Aarmau Short Stories ●A Purplla Publish●

|Story Two| Like it's 1921

"Hi, Wayne." Aphmau sits down on one of the stools. "I thought Sunday nights were never this packed since everyone works early shifts on Monday mornings."

"They probably came for you." He says while setting up the glasses under the bar, "I'm surprised it was packed on Friday and yesterday." He starts pouring water into a glass and hands it to Aphmau.

"Oh come on, I don't think everyone is here for me. Doug's House is a pretty popular joint."

"Speaking of joint, you got any cigarettes on you? I haven't had a chance to get my own all day." Aphmau digs into her trench coat pocket and pulls out a pack and some matches.

"I never leave home without them." She passes one to Wayne and takes one out for herself. She lights a match, lighting hers first then his. "What makes you think they're all here for me?"

"Doug's House has NEVER been this packed until your first debut Friday night. Plus, you know you're a hottie and these men can't get enough of you." He takes a puff then blows the smoke out of his mouth. "Especially that man over there." He points behind Aphmau and she turns around.

She rolls her eyes and turns back to Wayne, "That pervert from last night? No, thank you." She also takes a puff of her cigarette. 

"He's cute, not gonna lie. But he seems more interested in you."

"He's interested in me, not ME." Wayne pours more water into her glass. "Men are such..."

"Pigs." They say at the same time as he clinks a glass of water with hers and then takes a sip. "I don't know, I think you should talk to him."

Aphmau turns around to see him speaking to his friends then faces Wayne. "As if."

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"Two nights in a row is rare for you." Laurence comments. "You don't like crowds."

"I'm trying out a new thing."

"And that's called looking at the new girl, isn't it?" Garroth sings while a waitress comes over with a tray of their drinks.

"This has nothing to do with her. I can't hang out with you guys because you're my friends?" The waitress puts a glass of scotch in front of Aaron then a another glass in front of Laurence.

"I know she's cute and all, but I didn't think you of all people would be interested." Laurence says as the waitress puts a glass in front of Garroth.

She winks at Aaron before walking with the tray and Garroth watches. "Was that for me?"

"You know that was for Aaron." Laurence rolls his eyes and faces Aaron, "What about her?"

"What about her?"

"She's beautiful and interested in you."

"Okay and?"

"Take the opportunity while you can." They all look back to see the waitress talking to another woman but glancing back at Aaron when she got a chance.

"Nah." Aaron responds, "She isn't my type."

"Well, she's mine." Garroth says while standing up out of his car. "And if you aren't going to take her, I will." He starts walking towards her, leaving Laurence and Aaron laughing.

"I can't wait for this one." They turn to see Garroth try to shoot his shot. First, she taps her on the shoulder and she looks at him. "Here comes the pickup line." They see his mouth move and the woman and her friends start laughing.

"I can't tell if they're laughing at him or his joke." The more Garroth speaks, the more the waitress scoots over to him. "Is this actually working?"

He puts his hand over hers and her friends says something then walks away, leaving Garroth and the waitress. She whispers something in his ear then walks away with a smile. "Dude, he didn't."

Garroth looks at Laurence and Aaron and gives them a thumbs up. "He did it!" Laurence starts laughing and so does Aaron.

"Look at him, all grown up." The waitress comes back with her things and grabs Garroth's hand, leading him towards the exit. "I can't believe that worked."

"Never underestimate the power of a Ro'Meave, they all say." Laurence recites from memory.  "So. When are you gonna shoot your shot?"

"I tried last night."

"And it didn't go well."

"Nope." He says, "She went on about her ex fiance from a few months back  and how she moved to the city, I shot my shot, she said something like "I'm not easy to get with." then left."

Laurence sighs and looks down at the table, "You're an idiot."

"Excuse me?"

"Okay. So what you told me, she's a newly single young woman who just moved into the city?"

"Yes."

"Nothing in your mind clicked "Oh, she's recently become single! Maybe she's not looking for a boyfriend right now."?"

"It did not."

"You dung yourself a hole there. Good luck trying to talk to her now."

"Well, I didn't know she wasn't interested in anyone right now!"

"You know this new women's march. If a woman aren't already married, she isn't interested." He points around at all the women in the building. A girl of girls hang by the bar, ignoring every man that walks up to them.

A waitress shoos away a man from touching her, while another waitress is serving a group of men without looking at them. "You were lucky to even get to speak to her."

"What about that woman Garroth left with? They aren't ALL a part of this movement."

"But most are. And that girl right there?" He points to Aphmau stepping onto the stage with two other girls in the background. "You'd be lucky she even looks at you again."

While keeping his eyes on her, he takes his scotch and scarfes it down his throat. "I hate when you're right."

Laurence takes the glass out of Aaron's hand. "But. It isn't impossible."

"What do you mean?"

"To earn a woman's love, you must understand the woman." Laurence says while putting both of their empty glasses on a tray of a waitress walking by.

"Meaning?"

"You make this more difficult than it has to be." He shows Aaron the flyer on the table. "Women's march. Friday, 8 am. You're meeting me there at 7 am."

"Umm we have work on Friday?"

"Do you want a shot with her or do you not want the shot with her?"

"I do. I want a shot with her." Aphmau stops singing and everyone claps while standing up. Aaron and Laurence do so as she bows and starts speaking to the background flappers.

"Then trust me."

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I hope you all are safe during these times!

Until next time,
~Purplla 💜