Changing paths

As cold as ice

Lana's POV

Having served customers drinks for the last 3 hours I decided it was probably time that I should take a break. ‘Hey Laura I’m taking my break. Will that be ok?’ I ask across the bar. It had quietened down considerably enough to be able to leave Laura and a couple of others to serve.
   ‘Yeah that’s fine. Ooh look out for Joe he said he’d be in around now’ she smiled to herself.
    ‘Will do’ I reply turning around to leave the bar area. I decided to take my break where the customers were so I could keep an eye out for Joe.
    ‘Laura!’ I hear someone shot across the crowded bar. I turn to see Joe looking directly at Laura who had also spotted him. They looked like a couple of lovesick teenagers.
   ‘Ugh I know, it’s a total gag fest with them two’ I hear someone say beside me. I had almost forgot that Joe had come with Ash until I looked up to see her making a gagging motion which made me chuckle.
   ‘Totally’ I agree as we both turn back to watching Joe and Laura making eyes at each other.  A moment later I feel her presence sit down beside me.
   ‘How much time have you got?’ she asks peering at my uniform.
    ‘About half an hour’ I say checking the time.
    ‘Better than 5 minutes’ I hear her mumble to herself before chuckling. She turns back to look at me in the eyes. ‘Can I ask you something?’ she asks.
   ‘Um I guess so’ 
   ‘Why’d you ask Laura about me?’ she says looking at me slyly.
    ‘Um uh’ I stutter.  ‘I just thought I recognised you from somewhere and I’m racking my brain to find out where from’ I answered truthfully.
    ‘Oh ok’ she says quietly.
    ‘So do we know each other from somewhere?’ I ask pushing for an answer still wondering why she looked so familiar. She looks down at her hands before looking back up.
    ‘Maybe…then again maybe not’ I frown at her answer before she laughs at my expression.
    ‘You look so damn familiar and I don’t know where from’ I huff.
    ‘Well of course I do. We met the other night’ she adds unhelpfully.
    ‘You’ve seen me before too I saw it in your face’
    ‘Ok…we have met once’ she starts to say.
    ‘Go on where from?’ I push further.
   ‘It was a while ago on a night out. You knocked me over’
    ‘I’ve never knocked anyone out, I never fight’ I rack my brain for a time I’ve knocked someone out.
    ‘No no not knocked out, knocked over. I caught my shoulder on yours and lost balance and ended upon my butt. It was kind of embarrassing’ she explains. I rack my brain even further before remembering the event. Not every day your shoulder lands someone on the floor. I then distinctly remember her face, her eyes, her hands…I shake my head out of the train of thoughts I was currently having. I begin to smile.
   ‘I remember’

Ashley POV

‘Well I guess I better get going’ I stutter unsure of what else to say.
    ‘Of course. Actually I better get back to work. Perhaps we can meet after my shift if you’re still out? I finish at 12 tonight’ she asks.
    ‘Ok yeah I’m sure me and Joe will still be strutting our dance moves’ I joke.
    ‘Oh I’d love to see that’ she says sincerely which makes me cough a little unsure what to say.
    ‘I’m sure you wouldn’t’ I finally get out.
    ‘I bet you’re an amazing dancer’ she smiles with no hint of sarcasm.
     ‘Well maybe you’ll find out later’ I smile back suddenly halting. That sounded like flirting didn’t it? Wait did I make any gestures to make it look that way? Lana’s facial expression remains the same just smiling intensely. ‘Um yeah Laura has my number so maybe I’ll see you later.’ I add picking up my coat and leaving.
    ‘Yeah see you later’ I hear her call out after me as I exit the bar.
    I breathe in the fresh air as the chill of the night hits me. I shake my head. Why did this girl have to come into my life and mix it up all over again? ‘I don’t even know her’ I scold myself. But I was getting to know her now. She isn’t just a random crush this time. Someone I would never see again. She was real and she knew my friends and now I was getting to know her. ‘Perhaps she’ll turn out to be really horrible’ I mumble to myself. ‘I’m with Charley and Lana’s straight’ I continue mumbling to myself like a mad person. So I should probably shake her from my mind and never see her again.
    ‘You ready to go?’ I hear Joe approach me from behind. I turn around with a huge smile on my face covering any confusion I currently had running around in my mind.
   ‘Of course’ I reply grabbing his arm and pulling him in any direction away from our current location.

