obsession

i

i met her at church
but she could be satan

her.

i slump down on the barstool, in complete and utter disarray. i smelt like caffeine, and disappointment and the only thing that would make me happy at the end of a shitty day like this would be liquor. lots and lots of it.

"get me a rum and coke, would ya?" i call out to the slender figure behind the stand, polishing a glass that clearly didn't need to be. he turns around and gives me a questioning glance, raising one eyebrow and letting out a smirk.

"you seem a little too young, lady," he says, slowly making his way over to me. i rolled my eyes,  resisting the urge to punch him square in the face as soon as he stopped in front of me, on the opposite side of the mahogany-coloured stand, and rested his elbows on the empty spot in front of me. "i'm gonna need to see some id."

"alright, alright, fine. i admit it, i'm underage, but i'm turning 19 in a week. come on, just let it slide this once?" i bat my eyelashes at the man, hoping it would persuade him, ignoring the gut feeling in my stomach that practically yelled at me that something was wrong.

"and why should i do that?" he leans back, using his left hand to run his hands through his silky, chestnut locks. left handed, i observed. a wave of sadness suddenly overcame me, remembering him. he was left handed too. his left hand was the one he used to caress my cheek and tuck my hair behind my ear as he whispered sweet nothings into it. i suppose tears started welling up in my eyes, for the man softened his tone as he began to speak again. "hey—"

"i'm sorry," i interrupt. "i'm just having a really rough day. it's probably a good idea for me not to drink anyway." i let out a little chuckle to myself in an attempt to fight back the tears, but that proved insufficient, as the tears began to fall regardless. i cup my head in my hands, bringing my attention to the carvings on the mahogany wood the stand was covered with.

after a brief moment, i hear a soft voice lull me back into reality. "ma'am?" i lift my head and our eyes meet. the tall man standing in front of me looked at me with concern and confusion in his eyes, but possibly also a hint of malice. the look sent chills down my spine. i felt vulnerable. nothing good could come out of an expression like that. i looked down once more.

as i let my thoughts race through my head, i began to lose my grip on reality. my surroundings seemed blurry and out of focus, and the gut feeling in my stomach only seemed to grow worse. i looked back up, but there was no one. i look around, but he is nowhere to be seen. then, with the blink of an eye, as if he was a phantom, he manifests in front of me with a glass of rum and coke. "here," he says. "it's on the house." i manage to reply with a slight smile to the gesture, ignoring the fact that that might not have been the best idea.

i quickly down the drink, placing it down on the table with a resonating thud once i finished. my throat felt as if i had swallowed a cup of needles, but the pain felt good to me. a short silience lingered through the air for a few moments, before i spoke in a quiet voice. "thanks."

he chuckles. "no problem, rough night?" he says, sliding me another glass that he seemingly poured while i was occupied with the other one.

"you could say that," i say, my eyes wandering to the new glass. "are you trying to get me drunk?"

"me? nah. is your tolerance that bad?"

"god, i wish i could wipe that shit-eating grin off your face right now."

he lets out a laugh which, i have to admit, i thought was adorable. in fact, i thought he was adorable in general, and i couldn't help but stare in awe and admiration he must have noticed, since he stopped suddenly and gave me another smirk. "take a picture, it lasts longer."

"ha ha, very funny--" i look down at his name tag. "jaeden," i read. i begin to gather my stuff, neglecting the second glass that was poured out for me. he observes this, and shrugs a bit to himself before proceeding to reach for the glass, probably to drink it himself. which, as expected, he did.

"leaving so soon, huh? what a shame," he pouts. i reply with a sly smirk before walking out the door. but what shook me to my core was a silent mutter i heard as the door closed behind me.

"we'll meet again."