Baby It's Cold Outside

“Heather? Fuck,” Alex heard a girl mutter. She was staring down at what he guessed was her phone. She looked up and around helplessly. Her eyes locked with his and she walked cautiously toward him with her head bowed slightly in the chilly wind. Her hands were stuffed into her jacket pockets and when she reached him she squinted at him.

“Hey,” she said, “Do you mind if I borrow your phone? Mine’s dead,” she glared down at the phone still clutched in the palm of her hand.

Alex hesitated; he watched as she bent her knees slightly then straightened with her arms crossed over her chest and teeth chattering. She was watching him anxiously and then began to turn. “Okay, never mind…” she muttered stuffing her hands back into her jacket pocket.

Realizing he had been staring at her for a moment longer than necessary, he quickly shook his head, his hair falling back to in front of eyes, and spoke, “Hey, yea sorry about that.”

She turned back to him and raised an eyebrow, “Hm?”

“Here,” he pulled out his phone from his back pocket in a swift motion and held it out in the palm of his hand to her.

She half-smiled, “Thanks.” She took the phone, punched a few buttons and pressed the black object to her ear.

After a moment Alex could hear the faint mumble of speech through the receiver. “Hey…yeah….No, actually she ditched me for some guy she swears is ‘the one’,” the girl did a quote gesture with her fingers to no one in particular. Alex heard laughing in the background then more talking. “Yeah, would you mind?...Oh great, thanks….Yeah, Smith’s….Okay see ya then.” she closed the phone with a snap and walked the few feet back to him holding the phone out to him, “Thank you so much…?”

“Alex,” he filled in the sentence reaching for the object in her hand giving her a half-smile.

“Alex,” she repeated walking backwards. “Peace,” she nodded her head once and turned around walking back towards the direction she came from.

Alex looked up at the sign that read “Smith’s Old Bar.” Three of the letters weren’t lit up in the purple neon glow. He moved his glance back down to the girl standing on the sidewalk in front of it looking around and down the street anxiously.

“Alex!”

He whipped his head around and saw Matt standing in the back doorway of the venue gesturing for Alex to come inside. Alex realized he had been outside for longer than he intended and felt a shiver run down his bare arms from the cold air.

He stuffed his hands into the front of his pockets before slowly strolling towards the venue door. His attention caught the attention of the brunette shifting on her heeled feet and stopped. He ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it before glancing at the venue then back to the girl. He redirected his path and found himself a few feet away from her in seconds. He stopped as she jumped slightly at the movement.

“Whoa, hey sorry,” he held up his hands in surrender. “I come in peace,” he shot her a small smile.

She breathed out a sigh of relief before returning the small smile. “Sorry, I just didn’t hear you approaching,” she apologized.

He looked back at the venue once more and turned around stuffing his hands back in his jean pockets. “How much longer ‘til your ride gets here?” he asked.