Above the Skyline

I took a deep breath and ripped my black glasses off my face, massaging the bridge of my nose as I dragged my eyes away from the glaring computer screen in front of me. The words I wanted weren’t coming to me as quickly as I wanted, and everything I actually did write down on paper sounded like complete shit.

Huffing a sigh, I shoved away from my desk and padded into the kitchen, my bare feet making smacking noises against the hardwood and tile flooring. The late afternoon hour got rid of much of the sunlight that usually poured into my flat through the various windows and the glass wall on one side, sending the entire home into a shade of darkness.

After grabbing a bottle of water, I let the refrigerator door close on its own and walked out to the living room. I was lucky enough to have the late shift at the bar I worked, so I didn’t have to be there for another hour and a half, which the laziness in my personality thoroughly enjoyed as I put my head back against the couch.

Just as my feet landed on top of my coffee table, my mobile went off inside my jeans pocket, playing a snippet of Don’t Cha by the Pussycat Dolls. The song choice was hers, not mine, and I never failed to be mortified when it went off in public. But I was so technologically challenged when it came to mobile phones that I couldn’t figure out how to change it. I’d tried for hours on end, but nothing seemed to work. Part of me wondered if she managed to lock the part of the phone that would lead to the answer.

Hey there Zayny poo.

I snickered at the text before sending one of my own. Hi Annie bananie

Mine was better. Much better. Yours was just sad.

Ouch. That hurts.

She took a little while longer to reply, so I stood up and stretched my arms over my head, going into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for work.



A head of shockingly dark hair caught the corner of my eye as I filled up a pitcher for a table of frat boys sitting across the way from the bar counter. I cleared my throat and shook out my hair, trying to fight back the blush that was threatening to take over my face. I’d been working at the bar for months, yet I still found the job hard. I had a naturally shy nature, a quiet one, and it was incredibly hard to overcome it sometimes.

After sliding the pitcher to the brawny guy waiting for it, I made my way over to the brunette and swallowed back any anxiousness that was threatening to inch up my throat. “What can I get for you?” I asked with what I hoped was a charming smile.

I figured I did well enough, judging from the sweet smirk she gave back to me. Her light blue eyes were clear as she ordered a few different drinks, gesturing briefly to the table filled with women behind her. I noticed from the corner of my eye that she played with her short dark hair quite a bit, almost looking impatient at having to wait.

When I gave the drinks back to her, and she handed over the money, I glanced over at the table again. And saw Annie grinning at me.

I raised a hand and waved widely, not caring about embarrassing myself. “Do you know Annie?” the girl in front of me asked, sneaking a look back at my friend before bringing her gaze back at me.

“Yeah. We’ve known each other for a while. Tell her I say hi.”

“Will do,” she agreed. “Thanks for the drinks.”

I nodded in response before sliding down the bar to take the order of another customer, but my eyes kept drifting back to Annie. She was smiling a lot with her friends, laughing. She looked incredibly happy.

Not that she didn’t look happy with me. But it was almost like she didn’t have the same sparkle in her eye. Which is what made me think that she didn’t feel the same attraction toward me that I felt about her. With her dark eyes, dark hair, tanned skin, and thin yet curvy figure, she looked like something out of a beautiful fantasy of mine. But I was sure that she wasn’t attracted to my slightly awkward nature that was so opposite her bubbly personality.

Shaking my head from the negative thoughts, I started to wait on the mousy girl that was looking to order for her and her boyfriend, who was standing behind her, his large hands on her waist protectively.

I tried not to be jealous of the love they shared as I turned around to fill their order, focusing solely on what I was doing so my eyes didn’t wander back to where Annie was sitting, giggling and looking like she was having the time of her life.