Age Recommendation: 18+
At a family reunion, Cohen stumbles into an unexpected surprise.
"What do you think of the cutie over at the bar?" Frank nudged Cohen, who looked up tiredly from his drink.
It wasn't hard to see exactly who the man was indicating. She was sitting on her own, stirring a straw idly in her drink and ignoring the clustering of guys intent on talking to her.
She was cute. There wasn't really a better fitting word for the blonde. She was short, probably only chest height on Cohen. Her blue eyes were a bright blue that tickled at Cohen's memory, but failed to surface anything. She wore two large golden hooped earrings, and a red tartan miniskirt, with a plain black t-shirt stretched tight over a tiny rack.
Cohen looked away as she caught him looking, and whispered to Frank, "She's hot. Why, you going to make a move? She doesn't seem interested."
"I wish. She's been making eyes at you all night." His friend said jealously.
He frowned, and glanced over at her again. She was holding her glass one-handed, gripping over the top of the rim as she sipped the straw, looking directly at Cohen with a shy little smile.
"She's waiting. Go talk to her."
He shook his head, and looked at his drink, "Came to drown my sorrows, not get laid. You know what family reunions are like for me. Stress and people making a fuss over nothing. Only good thing is taking Will to the arcade, after."
"Seriously?" Frank said in disbelief, "She's - Oh shit, she's coming over. Don't screw this up, man. I'll take off."
The girl put her drink down beside Cohen's, sliding into the seat next to him, "Your friend is as subtle as a brick through a window. Lol. Cohen, isn't it? I think I used to know you once. High school, maybe?"
He smiled at her boldness, and he couldn't deny how attractive she was. "You've just disappointed a whole ton of guys, you know?"
"Oh, most of those would run from me, before taking me home." She smiled disarmingly, "Name's Hattie. But you look like you're sad drinking. What's got a hunk like you down?"
"Run from you?"
She sipped her drink and nodded, "Mmm. Later. So, big guy?"
"Eh. Family stuff." He shrugged.
Hattie sighed dramatically, "Oh, I hear you on that one. My brother's almost okay, but the rest. Oof. Mum gave me a huge hour long lecture that I should give up on uni and just marry a rich one, last time I came home. I mean, my grades aren't great, but art is still my passion."
"Art?" He said in surprise, "You're doing an arts degree, for actual art and not just something to do?"
"Pathway." She shrugged, "I wanna design games. Still art-y. So, hunk, what do you do?"
He leaned back, feeling completely disarmed by her, "Last year at uni. I'm working at a IT call centre. It sucks, but it's a pathway. Making a little headway. I'm a programmer."
She grinned at him, one hand coming to rest on his, "We should totally team up. I make the art, you make it work."
"I'm... Not looking for anything, tonight. Sorry to disappoint."
She looked around and leaned towards him, "I'll let you in on a secret. This is the first time I've been in a bar since... I had an op."
She smiled cheekily, and scratched at her neck idly, and Cohen noticed the Adam's Apple for the first time. His eyes widened and she burst out giggling. "Like I said. Most of those guys would run the hell away from me, if they knew."
"Wow." He said and blinked, "I mean... Wow. Thought never crossed my mind. You're an absolute stunner."
Hattie blushed and sipped her drink, "Thanks. Really."
"I mean it." Cohen restated, "Hell, if I wasn't just trying to forget about seeing my family tomorrow, I'd still be tempted. Doesn't matter much to me."
She flicked her eyes downcast and went even redder, sipping at her drink. "I'm really... That cute? Even if I used to be a guy? I mean... Don't hate me... But you seem dead straight."
© Copyright 2024, James Milne