When She Gets Burned

Prologue

Conversations were told in loud, lavish voices competing with the swing music that dominated the atmosphere. The crowd was both old and new. A man winded his way through the warm bodies with all intention to order a drink. No one feature made him so handsome, though his eyes came close. He waited, his arm resting on the edge of the bar, as he longingly watched drinks slip into the hands of the other men and women beside him. From above, the fan lazily spun below the recumbent light of eventide that would soon be starlit black. At the other side of the bar was a door leading to retreat for the staff, and from where he stood, he caught a glimpse of young beauty. He saw a mess of a beautiful chaos in her, all within the eyes. She spotted him then as well, feeling his glance burning within. Her face softer than he knew one could be, and if it were anyone else, he would have dropped his gaze, but in that moment, he felt drawn in close. Then she spoke, walking toward the other side of the bar.

"Apologies for keeping you waiting." She spoke with an alluring simper.

His eyes squinted together, "I guess I'll let you off this once." He spoke grinning back at her.

She bit her lip then, laughing. Eyes everywhere but on his. "What can I get you?"

Then he leaned forward, almost across the bar. "I'll let you choose. I'm in need of a change tonight."

"Had a bad day?"

"Bad day, bad week, month, year. You know, life." He said sighing but also laughing. The whiskey she poured was the amber that bought resolve to his soul. Before speaking again, she handed over his drink.

"Yeah, I get that, glad I can provide you with some solace." There was a momentary silence as her pensive look melted into a smile as soft as the morning light. Her body shuddered just a little as her muscles relaxed, leaning too on the bar.

"What's your name, Sweet?"

"Alani." She spoke.

"Well, you, Alani, are terribly dreamy."

There was an honesty in her blush then, her emotions so real. "A lot of people tell me I'm a bit dreamy. I like the idea of that. Of being somewhere else."

"How poetic, are you a writer?"

"Oh god, I wish I was. Although, I am beginning to study-"

She was cut off then, by her manager he had presumed. "Alani!" Another young woman appeared coming towards Alani. "Hey, could you check on the other tables, I'll take care of the bar for now."

Alani turned toward him first then back at the woman. "Of course, Odessa, I'm on it." She almost stammered, walking toward the exit of the bar. Before she left though, she faced him again, shrugging her shoulders with a blossoming smile. Which could only make him smile even more.

For the remainder of that night, he only saw her walking to and from the kitchen, barely able to catch her eye line. He waited until closing time for her to return to the bar area, although she never did. He had left then placing the tip and a note with his number, on top of the bar.

She had finished in the kitchen around 11:15 of that night, just missing the mystery man. She sighed collecting his tips, reading the note which was signed – For the dreamy woman behind the bar, Ezra.

"Ezra." She whispered to herself.

Finally, that night, she entered her own inventive sanctuary, her home being a place of true artistry. Alani was a writer, of course, though she found succour in painting. And so, her apartment walls were almost fully enclosed with emulsions that held her soul upon its canvas, stories of colour and rising hopes. She allowed herself to let out an indecorous laugh, as she recalled the man, she had met that night. Alani was always one to prefer solitude over business. She was a flower in tight bug, always afraid to open and shine her beauty to the world. It wasn't that she feared being ugly, she knew that she was not. It was more the fear of disapproval or being let down. Her heart was strong, and her soul was a shining light, both in which told her she must lead but always her head said "No". Sooner or later that evening, she decided to laze her eyes for the remainder of the night, waiting for the break of dawn and the beginning of a new study.