Not What It Seems.

Chapter One: The Sand Pub.

Being a mechanic was all I knew, fixing boats trying to pay for my own. It was a heap of junk. It hardly ran and it loved to break down at the most inconvenient parts of the mysterious sea. I might of as well had a raft at least I knew that it would never fail me. The horn yelled out letting everyone know that it was six o'clock in the evening. That was when everyone got off of work and headed straight for the Sand Pub bar. It was the local bar in town and closest to the dock it was practically on it. I watched some men stumble out of the bar as I entered. Walking straight to the counter bar; I looked at Stacy the bartender who always worked Friday nights when I got off. Her hair was blonde, had natural bouncy curls though when she tried straightening it - due to being right by the water it'd frizz. I guess that's why she gave up letting her natural curls lay against her shoulders instead. She was really fit for her age and after having two kids. She was pushing forty and was still a single mother.

"Hey Dalton, just get off?" She asked me laying a napkin down on the black gradient bar. She leaned down; sort of hovered over me. She was so close this time that I could smell her perfume. The same perfume she wore everyday. White diamond by Elizabeth Taylor. She was Stacy's idol.  "What are you drinking tonight?" She asked.

I shrugged and crossed my arms over the bar, I thought for a moment.

"Shall I get you the regular?" Stacy asked.

"Sounds like a plan to me." I smiled politely and reached into my pocket grabbing my wallet but before I could; she put a hand in front of me to stop me.

"Ah, ah. It's on the house."

"Thanks." I murmured under my breath.

"No problem." She said before walking to the other end of the bar.

I sat in stool and spun it around slowly to glance around and watch my fellow co-workers. They were already a few drinks over what they could handle. One of the males was hanging onto the other swaying back and forth with their beer bottles in hand. The music from the old school jukebox back in the corner clicked changing records. It changed to a old country song and then the men started grabbing up women and began drunkenly dancing - well, stumbling over their feet. I couldn't help but laugh at half of them.

Taking another sip of my beer, a small hand was placed lightly on my shoulder. I turned my head slowly and glanced up at a women, a beautiful brunette. Her dark wavy locks laid perfectly on her shoulders - every hair was in place. Her bangs fell right before her eyebrows revealing her crystal blue eyes almost the same hue as mine. I smiled politely.

"You...want to dance?" She asked me shyly. I figured someone had put her up to this.

"I don't - as in I can't...dance." I explained. It wasn't a lie. Anyone that knew me would tell you this.

"Oh, okay." She sort of frowned and turned to walk away. I felt bad. I stopped her.

"Wait!" I called to her. "If you don't mind me stepping on your feet. I'll dance with you." I laughed.

She laughed with me for a moment and tucked a few strands of hair behind her left ear. I raised my eyebrows slightly and had a small smirk spread across the corner of my lips. She extended her hand out to me and I was hers. I took her hand turning to the side to put my beer back down on the bar but I never released her hand. She grinned at me and dragged me to the middle of the dance floor. The jukebox stopped playing and changed records again. Of course the new song playing would be a slow one - but in a way I was glad that it wasn't fast pace. It would have been much worse; I think. I had no rhythm and for slow songs you didn't need any of that. You just had to know how to sway back and forth.

Her arms draped around my neck. She had very soft skin. I placed my hands around her waist and we were dancing - well, swaying. 'At last, my love has come along. All my lonely days are over.'  The most ironic song played throughout the bar. Everyone had a partner except Stacy. I glanced over at her ever little once in a while as she stared dreamily at my boss who was a few years over her age. Her foot was popped behind her and she twirled her blonde locks between her fingers. I snickered.

"I never got your name." The brunette said stating the obvious.

"Oh?" I said trying to skip over the issue.

I wasn't trying to be rude. I just didn't see the point of giving her my name especially if we'd never see each other again. It just wasn't important to me; at all. No offense but I was nowhere near interested into this girl. I never really dated. I wasn't the dating type and no girls were ever interested in me except the drunk ones. Like this one. She was swaying with me but she wasn't hanging onto me like a man, a dance partner, nor a lover - it was more like she was hanging onto a swing on the playground. If I let go of her waist right now, she'd drop right then. I had thought about it. Instead this older gentleman who was also drunk asked to step in.

"Oh, of course, thanks." I said handing her over like she was a piece of fragile glass.

Once she was handed off. I brushed my hands through my hair and walked straight back to the bar where I spent all my time when I was in there. I never usually moved from this seat. Never.

I got away with not exposing my name to the girl; I'm not saying it's some top dark secret but there is just some things people don't need to know - or care enough to know. She wouldn't remember me after she blacked out anyways. I chugged down my last little bit of beer and slammed it down on the table letting the liquor burn my throat. I closed my eyes tight and threw my head back. It wasn't a shot but I wasn't much of a drinker. Every time I had a beer it was like I just had my first. I was 21 all over again.

I sat here in this chair being 23 years old and throwing my life away behind the bar, working at a shipping dock. "You have so much potential, don't let it go to waste." My mother used to tell me as she'd brush the dirt off my cheek from playing outside with the local kids. I missed her but I bet she was happy now - she doesn't have to suffer anymore and neither did I. Her passing is what brought on the drinking. I wouldn't drink so much to where I felt like I was going to pass-out but I drank until I was numb enough not to feel anything. That is when I was my happiest. I never found out exactly what happened to her that night but I wanted answers and to get answers that would cost you some money - and that's exactly what I didn't have. After food, bills, and rent; I barely had enough for anything. Saving up sometimes was never an option. I have to fight to make ends meet. Another job was out of the question since I basically work 10 hours a day for under minimum wage. This was a small business and I was glad to have a job so I never complained about the criminalism of money. I'd rather be making some money than none at all.

Thinking of my mother brought on my grief. Stacy walked over and leaned against the counter again.

"You want another one stud?"

"You know you are the only girl I have ever met that calls me a stud?"

"Mhm, makes me unique." She laughed and handed me another beer anyways.

"Thanks." I said softly.

I immediately took the beer from the counter and sipped some of it. I reached in my wallet and left a five dollar tip and left without saying goodbye to anyone. I left the pub and followed the dock lights to reach the end of it. Once I did - I knew I only had a mile to go before I reached home. People thought I was crazy for walking home alone in the dark. I would laugh it off but the truth was that I didn't care if anything happened to me or not. I didn't have anything to live for anyway. I didn't believe in love cures all because every time I found that love - it'd go away. Everything good that has ever happened in my life, vanished. I simply didn't care anymore.

I stuffed my hands into the pockets on my dark blue denim jacket. The wind was blowing and the water mixed in made it chilly outside. I pulled my jacket tighter around me burying my face into the collar. I just walked into the darkness between the trees following the trail like I did every night and then I didn't see the trees, the trail, or the moonlight anymore. I didn't smell the salt of the ocean anymore. It was dark; completely dark. Where am I?