Tennessee

This particular day at work seemed eternal. Richie and I had secretly began playing hand games underneath the center counter for a while and Lydia was eyeing us with her evil stare. Richie and I placed our hands on our laps with guilty looks on our faces.

Paul then came through the door. He held a cup container full of drinks. Paul smiled brightly at me and I grinned shyly back. How did I suddenly become shy? Paul seemed happy at my reaction and he winked at me. Richie gave me an approving smirk.

Lydia stepped forward and greeted her cousin.

"Hey Paul!" she said.

"Lydia," he said, setting the drinks out on the counter.

"Strawberry tea for Tennessee," he said, handing me a hot cup.

"Chai for Lyds, and coffee for Richie," he said happily and got out a cup for himself.

"Thank you," I murmured.

Lydia walked forward and flipped over the Closed sign on the window.

We all walked towards the back and sat down on the couch. Lydia and I took up the small seats while Richie and Paul sat down on the stone floor before us.

Richie and Lydia began giggling and talking but I stayed quiet. Paul's closeness made me self conscious. We stole glances at each other. Paul laughed as I reddened each time my eyes caught his. Oh no! I thought, It's happening again.

We sipped our coffee. I realized it was really quiet and looked up to find Richie and Lydia gawking at us.

"No. Keep staring at each other. It was cute," Lydia said, nodding towards us.

I shot her a glare. Paul laughed. As the four of us exited the shop, Richie and Lydia went their separate ways on the streets with a "See you tomorrow" and "Use protection." I was mortified as I turned to Paul. He put his hands in his pockets.

"Is now a good time to go out?" Paul asked hesitantly.

I bit my lip for a second and glanced up and down the street as if Ben would come out, smelling of pencil dust with his tattoos in place, and yell at me to not go. A little piece of me broke as I realized that would never happen and I said yes to Paul.

We walked closely together to a bar nearby. I ordered a ginger ale while Paul ordered a beer. He smiled as he looked at my non alcoholic drink in my hands.

"You're not much of a drinker?" he asked.

I shook my head, "I used to be," I said with a wry smile.

I wondered if he would like me if I told him about my recent life; if he approved of a girl who used to be a drug addict. Paul seemed caught off guard by my sly smirk and said in a whisper, "I can't figure you out, Tennessee."

"There isn't much to figure out," I sighed, shrugging my shoulders.

"Really? I think there is," he said simply.

"Favorite color?" he said in a mystified voice.

"Um. I like all of them. Um. Um," I stated, racking my brain.

"See. You're complicated," Paul said with a laugh.

I could tell he was joking and it made me want to laugh.

"Fine, Mr. I-know-everything, what's your favorite color?"

"Magenta," he stated without missing a beat.

"Okay..." I said skeptically.

"What? Real men where pink!" he cried.

I rolled my eyes, "Okay. If you're comfortable enough with your sexuality to go that route, go for it," I said.

He laughed at my apprehensive countenance.

I got tired of my ginger ale and called the waiter.

"May I have red wine?" I asked.

Paul smiled. "You cracked," he stated.

"I know," I said as I took a sip of my new beverage.

Mary had prohibited any liquor, cigarettes, anything. I took my chance. I wasn't an alcoholic. But guilt still found its way to me as I sipped the blood red liquid.

As the night progressed, my drinks did also. Paul got funnier, I got funnier. Paul got more handsome, I got more beautiful. By the end of our date, we were laughing, stumbling out of the closing club and on to the streets that called our names.

"I think I live here!" I cried as we trudged down my street.

"Are you sure?" Paul called.

We were yelling our answers although we were only an inch apart.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah," I sang and then broke into a fit of giggles, realizing I had said "yeah" three too many times.

"You should get a taxi, Paul!" I cried.

"You should, too."

"We're at my building, idiot," I said.

"Okay, okay," he said and then laughed at my red nose and face.

"Bye Tennessee," he stated.

"Bye," I said.

Before I knew what I was doing, I fell against Paul and kissed his lips. Paul's hands found their way to my hair and I giggled again.

"Okay. Okay. Goodnight," I said and walked away.

