Chapter 1: Meet Cute

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It's loud and warm as I enter the bar but I expected nothing less on a Saturday night.
I make my way towards the bar to order myself a drink. It's full, groups of people are crowding multiple places and hogging each table. There are no free tables to sit at, so I decide to sit at the bar.

Being here all by myself is a little weird but none of my friends were available tonight and I just needed to go out and grab a drink. My week has been exhaustingly long and busy. I'm craving fun and some relaxation, a bar seemed perfect for that occasion.

I slide into a stool at the bar and flag down a bartender to order a beer. My eyes dart around the room, watching different people.
There's a bachelorette party in one corner, so it will stay as loud as it is, if not get louder. But it's fine, they are allowed to have fun and if I want to leave, I can just do so.

My apartment is quiet and waiting for me but I needed to get away from quiet for tonight.

The bartender puts the beer down in front of me before hurrying to the next person. A lot of people would mind the loud noises of the bar but I don't. It helps to quiet down my thoughts that are still a little occupied with work. If working is all you did pretty much all week, it's the last thought you wanna have in a bar at night.

I take a long sip from the beer, enjoying how the cold drink runs down my throat. My plan isn't to get drunk today, I just wanna have some fun, drink something and watch some people. It can be fun to watch other people and think about what their life could be like.

My eyes settle on the first person for this game. A woman, maybe a few years older than me, around her thirties. Her hair dark in the light of the bar. Maybe brown but I'm not quite sure. It's loosely put up with just a few strains falling out to frame her face. Her eyes are glued to the drink in front of her. Something colorful, probably a cocktail.
She likes things sweet, probably prefers berries over citrus fruits. The pointer finger of her right hand brushes over her left ring finger, maybe she forgot to put on a ring tonight.

Probably one that would have matched with the silver necklace she is wearing. It's simple and reflects the lights that dance around the room. Her cleavage doesn't show very much but the fabric beneath is tight, allowing me to see the curves of her breasts but nothing more because the rest is covered by the bar she is also sitting at.
Still, I would bet it's a dress that hugs the rest of her body just as closely.

Now I just gotta come up with her backstory. She doesn't look sad or overly excited, so no breakup or first date. By her posture, I'd almost say she is a little shy. Maybe she was brought here by a friend but that friend abandoned her to talk to some guy. Now she is sitting at the bar by herself and waits for her friend to return. Or she is part of the bachelorette party but got sick of it or got sent away. But I doubt that, she would be wearing a sash then, just like the others do.

Suddenly, her eyes move up, shortly dance over the crowd and then land on me. I freeze, hoping she didn't notice my staring. I tend to get carried away when I play this game.

She studies me for a few moments before looking down at her drink again, fidgeting with her fingers. I let out a small breath, glad she didn't notice my staring. Still, I'm quick to find another person to concentrate on.

This time a man at one of the tables. He laughs loudly and throws his head back. This morning, he didn't have time to shave his short beard, so it's a little wild right now. His buddies from college wanted to go out tonight and he agreed, offering to buy the first round of drinks. He works a high paying job, if his shirt is any indication.
Outside, there is somewhere probably an expensive car parked that belongs to him. He doesn't drink tonight, as he is playing the driver of the group.

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