Page 84 of How We Fooled

I order the chocolate sin cake as Liza excuses herself to the bathroom. On her way back, I watch as she stops at the bar to, it looks like, order a drink. I shouldn’t be surprised when two guys approach her, standing there by herself, so I sit a little taller, keeping my eye on the situation to make sure she’s okay.

Pride races through my veins as I watch her decline their advances.

That’s right, douchebags; she’s with me.

They do the right thing and say their goodbyes, turning to face one another while she waits for her drink. After the bartender sets it down, she pays for it and picks it up just as one of the guys turns as well, bumping into her.

I watch closely to make sure nothing turns weird, but they both say they’re sorry while one grabs her a napkin so she can wipe the drink that spilled a little on her arm. She sets the drink down, cleans up, then waves goodbye as she heads in my direction.

“What was that all about?” I ask once she sits down.

She shakes her head, blowing it off. “Just guys being guys. No biggie.” She holds up her drink to me. “Want a sip?”

I raise my eyebrows and tilt my head her way in question, silently reminding her that I’m only eighteen.

She giggles as she says, “It’s only a sip.”

“I’m good. Thanks though.”

The waitress brings our dessert, and we get lost in conversation again as we indulge in the chocolate goodness that is almost as good as sex—almost.

I stop short from licking the plate clean when the waitress approaches us again. “You guys are welcome to sit here as long as you want. I’m just closing up my end, but the bar will be open for a few more hours.” She points to Liza’s drink that’s half gone. “If you want another one, I can get it now to save you a trip up there.”

Liza looks at me in question.

I smile, encouraging her to do so. “Have another one.”

A drunk Liza could be fun tonight, I selflessly think.

“Sure, why not? A Jack and Seven.”

“Sounds good. I’ll get that and bring you your bill as well.”

“Thank you,” I say.

“Jack and Seven?” I question, realizing I didn’t even ask before what she was drinking. “So, no girlie drinks for you?”

She shrugs. “My sister and I used to go to concerts, and we’d bring a bottle of Jack and 7Up to drink in the parking lot before it started. It was cheaper that way.”

“You don’t talk about your sister much.”

She sighs. “I don’t talk to her that much now either. We used to be super close, but she’s got herself mixed up with the wrong guy, the wrong crowd, the wrong path in general. She won’t talk to me because she knows I’m not okay with it all. She’ll see though. At least I pray she will before it’s too late.”

“What do your parents think?”

“She was always a handful, so they know the more they pry, the more they will push her away. I think that’s one of the reasons they were encouraging me to come here. They didn’t want me to get mixed up with the wrong crowd too.”

“Yet you’re here with me,” I tease.

She laughs out loud. “Yet I’m here with you. I think they’d still approve.”

I reach out to hold her hand with the biggest grin across my face.

The waitress brings our check and her drink. I pay the bill as we sit and talk some more before Liza moves to stand up.

“Man, that drink has gone right through me. I’ll be right back.”

I watch as she makes her way through the bar toward the restroom. A few minutes go by, and when she doesn’t come back into my view, I start to worry. I give it a few more minutes, then decide to go investigate to make sure she’s okay.

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