Part 1 Free
I can't believe I'm here right now. A damn guilt trip is what it is. I could be sitting at home watching Americas next top model marathon then sitting at great uncle Paul's funeral. I feel horrible that he died but I met him once at a family reunion when I was five, and I hate things like this! Showing up wearing all black which is slimming don't get me wrong I look great in black. I'm tall for a girl I suppose being around 5'9 but I never cared because I have always been skinny because of it. I can't wait to get back to the house and change and pull my hair down. I have really long straight thick brown hair which is so dark it isn't quite brown or black.
Pulling myself out of thought I started looking around, man there is a lot of people here who knew great uncle Paul was so popular. The funeral was held outside with folding chairs laid out on the grass dividing down the center reminding me a lot of a spring wedding. I'm on the right side couple of rows from the front sitting next to me is my mother and she is eyeing her ex who is in the row in front of us aka my father. Looking back he replies, "Hey Sandy, You look pretty where did you get that dress?" God I hate it when he calls me Sandy I'm not two! "Hey dad its Cassandra not sandy"! He looks at me with disproval. "Hi Maude sorry about your uncle ", He replies to mom with nothing but politeness in his manner. "Thanks Jim you were always one of his favorites ". Tuning them out I start looking at the guest most of them are old enough to be buried right along with him. Looking behind me I see my cousin Mary. "'Hey girl" I said waving enthusiastically at her and getting up to sit with her, happy at my new escape route from the awkward conversation o f my parents.
Mary is around my age one year older she jus t turned the big twenty -one and I can tell she has a huge hangover. Ha-ha that's Mary for you a big party girl. She is a pretty girl being blond blue eyed and small. Mary is usually the center of attention where ever she goes. I always felt inadequate next to her. We are two opposites. I'm an Amazon giant next to her with a slender but athlete built and my features are sharp and angled I'm pretty don't get me wrong but I'm not your average country bumpkin with a soft face and a promise of a good time that was Mary and boy did we get in trouble every time we hung out. Mary looking at me through sunglasses rolls her eyes. "I've been better." "I can see that" I tell her. "What did you do last night"? Mary looks at my with a sly smile you mean "who" did I do last night?" Giving a wicked laugh she goes into full detail of this newest guy she met. She met him at a bar that's in the next county and he isn't like all the other local yokels. She tells me she can tell he is from out of town even though he really wouldn't talk much about himself, even though they didn't spend much time talking she laughs! She said they left the bar together around midnight but somehow ended up home. She blacked out most of the night after that. Shocked I said "Mary"! "You could have been raped and killed and stuffed in a gutter!" She laughs at me like I'm a little kid, "Hunny you can't rape the willing." "I guess I just drank more than I'm use to beside, I'm alive, not in a gutter you see." He was nice enough to take me home, and obviously I was coherent enough to tell him where I lived silly girl"! Hearing someone clear their throat we both looked up startled. The pastor was standing in front waiting to start. Straighten up in my chair I flushed a crimson shade thinking everyone had heard our conversation. Two and a half hours later I was driving home.
Tired and exhausted from getting up so early on a Saturday morning I parked my purple stratus in my driveway. I live in a small two bedroom apartment with a roommate named Kate. I can tell she is still home because her bright yellow bug is still here. Thinking I should take a nap, but wanting to salvage any kind of my weekend off I jumped in the shower hoping that would refresh me. After I was out of the shower I went looking for Kate. Sitting on our couch she was sprawled out with a blanket and a bowl of cereal still in her pajamas watching Americas Next Top Model marathon. Jealous and very envious I tell her to move over. Kate looks at me and laughs you look tired how was the funeral? I replied with a yawn, "good I guess if you can say a funeral is ever good.
Kate nodding her head sympathetically her strawberry blond curls bobbing in unison.
'Was there any hot guys there?" she asks. Kate it was a funeral, besides I was related to over half the people there dork" Laughing she says, "hot guys go to funerals too". Zoning out and 3 episodes later I got up to the kitchen. Opening the fridge door I thought if I stared hard enough something would materialize in my hand. Sighing I shut the door when my cell phone rang. Single ladies by Beyonce ringing off in the air I knew that my cousin Mary was calling.
I picked up the phone. Hey girl what's up?" Mary replying, "well you know that bar I told you about earlier today wanna go with me tonight?' Mary I said, "I'm not twenty one they won't let me in." "Oh they don't care about stuff like that. "Besides they don't card there." She replied with a little too much gusto. "Mary I really don't feel like trying to sneak into a bar two hours away just to be kicked out and embarrassed." "Please, please please!" She said. Groaning I'm always such a sucker I said, "Why do you wanna go out there again?" "Well, she started "I don't think I gave him my number and I didn't get his number or name by that matter, and I was hoping that we would run in to him again." "Please Cassandra I know he is from out of town this might be my last shot at seeing him". Pausing a second before letting out a big groan, she yelled in the phone "Thank you, Thank you I love you! I'll come pick you up at eight so we don't get there too early, Wear something Hot!" With that she hung up the phone.
