Faded

Smoke rushed around my head as I entered the bar. One man sat at a table smoking a fat cigar. He head was facing down at a glass with the remains of his first of many drinks. I walked over to the table and placed my hand on his shoulder.

“How’s it going tonight Dave?”

He smiled up at me, but did not say a word, his teeth stained a dark yellow from decades of smoking. He rarely spoke he just sat and smoked while drinking a double scotch with one ice cube.

I approached the bar and took a seat on one of the torn stools. I waited for the bartender by staring at a container of pickled eggs that sat untouched on the black bar top. Some random KISS song played quietly in the background as she walked from the back carrying a six pack. She smiled at me with a perfect set of teeth set against her slightly tanned skin. She knelt down and brushed her brunette hair from her thin face as she put the beer away. She stood up and turned to face me placing her hands on her thin hips.

“What will it be darling?”

“Surprise me.” I stared deep into her brown eyes thinking about an alternate universe where we were together.

She turned back away from me and bent down to grab a bottle of beer from a small refrigerator. My eyes went right to her tiny behind. She stood back up, but my eyes remained on her backside. She once again turned around and my eyes moved from down low up to her eyes out of embarrassment.

She didn't say anything, though she knew I was staring and she could see the sweat accumulating on my forehead . She poured the beer into a frosted pint glass and handed it to me.

“Thanks,” I said as I took a sip: the coldness calmed my nerves and erased some of the beads of sweat. “How have you been?”

“I have been good. It's been busy in here.” We both looked around the bar. It was just the three of us.

“Yeah, real busy.” she chuckled, which made me smile. Her sweet voice and soft laugh always had that affect on me.

“How about you? You haven't been in here in a while.”

“I haven't had a free night,” I lied to her. I just couldn't come here and be around her without the courage to do what I have planned.

She touched the my hand with her, smiled, and then took her hand away and disappeared into the kitchen. My heart beat fast as I starred down at my hand where hers once was.

“Don't be a pussy.” A rusty voice spouted from behind me. I swiveled in the stool to face Dave.

“What?”

“You heard me. Don't be a pussy.” he looked at me from behind his cigar, “Just go for it. Stop being a fucking pussy.”

“I'm not being a. . . “ He cut me off.

“You are. A giant floppy pussy. You come in here and flirt with her an' she flirts with you, but you're a scared pussy.”

“Fuck you Dave.” I snapped knowing he wasn't far off from reality. I turned back to my beer and stared down at it watching the bubbles.

My attention moved from my warming IPA over to the kitchen door as it swung open, I watched as she walked behind the bar and poured a double scotch over one ice cube. I watched as she brought the drink over to Dave, who nodded at me. She took a seat at the bar next to me and I felt my palms instantly become clammy and my heart thump trying to burst out of my chest. I wiped my hand on my jeans and placed it onto her hand. She smiled and looked me in the eyes.

“I missed you,” she said as I leaned in placing a kiss onto her lips. I was afraid it would be returned with a slap, but it was returned with two soft lips and a gentle tongue.

I could sense Dave's smile without even looking back at him.

My nerves were no more washed calm by her touch: by our kiss. We spoke for hours stopping only to stare into each others eyes, or when she had to get Dave a refill.

The moon grew brighter outside shinning into the windows as midnight came and went. I was happy and didn't want to leave, but my eyes grew heavy so I was forced to say good night. She stood up as I did. We embraced and kissed once more.

I left the bar wondering where this new romance was going to take me. I paused in the street and watched my breath vanish into the air. I turned around to take one last look at her behind the bar wiping down a glass. Dave now had his head down on the table a cigar still in his hand.

 An alarm blared and the bar faded as I awoke.