Achievement Unlocked

Chapter 7

Gavin looked up at me and smirked. 

"What's the look for?" I asked, leaning against the bar.

"I bet I can beat your time." He challenged. 

"Go for it," I smiled at him and looked up at Geoff. "You got the timer?"

"Ready." He said as Gavin called over the bartender once again and ordered himself and I a tray of drinks. 

Gavin winked at me and picked up his glass, nodded at Geoff, then threw back his head and began to drink. When finished, Gavin slammed the glass down and tried to catch his breath.

"Time?" Gavin asked, seemingly in pain.

"You alright, Buddy?" Geoff placed a hand on Gavin's shoulder.

"Just burns a bit. Time?" Gavin asked again. 

"10.17 seconds." Geoff smiled to himself. 

"What?!" Gavin asked and picked up my drink. 

"Come on man, you can do this!" Geoff encouraged him. 

"Oh God." I whispered softly and Gavin began to drink my beer. 

Gavin emptied the glass and sputtered. 

"Time?"

"9.12 seconds." Geoff answered. 

"Oh, come on!" Gavin groaned and picked up another glass off of the tray and grunts to himself in a voice full of competitive spirit, "This is gonna be it." 

"Ready?" Geoff asked. Gavin nodded and began to drink. 

Gavin finished, and before he could set the glass down, Geoff said, "7.02."

"Damnit!" Gavin shouted in a playful manner. 

"Come on man, you can do this," Geoff began, "I've seen you do better."

Gavin breathes in deeply and goes for it again. 

And again.

And again. 

Until finally, Geoff shouts, "5.54 seconds! You did it man!" 

"Yes!" Gavin celebrated and jumped up, catching his foot on the lower rail of the bar stool and sent himself tumbling to the floor. Geoff and I erupt into laughter as Gavin stood up, slowly recollecting himself. 

"God, you're such a dumb ass." Geoff laughs.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want, you punk sluts. I still won." Gavin chuckled and returned to his seat next to mine. 

"Hey, you guys up for a round of pool?" Geoff asks, taking one of the few remaining drinks from the tray. 

"I'm down." I said quickly, eager to play as Gavin stood up and led me over to the tables, following Geoff. Gavin went over to the cue stands and pulled out two, handing one to me as Geoff fished four quarters out of his front pocket, feeding them to the machine. He racked the balls and grabbed a cue for himself, asking, "Who's breaking?"

"Not me." I quickly said.

"I'll do it!" Gavin perked up and smiled wide, Geoff rolled him the cue ball and Gavin proceeded to break the clean triangle that Geoff had created. The billiards balls scatter across the table, and three of them drop into pockets. Gavin counts them out loud: one stripe, two solids. Gavin continues his turn, putting another one down, leaving himself set up for his next shot. He puts that one down, as well.  Then another. Geoff makes a stupid joke about him running the table like some kind of pool shark. Finally he misses, and it's now my turn. I try to copy the positions Gavin was making, trying not to look like the only idiot in the world who doesn't know how to play pool. Gavin notices the unsure way I positioned myself as I lean in to take the shot and says, "Here, let me show you."

Gavin sets his drink down on the edge of the table and stands behind me. He covers my right hand, near the butt of the cue, with his, placing his left hand beneath mine, resting on the green felt. He explains to me that the key is a "straight follow-through", and demonstrates by smoothly sliding the cue through my hands two or three times before his forearm hits his beer glass, sending it to the floor. Geoff begins laughing as I jump back, "Oh, shit, your dri--" I began, but Gavin doesn't even acknowledge it. Still holding my right hand, he thrusts the pool cue firmly forward, sending one of his stripes into the corner pocket. "Got it?", he asked.

"Now, you try it." He said, flashing me a large grin, then stepping back. 

"I, I don't, uhm..." I stuttered. Geoff gave me a knowing smile and rested his weight on his cue. I looked up at Gavin, who gave me a reassuring smile. I looked up at Gavin who had walked around the table to watch my take my shot. I took a deep breath and took my turn.I slightly tap the cue ball which barely hits the ball I was aiming it. It slowly made it's way towards the corner pocket, but doesn't make it in. 

"It's Gavin's turn." Geoff pointed out. Gavin walked over to the other side of the table and positioned himself. His head shot up. 

"Do you know what song is playing?" He asked, facing me. 

"...No?" I responded, confused. 

Gain flashed a smile and shot up, He planted his pool cue on the floor and grasped it near the top as if holding a microphone. Trying to join in with the voice of the Outfield coming through the jukebox, he sang in a warbly voice. "I just wanna usee your love, tooniiiihht, wooooaah, I don't wanna loooose your loovee, tooniiiihhttt!"

I giggled as Geoff shook his head slowly, with Gavin still rocking out. 

I knew tonight was going to be awesome.