by R. R. Banks
Hannah smiled as she opened her eyes and looked upon Alexis. “You’re not supposed to ask me that,” she said playfully. “We’re here tonight to take your mind off of that jackass. Tonight is all about you.”
Alexis sighed as she was reminded about the man who had just left her for another woman. Tad, her former lover and current ex-boyfriend was someone who didn’t deserve Alexis or what she had to offer. He was a skinny young man that she met in college that was more of a weasel than a human. He was slimy, crooked, and would say whatever he needed to say to keep Alexis around. “Hey, don’t start dwelling on that cockroach,” said Hannah as she placed her arm around her best friend and pulled her toward her. “He isn’t, and has never been, good enough for you.”
“But he was really sweet,” she replied meekly, prompting Hannah to remove her arm and gaze at Alexis sternly.
“That boy used you for your money and for your vagina!” she shouted, causing the two men who were still hanging around to focus in on their conversation. Hannah turned back to notice them staring, but shrugged her shoulders before turning back to face Alexis. “You are so much better than he is and can do so much better.”
Alexis shook her head as she reached for a small glass on the table in front of her. “Maybe I can just drink the pain away,” she said as she turned up the glass filled with a sweet smelling blue liquid.
Hannah smirked as she reached for her glass and drank it with her. “Well, I suppose there are far worse ideas,” she said as she raised the glass up to her lips and downed it before placing it back on the table and looking into Alexis’s beautiful, brown eyes. “If we have to drink your pain away, then let’s get after it.”
She smiled as she turned and slid down the booth toward the end with Hannah close behind. “Why don’t we try somewhere else?” asked Alexis as she placed her feet on the floor and turned back to look at Hannah. “There are too many creepy guys here for me to really feel comfortable letting go.”
“I understand,” said Hannah as she looked over at the two guys still sitting at the booth, both of whom were not invited to join them but provided a few free drinks. “Where do you have in mind?”
Alexis looked over at the two guys who were really perturbed now. “I don’t know,” she said with a slight wink. “Why don’t we just see where our feet take us.”
Hannah immediately picked up what Alexis was hinting at, knowing that the likelihood of the two men following them to the next bar was extremely likely and that they would be hounded and harassed for the rest of the evening. “We could try O’Conners,” she said, knowing that the two men were listening in and treating every drink that they purchased for the two ladies as an investment.
“Yeah, that sounds like fun,” replied Alexis as Hannah stood up beside the booth and gathered her things. “Do you mind stopping by the rest room before we leave though? They only have one stall in the ladies room and I’d hate to have to wait in a line to use it.”
“Absolutely,” said Hannah. “Why don’t we head back there now and then we head over to O’Conners.” The two men looked over at the girls before looking back at each other, taking the bait and standing up from the booth. Hannah and Alexis walked away, stepping out into a hallway that led to the restrooms before ducking down another hallway that led to another exit. “Good thinking,” she said as they reached a side door and stepped out into the cold, New York City air.
“I’m not really in the mood to entertain a couple of men who are only looking to get into my bed tonight,” said Alexis with a smile as they started walking down the street toward the first cab they could find.
Hannah reached out and opened the door of the yellow cab and allowed Alexis to enter first, climbing into the backseat before getting in herself and closing the door behind her. “Poole’s,” she said as she closed the door and sat beside Alexis. The driver nodded before pressing the accelerator and taking off down the street. “I wasn’t feeling like seeing any of those men again either, to be perfectly honest. I got a bad vibe from them.”
Alexis looked out the window as the passed by the bar to see the two men walking down the street toward O’Conners. “Like what?” she said as she watched them look back toward the door to see if they were going to walk out.
“Like even if we did take them to bed tonight, they wouldn’t know what they were doing,” she replied in a sultry manner.
Alexis laughed. “Really?” she asked. “Your bad feeling centered on what skills they may or may not possess in bed?”
“Yeah,” continued Hannah. “It’s a skill that I deeply appreciate.”
Alexis shook her head as the driver turned down the next street and continued on toward the other end of New York City and the bar that Alexis and Hannah spent a great deal of time at. Poole’s was a friendly establishment filled with people they went to college with, as well as some of the people they worked with. Both girls, both employed by the American Oil Trade and Refiners, had just started their careers a few weeks earlier and had already started making headway. “I hope we don’t run into anyone from work,” said Alexis as she leaned back in the seat and looked straight ahead out the windshield as the people walking along the streets toward their various destinations. “This week has been hard enough already. The last thing that I want to do is to talk about work for the rest of the evening with people I barely know.”
“Absolutely,” Hannah nodded as her blonde hair moved a bit behind her head from the motions. “You’ve been there a few weeks longer than I have and I can already tell that some of the people in that building annoy the hell out of you.”
“It’s not that,” said Alexis.
“Yes it is,” defied Hannah. “It’s because many of them are complacent and don’t want to attack the objectives like you do. They annoy you because they will sit there and do as they’re told instead of simply doing what’s best for them.” She paused before adjusting her hips in the seat and turning to face Alexis. “I know you better than you know you,” she continued. “I know what drives you insane just like you know what makes me homicidal.”
