No Matter What

Chapter VI

I walked into the noisy bar, everyone turned. The music stopped, it was silent. I kept walking to the bartender's table. As I walked, their attention shifted back to drinking and talking—mostly about me. The bartender was young, about my age. He had a rag over his right shoulder.

"Something to drink?" he asked.

"Uh—no." I replied, "Information."

"Oh?" he said, intrigued. His golden hair fell over his eyes when he tilted his head. Just then, a drunk fat pirate walked up to the table, he fell on a chair and laughed.

"Another rounda rum, laddy. For my mateys," said the pirate.

"Oh, I'll have to look in the back."

The boy went into the kitchen for the order.

"Well, 'ello there, missy," the pirate turned towards me. He had a disgusting accent.

I ignored him.

"I'm talking to ya. Didn't your mum ever teach ya to greet when you are greeted?" he laughed as if he were coughing on the alcohol he was intoxicated by. He came closer.

I kept my distance.

"Hey, give this ol' fella a chance, why don' cha?" his wicked smile reeked and missed teeth. He came closer yet again.

"Leave me alone, why don't you?" I responded. My words were courageous, but my stomach burned with anxiety.

"Ooh, I like 'em fierce ones," he said and that awful laugh came back. He found a half-drunken cup of wine on the balcony and sipped on it. He stood there, cup on his hand, leaning against the table. He looked at me like I was the cup of wine.

I do not know what came upon me, but I was suddenly not in control of myself and I knocked that cup violently onto the ground. I spit on the pirate's face.

Everyone turned to the scene. The pirate looked at the broken pieces on the floor as he wiped my saliva from his cheek.

What had I done?

He stood up, his face bright red.

"NO MISSY TREATS ME LIKE THIS," he shouted, showering me.

"Well," I said, stood up on the balcony, then yelled down at him, "ONE JUST DID, YOU SCUMBAG!"

I looked at his face for a split second. Enough to know exactly what to do—run. I ran and jumped, table to table until I reached the door. The bartender came out to see what was going on. I looked back at him and waved goodbye.

Just as I exited the bar, the stunned bartender yelled, "Free rum for all! One round on the house!"

The pirate instantly lost interest in seeking his revenge and ran, as fast as he could, to the bar so he could collect his part of the offer. I bent down, hands on my knees, to catch my breath. What had just happened? It had been terrifying, but at the same time... exhilarating. I searched in my bag for the food I had packed. I ate a fulfilling meal. Satisfied, I sat for just a while.

It was meant to be just a while, but without meaning to, I had drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, only a small amount of time had passed, but that time had been enough to bring down the sun, whose colors painted the clouds.

"Miss," a voice woke me up, "miss..."

I looked up at who called me, it was the bartender. I gathered my things.

"Oh, thank God!" he exclaimed.

"Pardon?" I asked.

"I could tell you were breathing, it's just... You were sleeping so soundly... I thought..."