the girl at the bottom of the glass

chapter 7: the bar fight

present

I had been going out with Theo. Just as I wondered before, I mostly spent time at his apartment now.

He had been good to me. We spent the night together often. And if the following day was a holiday, he prepared breakfast for me.
We cooked dinner together sometimes. He made me his famous beef steak, paired with red wine. We always went overboard with the wine and passed out on the couch.

I told him about my favourite rock band the pretty reckless, he gave them a listen and commented I must have some unhealed wounds to take her twisted songs as my favorite poems. I threw a pillow at him.

Tonight, we went to a new bar on the far side of the town. It was crowded and people had to stand beside the tables instead of chairs.

He was drinking whiskey tonight.

"You can always guess someone's personality by the drink he orders", he said after sipping his drink.

"You totally just made it up"

"No, it's real. The guys drinking whiskey are bold, independent and strong willed"

I started laughing. He continued, "people who enjoy red wine are introspected. And vodka people are very adaptable"

"What about me?"

"You choose cocktails, in fact, tequila based ones. So it means that you are spontaneous and adventurous, am I right?"

"Oh you know me so well", I teased him.

I was amazed how he took note of the cocktails I had been ordering. That man really paid attention to details and also knew his drinks.

"Oh" he was bumped by a moving group of people. He even spilled all of his whiskey.

"Watch where you are going" he groaned.

The guys were laughing at him, "easy man, hold your temper", a guy with a tattoo on his arm spat at him. They must be on their way out of the bar. Because it was easily seen they were all drunk already.

"you haven't been taught to say sorry when you are wrong", he poked at him.

"Ohhh big lesson from a big guy", the tattooed guy faked scared. He didn't stop at that, "what are you doing with him, baby. Come on with us" he directed at me.

It was then Theo started throwing fist at him. The guy turned back with a swing.

It was chaos. His friends were trying to hold the guy back. At the same time, some of his friends pushed Theo hard. Theo was like a warrior now. He threw punches again and again. He also took his fair share of them. People were shouting and screaming.

I was stunned in the beginning, trying to comprehend what was happening.
Then I got set into motion. I started to grab him away. The bar securities arrived and pulled the group apart.

We quickly left the bar and took a cab to his place.

His knuckles were bleeding and bruised. He had a black eye and his lips got torn up.

I didn't even know what to say. I quickly took the first aid kit, and sat him down on the couch.
He didn't flinch at the cleaning with antiseptic.

"I don't know what to say", I started.

"Don't say anything then", he said with a hint of lingering anger in his voice.

I sighed. It was actually nothing to talk about anyway. I was there. I saw what happened from start to end. It was a stupid bar fight.
After cleaning up his wounds, he got up and walked straight to the kitchen.

"What we need is more alcohol"

For the first time in my life, I didn't feel excited about that sentence.

I never liked violence. It took me back to my childhood with broken glasses and loud voices.

However, after a couple of whiskey shots, when he curled up onto my chest, I rubbed his hair and kissed his head.
He was leaning on my lap, me looking down at him.

"You are so beautiful Vicky, do you even know that? I can't imagine my life without you in it"

He muttered. I smiled softly, continuing rubbing his hair.

"As long as you think so, we are okay", I cooed.