"Hey Tennessee! I love you!" he cried.

"I love you, too!" I cried and blew a humongous kiss at him and stumbled up my walk.

It was ridiculous. It was the alcohol. It was fun.



The next day I woke up with an absurd headache. Mary was also standing over me with an aspirin and water in her hands... along with a very pointed look.

"We said no alcohol," she said stiffly.

"I know. I know. It was nothing," I said in a nasal voice and covered my eyes with an arm.

"Tenn, if you want to get well, then don't do this to yourself," she scolded.

I nodded.

"I like Paul!" I blurted as she was walking out the door of my room.

"What?" she asked incredulously.

"I went out with Paul last night. And... I ... think... I like him!" I finished the last bit hurriedly and covered my mouth as if the words were blasphemy.

"Oh, Tennessee!" Mary cried. She hopped on my bed and her brown hair swung wildly. I gagged as some of the strands got caught in my mouth.

"Oops. Ha ha," Mary laughed and I eyed her warily.

"What am I going to do, Mary?" I asked.

"Um. Like him? What else is there to do?" she asked.

"I can't just like him! I can't!" I cried.

"Tennessee. You already do. Let it go and get some action!" Mary said.

"Ha. No," I said dryly.

"Do you like Paul?" Mary asked slowly.

"Duh," I said.

"Do you want to kiss Paul?"

I hesitated. "Yes."

"There, that's your answer," she said happily and kissed me on the forehead. My brain throbbed a little.

"Don't ever get drunk again," she said and skipped out of the room.

"You say it like it's easy," I grumbled as I got up and got ready for work.



"Tennessee! Get this in a size ten!" Lydia called.

I massaged my temples and whispered, "A little less loud, Lydia."

"It's not my fault you and Paul got trashed last night," Lydia murmured.

My heels clicked on the floor as I stepped through to the back room and sifted through the racks of clothing. I had just found the right article when I heard Paul's voice from the front.

"Hey! Is Tennessee here?"

I froze. Ah. The object of my newly found affection had arrived! I fluffed my hair and tried to straighten out my salmon cotton dress as I stepped out to the front, and acting very nonchalantly if I may add.

"Oh! Paul! What are you doing here?" I asked in a surprised tone.

Paul grinned brightly when he saw me. I blushed a little, remembering the brash things we had said the night before... not to mention the drunken lip lock. Lydia rolled her eyes knowing very well I could hear Paul's entrance from the back.

"Is it your lunch hour yet?" Paul asked.

"Um... Yeah," I said, glancing at the clock and edging towards the exit, eyeing my ferocious boss. I was almost to the door when...

"She's lying," Lydia sang, "She gets off in five minutes."

"Oh, please Lydia! Can you let me out this time just a teensy weensy bit early?" I begged.

Lydia glanced at her surprisingly empty store (trust me –we were usually to the brim with customers) and said, "Fine! Just twenty minutes, though."

Paul gave her a thankful glance and I gave her frail cheek a kiss. She pretended to gag but I could tell she liked it. Or at least I pretended she did.

Paul and I walked awkwardly down the street. I opened my mouth a couple times and quickly shut it.

"Listen about last night-" I began.
"I don't usually do stuff like that-" Paul started.

We laughed as we had both started explaining ourselves at the same moment.

"Can we just forget last night?" I asked feebly.

"You got it," Paul said with a smile.

"Okay. Now we can start anew," I said with a grin.

"Anew?"

"Another date," I said.

"Like right now?" he asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Sure," I said.

"Let's go in here," he murmured and led me into a small deli close to Birds. I ordered a salad while Paul ordered a sub. We stood in front of the counter, waiting for our food to be made.

"Did we kiss last night?" Paul asked suddenly.

"I thought we were going to forget it!" I wailed and covered my face with my hands.

"No, no we are. I just want to be reminded," Paul muttered.

I looked up at him. He was much too close. He was leaning down...

And before I knew it, his lips were on mine. My breath caught and I immediately reached up to stroke his face.

"Ahem," a loud voice said.

We pulled apart.

"Your order's ready," the restaurant server said, leaving two very embarrassed young people in blushes.