The Asher Complex

03: Impression

POPPY

The line to get into Esquire wraps around the block, and we've been waiting impatiently for twenty minutes. You would think that such a prestigious establishment would have enough common decency to install heat lamps so that their patrons don't die of hypothermia before getting the honor of spending twenty dollars on a freaking martini. The bouncer even had the audacity to shoo us away when we said we had a table reserved. 'Everyone has to wait in line.' What's the point of a reservation then?!

"Stop fidgeting, Poppy!" Priya whispers as we approach the front of the line. "Just act cool."

"I am acting cool, Priya. I'm just freezing my butt off and this line is moving slower than molasses!" I complain as I hug myself.

I've been to a bar only one other time in my life, and I used my sister's driver's license to get in. We're two years apart but look almost identical, except her hair is a tad darker than mine and she was blessed with 20/20 vision. If it weren't for Daisy, I probably wouldn't have met Gabriel. She dragged me to a party at the beginning of my junior year which was held at Gabe's. He was cute, dorky and made my heart melt at first sight. But that was a few years ago. A lot has changed.

I look down at the card in my hand and take a deep breath. The fake IDs say we're both 22 and from Virginia. I thank my lucky stars that it didn't say we were older, although with the amount of gunk on my face, I could easily pass for 35.

"Oh, thank goodness," I mutter as the couple in front of us are ushered through the black velvet stanchions. "About time."

Priya pinches my arm. "Hush." And then she smiles back at the bouncer. "We're back."

Just as we're about to pass our IDs to the bouncer, two tall, clearly intoxicated man-boys barge in front of us.

"Hey! There's a line," I exclaim as I put my arm in front of them. Both of them look at me, and holy crap, they're good-looking.

The taller one is huge and looks like he could pummel an entire S.W.A.T. team with one swing of his fist. His eyes are ridiculously green but they're bloodshot and lazy. Just kidding, I retract my previous statement, he's probably so stoned right now he could barely spell S.W.A.T. The second man-boy is slightly shorter yet perfectly toned. His shaggy styled light-brown hair wisps down into his eyes, and they're the darkest eyes I've ever seen, like coal, but they somehow glisten like diamonds. There's something about his face that seems familiar, but I can't place him.

"Are you going to let us through, sweetheart?" Man-boy number one asks with a smile and I realize I've been staring.

"No," I state sternly. Hot or not, they're being rude. "As I said, there's a line." I motion to all the people standing behind us.

"Sweetie." Stoned-face laughs as he pats his buddy on the back. "We don't wait in line."

Ugh, so pompous.

"Really? Are you afraid that you won't be able to stand in line without falling asleep?" I tilt my head as I cross my arms. "Are you even sober enough to get inside?"

They must be drunk to think that they can budge in front of us. Rules are rules, and if the bouncer can force two tiny shivering girls to wait in line, I'm sure the same rules apply to the man-boys.

"Man, you really don't know who we are, Do you?" Red-eyes shakes his head. "This is-"

Charcoal-eyes interrupts his friend with a soft chuckle as he runs a hand through his disheveled hair and nods at the bouncer. "It's cool, Justin. They can go first."