Broken Arrow

The sun was setting over Huntington Beach, turning the sky into a sea of orange and pink, the bright amber sun slowly setting over the horizon. I clung tightly to Brian as he drove across the highway, resting my head against his back. He slowed a little, turning onto a new street.

"You're getting more used to this now, aren't you?" He asked, noticing my more relaxed state.
"Yeah." I smiled.

He pulled up outside yet another familiar building. The black sign atop the roof read "Johnny's Booze & Pool" and my mind was immediately flooded with memories of the times I'd spent there with the guys back in the day. I'd been too young to purchase alcohol for myself back then, but Brian had always bought my preferred poisons and snuck them to me when the bar staff weren't looking.
The nights I'd spent there usually resulted in me getting plastered and having Matt drive me home.

"You're remembering the old days, am I right?" Brian asked, kicking out the stand and getting off the bike.
I pulled off my helmet. "How'd you know?" I asked.
"The look on your face just now." He smiled, grabbing my waist and helping me off the bike. "You're old enough to fully enjoy yourself here now." His smile grew into a smirk as she smoothed my hair out from the chaos the helmet and wind had created. "Shall we?" He gestured toward the door.
I nodded and followed him inside.
He led me over to the bar where he waved down the bartender and ordered our drinks. "Cheers." He smiled, clinking his bottle with mine after he'd paid.

A tall blonde, with highly defined features and long, slender legs and a single pink streak in her hair approached us. She wore a black tank teamed with the tiniest pair of denim shorts, and combat boots. Her pink-lipgloss covered lips parted in a perfect pearly white, straight toothed smile that kicked my confidence in the gut.

"Hi Brian." She said as she approached the bar. "Long time no see."
"Jessica, Hi." He grinned.
"Who's your little friend?" She asked, gesturing towards me.
"Ruby." He introduced me.
"Oh, so you're the infamous Ruby?" She smirked. "I've heard a lot about you."
I was getting rather tired of hearing that. "You're not the only one." I spoke through gritted teeth, faking a smile.

Music had been blaring from the moment we'd walked in, and it was just now the song changed to My First Kiss by 3OH!3 and Ke$ha. Jessica grabbed Brian's hand and pulled him up from the chair.

"Come dance with me!" She giggled.
"I hate this song!" He cringed.
"Please?" She pouted, batting her eyelashes at him.
"Alright, alright." He turned to me. "You gonna be okay by yourself for a few moments?" He asked.
"Yeah sure." I smiled. "Have fun."

As soon as Jessica had dragged him away I let my face drop. Who did she think she was? Just waltzing on over and pulling my best friend away just so she could flaunt her goods all up in his face, in the vain hope that he'd take her home and fuck her? He was here to spend time with me, to catch up and reminisce about old times.

I swallowed hard to prevent the bile from rising in my throat as Jessica wrapped an arm around Brian's neck and began grinding against him; shamelessly flaunting her considerably sized breasts all up in his face. Brian; being the guy he was, was of course staring. I rolled my eyes and downed my drink.

A rather attractive young man approached me; his floppy hair was a dark forest green and he was dressed in an IllScarlett t-shirt and blue jeans. He smiled bright and offered his hand to me, and I took it, shaking it.

"Hey, I'm Jordan." He smiled, his bright blue eyes peeping through his forest green hair.
"Ruby." I nodded.
"You new around here?" He asked, cocking his head to the side. "I've never seen you before."
"I just moved back, I lived in Chicago for about two years up until just recently." I explained.
"I'm from Canada originally, I'm in California for a little while with my Girlfriend." He informed me.
"Oh." I tried not to let my smile fall too much; he was really cute; but him having a girlfriend kinda shot that horse in the face.
"Mmm, I saw that." He smiled awkwardly.
"What?"
"Your face fell." He shrugged. "I came over here because you seemed really sad and alone, just to clarify."
"Oh, I wasn't thinking anything else." I replied, talking quickly.
"It's okay." He chuckled. Aww, he's so cute. "I take it you're not Syn's Girlfriend then?" He asked.
"He's my best friend, that's all."
"It's not often he brings a female friend to this bar that he's not doing something with." He snorted. "I'm sorry... he's just..."
"A notorious Manslut?" I giggled.
"Yeah." He nodded. " What about you though?" He asked, leaning back against the bar. "What's a pretty little lady like yourself doing here all alone? Why aren't you dancing with someone?"
"Nobody's asked." I shrugged.
He pursed his lips in yet another adorable smile, before pushing himself away from the bar.

He stepped in front of me and bowed a little, extending his hand. I smiled and took it, letting him lead me through the crowd. The music changed and Deadmau5's "The Veldt" began to play.

Jordan took my hands and made me sway in time to the music. He raised my hand and made me twirl, pulling me in and wrapping his arms around me as we danced together. I smiled and giggled; actually rather enjoying myself. It was nice; just carefree, two new friends dancing together.

I spotted Brian back at the bar; Jessica in his lap as she downed a shot. I rolled my eyes and just continued to dance with Jordan. Every time he twirled me around I caught sight of Brian again; Jessica was trying to hog all his attention, but his eyes were on me dancing with this green-haired stranger. I smiled and nodded towards him, and he smirked and raised his bottle; a toast to me having fun.

Jordan twirled me back around and took my hands again, stepping in towards me, then back, then back towards me again. He swayed his arms and kept smiling, poking his tongue out, making stupid faces that made me giggle.

The song ended and he took a bow, before leaning into my ear. "You're a lovely dancer." He chuckled. "I'm gonna go get a drink, I'll be at the bar if you need me."
"Okay." I smiled, watching him go.

