can't get

s because they're not as miserable as I am at the moment

. I'm still putting on my attire from earlier, the black and white outfit. But immediately after

ing to clean off the stain. I end up pleading wit

to drown out my situation in alcohol. I need to forget about everythi

try to wash out the drink stain from it. Since I have no way to dry it out, I

take a seat at the bar, blocking out the happy people dancing around me. I'm sure they have proble

g that my clothing was pocket free. "Fucking hell." Embarrassed, I pat myself down, hoping to find a clutch of some sort. I

my not-so-merry way back to my house whe

y, but I can't be rude. He just paid for my drink. "Thanks," I tell him. He doesn't reply. I sne

bright blue. When I look more closely, I realize there are gold rings around his irises and his eyes change color with the angle and

n this embarrassed in my life. I've never been this vulnerable to emb

re feels like it. I now find myself doing things I haven't done bef

h it all in one go. The man beside me gestures for the bartender to make another one. "Or maybe, I

ars because I can't find a job? My cheeks heat up again. "Noth

n't you

tes. I don't even know his name. I can tell he's sincere though. He a

uth. Is it a talent? I shouldn't feel like this. I'm a strong independent woman. I'm a mother of an amazing boy. A few word

re him and I mean it. "I'll

he next drink before me, and stares, entranced as I drink every last drop of

tion. "You're gett

. "Tell me what

y day. The past month rather,

d. And I don't even get mad thinking about my past shitting month. Hell, I don't e

l me if I'm n

' dad, I've never been interested in anyone. I've never had the time to meet someone and

Gab

ly, repeating

aving me to fill in the blanks in the sentence. How can I have forgotten that I'm a lightweight? That's also ano

espite the fact that it's nice for someone to

keeping it in place so fast I begin to wonder if the frown I saw is a figment of my imaginat

nt, but even if he tried to avoid it, he just sounded so... sad and broken. I

appy. It's like I'm forcing him to relieve

and the intensity of his eyes hold me there. The c

ny times today. I remember my own problems. I remember we were both trying not to think about our lives. That's why w

dsome stranger I just met will have a conne

himself with elegance and gracefulness. His teasing is careful and he doesn't cross the line. H

just a di

ough. Well, I don't do it just for him, but for me as well. "I'

re both distracting each other from

but I still blush. This is what I suffer for getting a pale complexion. Any tiny reaction is visible. "What's

ll him. "Ari

Gabriel smiles. "Will y