I wish I was more stable. My nights consisted of getting shitfaced with my friends just so I could forget about my need to be loved. Of course, I always denied it. I had a little system with getting laid. Every guy in my town smoked so if a guy I was planning to hook up with wanted to use my lighter, they'd see a little message on it saying that if they wanted to bang me then they need to smile when they give the lighter back to me. It always worked and I found myself relying on the morning after pill like it was my best friend. '(Y/n)!' One of my friends shouted over the loud thumping music I could never get used to.
'The fuck d'you bring me here for?'
'Shut up! (Y/n), this is my friend!' Chris, my friend shouted over at me. I looked up from the bar, sliding my headphones down until they hung around my neck. 'He wanted to talk to a girl tonight!'
'No I didn't.'
'Well the music here is a bit too loud to talk and I was gonna head out soon anyway! Did you want to come with me?' I shouted above the techno music that I had listened to so many times I didn't even mind it anymore.
'Yeah, sure!' It was the first thing I had actually heard him say properly. I slipped off the lengthy bar stool I was stationed at and silently took Chris' friends' hand, dragging him out of the uncomfortably loud bar.
The moment we slipped out of the bar, I arched my back and listened to my bones crack beneath my skin. 'I'm Ricky, by the way.' His voice was so much nicer without the loud music covering most of it up. I didn't look at him, instead reaching into my pocket for my phone to check the time.
'I'm (Y/n). So how do you know Chris?'
'We preform together. He dragged me here because he wants me to get laid.' He seemed pretty aggravated so I slipped my phone back into my pocket and smiled.
'Well you better start getting to know me then.'
We seemed to make a night out of being stuck together. We wandered around the town talking about random things from where we were from to what we thought was beyond our comprehension. It was nice, I never had people to talk to before. It sadly died down once the clock hit midnight and Cinderella had to pop off to wherever he was staying at. 'I'm almost upset about how late it's getting..' I signed, sneaking a pack of cigarettes and my lighter out of my pocket. 'Did you want one?' I offered, holding out my small packet of cigarettes for him. We were sat under an incredibly large tree in the centre of the park. With no one out this late, we felt like we had the entire world to ourselves.
'Nah, I've got my own. Could I use your lighter?' He asked, his hand creeping into his own pocket and plucking a fancy metal box from it. He clicked the top off it and brought the box to his lips, picking a cigarette from the corner and trapping it between his teeth. He snapped the box closed before stuffing it back into his pocket. I did the same before handing him my lighter and waiting patiently for him to use it. I couldn't help but wonder if the callouses on his fingers helped him click the lighter on as he raised the small flame to the end of his cigarette and lit it silently. The moment he had done what he needed to, I noticed his eyes scan over the text on the side of the lighter before handing it back to me. He kept a straight face, not even bothering to look at me. Couldn't help but let my heart sink a little. It wasn't every day that I got turned down. Okay, it's never actually happened before. I was kind of looking forward to spending more time with him but it just wasn't going to happen. 'Thanks.' He exhaled deeply, letting a strangely dramatic trail of smoke slither out from between his pierced lips. I suddenly didn't feel like having a cigarette anymore but just so it didn't go to waste I lit the end of it anyway and inhaled the cancer and disappointment.
'No worries...' I sighed, watching as the two little clouds of smoke collided and mixed together. 'So did you get anyone's number back at the pub? You did mention Chris wanted you to get laid..'
'I did get a few but they weren't really that interesting. Just sweaty and intoxicated.'
'So what am I?'
'Peculiar.'
I woke up the next morning with a strange feeling in my chest. I was feeling like something was gone, even as I sat up, my buttoned down oxford cloth business shirt sticking uncomfortably to my skin I felt more alone than usual. Without wasting a moment, I slipped out of bed and made myself coffee before hurrying off to work. The moment I arrived, however, I was met with Chris and Ricky with their noses pressed against the window of the café I worked at. 'What are you two doing?'
'Chris is tired and has passed out against the window so I thought I'd do the same so he looks less stupid.'
'That's stupid.'
'I know.' I snickered gently before slipping behind the counter and into the back room to slip on my apron. The moment I came back out, Ricky had sat Chris on a seat in a booth and was leaning against the front counter. 'How come you're here alone?' Ricky asked.
'It's my job to come in and set everything up. I take care of the place by myself until about 11:00am.'
'You earn much?'
'Enough to get by. I have multiple jobs so.'
'Oh, I get it. You coming to the pub tonight? I was hoping I'd see you there.' I wasn't actually planning to go but considering it was Ricky asking, I couldn't say no.
'Yeah, did you wanna actually have a drink or?'
'Nah, I actually wanted to go somewhere else but I just wanted to know if you had plans.'
'Oh, did you want me to come with you?'
'Yeah.'
'We can hang out, yeah.'
