“One whiskey and Coke.”
“I didn’t order this?” Kira questions, her brows furrowing as she stares at the drink place (more like slid) in front of her.
The girl across the bar just grabs a cup near her and starts drying it off with a towel that previously hung from her apron, not even bothering to meet eyes with Kira.
“Well, someone did. And said to give it to you.”
Kira blinks down at it. She doesn’t even like whiskey. The taste of it burns her throat more so than any other alcoholic drink, and she usually feels sick immediately after. And she knows, because Allison had tempted her once at a party on campus when they were undergrads to try it, promising that she’d like it.
Kira’s not too sure Allison would push her again, seeing as Allison had to deal with the hot mess that was Kira Yukimura that night.
She whisks her head around the bar, eyes roaming in hopes to find out who could possibly have the bold move of approaching her and doing something like offering her a drink. One she really doesn’t want, for more reasons than one.
Her eyes skim, and they stop at a man sitting a couple barstools down from her. He has a wily smile, and his fingers dance around the rim of his glass of what she’s going to assume is scotch. And then he tips his head and, no, Kira really hopes her expression of discomfort and confusion is enough to scare him away.
Evidently, it isn’t, because He moves from his chair, and he starts walking towards her, and oh God, no, Kira is not prepared. She usually never prepared for most instances in life, but this? This she really has no expertise in.
He sits beside her on a stool, resting his arms on the counter, and Kira’s pretty sure her mouth is gaping at him. And his cocky smile returns.
“I’m Theo. Enjoying the drink?” he asks, and something about his voice and his face and everything throws Kira off.
But, she’s not really sure what to do, so she just nervously smiles, looking down at her hands that tap on the glass because she needs them to be occupied.
“I’m not much of a whiskey person,” she explains. Honestly, Kira’s not even really a bar person. She had spent all day in dance auditions, and she’s pretty content on the fact that she did averagely compared to the hundreds of girls who had been dancing almost all of their lives.
The man, Theo, just nods, and that stupid, creepy grin won’t disappear. “Well, we can order you something else, if you want. What do you drink?”
And there’s something, just something about him that Kira really doesn’t like. But would it be rude to just disperse from the conversation? If she just happened to get up and walk away without a word, what would the outcome be?
Her state of perplexity and lack of words must have caught on, but not to Theo. Because someone pipes up from behind the bar counter.
“She doesn’t want your worthless drinks, Theo,” the girl says, though no anger is inflicted in her voice. She’s a different bartender than the one that handed her the drink, and she must have just gotten on shift from how she’s tieing an apron around her waist.
Theo has somehow managed to lean into Kira’s space, and oh, she really doesn’t like this, and she hopes maybe this girl is catching onto her silent pleas.
“Get out of here,” he growls underneath his pretty obviously forced smile, and Kira hates this so much, she really does. She only came in to de-stress, not be hit on by creepy, stalker-type men.
The girl leans over the counter, arms on the top. “Guess who has authority to do that to people here.” she warns, though she adds no infliction into it. It’s almost as if she’s reminding him, which honestly doesn’t make Kira feel better about the situation. She just sits, wide-eyed, glancing back and forth between them. “Now, go. Prey on someone with your own standards. This girl obviously sees through your bullshit.”
He snarls, but still pushes himself off the stool. He looks agitated and embarrassed, and his glare holds on the bartender. “Why are you always trying to cock-block me, Malia?” he mutters in spite as he walks away.
“That would only work if you had a cock in the first place.” she calls back, loud enough so the few others around the bar chuckle, causing him to flee from the establishment.
Kira’s been extremely quiet the entire time, and when her eyes fall on the bartender, Malia, the girl must have noticed it too. Her expression softens as she makes eye contact while moving cups around.
“Sorry about that, but I’m pretty sure I just saved you,” she pours a bottle of tequila into four shot glasses. “Theo is known to lurk this bar and try to hit on pretty girls he thinks are vulnerable. But, I had a hunch you’d be able to take him.” and Kira takes it lightly, but she can’t really tell with Malia’s monotone additude as she speaks.
“Wow. Seriously, thank you. He was pretty creepy.” she nods along with her words. “Is his smile always so murderous?” she asks, and beams when Malia laughs at that.
“You’d be surprised.”
Malia goes back to tending the bar and serving the drinks, and Kira takes a moment to look her over. She has short, brown hair that’s cut just past her chin. She’s wearing a loose flannel with a white shirt, and denim shorts under her apron. Her hands are deft and quick; filling drinks and opening bottles and sliding cups with such determination and focus, but somehow makes it look so easy.
Kira’s heart skips a beat.
“I take it you’re not into girls?”
Kira squeaks, actually squeaks, and she glances up from where she’s staring at Malia’s hand, and suddenly hard to swallow. Well, that’s pretty abrupt and abrasive of her to ask. Which is what she says.
Malia just stares, making her way back to stand in front of the bar. “I’ve been working here a long time. And the only type of girls that are able to resist his aesthetically pleasing face are usually not into guys.”
Kira really doesn’t know how to respond, but she figures blurting out how she thinks Malia’s eyes are like chocolate orbs encased in almonds and that she could stare into them forever isn’t the best response.
It’s quiet, Malia moving back to taking orders and cleaning glasses.
“I’m pansexual, actually.” Kira confesses, and she has to shut her eyes because she cannot believe she just admitted that. “I just thought he was really creepy.” she mumbles when Malia blinks at her.
But then she grins, just slightly, but she does it in the most adorable way and Kira already knows she’s lost because she really wants to keep trying to make her smile.
“There’s a first for everything, then.”
Kira nods, hoping that when she looks down to her lap, her hair covers her obvious blush.