Ruby Rooms

He led her over to a vacant booth and gestured for her to take a seat. Glad that he was no longer 'making a scene,' she hurriedly sat down. He signalled over at the bar for two more drinks and then smoothly slid in opposite her. The lighting over the booth area was dimmer than what it was at the bar, and because it was busier in this area, there was a cloudiness in the air thanks to the cigarettes that were glued to the hands of the people around them. All of this meant that Adrienne had to squint over the table in order to see The Reverend properly. He on the other hand, must have had super dark vision because she noticed that he hadn't taken off his sunglasses.

At the appearance of more drinks, Adrienne reached into her purse for the money to pay for them until a heavy hand pinned her arm to the table.

"I never let my Nuns pay for anything---" The Reverend purred at her before turning his attention to the server. "Put them on my tab."

And then they were alone again. Not speaking. Him grinning. She fidgeting. Both drinking.

She didn't know why she was as nervous as she was. But there was something about Him that made her feel uneasy. The fact that she couldn't look at his face properly, irked her.

"Relax," he purred again as picked up on her obvious tension and encouraged her to take a big drink. "Baptisms are supposed to be a cause for celebration."

"I'm an atheist," she told him bluntly.

He laughed dryly. "They're all cynics to begin with. Trust me---this is one baptism you're gonna love."

"What's to love?" she murmured, directed more to herself than to him. But the next thing she knew, he was seated next to her and had grabbed one of her hands and placed it on his chest, over his heart.

"Feel that?" he asked.

She felt his heartbeat quicken as he took a long swig from his beer bottle.

"Intoxication is intoxicating," he told her. "The way my heart beats as it does, proves that there's no higher power than alcohol. Lushtology is the religion of feeling good. And the religion of loving, feeling good. Now---are you gonna let me make you feel good?"

Now it was her turn to laugh. "That's about the stupidest thing I've ever heard." She ripped her hand away from his chest and continued to laugh as she downed the rest of her beer. "And it was the worst pick up line too---sorry 'Reverend' but this is one 'Nun' that you're not going to convert---goodnight."

She stood up to leave but he wouldn't get up to let her out. Instead, he grinned another wicked grin and again signalled over at the bar for another two drinks.

"You're not going anywhere. The night is young---and so are we---and I can see I'm going to have to try harder in my efforts to enlighten you---" He took hold of her wrist and swiftly pulled her down to a sitting position.

"Your audacity disgusts me," she hissed, shocked. "Let me go home. I'm not interested in you or your stupid religion. And for hell's sake---why won't you take off those glasses?! We're indoors for crying out loud!"

Teasingly, he pulled the frames down so he could cast a glance over them. "Have another drink with me Adie Baby and I'll tell you---"

At that, her breath caught in her chest. 'Adie'---only one other person had ever gotten away with calling her that before that moment. And it was the only person she wished she could forget. Too numb to argue back now; she conformed and mutely received the drink that he placed in her hand.

Noticing her suddenly silenced state, he cleared his throat to gain her attention. "You asked me about my glasses?"

She nodded.

"Well---" he began, moving so close to her that she could see her reflection in the lenses. "They say the eyes are windows to the soul---and I sold my soul to the devil a long time ago---"

She frowned sceptically. Her annoyance towards him quickly returned and melted the numbness.

"So if I wear these glasses," he continued, ignoring her stare. "Then I can protect you from how empty I really am. And then it means I can drink to fill me back up again---"

On cue, he chugged his beer and finished it easily.

"WOOOO!" He cried at the top of his lungs before smashing the bottle triumphantly on the floor. "Now are you gonna celebrate and join me in the Church of Lushtology or not?! Are you ready to feel intoxicated by intoxication?!"

She had to hand it to him, although annoying, his rhetoric was second to none. Demons of the past had began to claw at her brain---intoxication now didn't seem such a bad idea.

She saw his grin widen as she relaxed back into the seat. At his nod she too, easily chugged the whole bottle of beer. "I'm ready for you're enlightenment Reverend. Show me the way---"

Without another second's hesitation, he pulled her up with him to stand. And then lead her out on to the dance floor.