The Reunion

An unexpected incident

-Folk music playing-

-People chattering-

"Hey Mike, hand me another one, will ya", I shouted while raising my half-filled glass in the air, in a half conscious state. For the record I'm not an alcoholic, I just drink on special occasions, and a bit too much on shitty ones.

"You've had enough for today Nate!" Mike exaggerated while serving drinks to the customers. Mike was a dear friend of mine, well typically he was the only one! I met him 3 years ago in this very bar, I passed out here and he was the one who dropped me back at my place.

"Come on man! It's a free country, isn't it?" I moaned while rubbing my forehead as it was killing me. But even after so much of pleading, he refused.

Just as we were having this conversation the bell on the door rang as someone walked into the bar. "Hey check her out" mike said, with a really awkward grin on his face.

"Nah, not in a mood today man" I replied and gulped the last of the beer left in the glass. Well it had been a really shitty day, my boss embarrassed me in front of everyone as I came late to work today and then some jerk spilled coffee on me and now Mike isn't refilling my glass. Urghh.. Can this day go any worse!

"Woah! She's coming this way Nate" Mike mumbled, as if she was some kind of an angel, actually, it wasn't his fault. It was rare for a pretty girl to be in this shit hole, the best woman so far that we've encountered here was a Russian tourist who mistook this place for the 'Blind Tiger'. The most famous bar they have here in New York.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" a mellifluous voice came from behind. I turned around with an exhausted face as I was really drunk. There she was, a woman in her early thirties, as beautiful as they come these days. Light-blue eyes, beautiful skin, blonde hair, black tights, long fur boots, white shirt, a striking red leather jacket and muffler wrapped around that long neck. 'Damn she's hot!' a voice echoed in my mind. Okay play cool Nate, play cool! No need to make a fool of yourself.

"HELLO! IS ANY ONE SITTING HERE!" she exclaimed while waving her hand in front of my face.

"Oh yeah sorry, no, no one's here. Help yourself" I replied frantically. "Mike another one" I shouted while making a 'please, don't say no' face to him. "And an orange juice for me please" she requested while unwrapping her multicolor muffler".

"It's really cold out here, no?" she said while rubbing her hands together. It was the early October and the weather here was quite unfriendly. I was surprised, was this girl actually talking to me! I couldn't believe it. She kept staring as if she was waiting for a reply, shit! She was talking to me! What do I do? What do I do?

"uhh you're asking me" I replied confusingly with a frown as large as the Eifel tower on my forehead.

"Well I don't see anyone else here besides you" she answered with a slight laughter. Damn Nate! You just can't stop embarrassing yourself. Mike was watching all of it from a distance and he just couldn't stop laughing. Ah! Friends, right?

"Oh no, it's nothing. Just wait till this city hits December. It's gonna be a total chaos out here" I said. Damn Nate you're exaggerating too much. Play cool damn it! In the meantime Mike arrived with our drinks, "an orange juice for the lovely lady and a beer for the confused dumbo". 'So much for being friends' i thought. She laughed during all this." Fuck you Mike!" I murmured.

Then there came my worst rival, my arch nemesis "the awkward silence", you just had to come now! No not today. Today I won't let you beat me! So I mustered up courage, took a leap of faith and asked her for name. Please god, please don't disappoint me this time.