Brian approached me. "You made a friend, I see." He smirked.
"Where's yours?" I asked.
"She was annoying me, I told her to get lost."
"Bri." I pouted, giving him a disapproving look.
"She only had one thing on her mind, Ruby." He said.
"Synyster Gates turning down a casual fuck?" I raised an eyebrow. "Never thought I'd see the day."
"What about you?" He teased. "You seemed pretty smiley with Canada over there."
"His name, is Jordan." I narrowed my eyes at him.
"I know his name, Ruby." He rolled his eyes. "Kenna's friends with his Girlfriend." He put extra emphasis on 'Girlfriend'
"What're you tryna say, Haner?" I spat. "You really think I'd hit on some random guy in a bar when he's just informed me that he has a Girlfriend?"
"You've been single for awhile..."
"So?!" I snapped.
"So you're probably getting rather frustrated by now."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I frowned, disgust written in my expression. "I'm not about to jump on some random guy's cock just because I'm sexually frustrated!"
"Ruby!" He snapped. "Public place!"
"That may be your lifestyle, Brian, but it sure as hell isn't mine!" I pushed past him, heading back over to the bar.
"Ruby." He said, catching up with me. "I'm sorry." He frowned.
"You should be." I said monotonously, keeping my eyes forward. "I'm not a whore..."
"I never said you were." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm sorry." He repeated.
"Mhmm." I pouted, taking a swig of the drink I'd just ordered.

Goin Down by The Pretty Reckless began to play, and Brian tugged on one of the loops of my jeans. I scowled at him and shifted away.

"C'mon." He pressed.
"No." I pouted. "Fuck off."
"I know this is your song." He teased, tugging on the loop again. "C'mon, dance with me."
"No."
"Ruby."
"No!" I snapped.
He spun me around to face him. "Please?" He smiled, pouting and giving me his infamous puppy eyes.
"Oh for fucks sake." I rolled my eyes. "Okay!"

I followed him back out to the crowd of moving bodies. He smirked as I shamelessly swayed my hips like a stripper. I rolled my eyes and kept dancing, tossing my long hair from side to side. I stuck my tongue out at him, curling my fingers inward, beckoning him toward me.

His eyes widened and he came closer, I put a hand on the back of his neck and rolled my body inward towards his. His hands fell to my hips and he whipped me around, pulling me back against him, curling his fingers into the loopholes of my jeans. I continued to sway my hips and dance against him. It was comfortable; a little more intimate than we normally were, but he knew this song brought out a different side to me.

I tried to ignore the shivers he sent downstairs as his hands skimmed the little exposed skin where my shirt stopped above my jeans. I'd been so long since I'd felt the calloused touch of a man's fingers against my bare skin. I whipped back around and let my hands travel over his broad chest, smirking to myself as I allowed myself to acknowledge that my best friend did indeed have a rather nice body.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and roughly pulled me closer, smirking at the shock on my face as he mischievously grinded himself against me through the final chorus. He ripped away when the song finished; a satisfied smirk on his face when he saw how hot and flustered I was.

He winked suggestively and walked back over to the bar. I followed after him; taking deep breaths to calm myself down.

Jesus Fucking Christ...

***

"I'm beat." I groaned as we stepped inside.
"Me too." Brian agreed, walking to the kitchen and pulling out the milk. "Coffee?" He asked.
"Decaf." I answered, taking a seat in one of the bar stools in front of the kitchen counter. "I wanna go to bed shortly."
He nodded and flicked the switch on the kettle so it would start to boil. "Have fun tonight?" He asked.
"Yes." I rolled my eyes. "Mr. Space-Invader."
"You weren't exactly complaining about the closeness earlier." He smirked.
"You certainly took me by surprise though." I frowned awkwardly.
"Do I owe you an apology?" He asked. "Too close for comfort?"
"Nah." I shook my head. "We were just dancing." I shrugged. "And it was Goin Down." I chuckled.
"You're not a bad dancer." He teased. "I've never seen you move like that before."
"I've become more comfortable with myself over the last six months."
"So I've noticed." He nodded, gesturing towards the low neckline of my top and the exposed skin above my jeans.
"Is it awkward?" I asked.
"Not at all." He smiled, spooning Coffee and Sugar into a couple of Mugs. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, you're uh... you have a nice body shape, to put it in the least awkward way I can." He chuckled.
"You're not so bad yourself, Haner." I teased.
"I know." He smirked, smoothing a hand over his chest. "I've caught you looking on more than one occasion."
"Shut it." I scowled.
"Just admit it." He said in a husky tone, leaning in towards me. "You'd fuck me." He breathed.
I tried to ignore the stirrings he'd caused downstairs as I responded. "Not in a million years, Gates."
He smirked once more. "Keep telling yourself that." He said, pouring milk and water into the mugs and mixing it.
"I will, god knows what diseases you might have, slut." I teased.
"I assure you, that while I may sleep around, I'm very responsible."
"That's comforting." I nodded, taking a sip from my Coffee.
"I have to ask, though..." He began, stopping to take a sip from his own Coffee. "You been with anyone since Jack?"
"Sexually?"
He nodded.
"No." I shook my head.
"How long's it been?" He probed.
"Five months."
"Jeezus." He exhaled. "Fuck that."
"Some of us don't need to fuck like rabbits." I scowled.
"No, it's a good thing." He smiled. "I've always liked that about you, you're very reserved, it's a good quality."
"Thanks." I smiled.
"No worries." He said, his chocolate brown eyes flashing with something I couldn't describe...

Notes