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“So…what’s at stake is just getting blackout drunk?”
“That’s why the team is so big. The bigger, the better.” He winked at me.
I took a good look around the table. We had the largest table in the whole place. It was actually the fewest tables pushed together.
“We have the biggest team here.”
“That’s why we always win.” He gave me a killer grin, the pure whiteness of his teeth catching the dim light of the bar.
I blushed. He looked like a charming pirate, the kind that could convince young lasses to run away with them in some kind of historical romance. I’d be his stolen treasure any day.
I blushed even harder when I realized that I was a little bit wet between my thighs, thinking about the little bit of scruff on his cheeks rubbing against the soft skin of my inner thighs.
So inappropriate! I’d barely met this guy. I had only just broken up with my fiancé, the man whom I had believed would be my forever.
I wasn’t the kind of girl who picked up men in a bar. I could count on my fingers how many times I’d even gone inside of one. I was just looking for food when I came inside of Finn McCool’s.
The trivia contest started. Everyone at my table had been talking and laughing with a lot of beer bottles on the table. But when everything started, I realized why they normally won: they were ultra-focused.
Everyone talked quietly, trying not to have neighboring tables hear our answers. It was very hard when we had so many people at our table, but somehow we managed it.
Emilio was in charge of the sheet. I realized that he was somehow the leader of the group. He was dressed just like everyone else — polo shirt and slacks — but there was something about his attitude that made it seem like he should be in charge. He wore competence and cool intelligence like a shield.
He knew a lot of the answers, and when he didn’t, he asked the group. We all played a fun game of Telephone.
Nearly everyone in our crew was American or Canadian, but nobody felt uncomfortable whispering in anybody else’s ear. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the late hour. But all of us were feeling pleasantly relaxed.
My burger came at some point during the competition. I pulled it as far away from the trivia answer sheet as I could.
Fortunately, they brought a set of silverware with it. I cut the burger into bite-size pieces and ate it carefully. I couldn’t think of anything worse than spattering grease over our trivia answer sheet, the culmination of the whole group’s work. If I messed it up, I would make a horrible first impression.
The waiter took it away pretty much the instant that I was done. Maybe the staff paid a lot more attention than I thought.
When the contest was done, Emilio brought the sheet up to be counted by the organizer.
Within 10 minutes, all the scores had been tallied.
The whole team held hands as they announced the winners.
“Third place is the Exploradoras. Second place is Wicked Wombats.”
Emilio gripped my hand tightly as we waited for the announcement of the winner.
“And with a perfect score, the winners tonight are the Fruitbats.”
My whole team erupted in cheers, meanwhile I was afraid that they were going to overturn the table.
“Campeones,” they chanted over and over again, sounding like a tune that I didn’t know.
Everyone’s hands were on each other’s shoulders. The camaraderie was so sudden and utterly charming. These people had only met me tonight, yet I fit into their group instantly, as if I had known them for years.
Alley Mugging
Naelle
Two jirafas later, I was weaving a little bit when I went to the bathroom. I was grateful for the long line, since there was only one toilet for every woman in the bar. Needed its support, I leaned against the wall, not caring if it was clean or filthy.
When I was done, I made my way back to the table. I felt a little nauseous. There were still two mostly full jirafas on the table, but I couldn’t take anymore.
