Rochdale | LGBTQ+

.Seven.

I stepped into the bar, the smell of booze burning my nostrils.

Chester, a blonde haired blue eyed dude that ran the bar downtown, waved at me as I walked in. "Hey Cory! Long time no see, huh buddy? How are the littles doing?" 

I sat down on one of the stools at the bar, listening to the clack of pool balls hitting each other and the faint eighties rock and roll playing in the background. "Wynnie and Libby are doing good, actually. Once break is over, it won't be long before Libs starts preschool."

Chester smiled. "She's growing up so fast."

"I know. I wish they'd stay little babies forever," I said with a sigh.

Chester slid a half-filled cup down the bar to an old man in a baseball cap. "Hey I thought you had work Tuesdays. Not following Greg's footsteps are you?" questioned Chester.

I shook my head. "Switched it around. It works better with Penny's schedule this way. Not that it really matters anymore. Finally found a sitter."

"Not Tia, right?" Chester asked with concern.

"'Course not. Maddie Sampson."

Chester furrowed his blonde brows. "As in Lucas's sister? That short tempered ornery little asshole?"

I nodded. "But Maddie is great with the girls, and she's really sweet and protective. I know she'll do great. She also has extra snacks she brings over for them."

Chester snorted. "Well we all know fastest way to Libby's heart is through food, that's for sure. Her stomach is a bottomless pit!"

I nodded. Don't I know it. "How's your daughter?" I asked. Chester was a single dad. He lived above the bar with his ten year old daughter, Phoebe. 

Chester sighed. "'Bout as much as you can expect from a ten year old."

I grinned. "No more tea parties or dolls, huh?"

Chester shook his head. "Nope. Makeup and hair cream."

I laughed. "Oh, I dread the day Libby finds out what makeup is," I said, shaking my head in amusement.

Chester nodded knowingly before stepping away to talk to another customer. "Hey cutie~" Hot breath washed over my neck. I turned sideways to see a slight!y middle aged man standing next to me, his arm draped over my shoulders. 

This was new. I'd never been hit on in public here before. It was always either while I was working or smoking on my front porch. Never expected to meet another fruit at my dad's favorite bar. But I stood up and subtly walked out of the bar with him, calling goodbye to Chester, who waved but didn't look up.

I pulled out a cigarette and lit it up as I followed this man down the sidewalk. "Soo," I said around my cigarette. "You live around here?" I asked. I lifted the lighter to the tip of my cigarette and waited for it to work. I tucked the little gadget back into my pocket and smoked as we walked.

The man wore a nice coat. Most likely came here to pick up an underage boy no one would give two shits about, and to do it in a place where a wife and possibly kid wouldn't find out. I'd get this over with quickly. I never turned down cash, even if it meant old man cock. Judging by the nice watch he wore, he'd be willing to not only pay for my service, but for my silence as well. I grinned to myself thinking of the wad of cash in my hand.

We turned a corner and the noise of the city faded away as we walked further down the dark alleyway. The man's name was Jacob, he was from the next town over, and he was in a hurry. That was all I got from our chit chat on the way over to this suspicious looking part of the city.

I looked around, and the punch came out of nowhere.

Two men emerged from the shadows. Fuck. It was a trap. 

One punch to the side of my jaw, then a well aimed kick at my gut. I groaned and doubled over, clutching my stomach. "What the hell man?" I managed to choke out around the blood pooling in my mouth from when my teeth sunk into my tongue.

My cigarette rolled to the side, dying quickly. My teeth were stained red with blood and I clamped down with those crimson teeth when another punch- headed for my cheekbone- came into my peripheral. The man bellowed in pain, shoving my head, but I didn't let go until I tasted metallic blood that wasn't mine in my mouth. I unhooked my jaw and fell to the floor, blood trickling down my chin from both me and the man I'd bitten.

"Ew, ew, ew! I need some sort of spray on this before it gets infected!" The man whined.

I straightened. "You sound like a fag."

"Well that's offensive," snapped Jacob.

"You just beat the crap out of me for what, following a creepy man into an alleyway?" I asked, exasperated.

Jacob turned his head upwards. "No. Because you're gay, and we don't like that."

I snorted. "Yeah, real funny princesses. Ball's over. You're all a bunch of fucking fairies. Not to mention pussies." I wiped blood off of my chin. "You're lucky I don't kill you right now. Jesus Christ. Nice kick though."

"Aww, thank you-"

"Shut the fuck up cock sucker." I spat out a mouthful of blood. "Who beats someone up in the middle of the day? You guys are fags and amateurs."

I shoved past the group of them and stalked down the alley. I was going to Maddie's house. I couldn't wait to tell her about this.