LEMONS / 𝗺𝗹𝗺 (✓)

1: where they meet

CHAPTER ONE
where they meet

Kalen noticed him the first night he was there.

The man with the black jacket, just as black jeans and the raven-colored locks was new and Kalen had been able to tell so with the way he hesitated. He hesitated when he stood in the doorway, hesitated when he finally stepped inside, hesitated when he sat down on the barstools, hesitated when he was supposed to ask for a drink.

The man who sat on the chair like he felt completely out of place didn't say anything and just looked around as he waited. Waited for something Kalen couldn't tell what was.

He approached him with a glass in his hand and a cloth in the other as usual when the customers wouldn't wave him over immediately or rudely shout their orders at him. The bartender leaned against the counter as he requested, "A drink?"

It was usually then the new customer would throw a smile at Kalen, telling him how bold they were and either ask for a drink Kalen had made enough times to recreate it in his sleep or for recommendations.

This customer didn't seem to hear him as he just kept looking the other way and Kalen frowned as he knocked on the counter right in front of the stranger's arms.

Once he had his attention, Kalen thought he looked at him as if he wasn't really there with his eyes beneath by his dark locks.

"Can I get you anything?" Kalen tried again and didn't avert his eyes from the stranger's.

The man who had the face of someone the same age as Kalen, looked at something behind the bartender's head, then nodded but said nothing.

"Anything specific in mind?"

"No," Kalen almost didn't hear him, "Just... something strong, I guess."

Kalen nodded even though the stranger wasn't looking at him anymore as he sat down the glass he had in his hand and swung the cloth over his shoulder, so it wouldn't get in the way of him making the drink for the customer. He studied the male before he questioned, "Rough day?"

The stranger in front of him didn't hesitate with replying, "Rough life."

"Care to share?"

This time he looked Kalen directly in the eye as he muttered, "No."

Kalen finished up the drink as he continued, pressing something he hadn't known he wasn't supposed to, "Sometimes it helps to tell a stranger about the shit that goes down. It's easier. A lot of people here do it."

The customer didn't even look at the drink given to him as he responded with, "I don't care what a lot of people do here. I'm not like them."

He should've known not to go further — he knew Joe hated when he did so, but Kalen couldn't stop himself from mumbling, "That's a brave statement coming from someone doing exactly what they are—"

"I said I'm not like them," the stranger snapped, somehow his voice still low and with nothing near malice in it as he grabbed his drink. Kalen thought he was going to leave with it — maybe even throw it at him — but instead, he just clutched on to it as if he was trying to keep himself from punching Kalen in anger. And who knew, maybe he was.

"Not those assholes," he gestured around the room, "who's here to act like life doesn't suck and like getting wasted is going to help them for shit, so don't compare me to them."

The man didn't let his fire of eyes leave Kalen's and Kalen...

...Kalen didn't like getting snapped at.