cold, golden railing, I watch as Travis grinds up against her, clueless about the person she truly is. The person his so-called best friend has been.

A guilty pang appears in the pit of my stomach because I know about the secret affair between his girlfriend and his best friend and I've said nothing. I know about Anna's feelings towards Zach, and it pains me to watch Travis' face light up when she leans in for a kiss. The poor guy is love-struck and doesn't even suspect a thing.