Love Is a Losing Game

Angie stretched her legs out in front of her, her feet resting on the patio chair opposite her as she inhaled on the cigarette she had between her lips. Her eyes were fixed on the ocean in front of her as she listened to music, relaxing before she had to go back to work.

“Got that fifty bucks ready for me?” Brian’s voice drifted over the music. Angie turned her head, looking over her shades at him as she exhaled the smoke.

“Nope, but I have seen the outfit I’m gonna bye when you and Matt pay up later!” she replied with a confident smile.

“Yeah whatever, we’ll see, so are you coming over for the match?” he asked with a roll of his eyes.

“Sorry dude no can do. Kat called in sick this morning so I have to pull a double shift. Stu is covering for me for an hour while I take a break.” She replied.

“Oh man that sucks!” Brian replied.

“Tell me about it. You could always come to the bar to watch the game. I’m not planning on doing too much work tonight.” She offered with a smile.

“Yeah that sounds good, I’ll call Matt and Zack and let them know. The other’s are working anyway.” He replied pulling his cell phone. As he seemingly typed out a message, Angie watched him from behind her sunglasses. There’s not harm in looking. She told herself but not truly believing herself.

“What time have you gotta head back to the bar?” Brian asked with a smile.

“About twenty minutes.” She replied, glancing at her watch.

“Oh, I was going to offer you a lift if you’d said about an hour or so.” He replied.

“Thanks, guess I’ll see you down there then.” Angie replied with a smile as she stubbed out the remains of her cigarette before standing up and giving Brian a wave as she made her way back into the house.

“Just remember that fifty bucks!” Brian called after her.

****

“So Brian, what are you going to spend you’re fifty bucks on?” Matt’s deep voice echoed through the bar to where Angie was sat at the bar with her laptop open in front of her.

“Well I did see a new Affliction shirt the other day.” Brian replied loudly as Angie glanced up to see him, Matt and Zack walking towards her, not missing the smirk on Brian’s lips.

“I’ve already told you once today Haner, I’m not planning on handing over any money tonight.” She replied confidently.

“Fancy settling the bet some other way hey?” Brian replied with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows. Angie bit her lip at the thoughts and images that flashed quickly through her mind at the sound of his words.

“Just make sure both of you have your money ready at the end of the game.” She replied quickly. “Now do you three want a drink?” they all gave a unified nod as Angie slipped of the bar stool and retrieved four bottles of beer from one of the coolers.

“Let me just dump this shit back in the office and I’ll come join you.” she said picking up her laptop and the note book she’d been making notes in.

Angie returned from the office to find the Zack setting up the pool table in the corner of the bar as the other two occupied one of the booths in front of one of the plasma screens.

“Game of doubles?” Matt offered as she took a sip of her beer.

“Yeah sure, which two losers will I be playing against?” Angie replied confidently.

“Cocky today aren’t we?” Brian teased with a smirk.

“I’m not cocky, just played a lot of pool is all.” She replied with a matching smirk.

“I pick Angie’s team!” Brian announced suddenly wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer to him. Matt and Zack exchanged a quick glace with each other before shrugging their shoulders with a nod.

“My break shot.” She said with a smile, stepping forward, out of Brian’s embrace to take the pool cue out of Matt’s hand.

As she lined up her shot she was sure that she heard a small growl emit from one of their throats. With a smile on her face she took her break shot, potting two balls in the process.

After missing a shot she took a step backwards to allow Zack room to take his shot and felt an arm fall softly against her shoulder. She turned her head to find Brian once again stood next to her with his arm around her shoulder.

“That was an unlucky shot there.” He said his lips close to her ear. No matter how hard she tried not to flirt with him, he wasn’t making it easy on her. “You’re a pretty good pool player.”

“I’ve been playing pool in bars I’ve worked in for a few years now.” She replied with a smile.

“Figures.” He replied before stepping forward as Zack cussed loudly at missing a simple shot.

“Nice shot. You and me make quite a good team.” Brian said with a smile as Angie potted the last ball on the table, winning their second game. Angie returned the smile and once again found herself with Brian’s arm around her shoulder as they walked back towards the bar to get more drinks.

Angie glared at the screen, concentrating hard on the game as she tried to block out the taunts Brian and Matt had been sending her way for the past ten minutes. The Lakers were currently fifteen points ahead of the Nuggets with only eight minutes of the final quarter left.

“I might just get wasted with my winnings.” Matt teased. Out of the corner of her eye Angie could see him glancing in her with a smirk.

“Nah, that would be a waste you want something that you could keep, so that she could be reminded of loosing every time she saw it.” Brian replied. Angie didn’t have to see him to know that he too was wearing a smirk on his face as well.

“Good point! Although it would be fun to let her watch me get wasted on her money.” Matt replied, missing the lay-up shot the Nuggets had just scored.

The final six minutes of the match were excruciatingly painful as Angie watched as the nuggets made a last minute comeback. Matt and Brian were quick to stop their teasing remarks as they too returned all their concentration to the screen in front of them.
With only a minute and a half left on the board Angie jumped up out of her seat with a cheer as the Nuggets were put into the lead. She smiled uncontrollably as she noticed the disgruntled looks on both Matt and Brian’s faces. Despite also being a Lakers fan, Zack also had a small smile on his face as he watched his friends’ expressions change.

As the seconds continued to count down Angie sat on the edge of her seat desperate for the Lakers not to take the lead again. When the buzzer sounded to signify the end of the match Angie again lifted herself off her seat into the air with another loud cheer. She turned with a smug smile to face the guys who had both sworn loudly as the final buzzer rang.

“Hmm, now I wonder, shall I get that necklace I saw the other day or maybe that pair of purple pumps.” Angie mocked holding her forefinger against her cheek as if in thought.

“Then again I could really afford both once both of you pay up.” she added smugly as she took her seat again, glancing between both Matt and Brian.

“Shit man! Aly’s going to kill me one of these days!” Matt replied, raising himself off his seat enough to take his wallet out of his pocket.

“Why thank you Mr. Sanders, and I’ll make sure I’ll wear the necklace all the time, just so that you can be reminded of how you lost all the time.” She replied taking the fifty dollar bill from him and placing it into the pocket of her jeans.

“Now how about you Haner? Don’t be a bad looser, pay up.” she teased. Brian glared at her for a moment, a small glint in his eyes.

“Are you sure you don’t want to settle this another way?” he asked with a smirk as he took out his wallet. At the sound of these words an image of her perched on the office desk as Brian kissed her, edging up her skirt as she undid his belt flashed rapidly across Angie’s mind.

“I’d rather the money thanks.” She replied quickly and confidently with a lie and a wink as she snatched the money out of his hands.

“But the drinks are on you right?” Brian asked raising an eyebrow.

“Actually, it’s mine.” Zack interrupted with a smile as he got up and headed to the bar.

“This is not over.” Brian muttered with a smirk causing Angie to roll her eyes as she finished her beer.

“Whatever Haner. Right, sorry guys but I really should do some work tonight so I’ll leave you to it.” She replied standing up from her seat. “If you’re going to carry on drinking I’ll drive you home later if you want?” she added, looking between both Brian and Matt.

“Great cheers Angie, we’ll see you later.” Matt replied with a smile as she turned to head back to the office.