Learn To Love Again

Chapter 6 (Ryan Fletcher)

I don't know what came to me. Why did I lie about me being famous? First I was frustrated of her not knowing who I am and now; I want to keep everything about Lawson a secret from her. This is so not me.

Mia thanked me for saving her skull from cracking open that morning. I said that it wasn't a big deal. It just so happened that I was there awestruck of her resemblance to Janna.

"You play music?" Mia asked. I almost choked when she asked that. I hope she's just making small talk.

I nodded and drank from my just refilled glass. Please drop the subject! My cover will be blown if she keeps asking about music.

"Strings right?" That brought out the big guns. That question got me standing on the edge of a cliff. You can really never deny a woman's intuition.

"Are you a psychic?" I managed to joke. "How can you tell?" I smirked at her.

"Well, the skin on your palm is rough, your fingers are callused and your outfit is literally screaming 'Rock and Roll dude!'" I was kinda hurt when she pointed out my grandpa-like hands. It had been my complex ever since I started playing the 6-string. But her witty remark about my clothes got me chuckling.

"So, you in a band?" I don't think she has the intention of leaving this topic behind.

"Yeah. Just some small gigs here and there." I said. Before she could ask another question, I beat her to it. "How about you? You're a pianist right?"

Mia turned her head to my direction and to my surprise, she threw my own words back at me. "Look who's playing psychic now. How can you tell?" My gaze lingered a second longer on her lavish lips that formed a lopsided smile.

"You were obviously going for the piano when you stepped on the stage. Your hands even twitched when you were a step away from it." I said. And the tables have turned. You have your intuition; I have my observation.

She averted her eyes and looked at her bottles. "I used to be." she said. Her wit suddenly turned into melancholy. "My Dad taught me how to play, I stopped when he died."

"I'm sorry." I suddenly felt regretful. 

"No worries. It was a long time ago." she said. Her eyes were blank and seemed to drift to a faraway place. For the second time around, silence came between us. I didn't know what to say, so I just kept my mouth shut.

"What kind of a beer is this?" Mia blurted, looking at the bottle she was holding. "I'm done with the fifth bottle, but I'm not tipsy at all!" She was back to her usual self. The hurt that lined her face was gone like we hadn't talked about something sad at all.

"Just what are you?" I asked her. "Most women would get dizzy on their fourth bottle!"

"I'm even surprised myself! This is the first time I'm drinking something alcoholic that is not wine. I thought drinking beer would have me wasted." she shrugged. She looked at my glass and turned to me. "Hey, can I have some of your whiskey?"

"What?" I exclaimed. 

"Come on, just a glass." she said, raising her eyebrows and pouting her lips. That was fucking adorable. "It might hit the spot."

"This is not your type of drink." I said. Does she know what she's getting herself into?

"Whatever kind of drink that is, I don't care. I just want to get drunk." she said, not backing off.

I can tell from her eyes that she was serious. It's gonna be a pain in the ass if I resisted her any further. I give up. I called for the bartender and asked for a new glass with ice in it and some Coke. I poured a tiny bit of J.D. and mixed it with Coke. "Hey, what's the Coke for?" Mia asked.

"I mixed Coke 'cause you're a first timer. Don't worry, it won't taste bad." I handed her the glass. She downed it like she was just drinking water.

"I think this is better than that rust-tasting beer." she said. She handed me the glass and asked to fill it up. I was about to argue that she only asked for a glass; but she glared at me, eyes gleaming with persistence. There was nothing else I could do but to oblige.

We shared the bottle of Jack Daniels. She would ask me about tourist spots and complain about the cold weather. The time when we were down to our last glass, Mia was hiccupping. "Are you okay?" I turned to look at her face. Her face was beet red and her eyes were watery.

"Hic!-" she hiccupped. "Re-Restroom." she stood from her seat and made her way to the back of the bar. On her way, she tumbled and fell to the ground. I immediately run to her side and picked her up.

"Are you alright?" I asked her.