The Vacation

** "Thank you. I'd love that." **

It was her second week in her new university, a Saturday, she had braved a bad rain and decided to go to the bar near the college called The Drunk Tank, even though she didn't know anyone much. The only girl she knew was her lab-mate and she had gone to her parents on Friday. She kept telling herself that it would be exactly like they showed in the movies. She would go in, sit down, order a drink (A beer, because she didn't have much money), find someone to talk to, talk to him/her/them (in that order of preference) and come back home. She knew it wouldn't happen that way but she kept on telling herself it would. The moment she entered the bar, she knew it had been a bad idea to come alone. Everybody knew everybody, everybody was talking to somebody or the other, the only person who wasn't talking was she herself. However, she refused to leave without having a single beer. She faced the crowd head on, asked for a beer, the guy behind the counter checked her up and down, then demanded an ID. She provided it and grabbed the bottle.

The moment she turned away to look for a (relatively) quiet spot, she saw him. He was hard to miss, at least for her he was. He was standing in a group but she had found him. She kept on looking at him for a long time before she realised she was staring. Ears burning as usual, she turned away. She found a corner and stood there, thankful she could still see him without straining her neck. She saw him raise his hands and shout, "Next round is mine!" and his friends responded with a 'Yay DEREK!' He headed for the counter, so did she. She pushed a girl much skinnier aside and came in beside him and said, "Hi!"

He looked puzzled but replied, "Hi...you new here?"

"Yeah! I just joined."

He offered her his hand, she shook it and he said, "I'm Derek. Nice to meet you. You are?"

At this moment his drinks arrived and his group bellowed up his name. He picked up the tray, looked at her fleetingly and said, "See you later."

Her hand was still hanging in the air when he left.

******

Next Saturday she again went to the bar and she stood in her corner and noticed that Derek didn't have his group with him today. He was sitting at a table with two other guys and he looked bored. To her he seemed approachable now. When he got up to get another drink, she went up to him. It was Derek who said the first 'Hey!'

"Hey! You were here last week too, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I was. You were here too?" She wouldn't let him know she was pining for him.

"Yes. We talked, briefly...remember? I am Derek."

"Oh! Yeah! Now I remember. Hi!" Damn right, she remembered.

He smiled at her. She felt conversation running out. She quickly filled in, "So? Having a good Saturday so far?"

"Not really. You see those two guys over there. The one in the blue shirt is a good friend. His name is Raul. They are kind of on a date, he was nervous so I had to tag along."

"Oh! That's nice. I am sure he would do the same for you." Her heart was screaming, 'Please don't be gay!'

"Yeah I am sure he would. But gay guys win girls' sympathies more easily than the straight ones. I'd rather my date talked to me." He said and smiled.

"They are more empathetic. You can't blame us." She thanked her stars.

"Hey! We try, alright? You can't blame us either."

"Who said I am?"

"You aren't?"

She shook her head.

"Thank you...Lemme get you a drink?"

She beamed at him and said, "Thank you. I'd love that."





As I said, this was a different chapter. I hope you like Derek as much as I did when I was writing him. As usual, please comment, vote and share. Let me know if you have anything else you'd want to share. 
And one more thing, how did you like Derek so far? Not only in the flashback but also in the course of the story.