Dragging my feet back in the front room Kate looked at me with a half smile on her face "Going out tonight?" she asked. "Yes", I growled. "There isn't any chance you want to come?" I asked Kate in hopes of having someone there to talk to when Mary ditched me for Mr. dark and handsome. "No way girl! I have a date tonight!" She squealed. "With who?" I asked. "Bobbie from work" she said. "He finally asked you huh." "You knew?" She asked. "Well I had a feeling he is always falling you around with a puppy dog look on his face." She laughed, "I know, I know but even though he really inst my type it's been awhile since I went on a date and he did ask me, so mind as well be cordial and agree right?" "Well have fun tonight." I said feeling very sorry for myself. I get to be Mary's excuse to walk into the bar without looking desperate, then she will ditch me all night and I get to sit at the bar hoping no one cards me."
"Oh it won't be that bad maybe you will meet someone there too?" "How long has it been since you met someone hmm?" Kate asked. "I can't meet anyone in the town it's too damn small grew up with all of them you know? Kate looking at me said, "Well you better get ready at least you can look like a hot bar fly while Mary is looking for that guy." Thanks", I replied very solemnly and went to my bedroom shutting the door with a little thud and sighed.
One great thing about this apartment was that I have the master bedroom with a private bathroom. Kate and I don't have to share so I feel free to take as long as I need without feeling guilty. Turning on my radio and listening to the local station I head over to start getting ready. Listening to some music while I'm doing my hair and makeup makes me happy. I can sing and dance to Carrie Underwood without a care in the world. I decided to go a little heavier on the makeup for the night hoping to make me look older. Curled my hair with enough hair spray to make Elvira jealous I headed to my closet.
Looking through my closet I couldn't find anything to wear. I'm not really trying to impress anyone but I should dress like I look at least twenty-one. I was tempted to call Mary and ask her what she was going to wear, but I already knew the answer. She would be wearing short skirt high heels and some kind of revealing top. I was always glad she was not very busty because then she really would be obscene, but hey that was her and I loved my cousin.
Flipping through I finally came upon a cute off the shoulder navy blue shirt that hid my midriff but was form fitting and made my boobs look great. Grabbed my favorite pair of jeans and slid on some flip flops I was ready to go.
By the time I was done Mary was there talking to my roommate Kate. "Why you look great", Mary replied. "Love the makeup you look real pretty tonight Cassandra". Kate whistled in response. Blushing not ever use to being the center of attention I turned my attention to Mary. Sure enough she was wearing a hot pink halter top midriff showing her hot pink butterfly belly ring off. She matched with a short white mini skirt and hot pink heels. She was wearing a show stopper outfit; so much for hoping to sneak into the bar, everyone would see her as soon as we entered. "Well are we ready?" I asked nervously. I was ready to get this night over with. Mary laughing said "relax puss no one will card you lets go."
Getting into Mary's car was even embarrassing. Her car was a flashy white convertible mustang with hot pink decals all over it ranging from stars and swirls. Mary's car matched her personality perfectly. Mary rolling down the windows she put in a cd she mixed with the label party tunes. She clicked till ludicrous started playing, and belted out all the lyrics to what's your fantasy. Laughing at her care free crazy behavior I joined in, mind as well have fun too.
Nothing like a road trip at night headed to a different town to make you feel excited even though my heart was pounding through my chest as we pulled into the parking lot of the bar. "Man Mary", I exclaimed! "We drove an hour and forty-five minutes to come to a dive ass bar." Whisky River lit up sign glowed on the old lodge building with its dirt driveway full of rusty old vehicles, and country music blaring from the inside. Mary laughing linked her arms with mine said, "Shh its serves alcohol and there are hot guys who cares how it looks". Mary pulled out some vodka she had stashed in her car. "Here drink this it will calm your nerves" Taking a big swig from it I settled my shoulders back and matched the pace of my comrade I marched into the bar like I had a right to be there.
A soon as we entered I ushered her to the closest stools at the bar so I could get a good look around. The room was very large with the bartender to the side of the length of the room filled with torn booths and red tables. At least there were two pool tables and a juice box and some poker machines. This bar was defiantly a dump. Dimmed lit almost completely dark, it was hard to get a real good look at anyone's face. And here I was worried that I was going to be carded. No wonder why they didn't card people they couldn't see them. Mary brought my attention back to her. She was on the prowl urging me to get up and walk around so she could see who was here. After we did a trip around the bar acting like we needed to use the bathroom. She slumped down in the booth with a sulky look. Obviously he wasn't there. "Oh well at least we can get drunk" she said. "What do you want to drink?" Just as I was going to reply a pitcher of beer slid between us with a pale tattooed hand setting it down. The man said "hello beautiful I was hoping you would be here" Mary beaming I thought her teeth would tear through her skin replied, "Well hello stranger," Mr. Dark and handsome as she described him to me earlier, slid into the booth besides her. Feeling awkward like I was the third wheel, I played with my hands while starting at Mary's new companion. Handsome yes he was, if you like the convict criminal look. He had jet black hair that fell upon his shoulders. He had a black skin tight tank on revealing full sleeve of tattoos on booth arms, and I couldn't believe it leather skin tight pants yes this guy was defiantly not from around here.
