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“Nayome,” she attempted a smile. This guy was perfectly nice, afterall, no reason to be rude. “And this is Dani.” Nayome continued, nodding across the table.
Dani was in the middle of raising her pink martini in a cheers, tapping glasses with her new beau. They were making pretty intense eye contact already, which had Nayome shifting uncomfortably to look at Kevin. He was smiling at her, interest shining in his eyes as he raked them over her skin tight dress. Nayome found herself wishing she had worn something less revealing, like those comfy jeans that had been left discarded on her bed. She had to admit though, these guys were good looking. They were getting side eyes from other women as they passed by.
A tiny thrill went through her at the thought that she was capable of drawing the attention of someone like this, who probably had their pick of any woman at the bar. Nayome felt a pang of guilt at that shallow train of thought. But she had never been this girl. The girl with the bold red lipstick that caught the attention of a man from across the bar. A man that all the other women wanted. Well, until Bal. He had made her feel like the most desirable woman in the room.
Maybe Dani had been right. This night out could be a good distraction. Help her move on, feel less like her life was over.
Nayome glanced over at Dani, who gave her a covert thumbs up and a beaming smile from across the table. Resolving herself, Nayome decided to play along, flirt, and have some fancy drinks. She wasn’t interested in Kevin, he gave her a salesman vibe that was putting her off, but it didn’t mean they couldn’t chat and have a decent evening. Squaring her shoulders, Nayome decided to find out at least something interesting about Kevin tonight.
The next couple of hours passed in a pleasant haze, Nayome had lost count of how many cosmo’s they had gone through. The head buzz even had her laughing at some of Kevin’s jokes. She was in this for Dani at this point, who was really hitting it off with her guy.
Nayome nodded absently as Kevin recounted the battle he had been in for a lucrative promotion. The more he had to drink, the closer he got to her. Nayome backed up a little as she felt his leg brush hers under the table. Curious about the time, she took a quick look at her cell. Just after midnight. How much longer would Dani want to stay?
“How about a dance?” Keven asked, giving her what she assumed was his best smile. Nayome glanced over at the half-hearted space in front of the DJ’s booth. Some tables had been moved to the side, and some of the more intoxicated couple’s were using the space as a makeshift dance floor.
“Umm, no, I think I’d rather just stay here,” Nayome said, grimacing as a particularly sloppy pair stumbled around in a swaying motion, with their lips locked, bumping into other dancers as they shuffled around.
“Cmon, it will be fun. I bet you’re a great dancer.”
“I wouldn’t take that bet.”
“How about we go grab another drink then. You’ve been milking the last of that martini for a while now.”
“I think I’ve had enough,” Nayome said. “Thanks though. Actually…yeah, maybe a glass of water.” Sliding off the bar stool, Nayome glanced towards the bar. The crowd had thinned out a bit, so they wouldn’t have to push their way through.
Kevin looked pleased, as he stepped in behind Nayome. He placed a hand on the small of her back as they maneuvered through the crowd. Nayome tried to shrug it off. She would have to let him down soon, he was starting to take some liberties, and it was only fair to let him know she wasn’t interested in anything more than a conversation tonight.
A few feet before the bar, Nayome tensed as Kevin’s hands crept around her waist and started to guide her to the right, until she was pressed up against the wall in between the bar and the washrooms. His hands left her waist and pressed into the wall on either side of Nayome’s head, closing her in. Nayome was opening her mouth to protest, but his face was descending alarmingly fast. She threw up a hand in between them, so his lips met her open palm instead of her mouth.
“Kevin, stop!” She said, trying to push him away from her.
Kevin looked up and blinked in surprise, a drunken glaze clouding his eyes. “Wha—” He asked, not budging from his position. He may be slim, but Nayome realized he was pretty solid, since he wasn’t even budging from his position blocking her in, despite her pushing at his chest.
“Let me go,” she said, trying to remain calm. He probably didn’t mean anything by it, but being closed in was starting to freak her out.
A slow drunken smile spread across Kevin’s face, and Nayome realized he’d had a lot more to drink than she thought. Feeling uneasy, she moved to duck under his outstretched arm. Kevin moved to keep her trapped between his arms.
“Cmon honey, I’ve been waiting all night to get you alone.” He was leaning in again, voice a bit slurred. His face was so close, Nayome could smell the whiskey on his breath.
“I said no. Get off me,” Nayome said, raising her voice to a shout. The music was so loud, her voice wasn’t traveling, though. They would just look like any other couple, cuddled up for a private moment. Feeling panic set in, Nayome felt her pendant heat up on her chest. Instead of comforting her, her heart rate started to beat double time.
She couldn’t pull a disappearing act here, in the middle of a busy bar. Could she control it, though? It had always just kind of happened before, she had never tried to stop it. Taking a deep breath, Nayome put as much force as she could behind her next shove, Kevin stumbled back a step, giving her some breathing room. “Get off me!” she shouted again, noticing with relief that they had attracted some concerned glances from the people around them.
“What’s wrong with you?” Kevin said, voice lowered as his eyebrows furrowed in frustration as he realized he was getting rejected. “You’ve been playing hard to get all night.” Rather than backing off, Nayome was horrified when he started to close in on her again, the feel of his warm breath on her cheek making her stomach curdle. Before he could close her in again, Nayome jumped sideways, ducking under his arm as he reached to grab her.
They had definitely attracted attention now. Nayome saw Dani storming over, a furious look on her face as she reached and grabbed Kevin by the back of his shirt, trying to pull him back away from Nayome.
“Get the hell off of her, creep,” Dani shouted, but her small stature was no match for Kevin’s determined lunge forward.
“Hey man,” Kevin’s friend said, he was looking ashen faced and embarrassed. “I think maybe it’s time to go.” He tried to grip his friend’s shoulder, but Kevin turned around and took a swing at him. It didn’t land, but had his friend backing up a few steps. “Woah, c’mon man. This isn’t cool.”
“Getoff me,” Kevin slurred, a cruel glint in his eye as he turned back to face Nayome. “I just needto say something. This frigid bitch thinks she can turn me down, after I boughtherdrink…paid for allofher stuff, all night. Am I right?” Kevin seemed to think he would be able to garner some sympathy from the crowd.
“I think the lady said no,” a deep voice said from behind Nayome.
“Who thehell are you?” Keven said, his voice sounding like he was going to challenge the newcomer, but the sight of the guy had him backing up a step. “This isn’t your business, buddy, back thehell off.”
Nayome froze at the sound of the voice, the dark tenor caressing warmth down her spine. Turning her head to the side, her eyes widened in surprise, even though she knew who would be standing there. “Bal,” she whispered.Maybe I’ve had too much to drink too. Bal couldn’t be here, at this bar, helping defend her against some drunk idiot.Could he?
Glancing down at her, Bal was distracted enough that he didn’t see Kevin’s swinging fist until it was too late. The blonde didn’t have very good aim, so it only grazed his shoulder. But it had Nayome gasping and backing up to avoid Kevin’s stumble, as he was carried forward by his momentum. They had attracted a crowd now, and Nayome could see a bouncer working his way through the crowd to them.
Bal’s reaction was quicker than Nayome could track with her eyes. His fist caught Kevin square in the jaw, as he stumbled forward. The drunk man fell like a rock, seeming to crumple backwards. His friend caught him on the way down, holding his dead weight up by the shoulders.
