The Intrusion

Twelve

[Jordan]

"You know, Jordan, this is actually really fun," Andy shouts over the music and noisy conversations saturating the bar.

It's around 10:30pm. After Andy and I finished the first Long Island's, we ordered a second round. In between that and our next drinks, I convinced him to take two shots with me. Now we are both just drinking beer. I'm very tipsy at this point, but Andy is definitely drunk. Not just tipsy. He's drunk.

"I like talking to you, Jordan," he continues. "Which is weird for me, because usually I hate talking to people." He pauses for a second. "No offense."

"What makes you hate people so much, Andy?" I ask him, carrying on the conversation and biding my time a little bit longer. We're almost there. After he finishes this beer, he'll definitely be drunk enough, and I'll be able to get him to tell me why we recognize each other.

"Oh, I don't hate people, Jordan. I just hate talking to them." He takes another sip of his drink. "But you're okay."

"You flatter me." I smile and chuckle. I'm not sure if it's really a compliment, but I don't think I care either way.

"Can I draw you sometime?" he asks me suddenly.

"Draw me?" I've never had someone ask me if they could draw me before. "Um, sure, I don't see why not."

"I used to like to draw people a lot, but I haven't been drawing people recently. I haven't been inspired by any people lately. But you inspire me."

I think I blush a little. "Why do I inspire you?"

"Because you are so beautiful," he tells me matter-of-fact-ly.

Wow.

He is wasted.

I think I must have underestimated how much of a lightweight he is. He's only had what, three beers, two Long Island's, and two shots? Hmm, I guess that is quite a bit in just two and a half hours. I kind of feel like a jerk now for intentionally getting him drunk like this.

"You're so beautiful, Jordan," he continues, interrupting my thought.

My cheeks burn, and I'm sure they must be turning red. I've never had someone give me a flat-out compliment like this before. I don't know how to respond.

"I've thought so, ever since the first time I saw you."

Wow, even my chest and forehead are burning now. I give myself a shake.

"When you first saw me when we ran into each other on the street earlier this evening?" I snap myself back to the present. This is it. I'm going to trip him up now. He lied about seeing me in the lobby of my building before, but I'm sure he's forgotten about that by now.

He shakes his head and smiles at me. He does have a nice smile, at least.

"No, not earlier today," he tells me. "I've seen you before then. I've seen you... I've seen you at your window. I was watching you."

His smile contorts into this creepy, drunken grin as he takes another sip of his beer.

What? What the fuck does he mean? Watching me?

A ripple of goosebumps spreads across my arms. He's been watching me. I need to get away from him. I need to get the hell out of this bar right now. I have half a mind to just get up and dash back to my building, up the stairs and into my apartment and...

(Close the blinds.)

But I can't move. I'm frozen.

Paralyzed.