Journey Into The Aftermath |✔

Chapter six: Mountain Pass

"Celebrating alone?" Dr. Hanson jested wistfully with a bit of sarcasm in her voice as she approached Greyson at a bar stool. He was in the middle of a second shot of a vodka cranberry in a local bar down Fifth Avenue. It was a public strip that was filled with little pubs and all types of bars, including a gentleman's club at the far end. This particular bar was very common for the locals as it was used for every situation in life: sorrow over a divorce, victory because of a lucky lottery ticket, for one last drink before you do something regrettable, and of course, karaoke.

It was a classic set up where tables were set up on the outside and inside of the double door entrance that took you through a short hallway and had bathrooms on both sides. The passageway then took you to the rest of the tables on the inside. The liquor bar itself was at the other end of the building and the long table where the drinks were served had a cobra skin design that was made of small white and gold tiles. There were matching bar stools but they were leather instead of tile. They were also adjustable, but because no one could really figure how it worked, that feature was sort of dismissed among the people.

Greyson glanced over his shoulder and spun the drink in his hand before setting it down. "Dr. Hanson" he said, mocking a formal tone while stooping his head in a dramatic bow. He wasn't drunk, but one could tell he was well on his way.

She slid into the seat next to him. "Please, call me Joana" The bartender ambled over after severing someone a couple seats away. "I'll have some whiskey." she ordered boldly. Greyson couldn't help but to give her a second look after hearing her order. He kept his stare as she looked back at him. After about ten seconds they both busted out laughing for apparently no reason at all.

"In that case, call me Eric" he offered. "And if you must know, I am not celebrating alone; I am simply having a nice drink by myself after we got the..."

"You're celebrating alone." she confirmed succinctly.

"Yea, I guess I am," he admitted as he took another sip of his drink. "So if I wasn't here, what would you be doing here?"

"Honestly," she replied. "The same damn thing"

They both laughed a bit more to themselves and they both looked at each other in a way they haven't done before. They laughing slowly died but the stares continued on. It would have been awkward if they weren't looking at each other like the way they are now. She was beginning to take notice of his undying good looks that went so well with his well-groomed beard and gelled dark silver hair. He already knew of her blonde beauty, but now he felt himself being attracted to it. He always saw blondes as people trying to draw attention to themselves, but now he realized that it was...working.

Their bodies slowly came closer and then a loud thunk on the table in front of them interrupted the intimacy. The bartender had come around with her drink and had set it on the table loud enough to get her attention.

Like a spell was broken, they both bounced up at the sound and she gobbled down some of the whiskey. You could tell the liquor hit her hard by tight squeeze of her eyes, but she did a good job of playing it off.

"Are you sure you can handle that?" Eric joked.

"Like how you handling your cranberry?" she countered apprehensively. "You're barely able to stay on the seat without steadying yourself every minute."

His shot his eyebrows up and returned to his drink with a smile on his face. A few seconds passed between them while they finished their beverages.

"You're one tough little cookie, huh?" Eric jested.

Joana glared at the bartender. "Stop standing there and get me another whiskey."

****

~ Skylar ~