Love, Stella

2: Bar

We arrive at the bar soon, and Summer breaks off from us, running over to a buy standing at the front of the bar.

He quickly wraps his arms around her and they kiss, Cherry laughing next to me. 

"Oh God, here they go-" Cherry laughs, placing her hand on my shoulder before walking us forward. "Let's get inside." 

Cherry and I walk past Summer and I assume her boyfriend, who are getting intense. 

The music is loud when we walk in, and the bar looks old and wooden, like an old tuscan style kitchen. I would expect this place to be filled with older people, but surprisingly it's all college age students.

"Oh! There's Luke!" Cherry squeals, pulling me along to a guy by the bar. If I knew that we would be hanging out with all of the boyfriends, I probably wouldn't have come. 

We stop in front of the guy, and I feel myself go quiet. 

"Hi, baby." He comes forward, super tall and good-looking. He pulls Cherry in by her waist, giving her a big kiss.

The lovebirds pull away from each other, looking up into each others' eyes before Cherry looks over at me.

"Oh!" She giggles, pulling me in by my arm. She steps away from Luke and pulls me closer.

"This is Stella, our new roommate!" She hugs me tightly as Luke smiles.

"Hey, Stella," he holds his hand out and we shake hands, "Cherry is excited to have another girl around." Luke looks over at Cherry, smiling happily.

"Nice to meet you!" I speak a bit too enthusiastically. I can't help it, sometimes I nervously talk and sound ridiculous. 

Luke nods before turning to look behind him, only to not see anyone there. 

"This is.." his sentence stops as he looks around, "fuck- where's George?" 

Luke looks around a bit, before his eyes stop at a guy coming out of the bathroom.

"Yo George!" Luke calls out, waving him forward. The guy walks up to us, and I quickly notice he's more like a man.

Standing at over six feet tall, Luke's friend has strong muscles and dark eyes. I feel my cheeks look pink as he stops in front of us.

"This is George." Luke claps his hand on George's back before nodding over to us, "and this is Cherry's friend Stella." 

Luke punches George on his strong chest when he doesn't reply. George rolls his eyes at Luke before nodding shortly at me. 

I can tell he's a man of few words, and that makes me even more nervous.

"Wanna get a drink, babe?" Luke pulls Cherry away and she blows me a flirty kiss. I laugh, watching the two leave.

"So.." I start, not knowing how to talk to this man I just met, "how long have you known them?" I ask. It's a basic question but I don't know what else to say to this Greek God.

He shrugs noncommittally, and I bite my lip looking away. Okay.. he really doesn't talk much.

"Sorry- I just, I'm new to being out." I laugh to myself, sounding like an even bigger idiot. He hasn't said a word, and I think I may start crying soon. 

A call popping up on his phone takes away what little attention he was paying me. He picks it up, walking away.

Oh.

I bite my lip, glancing around the bar and not recognizing a single person. The tears in my eyes are slowly building and I seriously start to regret coming out. I push my way into the bathroom, locking myself in a stall.

I guess people don't like speaking to me, which makes me overcompensate. It's sad, really.

Eventually my phone buzzes, a text from the girls.

          CHERRY: hey where did you go?

          SUMMER: we're all at the bar.. come!!

I like the message and close my phone before heading out of the stall. Glancing in the mirror, I wipe my eyes and hope this embarrassment wears off. 

When I exit the bathroom, I see the five of them standing at the bar laughing and having a nice time. Though I don't see George actually laughing. 

I walk over and the girls quickly pull me in.

"What are you having?" Summer asks as the boys call the bartender over. 

"U-um, tequila soda?" I ask more than tell, but they order it for me and I'm thankful. 

As everyone talks about their times in high school my thoughts drift off. I think about the first night back at school, hoping that this year is different.

I want change for myself. No more being scared of people and their ulterior motives. 

"What do you think, Stella?" A voice cuts my thoughts and I look up to see everyone looking at me.

Great, they're going to think that I am disinterested and that I'd rather be somewhere else.

"Um, what?" I ask stupidly, but no one laughs or makes fun of me.

"Luke says he was popular with the ladies in high school- that's what made Cherry 'obsessed' with him." Summer puts air quotes around obsessed and I laugh. 

"What- that could totally be true!" Luke sputters out, looking around at everyone laughing.

George rolls his eyes, but doesn't speak.

"Oh- um well, I don't know.." I trail off, nothing else to say. Maybe George has the right idea of not speaking. I feel like an idiot every time I open my mouth.

"That's not a no," Luke laughs, kissing Cherry's cheek before laughing.

...

We have been here a while, and the place is starting to fill up. 

I begin to feel my anxiety kick in, but I try to ignore it. This is not the time, I'm trying to make friends and fit in. 

The loud music combined with talking puts me into an overstimulated mood. I can't focus on what anyone is saying around me, and I feel like I'm having an out of body experience.

"I'm going to grab a drink!" I shout out before I put my head down, excusing myself from the group. 

I'm embarrassing myself, I know, but this is har. Suddenly going out when you used to be a homebody.

I would be in bed by now, curled up under a blanket with my fireplace and perfectly content with the world around me. 

Going out and being around people isn't for me. 

I grasp onto the bar as soon as I'm within arms reach, breathing out an audible sigh of relief.

I'm quickly approached by a burly bartender, with deep ginger hair and a large beard to match.

"What can I get ya?" He asks me in a low tone, wiping his hands on the towel laid on his shoulder.

"Any seltzer please," I reach into my bag and pull out seven dollars, disregarding the change he tries to hand me.

I grab the drink and turn my back, leaning against the bar and looking out into the sea of people. 

I want to be in bed.