Page 11 of The Blue Rose
I light up, thrilled he actually said yes. “Really? You actually want to go on a real date with me, someone you just met, who just minutes ago ranted about her entire shitty day?”
“Yes, I do, and if you give me your number, we can plan our date.”
A smile lifts my lips. “Wow, that was a pretty sly way of asking for my number.”
“Had to get it sometime tonight,” he says, holding out his hand for my phone.
“Didn’t you ask for my number and not the other way around?” I ask accusingly, handing him my phone anyway. Instead of answering he takes out his ancient flip phone, one I didn’t think a man like him would have. Not that I’m judging, it’s weird for anyone besides older people to not have a smartphone.I take his phone, typing in my name and number, close it and then hand it back,
He hands me mine back, and I see he put his name in as Fox. I look up at him, eyebrows pinched together. “Why did you put fox and not your name?”
He gives me a sinister smile, “Little lamb, you will find out soon enough.”
Getting sucked into his stare once again, I’m shaken from the spell, when I feel my stomach and legs wet. I hear the chair scrape across the floor and Aster looking like he’s about ready to jump over the bar and strangle the person responsible for my wet dress.
Wide eyed, and mortified, tears starting to form. I look up at the smirking bartender. “Oops, my bad, that was an accident, and we’re closed, so leave.”
It was no accident, he knows that, I know that, everyone left here knows that. He could’ve been nice, told us it was closing time, instead he had to pour a drink on me embarrassing me.What did I do to deserve this?
The feeling of embarrassment is gone as I feel it drip down my leg onto my shoes. My hands start to flex, my eyes starting to twitch, and my teeth grinding together.
Before I can even stop myself, my body reacts out of peer rage and I’m out of my chair, “Hey asshole.”
“Excuse me?-” He turns around and I punch him right in the face, hoping to leave a black eye.
“What the fuck?” He screams, holding his eye.
He rears his hand back, and I close my eyes, bracing myself for impact, but the sting never comes. I open my eyes and see Aster has caught the bartender's wrist, rolls of something terrifying coming off of him in waves, it’s anger, sinister, pure hatred. His reaction is pulling at my heartstrings.
The bartender tries to pull his grip out of Aster's hold, but he won’t let go, he won’t speak, he just looks like he’s going to kill him any second. It isn’t until I place my hand on Aster’s shoulder that he’s jolted from his trance releasing his hand. Placing his arm around my shoulder, he throws his leather jacket around me.
I look up at him and whisper, “Thank you.” Hugging his jacket tighter around me.
He looks forward, eyes still glossed over in anger, “He’ll be meeting the Grim reaper soon,” he says menacingly.
Something about his promise should scare me, but with how he was acting towards me the whole night, it doesn't. I only wish I could be there when the messenger of death comes for him.
Stepping outside, I see Jessica sitting on the curb, shivering, waiting by the Uber, she must have ordered for us inside. Why she didn’t get in I don’t understand. She stands up, and opens the door to the Uber, not saying a word and getting in.She’s pissed.
I can’t believe I forgot about Jessica, it’s only September, but it’s a colder night. Both being in dresses, I know she has to be turning into a popsicle. I feel bad, but not enough to want to stop talking. If it wasn’t for this place closing and the bartender, I would stay here all night, probably until the next morning.
Now I’ll never come back.
Before he walks away he grabs my hand and kisses it. “Until next time, little lamb.” The butterflies that were fluttering earlier are now in a full on frenzy.
I stand staring after him, completely in a trance until I feel Jessica pull me towards the Uber.
We get in the car, and I glance back hoping to catch one final look of Aster before he leaves. He’s standing on the sidewalk, watching as our Uber pulls out. Jessica tugs my arm, turningto me with excited expectancy on her face, waiting for all the details.
I tell her everything that transpired, hardly believing the words coming out of my mouth. The Uber driver looks at me with a weird face through the rearview mirror. I look at him with the same face and give him my address.
He shakes his head and mumbles, “crazy bitch.”
I ignore his crude words and go back to telling Jessica about my night. The driver navigates through the city to my house, occasionally looking back at me, but he doesn’t say anything else. The Uber drops me off first, and I hug and kiss Jess goodnight, telling her to text me when she gets home before making my way inside.
Heading straight to my room, I change into my pajamas and hear a ding from my phone. Looking at it, I see it’s from Fox. I go into his contact, changing his name because I like Aster much better than Fox.
Aster
