Lucas ✔️

Twenty-One

Shax watched me with eyes full of pity as I cried silently and held the glass tightly with both hands, my tears falling into the liquid as I looked down at it. It was my favourite drink, cola and raspberry, and the only reason the bartender knew to make it for me was because Dad had told him during on if his many trips here.

Just the thought of Dad talking about me happily made my heart clench in pain and I looked up at Shax with red eyes and tried to smile at him.

"I'm so happy," I sobbed loudly, ignoring Shax's raised eyebrows.

"You don't look that happy," he chuckled, picking up his own drink and taking another sip.

I took a tentative sip of my own and sent a teary grin to the bartender who pretended he wasn't watching me bawl my eyes out, before placing the drink down and standing up, grabbing my cue and walking to the pool table to take my own shot.

My tears blurred my vision and I sunk the wrong ball, but I didn't even care. My mind was too busy racing through all the thoughts about Dad. Shax stepped up and swiftly sunk another of his balls before he leant on the cue lightly, sending me a curious look.

"So?" he said after I looked at him. "Are you gonna tell me what that was all about?"

I sniffed and brought my hand up to wipe my nose, pushing some stray red hairs back from my face.

"What?" I said nonchalantly, trying to play it off.

"What do you mean, 'what'?" he scoffed. "I'm asking about that huge crying fit you just had."

"Oh that," I said with an awkward chuckle as I scratched the back of my neck. I stepped forward and lined up another shot, sniffing as I did so and blinking back stray tears. "My Dad used to come here a lot," I said as I took my shot and grinned as I sunk one of my own. "I never came here with him really, but I've been avoiding the place. Who knew it could actually give me a happy memory, not just sad ones," I finished with a shrug and looked up at Shax with a melancholic smile.

He nodded his head thoughtfully and lined up another shot, easily sinking another one.

"So, tears of joy then?" he asked with a small smile, heading back to grab his drink.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Actually, I probably would've never come here if it wasn't for you. So, thanks. I'm glad I did."

It felt weird to talk about feelings and emotions with this attractive man I barely knew. He sent me a smile and nodded his head, muttering a sure under his breath. A slightly awkward silence took over us, me not knowing what to say after I had just bared my hear out to him and him probably not knowing what to do after he had just seen me cry over a drink.

I coughed awkwardly and lined up another of my own shots, hitting it perfectly but not sinking the ball. I let out a whisper of a curse and looked at him, waiting for him to come take his turn.

"So, tell me about yourself," I said with a smile. "You know a lot about me, but I don't know anything about you."

He stepped forward and leant against the pool table, eyeing the balls and plotting the perfect shot.

"What's there to know? I like money, I'm hot, and I'm good at pool," he replied sarcastically causing me to roll my eyes.

"Oh, come on! Give me something, please? Like, where did you live before here?"

He bent down and lined his shot up and sunk another one, leaving only two of his balls on the table. I frowned and looked at my five. Well, he had it easier since I sunk one of his accidentally.

"Before here? New York, Vegas, London, Melbourne," he begun, counting on his hands before he shrugged. "Way more, too."

"You've lived that many places? God, your family must move around a lot," I said honestly, feeling a little jealous of the amazing places he had lived. "Why come here, of all places? I mean, it's not exactly on par with those big-name cities."