The Book at the Top of the Closet

Chapter Twenty-Three

Holy cats, I ship it so hard. I mean far be it from me to be all Team Hayden after he broke Aria's heart, but I am one hundred percent Team Aria Gets Some. It's been such a sucky week that this little bit of secondhand steaminess has me almost drooling. I'm just about to turn the page when a thought occurs to me: Hayden liked to hang out at the bar. There probably aren't that many around- it's a college town but it's still pretty small. If I found the same bar, assuming Hayden still goes here, I might run into him. I could ask him what happened, why Aria skipped town.

The idea takes on a life of its own as I skim through the few listings on Google for bars in this town. I recognize the bar from the visions in the pictures for one of the listings, and I text Veronica to come with me on an adventure. By the time it occurs to me that Hayden might be freaked out by total strangers approaching him at the bar to ask about Aria, I'm already stepping across the threshold.

At the door, a baby faced guy in a polo shirt draws X's across our hands in permanent marker, and Veronica explains to me that this is so the bartender will know we're underage and not to serve us alcohol. I'm a little surprised that she knows how bars work, and she' not at all surprised that I don't. We find a table and she gets us two Sprites "on the rocks" which I discover just means "with ice."

"So, what are we doing in a bar full of frat boys and townies?" Veronica asks, swirling her straw around in her glass.

"Looking for Hayden," I grin.

"Wait, run that by me again, because I think I heard you say we're here to stalk some guy whose head you've been in." Veronica looks way too excited.

"Um, yeah, that...that about sums it up."

"So let me get this straight. You've been hiding in your room, presumably dying of the plague all week, and you finally emerge from your sickbed to go cruising for guys? Did the fever damage your self preservation instincts? This is actually the ballsiest thing you've ever-"

"Shhhh for just like a second," I interrupt.

"Don't shush me. Oh wait, do you like, sense him or something?" Her eyes light up with somehow even more excitement.

"I don't know, I feel, something. A twinge. Like there's someone here that knew Aria. It's just a gut thing." I look around, trying to figure out who I'm getting this vibe about. My eyes land on a guy standing at the bar, beer in hand, talking to some friends. He's handsome in an overly obvious way, like one of those actors who are all considered sexy but all sort of look alike. I don't think he's Hayden, but I get the sense that he figures into Aria's story somehow.

Before I know what I'm doing, I'm out of my seat and walking across the room toward him. Veronica scrambles up to follow me, and before I can lose my nerve, I tap the guy on the shoulder and introduce myself. He tells me his name, but I forget it almost immediately in my quest to find out if he knows anything about Aria. Gathering all my courage, I ask if he knew a girl by that name, maybe someone who transfered or left school a little while back.

"Oh, that weird goth chick?" He says, but doesn't wait for me to reply. "Yeah she was kind of a bitch. Total tease." He rests his elbow on the bar and leans toward me. "You don't look like a tease, though, sweetheart. Why don't you forget about her and you and your friend come have some fun tonight."

I stammer and try to think of something to say that expresses my disgust at his attitude, but Veronica swoops in instead.

"She's taken," she says, grabbing my hand and walking toward the exit. I know she doesn't mean I'm taken by her, but her hand in mine feels protective and safe, and my heart skitters a little. I'm still shaken up as we head back toward campus.