After my inspection of him I noticed that they weren't talking and that he was starting at me. Startled that I got caught checking him out I stumbled on my words, "um hi I'm Mary's cousin Cassandra." "Hello he replied with a small smile. "Uh hi", I said again feeling totally dumb. He returned his attention back on Mary. That was rude I thought after I calmed down from my embarrassment, he didn't offer his name.
No wonder Mary didn't know much about this guy I thought as I listened to their conversation they were talking about her, Mary's favorite subject. Wishing I never came I made an excuse to go to the bathroom. Getting up felt good as I put some distance between me and Mary's new friend. He made me feel nervous. Looking in the mirror in the bathroom I thought I did look really pretty. My long black hair curled all around me my makeup was done real nice. Wishing that I did not have to go back out there I headed out the door to my cousin and her friend. Walking back I noticed that he had a friend there too. Making my way back to the group slowly I was enjoying my view. Now this was a hottie, tall blond and gorgeous thank you.
This newest member of our group was not like his friend. He wore a pale blue low-v t-shirt that showed off his muscles and nice butt wrangler jeans. He stood off to the side with his hands in his pockets watching me come forward.
When I was close enough to the booth Mary's companion turned to his blond friend and said, "This is Mary's cousin Sandy". "Cassandra", I replied stiffly. Man was I starting not to like this guy. "Hi there" the blond friend said. What was with these guys not saying their names? Was our small town like Vegas? "What happens here stays here"? Determined to get a name even if it was a false one I enquired, "What's your name?" at the blond hottie.
Taken back by my blondness he just laughed "Jake its Jake." Eyeing him carefully I said hello Jake." Just as I was starting to feel this was a horrible bad double date a beer was placed in my hands by Mary. Giving me a dirty look she hissed quietly "relax!" Settling back to enjoy my beverage I started to unwind and got brought back into the conversation of Mary and her unnamed friend. I was enjoying myself when Jake asked me if I wanted to play some pool and I agreed when Mary jumped up and said we would play teams. She was happy that Mr. dark and handsome brought a friend but she didn't like that he wasn't paying attention to her too. Breaking into boys against girls we made the boys break first. Jake walked towards me while grabbing for a pool stick he winked at me, "I can handle that." Leaning over to make the shot he effortlessly broke the balls up and they scattered around the table sinking a couple of them in too. Impressed and I was defiantly flirting back when I walked up to the table and grabbed his pool stick and said, "I hope so." Taking the next turn I called out stripes as I hit a number two in the corner pocket walked back over to the next side and called out my next shot which I made. Feeling very confident and sexy I looked Jake in the face as I went to make my next shot. Right as I went down to concentrate on the angle he walked over to me and whispered in my ear, "why we have a shark I see" Having him that close I missed my shot , Standing up straight I felt my cheeks warm up , God I was being so obvious. I needed to calm down didn't want him to think I was an utter idiot. "Wouldn't want this game to be too easy", I replied laughing. Stepping back I watched no name jackass walk up to the table he preceded to make two balls in when it was Mary's turn she stumbled and leaned on him saying she couldn't possibly aim right she was too drunk. Looking at the pitcher of beer on the table sure enough it was empty. How the hell did she drink it so fast without me knowing? Realizing I would have to drive home and it was getting very late I told Mary we needed to leave now.
Mary stomped her feet clearly annoyed with me not wanting to leave. When her no named companion offered her a ride home later. Not wanting to leave Mary alone with this guy I said I could wait a couple of more hours. Mary giving me a big hug turned away to look at her companion, "so now what do you want to do since we have a curfew?" No name prick wrapped his arm around her and said, "Why don't we go to an after party at my friend's house". Mary looking very happy turned her puppy dog look on me. Shrugging my shoulders I said, "Why not I don't have work in the morning, but we have a long drive back. We can only be gone an hour then we have to head home." Mary snorting replied, "Yes Mom", laughing they wrapped arms around each other. Mary and no named prick walked outside with Jake and I trailing behind them.
Parked right next to Mary's Barbie's dream car was a sliver two door Mercedes Benz. Nameless jerk reaches in his pocket and pulls out the keys unlocking the car. Mary running to the front passengers door yells "shot gun!" as she flops down inside.
Giving what I fell must be the biggest sigh of my life I tell Mary I will follow them in her car so we can leave straight from there. Jake comes up to me and says he will drive with me so he can give me directions. Looking back at him to say ok, my breath catches in my throat he is looking so directly at me. His gaze is so direct and pointed that I crumble under such intensity. He leans forward a little and asks me what my real age is? God why can't I just look at him without blushing? I pull my courage upon me and look at him straightforwardly and what I hoped would be strong and sexy response, comes out almost a whisper kind of squeaky, " twen , twenty". He turns his head to the side and with a little shake and smile he says, "I thought so". "You acted like you were inexperienced the moment I saw you." I didn't think I could get any redder and replied a little too hastily "More experienced then you think"! Laughing at my obvious embarrassment he says come on Cassandra we should catch up to your cousin. Looking around I notice there gone.