We find ourselves at a new club, me and Joe look at each other both obviously underdressed but Charley told us this is where her and her friends would be. We walk up confidently to the large guys on the entrance. ‘Yeah you have trainers on so you’re not allowed to come in’ one of them says to a couple of guys.
   ‘Oh come on just let us in’ one of the men complains. I look at Joe as he gulps at how scary these bouncers were. Finally it was our turn. The larger bouncer looks at Joe frowning before turning to me.
   ‘I guess if I don’t let this guy in you won’t go in either’ he says to me pointing at Joe.
   ‘Well actually…’ Joe hits my arm as I begin to speak. ‘No sir, I promised him the night of his life’ I chuckle.
   ‘I guess the lady saved you this time mate. Next time strict no trainers policy. Got it?’ the big bouncer scowls at Joe.
   ‘Yes uh sir’ he almost stutters before we step up the door.
   ‘Wow strict dress code. I bet this place isn’t even all that’ I kid before we step inside. Mine and Joes mouth drops simultaneously.  ‘Classy’ I mouth. The place was all metallic and shiny and new. No sticky floors or busted speakers here.
   ‘You know I couldn’t imagine Charley to want to go somewhere like this’ Joe says beside me.
    ‘Neither could I, oh I guess we better find them’ I add.
   
   ‘Hey lovely’ I whisper into Charley’s ear as she sits down at a bar. I suddenly realised how embarrassing it would have been if it hadn’t been her luckily for me I knew her well even from the back. She turns around with a huge grin on her face.
   ‘Ashy!’ she squeals before pulling me onto her lap.
   ‘Wow what a welcome’ I choke out pulling myself away from Charley’s tight grip. ‘I know you missed me but you don’t need to squish me to prove it.’ I pull up and sit on a sit beside her.
  After a couple of drinks I turn around to face the crowd congregated onto the dance floor. Ah crap so much for never seeing her again.

Lana POV

‘See ya later girlies’ I call across the bar. We were still quite busy but me and Laura both finished at 12 tonight.  I turn to Laura who was now beside me. ‘So do you want to grab a couple of drinks now?’ I ask. I knew her answer would be yes as long as she could see Joe.
    ‘Can we go and see Joe?’ she asks as if on cue. I nod.
   ‘Sure’ I smile unsure of why I was so excited about going out for drinks.
    ‘Yay…I mean yeah we should go out for drinks, I’ll text him now’ she grins.
    We follow the directions to the club they were currently in. As we enter Laura and Joe automatically spot each other through the crowd. I watched as they made their way to each other, it was overly lovey dovey to be honest, I don’t think me and Tyler have ever been like them two. I also skim the crowd with my eyes knowing full well who I was looking for but not admitting it to myself. I spot Ash from behind next to the bar with a couple of other people. As I make my way over she turns around on her chair obviously immediately spotting me as she stiffens on the spot as if she’s just turned to ice. I smile and wave noticing the girl beside her turning to. I recognised her as Charley from the party, for some reason I’m disappointed to see her with Ash but I guess it should have been expected she is her girlfriend after all. Shrugging to myself I make my way over to Ash and Charley.
   ‘Hey. So I persuaded Laura to see Joe’ I smile. ‘It was really difficult’ I laugh. Ash breaks her icy exterior and smiles.
   ‘Yeah I’m sure Laura was really difficult to persuade. God knows she would never want to see Joe’ she chuckles back.
   ‘Hi’ Charley breaks our conversation.
    ‘Oh yeah Charley this is Lana you met already at the New Year’s party’ Ash says to Charley who looks confused.
    ‘Oh hey guess I can’t remember too much from that night’ she giggles clearly embarrassed.
   ‘I’ll go and get some drinks’  Ash says before trying to find the barman.
   ‘So how’d you guys meet? You obviously know everyone already’ Charley asks.
    ‘Funny story actually. Me and Ashley practically go way back. My shoulder caused her to lose balance and fall over’ I laugh before stopping as I watch Charley’s face go suddenly serious.
     ‘Oh yeah funny’ she replies with no emotion. I suddenly think maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.