Summertime & Butterflies

Three

"Oh my God!" Olivia exclaimed, laughing at herself as she watched the cue ball bounce down the table, avoiding any of the striped balls scattered across the cloth. She shrugged at her sister, who was also laughing, before taking a swig of her beer. "Good thing we don't play by the rules, eh?"

"We don't even know the rules," Stephanie reminded her, taking her own shot and sinking one of Olivia's balls with accidental ease. "Like, what's actually supposed to happen now?"

Olivia shrugged. "You should keep going, so I can keep drinking," she told her with a smirk. "But, I think it means it's my turn."

"Works for me," answered Stephanie, slurping her vodka drink through the straw. As Olivia lined up her shot and got the proper ball in the pocket, Stephanie examined the jukebox, trying to decide what 90s country song would blast through the bar next.

"Remember this one?" Stephanie chuckled, pressing buttons on the machine. A moment later, the twangy chords from Shake the Sugar Tree erupted from the speakers, and it wasn't long before both girls were belting the lyrics into their pool cues.

"I'll shaa-aa-ke the sugar tree, til I feel your love fallin'... all-lll-lll around me!" The sister's voices were loud, off-key and filled with giggles. They were so enthralled with their attempts at singing that they didn't notice anyone else had joined them in the small pool room. It wasn't until Olivia felt someone standing near her side that she looked up from the pool table. A man in his twenties stood beside her, his lips pursed together in a cheeky smirk.

"Sorry to interrupt," the man said, his accented voice sounding solemn but his hint of a grin telling otherwise. "But I'd like to call next." He placed his hand on the corner of the table, setting down what Olivia assumed was a quarter. But when he moved his hand, Olivia laughed.

"What is that?" she chuckled, pointing at the beer cap the man had placed on the table.

He shrugged, looking both sheepish and charming at the same time. "I didn't have a quarter," he explained.

"Then I guess you don't have next," Olivia teased, taking a drink from her bottle. "Hey, Steph, do you have a quarter?" she asked innocently, lining up her shot again.

Stephanie gasped. "I just might!" she exclaimed, feigning surprise. She stuck her hand in her pocket and grinned as she pulled out not one, but two coins.

"I call this one Next," she continued, placing one coin down on the table with a flourish. "And this one is Mr. Next-Next!"

"I just thought you might give us next," the man replied, "seeing as we've had to listen to you sing all night. It's only fair," he added, his voice taking on the same teasing tone the sister's had. "Or we could play doubles," he added before either of the sisters could counter with their own burn.

Stephanie pointed at the man, to the vacant spot beside him and back again, indicating that he was by himself. "We're not seeing doubles yet, honey," she teased, taking another drink.

"Yet," he countered with another cheeky grin. "Now, finish up your riveting game before I steal your quarters."

"Push-y," stated Olivia, but obliging as she finally took her shot. The man settled onto a stool, sipping on his drink as he watched Olivia's stance with amusement.

"Ay, your quarter didn't work, mate!" the man called out as Olivia scratched the ball she was aiming for. She looked up to see who the man was talking to and her eyes widened when she realised she was face-to-face with the same man she'd thrown up on just hours earlier.

"You're obviously not charming... enough..." the second man answered, pausing as he made eye contact with Olivia. She could tell he recognised her, and her face warmed at the memory. She took a long drink and silently cursed the Patron Saint of... whoever made her mortifying moment return.