Blueberry Inflation Literature Collection: Volume II

Bratty Bar Berries

It was a nice warm night, and the city was bustling. It was Friday night, after all, and everyone was ready to get their party on. Their best clothes on, the people of the night life went around, hopping from bar to bar and enjoying themselves. However, for two young women, their night was taking a bit longer to actually start.

"Jesus, everyone took the good parking spots!" The first woman groaned.

"Gotta find one soon before all the good places are full." The other woman said, looking at her phone in the passenger seat.

"Ooh! There's one!"

The car screeched into a spot right before someone else was going to it, almost clipping them in the process. They honked at the girls as they got out, but were met with middle fingers as they laughed and walked off.

"Good of Aaron to lend you his car." Dakota said.

"Well, technically I borrowed it," Taylor said, doing air quotes. "Not like he'll miss it. He just stays in on Friday nights like a dope."

"Sucks for him!"

Taylor and Dakota were... an interesting duo. Having met in college, they were thick as thieves and then some. Taylor was five-foot four, with a definitive pear shape as most of the extra pounds on her form rested on her hips. For tonight, she wore a gray sweater dress, with matching leggings and knee-high black leather boots. Her bleached hair reached her shoulders, and she wore large hoop earrings.

Dakota was a sort of "grunge meets goth meets tomboy" girl. Taller and a bit leaner than Dakota, her dark hair, cut into a feminine mullet, was dyed a brilliant electric blue at the tips and on her bangs. She wore glasses, and had gauges in her ears and a pierced septum, easily putting her into the alt girl category. Denim overalls, a retro rock and roll shirt and sneakers completed her grunge look.

The two girls stalked down the street, looking for somewhere to get their drink on. Well, to be more accurate, to find a place that would let them in again. And they kept failing time and time again.

"Nope. Not tonight, ladies." one owner said.

"After last weekend? Not a chance." Another one snarked.

"You two! Absolutely not! Get the hell out!!" Yet another one screamed at them.

"Dammit, there's really nowhere else to go, is there?" Dakota sighed, playing with her hair. "We've seriously been kicked out of every bar in the city!"

"Oh, come on! You act like it's our fault!" Taylor said, rolling her eyes. "All those other places were all stuffy and crap! They just don't know how to have a good time like we do!"

"Yeah, that's fair..." Dakota's brow furrowed as she saw a line to another bar down the block. "Hey, what about that place? Is that new?"

"Maybe? I don't remember."

The girls got in line, were carded, and were pleasantly surprised when they were allowed in. They smirked at each other and went around the bar, laughing and dancing around, bumping into a few of the other patrons. One guy glared at Dakota as she caused him to spill his beer.

The girls ordered a few drinks between themselves and milled around, sipping their beers.

"This place isn't so bad!" Taylor exclaimed.

"Yeah, great drinks, too!" Dakota replied, tossing back another shot. Looking around the bar, she noticed a few people heading to the back.

"Oh, hey! Looks like they got an outdoor area!" Dakota said..

"Then let's go! I need some fresh air!"

Gulping down their beers, they stumbled out the door and to the large patio area that was set up with several tables and benches, as well as a few high tables with stools. A window in the bar itself allowed it to serve more drinks and food from the kitchen. A female bartender was wiping it down when the duo stumbled over, Taylor slapping her hand on the counter.