Troublemaker

“Are you having a blast yet?” Chase asked a lonely Zoe who had spent her entire night at a booth sipping on several beer bottles. She was already feeling the alcohol a little too good and was now, sort of, feeling up to dancing.

“Yeah, sure!” She had to raise her voice over the loud karaoke coming from the old man who looked like an Elvis impersonator. Shannon’s Bar was the hopping place on Thursday nights, but just because it’s ‘hopping’ doesn't mean it didn't have its old reliables who always came in for lady’s night.

She got up out of the booth and made her way to the dance floor, a country song blasting after the Elvis guy got off the stage. The song was asking the country girls to shake it for him, so shake it she did. She got so into it, she didn't notice the young brown curled man walk into the place.

But he noticed her.

He sat up at the bar and never took his eyes off of her once. Her hips moved in ways he’d never seen. If he wasn’t so reserved, he might just sit and drool on the floor right there. When she wasn’t paying attention, he decided to get her attention.

He walked over to her and got behind her. The crowd of rednecks enjoying the drinks and dance made no notice of him, making it easier for him to sneak up on her. When he got close and put his hands on her hips. She instantly started enjoying the attention, she didn’t care who it was from, her inhibitions taken away from her with each sip of alcohol.

The song was coming to close and she decided to see who her suitor was. When she turned, though, she managed to stomp on his toe with her high heels. She realized who it was and when he bent down to grab his toe from the pain, she bonked heads with him, sending him on the floor.

“Why do I always fail around you?!” Zoe almost screamed. She decided to leave the scene before it got to be too much. She made her way out to the patio and lit up a cigarette. Her first inhale was like saving grace from the adrenaline rushing because of the embarrassment.

He wanted to know what happened to her, because he wasn’t letting her slips through the cracks again, but when he looked around he saw no raven hair bobbing around.

He stepped outside to get some fresh air and looked around. The unusually chilly Georgia summer night made him shiver, but the chill in the air was just what he needed. When his vision panned to the left he noticed her sitting on the picnic tables behind the bar.

She saw him look over and she immediately put her head in her hands.

“So, girly can dance.” Was all he said to her. She didn’t know how to respond, honestly.

“Apparently I’m a klutz too. So what’s your name, random Yankee stranger that just keeps popping up?”

His laugh was infectious and it made her giggle at her own joke. “Nick, yours?”

“Zoe. Just, Zoe.” His face turned into a question and she sighed. “For some reason all my life people expect more than just Zoe, so I say just Zoe, now.”

“Well, I see, just Zoe.” He thought he was clever and she just rolled her eyes. He could tell he was losing her fast with his corny jokes and pick up lines. “I got my pants clean, it was just denim, so no biggie.”

“Awesome.” She still wasn’t impressed and lit another cigarette.

“Can I have a death nail?” Zoe gave him the weirdest look because it took her a minute to realize what he meant. When she finally got it, she handed him a smoke.

“Damn Yank.” She whispered.

“I heard that.” He smiled.

“What brings you down south anyway?” She was wondering.

“Well, had some family problems, decided I wanted a change of scenery. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you I literally threw a dart at a map of Dixie and this is where it landed.”

“You’re right.”

“I’m right, what?”

“I don’t believe you, but it’s whatever.” They went on talking for a while longer, Nick eventually getting them some beers and shared the pack of smokes she had. He moved down here two days ago and had been cruising around town trying to find things to do.

They were really starting to enjoy each other’s company when Chase came outside and found her sitting with him.

“Hey Zoe, who’s this?” He winked at her before Nick turned around to see who was there.

“Chase, this is Nick, he’s not gay, or so I don’t think.”

Nick got a genuine laugh out of this and shook Chase’s hand. “Hi, Chase. Nick, and I’m not gay, but for someone as cute as you, I’d might turn.” He winked and it was then that Zoe realized that Nick was a smooth, shit talking Yankee. Her daddy had things to say about men like that.

“Well, Chase I’m ready to go if you are?”

“I am, I called Safe ride, they’re waiting out front. I’m going to go get in the van so they don’t leave without us.” He smiled and did a small wave at Nick.

“You are one good-ass, smooth talking man.” She grinned at him.

He gave a devious smile and retorted, “Maybe I can make my voice smooth enough to slide them panties off one of these days.”

“You are a nasty person Nick.” She kept grinning, “But you’re going to have to do more than that to get these babies off.” She motioned towards her underwear region and walked away.

“When can I see you again?” He called out to her.

“When you see me.” Zoe smiled as she got into the safe ride van. She didn’t want to talk to Chase about what happened or what was talked about, so she stayed quiet on the ride home.