poker face

Can't Read My Poker Face

{Stefani's POV}

Nirvana blasted through the speakers of my 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. I puffed smoke out of the window as I drove at a faster than legal speed down the empty highway.

I always felt free as Jo. I felt like I had more say in the world. Nobody would look down on me because I didn't have as much in my pants as they had, nobody would cat call me from the busy street of New York. I could go anywhere. Do anything.

I ran my fingers through my hair, checking the mirror before I stepped out of the car. I neatly parked myself in a spot across the street. That's what someone like Jo and I don't have in common.

Men can't park.

I trudged toward the bar across where I had just parked my car. I could hear the music blaring as I flicked the cigarette out of my hands. I stepped on the butt and continued toward the bumping place.

As I walked in the smell of cigs and alcohol filled my nostrils. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

Although I'm a very convincing dude, I still had anxiety that someone would point out my flaw. I was in fact a woman.

I slowly scanned the different bar tables and nobody seemed to be paying any attention to me. I walked slowly toward the counter. I showed the bartender my fake I.D.

I'm definitely older than 21 but I can't very well show her my real I.D. seeing as I'm not really myself at the moment. She smiled at me and took my order. In no time I was sitting at a table sipping vodka and sprite, looking for trouble.

As I searched for something that looked risky, I saw some guys, a lot bigger than me mind you, hassling a girl at a table. She looked overwhelmed as they stroked her hair and tried to touch her body. She kept swatting them away and I thought this would be a good time for me to interject. My slender figure has nothing on those guys but maybe I can talk my way out of it.

"Hey baby! Sorry it took so long in the bathroom. There was a line!" I say, plopping myself down next to the woman. She smelled of strawberries and I could see why these men were touching her hair. As I reached my arm around her, her soft hair skimmed my inner arm. She looked at me, confused for a second and I winked the her. She caught on.

"I was beginning to wonder where you went!" She shaid, looking into my eyes. I promised myself I'd never get involved with anyone as Jo, so I had to quickly look away and up at the guys before obeying the urge to kiss her. They guys looked at me a wind then at eachother.

"Something wrong fellas?" I said, looking each of them in the eyes. They stuttered, "n-nah man...sorry..." and they hurried away. I quickly took my arm away from the woman, whose name was still a mystery.

"Thanks." She said, tucking a strand of her black hair behind her ear and smiling at me. Her teeth were white as snow and she had the most amazing blue eyes. I smiled back and nodded. "I didn't know how I was going to get out of that." She giggled. Something but her just made me fall madly in love. but like I said, I promised myself not to get deep with anyone...because if they found out about me....

"What's your name?" She asked, softly.

"Jo...and yours?"

"Tess. You from around here?" She asks. I can tell she's going to ask as many questions as she can and I can't help but answer,

"Y-yeah." I say, rubbing the back of my neck. She looks at me and then laughs a bit.

"You don't talk much, do you?" She asks. Actually I do, but I'm just starstruck.

"I guess not..." I say, regretting it as soon as I said it. I sound like such an idiot.

"Wanna get out of here? I'm kinda over this place anyway." She says, with her somewhat raspy voice. Her voice is so attractive. It makes my stomach do flips.

"Uhhhh....."

"Don't worry...I just wanna go grab a coffee...nothing weird..."

"Yeah...sure." I answer, looking her right in the eyes. I can tell this isn't going to end well.

But I can't say no.