“That was fast.” The not-Sean looked at Dennis curiously, earning himself a‘keep going and I’ll kill you’ expression in return.“Interesting.”He chuckled and walked away.
I spent a second trying to figure out what it meant before deciding I didn’t care. I turned to Mateo instead.“Thanks again. I’ll get the next round.”
“Yeah, sure.” His attention was already elsewhere, on some cute girl he was making eyes with across the room.“I’ll be back.”He grabbed the boilermaker and headed toward the woman.
“That was fast.”I took a sip of my lovely drink, watching him weave through people.
“He does that. Typical ladies’ man.” Dennis sipped his own while I took everything in.
The bar was so much more detailed than before. I could hear so many conversations at once, so many distinct voices coming from all areas of the room. Every tone. Every laugh. Every shuffle of a foot, each strike of a pool ball, every commercial playing on the quiet televisions that I’d never heard beneath the music. It was overwhelming.
“You better not touch my drink again.” My eyes narrowed when a familiar face took Mateo’s abandoned stool.
“Why would I do that? You’re one of us now.”Melissa propped an elbow on the bar.
“How does everyone know? Is it that obvious?”
“The slower heartbeat helps. We can hear these things, remember?”She laughed as I let out an‘oh’ of realization.“Anyway, you’re radiating now. Your eyes are different, you have fangs, you’re moving more gracefully and it’s not too hard to tell you can see things clearer. It doesn’t take much to notice.”I hadn’t expected such a detailed answer. I took another sip of my drink.“I wanna get to know you. Tell me about yourself.”
“No, thanks. I’m good.”
She shrugged and looked to Dennis instead.“What made you change her so soon?”
“None of your business,”he said. I smiled and kept drinking. His meanness was making me happy. I love when people I like dislike the same people as me. Wow, that is a confusing sentence.“Are you okay?”he asked me.
“I’m fine. Why?”I watched him over the rim as I finished my drink.
“Your thought processis all over the place. It’s worse than usual.”
I stared at him but didn’t know what to say. Instead of responding I set the empty glass down and looked around. I needed to seduce someone, and fast. It was drink time. Or third drink time. Second fancy drink time, because whiskey out of a flask doesn’t really count as a drink. Like a movie! They always have fancy colorful drinks in movies. But at the same time they always end up sober and I don’t have the time or patience for that because—
“I’ll get you anotherone,”Dennis said.“As long as you stop saying dumb shit in my head.”He waved the bartender over.
“I wasn’t even thinking about you. How do you always do that?”
He shrugged a shoulder.“You think about me too much?”
I stared at him suspiciously. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t thinking about him, but then again my head is foggy and I can’t really tell. So I’ll go with it for now.
“What else can I get you?”The bartender’s eyes drifted to me as he leaned on the bar.
“Whatever she wants,”Dennis said.
“Mmm, so many choices.”I tapped my cheek.“I want the same thing as him,” I decided. “Old fashioned.”
“You want anything else, D?”He turned to Dennis, who shook his head.
“Aw, and you’re getting her drinks. You’re so cute,”Melissa cooed, clasping her handsas she looked between us. “So I’ve been thinking, you should ditch your crazy boyfriend and hang out with us instead. What,” she cocked an eyebrow at Dennis’ impassive stare, “you don’t wanna share? Or do you actually think you’re not crazy?” He sipped his drink, expression still unreadable. “Anyway, I like you. You should come with us sometime.”
“For what?” I droned.
“To get to know each other,” she said cheerily. “Girl talk. Killing humans. Whatever you want. At least think about it?”
I considered for a second, eyeing her flawless outfit and confident smile. She really was charming in a borderline hostile way. If she’d started off nicer, we probably would’ve gotten along; I could always get over a petty fight. But the fact she’d been so rude to Ari was enough to hold a grudge until I died.
“Nope.” I turned away just as the bartender presented my new drink. I happy danced and thanked him and Dennis.
“You owe me.” Dennispulled cash out and set it on the bar.