Alexis looked on stone faced without turning to face Hannah, still with her mind dwelling on the man who just broke up with her. “I can’t stop thinking about him, Hannah,” she said as a tear started to form in her right eye. “I cannot stop thinking about what he meant to me and what I could’ve done differently to keep him around.”
Hannah fumed as her eyes widened and she looked upon Alexis with an immense furor. “He was terrible for you and he was terrible to you,” she said vehemently. “At what point will you be able to see that?” She paused and composed herself, seeing that her fury was not helping anything and that Alexis was still becoming more upset. “Look,” she said as she calmed down and placed both of her hands on her thighs. “I know you can’t see it now, but he was not the man that made you a better person. He did not do for you what you need. You did wonders for him and hopefully, he appreciates you for it, but in reality, you’re far better off.”
She turned and looked at Hannah. “What do you mean?”
“Alexis, in relationships, both parties have to give and both parties have to take,” she explained in a much softer, kinder tone. “Both of you have to make each other better and both of you have to complement one another. As a couple, you have to hide his weaknesses and magnify his strengths. You have to offer to the relationship what he can’t, while he has to do the same. The problem that you and Tad possessed was that you were far too headstrong for him. He wanted to sit back and let the world come to him and you want to go after what you want. Instead of him reeling you in and meeting you halfway, which is what should’ve happened, he pulled you all the way down and left you as a shell of who you once were. You used to be a tiger, always out on the prowl ready to strike and take what you thought you deserved. Tad made you less of a person and made you regress into someone who was timid and reluctant to take chances.”
“I would take chances with him!” shouted Alexis defensiv
ely.
“Name one?”
Alexis breathed heavily for a moment while she thought about her past relationship and what alls he accomplished with him. “I took a new job.”
“You were going to take that anyway,” replied Hannah in a snarky tone. “Name a chance you took that you would not have taken if you were not with him.”
Alexis darted her eyes around the cab as she thought, hoping that she would have an epiphany while Hannah looked on with her judgmental eyes. “I’m sure there has been at least one.”
Hannah smirked and turned around in her seat, placing her back against the cushion and looking forward to allow Alexis to stew in her thoughts. “Maybe,” she said as she got comfortable. “You might have taken one.”
“Do you know what it was?” she asked.
“Nope,” replied Hannah. “I sure don’t.”
The cab pulled up to Poole’s and the two women immediately jumped out and stepped up onto the curb. It was an older building with a very unique charm, something that was lost in New York. While many bars and clubs were trying to modernize and become much fancier with more elaborate drinks and exquisite light shows and sound systems, Poole’s always remained the same. The two girls stepped toward the door to see Micky, their favorite bouncer, manning the door. “You girls look nice tonight,” he said as he looked both girls up and down. “I wasn’t expecting the two of you to make it here tonight.”
“Yeah, we tried somewhere else but ultimately decided that we wanted to be here,” said Hannah as she looked over at Alexis. “Sometimes, when you just need a drink and a good time, it’s best to go where you know.”
“And you know this place very well, Hannah Burchfield,” stated Micky with a smile as he pulled a rope back and let the two girls in, not checking their identification because he knew they were of age. They walked into a small hallway to see pictures of all of the regulars scattered about the walls. Many friends and acquaintances that they have met over the years were plastered here so that anyone who decided to come visit would know who this place really belonged to.
“That was a fun night,” said Alexis as she pointed to the picture of the two of them, sitting at a table with a small group of people.
“Yeah, it was,” replied Hannah as she looked closer to see who all was there. While they knew their pictures were up on the wall, they never took the time to look at them and analyze them. In it, though, were people of whom they were still close with and a few more who they’ve lost contact with, but wish they hadn’t. “Let’s not dwell,” said Hannah as she grabbed Alexis by the shoulder.”I’m sure most of them are in here right now.”
Alexis turned her head and walked down the hallway with Hannah. “Probably,” she agreed as they entered a much larger room. It had wooden walls with several metal signs nailed throughout. It looked dingy and dirty, resembling more of a dive bar instead of classy establishment like they just left. The lights that hung from the ceiling were old, incandescent bulbs hung from the ceiling by dusty chains. As they walked in, the dance floor was filled with many people they knew, dancing to several high energy songs while waitresses continuously brought them drinks. The aura of the bar didn’t match what it appeared. Poole’s looked more like a rough-neck biker bar instead of a hole-in-the-wall dance club.
“Oh my God!” screamed a tall, thick brunette from the side of the room and she walked toward both girls with her drink in the air. Her red dress was tight around her hips and thighs, making it difficult for her to walk across the floor, though she shimmied across it in great time to wrap her left arm around Alexis while Hannah looked over to the rest of the group that she was standing with. “I haven’t seen the two of you in forever!”
“Trisha, it’s good to see you,” said Alexis as she pulled her close. “What brings you here tonight? I thought you moved to Chicago?”
“I did, and I’m only here to see my family,” she answered as she let go of Alexis and walked over to Hannah to hug her. “I didn’t know you two were still in town else I would’ve called you.”
