the neighborHood blues

/1/a birthday to forget

How did I end up alone on my twenty-first birthday? Before coming to the bar, I had a small group of girls with me but none of them were anywhere to be found now. The room was spinning like mad, and I couldn't keep my balance without holding on to something. My first time getting drunk, and I'm wasted and alone. Great. Whatever, it's fine. My house wasn't too far from here.

My knees tried to give out as I stood to my feet, causing me to fall back onto my stool near the bar. The bartender glanced at me, eyes wary as he cleaned out a glass with a rag. I waved him off with a smile, and he shook his head as he turned away. As I tried to stand up again, he came to my end of the counter and set a bottle of water in front of me.

"Drink that before you go, sober up a little," he said, voice gruff and stern.

Rolling my eyes, I snatched the bottle from the counter and attempted to march away. My heel scuffed in the carpet, I lost my footing and almost tripped over the leg of a chair. I caught myself on the ridge of the same chair, then shook my body loose as I stood up straight again. Glaring down at my own foot, I stuck my tongue out at it, then stumbled toward the door. With the water bottle still in hand, I pushed on the door to get out but it wouldn't budge.

"You pull it, sweetheart!"

Someone had yelled from across the room. I looked down at the handle on the door, then tugged it open. Even though my face felt warm, it became even hotter with embarrassment. When I stepped outside, the wind whipped past my face and cooled the burning flesh. Walking down the street, I twisted the cap off the water and brought it to my lips to take a drink. Cursing to myself, I jumped back as the liquid missed my mouth and splashed onto my chest.

A hard puff of air left my chest as I slumped against the brick wall, then letting out a dry chuckle as I adjusted my shoe. I gulped down the water once I found my balance, then crushed the bottle in my hand. There's a trash can at the end off the block, and I made my way toward it to toss the empty bottle. Covering my eyes, I squinted as bright headlights obstructed my already blurry vision. Once again, I found myself swearing as the blue and white sedan pulled over next to me.

The car shut off and a man got out, and I put my hands up as I backed away.

"I'm just on my way home, officer," I said as he stepped up the curb.

He was silent as he stared at me. Brown eyes raked me up and down from beneath thick eyebrows, and I pulled my denim closed. Another gust of wind blew, causing me to shiver and I regretted wearing a skirt in January.

"Where're you coming from," he asked, coming toward me.

"Sleepy's Bunker, right around the corner."

I pointed in the direction I had come from, taking another step back as he got closer. The officer glanced the way I gestured, and I inched away as he also looked inside the trash bin next to him. Being stopped by the cops wasn't on my list of birthday wishes. When I thought I had gotten away, I pulled out my phone but before I could unlock it, the screen blacked out. Again I found myself cursing as I shoved my phone back in my purse. Why was I having such crap luck on what was supposed to be a great day? Not to mention my feet were killing me in these heels.

Even though my house was a few blocks up, I couldn't bear to walk in the shoes any longer. Leaning against a light post, I unbuckled the straps around my ankles then slipped the heels off my feet. Another shiver ran up my body as my bare feet met the cold concrete. Still I sighed in relief at the freedom, tucking them under my arm as I fixed my skirt.

My eyes widened as the cop car pulled up in front of me again. All the lights were off, and I gulped as I back pedaled back toward the bar. These cops around here would do anything to make an arrest, and I wasn't about to get caught so they could make their quota. I didn't get far before I felt a hand grab my wrist, snatching me into the body and arms of the officer.