The Date

39.

Aarav placed two drinks on the coasters laying on the heavy oak bar. The surface was polished to a shine, it was darkened with age. I narrowed my eyes at the glass with golden liquid and tones of ice. Aarav chuckled at my reaction.

"Don't make that face, it's not going to bite," Reka jabbed an elbow into my ribs. I turned to her with a glare. What now?

"The drink might not bite...but he does," I turned back to the barman. He had an innocent grin on. He scratched his face and fixed his ponytail a little embarrassed.

"What are you talking about," he averted his eyes. They were pretty as jewels. "Reka is my cousin's daughter. When he is not around, he asks me to keep an eye on the little devil," Reka took a sip from her drink. The talk bothered her. So he was her uncle. I don't think Aarav sees her in the same light. "I hope she doesn't give you any trouble," he took the bottles away

"She's drinking in the middle of the day and I'm sure we...she is underage," he poofed with laughter. "Yep, no problem here, Sir," I announced, he wiped his hands on the front of his apron and focused his gaze on Reka.

"Where did you get this one? I like her," Reka pursed her lips are him and held her glass up while swirling the liquid around. The ice cubes 'ting'.

"She needed a drink. Her mate left her behind," he leaned on the bar and sighed. A shadow crossed his face.

"Yeah, that's harsh," he commented looking in the distance as if he would relate.

"He is a werewolf," Reka added with a dramatic stretch. Aarav frowned at me.

"You're a vampire..." it should be a question but it wasn't. I wasn't sure what I was exactly so I stayed quiet. "Can you even drink that?" he pointed to the glass in front of me. I took it as a challenge. I grabbed the tall drink and swallowed it in one long sip. Aarav whistled and Reka cheered. I smacked the glass down on the counted and smiled.

"Ok, I take that one back. Girl, you looked so young but I can't even use that around vampires. You never know if they are 20 or 300 years old," he laughed. "F.u.c.k that stupid mate, drink it's on the house," Reka clapped and downed her own drink. I laughed along feeling light-headed.

"Bring more!" she threw an arm around my neck. I wrapped mine around her waist. Ok, maybe that first drink was a mistake. But let's think about it later.

"Aarav will drive us home when we can't walk anymore," giggled Reka. Aarav frowned at her.

"Hey, stupid brat. Is that blackmailing?" we looked at each other and laughed. For a second I felt a wave of something familiar next to me. Jacob. When I turned to my right, there was an empty chair. Nothing.

"Let's drink," Reka pulled me back to reality. I gave her a timid smile. Aarav had poured us a need drink.

"Aren't you angry at us?" I asked. His face softened.

"I prefer seeing Reka drink here than not knowing where she is and with god knows who," Reka leaned over the bar and tried to slap him. He jumped away out of reach with such a fluid gesture.

"Hey!" he shouted "If you break something you're paying," Reka pouted her lips.

"I'm a paying customer. So shut up," she was playing cute. It was interesting to see her like that. She was definitely into this guy. I took the first sip in my second drink. Mom will kill me if she knew. Dad will murder Reka for bringing me here. I took a long sip and turned towards the room. The man who was staring at me when I entered tipped his head towards me. What the heck? I swirled around back to Aarav.

"What kind of name is that? Bloody drinks?" I don't think I was sober anymore.

"You mean, the blood or the drink?" he grinned.

"She means it sounds like a bad guys' hideout," laughed Reka. Yeah. It did sound like one. I wasn't sure everyone here was innocent.