When The Clock Strikes (ONC 2020)

2| Rebounding

"I can do five hundred," the pawn shop owner stated. 

"Done!" Cam said as she slammed her hand on the counter.

When I arrived outside of the bar known as Down the Rabbit Hole, she was waiting with a mischievous look on her face. I've known Cam all her life. When she had that look on her face, she was definitely up to something. If she was up to something, I was probably not going to like it. 

When I asked her what she was planning, she pointed to the pawn shop next door to the bar. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I asked her, no demanded, that she explain. Apparently, she concocted a plan to pawn the watch that I just bought, since we couldn't return it, and go to the bar. She wanted us to have a girl's night, which included drinking and flirting with the male patrons.

At first, I refused to take one step towards the pawn shop or the bar. I had just gotten dumped by my fiancée, and I was not in the mood to socialize. Get drunk? Yes. Socialize? No. But then she pulled out the Best Friend Card. It was classic Cam. She used to abuse that right; which is why I now only allowed two Best Friend Cards per month. 

So, here I was, leaning against the glass case in the pawn shop that housed a little bit of everything. I watched as the owner counted out the money in front of us. Cam had a huge smile on her face as she picked it up and counted it to verify. I went ahead and signed the paperwork needed to complete the sale.

"Now what?" I asked her as we walked towards the exit. What I really wanted to do was go home, get in my sweats, and eat ice cream while I watched bad movies. Whatever she had planned for us tonight, was probably the complete opposite.

"We're going to Down the Rabbit Hole and having a good time. There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Got it?" 

I groaned as she linked her arm in mine and led me to the bar next door. Down the Rabbit Hole was a hole-in-the-wall bar that was well known in an "underground" sort of way. We stumbled upon it a few months ago when Cam wanted to get over a promotion she didn't get. We found it completely by chance.

Ever since we became regulars, we noticed that it was rare to see new faces there. Whenever someone new discovered this place, something about it sucked them in. Given my current situation, I was probably going to start living here. 

"Fine, but no picking up guys. I just got dumped. Literally." The last thing I needed was to get mixed up with some random guy. 

Cam scoffed as she opened the door to the bar and we made our way inside. "Let's just get a drink and see how the night goes. Okay?" 

There were two empty bar stools open with our names on it. We snagged them before someone else did; and Cam tapped her hand on the counter before waving cash at the bartender. If there was one other thing Cam was good at, it was getting a guy's attention.

"How can I help you ladies?" The tall, dark, and handsome bartender asked. He was muscular with brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Just Cam's type. 

"Yes, you can!" She exclaimed before leaning her head on my shoulder pitifully. "My best friend, Ally, just got dumped by her fiancée." 

"Oh," the bartender said as he glanced to me, "I'm sorry to hear that."

I opened my mouth to speak, but Cam beat me to it. "Yes. Which is why we are here. We need to get my best friend sloppy drunk and on the rebound train." 

"What?" I shrieked. "No. No rebounding for me." I shook my head repeatedly. As if the act would make Cam listen to me. Not so much. 

Cam wrapped her arm around my neck and I didn't need to see her to know she was rolling her eyes. "Ignore her. Can we get started with some shots, please?"