A Greater Good (girlxgirl)

Pub Talk

6 Months Later

The pub sat on a corner of a busy street in Dublin with a bell sitting above the door to chime when someone entered and it rang out the day that Everlyn walked in, echoing off the polished wood floors. It was warm and cosy, a wood fire roared in the corner and inviting looking people sat around talking either at the bar or surrounding the tables.

Everlyn smiled back at a kind looking old woman, everyone in this city was so nice and friendly. She made her way to the bar and sat down, she unwrapped her scarf and peeled off her jacket as the bartender made her way to her.

"What can I get you?" she asked, she was pretty Everlyn noticed and maybe interested? She was so out of practise at picking up signs.

Everlyn noticed she was staring and quickly tucked her hair behind her ear to look busy. "Ah... just a lemonade please."

The bartender raised an eyebrow at her. "An Aussie? You're a long way from home."

Everlyn smiled and shrugged. "Travelling."

"I'll get you something a little stronger," the bartender said and winked.

Everlyn smiled, she felt herself blush and looked out the window to avoid being seen acting like a teenager. The bartender moved away and Everlyn took a deep breath, she needed to relax, she deserved to relax after everything that had happened. For six months she'd travelled the globe alone on a quest to forget everything she'd done to James and to forget Jane full stop, and with guilt she had to admit that while she'd managed to go a couple of days without thinking about James (and when she did think about him, it was often to wonder how he was coping), Jane was somehow in the back of her mind even as she sat in the old pub with rain pelting the sides of the window and air mixed with smoke and beer. She wished that Jane was by her side, making her laugh about something that had happened on the ferry from England or what they'd seen together in Italy. 

A pint of beer was placed in front of her and she looked back at the smiling bartender.

"Thanks," Everlyn said and took a sip.

"So... what brought you to Dublin?" the bartender asked, settling in for a story. 

Everlyn looked at her from over the top of her beer, and using the excuse of having a mouth full of liquid to answer, took her time to really study her. She had blonde hair pulled up into a rough bun and pale, freckly skin. Her nose was peirced and her left ear was lined with piercings as well, she looked cheeky and rebellious. 

Everlyn put her beer down and shrugged again, the bartender mimicked her shrug and Everlyn found herself laughing. "What's your name?" Everlyn asked.

"Jade," she replied.

"Are you serious?" Everlyn asked with a slight groan in her voice.

"Yeah... why?"

Everlyn sighed. "My ex was called Jane... well, kinda."

"She was kinda called Jane...?"

"Kinda my ex."

"There's has to be an interesting story in that."

Everlyn nodded. "There is." She looked out the window.

"Well come on, you have to tell me."

Everlyn looked back at Jade and laughed. "Why's that?"

"Because I'm bored and it'll entertain me and if it's really bad, you don't even have to see me ever again."

Everlyn took a deep breath and nodded, she was right she didn't ever have to see Jade again if I felt horrible after telling her everything. "She was my fiancé's sister, he had no idea that I was having an affair with her for about 40 precent of our relationship including the lead up to the wedding. Then I called it off and told him everything, he was heartbroken, I was upset about what I'd done so I left Australia and I haven't been back in six months."

Jade whistled a low whistle then laughed. "That came out of left field and defiantly entertained me, so thank you."

"You're welcome." Everlyn took a long swig of her beer.

"That's fairly porn like," Jade said and smiled.

Everlyn smiled back at her and nodded. "I know, and we were best friends."

"And that's really lesbian."

Everlyn laughed. "I know."

Someone else walked in the pub and Jade looked down at them and back at Everlyn looking like she'd rather stay and talk than do her job. 

"I'll be back," Jade farewelled and walked away to serve the customer.

Everlyn pulled out her phone, it was 3 in the afternoon and she already felt tired. Travelling around was starting to take it out of her and her money was starting to run out so unless she wanted to stay unemployed and virtually homeless, she'd have to return home and face her family at some stage. She looked down at the bar and saw Jade filling a pint, they caught eyes and smiled at each other.

"Just going to the toilet," Everlyn mouthed and Jade nodded.

Jade would be a good hookup, Everlyn thought as she headed to the bathroom. She seemed low maintenance, no stress, funny, plus she was leaving Dublin in a week to her next destination which she was yet to work. The major advantage of Jade would be that she didn't look like Jane, not like all of the other rebounds Everlyn had had. She tried to make herself feel guilt when she was sleeping with them over the fact she was just having sex with them because of their resemblance to the woman back home that she couldn't have, but after three months of trying to force herself to feel bad she gave up. She couldn't even make herself feel bad that she hadn't even looked at a man since the end of her engagement. 

She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror after washing her hands and took a deep breath. Dark bags had formed under her eyes and although seeing different things and meeting people had been fun and a good distraction from everything, she couldn't run from everything that was hurting for much longer.

She tucked her hair behind her ears and walked out of the bathroom, she was ready to ask Jade when her shift ended and if she wanted to inspect her hotel room with her when her eyes fell on the girl that had taken her seat. She stop in her tracks and nearly fainted as the glossy black hair of Jane swung off her shoulder when she turned to meet Everlyn's eyes.