Shifted #Wattys2016

LXXXII

Maxine: September

I walk down the street, heading to meet up with my friend. We're heading to a club where I'm hoping I'll be able to score some decent booze. I can't sleep without it is what I once told myself, now I'm drinking just to drink.

We went into the club: Misty and I. (I don't think that's her real name, but she swears by it.) We snuck in, both of us under aged. She knows a guy who let us in through the back door. She went straight to the dance floor, trying to score her drug, whether tonight that's Molly or LSD. I went over to the bar and sat down, talking up the bartender, buttering him up to make me a drink without asking for my ID. Too damn honest (and broke) to get a fake one, so I try other things.

"I have a thing for bartenders,"

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow, not interested, just curious.

I nodded. "Oh yeah, the way they keep things interesting, and always know what the specials are. Or how to surprise someone..."

He nodded. "Would you like to hear the specials? Or should I surprise you?"

"Long Island Iced Tea would be wonderful,"

"Mind if I take a peek at your ID first?"

"Don't bother." I snarled at him and turned away. From the other end of the bar I heard someone order a Long Island Iced Tea. The voice was so familiar.

I looked down and saw Ezra.

"Ezra?"

He smiled at me and took a sip of his drink. He paid the bartender and took the glass. He moved to a seat tucked in the corner. I got up and moved by him. He put the drink in front of me and I took a sip. "Did you order this for me?"

He nodded. "Of course. What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same. I live here, in Chicago."

"Funny. As do I."

"Huh," Something was off about Ezra, something that made me want to get even closer to him even though something told me I shouldn't. I took another sip of the tea. "Well, thanks for the drink. Wanna dance? My friend's around her somewhere,"

Ezra smiled and took my hand, pulling me towards the back of the club. He pushed open the door to the girls' bathroom and locked it behind him. He sat me on the countertop. "How old are you?" He asked, kissing behind my ear.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-two." He voice dropped to a low pitch. "Answer my question."

"Eighteen."

He chuckled. "You're legal." One of his hands explored under my shirt, playing with the strap of my bra.

"Today's my birthday," I lied. It was a month ago, but there's one thing guys give girls on their birthdays, and I wanted it.

"Is it?" He took his hand out from under my shirt. "We should go back to my place then?"

I smiled. "Let me text my friend," I pulled my phone out of my pocket and texted Misty, telling her not to wait up. I put it back in my pocket and hopped off the counter.

I followed Ezra through the club, past the sweaty and dancing bodies and through the front door. We took a cab back to his place, a sleek loft. I sat down my wallet and phone on the counter in the kitchen and started to rummage through his cabinets. I found two whiskey glasses and kept searching for whiskey to put in it.

"Here," Ezra appeared from the other room, holding a bottle of expensive looking whiskey. He poured two glasses.

I downed mine quickly.

"Explain this," I began, taking the bottle of whiskey to the living room. There were huge windows that over looked the city. His apartment was in one of the tallest apartment buildings, but towards the outskirts of downtown. "If you can afford a place like this, and booze this great, what the hell were you doing in the middle of fucking nowhere in that shitty motel?"

Ezra shrugged. "It doesn't really matter, does it?"

I poured more whiskey, drinking this glass much slower. "And another thing: did you even sleep that night? I know I fell asleep before you, but the bed didn't even look slept in."

"I did,"

Ezra stood up. "I'm going to go change," he winked. "I'll be right back." I watched him disappear upstairs, then I took off my jacket and shoes. The dress I wore hugged my body tightly and I wanted that off too. Be patient.

When Ezra came back, he was wearing just a button-down t-shirt and jeans. I wrapped my arms around Ezra, kissing his neck. "Show me the rest of the apartment," I whispered, starting to unbutton his pants.

Ezra picked me up and carried me upstairs, setting me down on his bed. He turned me over and whispered in my ear. "Welcome to the club."