Hannah smirked as she looked over Trisha’s shoulder and gave Alexis a perturbed glance. Nothing inside of her made her want to see any of these people again and she knew she was going to be forced to participate in awkward banter. “Hey, go hang out with some of our crew from school,” continued Trisha as she pointed to a table against the wall of the bar. “I’ll come talk to you guys in a few minutes. I need to see a couple more people.”
“Sure,” said Alexis as she and Hannah turned to face the wall. With Trisha walking away to the bar, noticing a few more people that she recognized, Alexis and Hannah started their march toward the small group sitting at a table against the wall. They were, regrettably, a few people that Hannah preferred to distance herself from. She was regarded as a black sheep while growing up with these people and the memories from her awkward relationships with these people did not rank highly in her life. The first she noticed was a short woman named Rebecca Nesbit. Her hair was sandy brown, tied in the back and restrained by a silver clip and hung down to in between her shoulder blades. She wore a brown, low cut shirt that accented her busty chest and tightly fitting blue jeans that fit snugly around her hips. She wore a thick layer of makeup to cover up several blemishes on her face, trying her best to hide years of terrible acne during her adolescence.
Standing in front of her was Harold, or Harry, Wilson. He was slightly taller than Rebecca but was still a fairly short man. His hair was messy and brown, laying on his head like a mop and void of any type of serious care. His appearance was a mess, looking disheveled around all of the handsome and beautifully dressed people. He wore a wrinkly t-shirt with an indie band on it with a pair of black pants that were too long, covering up a pair of old sneakers that were untied. However, appearances were deceiving as Harry was a very successful reporter and editor for the Tribune, holding the accolades of being the youngest ever at the company. What he lacked in personal maintenance, he made up for in his ability to write a captivating story and find out the dirt on any politician or businessman. He was able to find corrupting and incriminating evidence better than any law enforcement entity.
Hannah thought about the memories of her time with Harry and Rebecca, both constantly teasing her for her inability to hold down a relationship with anyone. Throughout her days in high school, Hannah preferred to shop around for different guys. She didn’t know what she was after or what the exact type of guy she wanted, so she preferred to play the field and experience what all of them had to offer. While her friends knew she was picky, others labeled her as a slut and someone who would sleep around for fun. Many of the boys would approach her for a good time, and in a lot of occasions, she would oblige. The criticism from the other girls was cruel, but justified. Hannah slept around because she enjoyed the feeling, not because she wanted the attention. However, as a result of her promiscuity, all of the unattached boys would flock to Hannah, hoping they could make their way into her panties. Harry, a budding reporter on the school newspaper and a vicious gossip, spread awful rumors at the behest of Trisha and Rebecca, hoping to shame Hannah into leaving the boys alone. Jealousy was the reason Hannah was hated and teased, making her high school years tough to handle.
She turned her head away from the two who tormented her in school and looked to see two friendlier faces. The twins, Jonathan and Jennifer Sansby were standing next to a small table, sipping on their drinks. Both were smart, charming, and well-liked, and while Hannah wasn’t very fond of the others in the group, she had nothing but great things to say about the twins. While they weren’t close friends, she didn’t consider them morally repulsive or oddly self-serving like the rest of the group. Jonathan had a great physique, taking great care of himself while serving as a teacher and coach at a public high school. He was wearing a nice, white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of pressed, khaki slacks. His blonde hair was cut neatly and parted to the right.
His sister, Jennifer, looked equally as pr
ofessional as he did. Her blonde hair with silver high lights was curled and hung down just below her shoulders. Her eyes were blue and stood apart from the rest of her soft facial features and pale skin. She was the quieter of the two, but a lot more observant. Her tan sweater and black skirt accented her figure and made her stand out as the most physically fit of the entire group of ladies, with the exception of Hannah. She worked for the New York attorney’s office as one of their rising clerks and was prepared to take a prominent position in politics at a later point in her life. “Hannah, it’s so great to see you,” she said quietly as she leaned in and embraced her.
“I know, it’s been too long,” replied Hannah as she obliged. “I’ve really missed you and your brother.” She pulled back and leaned toward Jonathan, embracing him as he placed his drink down on the table and wrapped his arms around her. “I’ve really missed these arms,” she said seductively.
“I haven’t left New York,” he replied as he kissed her on the cheek they embraced. “You know how to get in touch with the both of us.”
Hannah held her head in shame as she looked down toward the ground and slid her foot along the dirty floor. “It wasn’t because of you two…”
“I know,” said Jennifer as she reached over Jonathan’s arm and grabbed her drink. “Believe me, I completely understand.”
She smiled as Alexis walked up behind her and walked toward Jennifer, wrapping her slender arms around her immediately before doing the same with her brother. “Wow, I was not expecting to see the two of you out here.”
“Yeah, we typically don’t come out to this part of New York,” said Jonathan as he looked out to the bar and motioned for the waitress to come over. “Trisha wanted to come out here to Poole’s and neither Jennifer nor I could come up with a good enough reason to not come out here.”
“This place is our sanctuary,” said Alexis as she watched the waitress walk over. She turned and smiled at the waitress before giving her a hug and a slight peck on her cheek. “The usual, please.”