Don't Leave Me Alone

Willow seemed to be settling into her job nicely, but I hadn't found a job and it wasn't for lack of trying. Clothing stores, grocery stores, desk jobs, none had responded to my applications and I was beginning to get frustrated.

"It's only been a couple weeks" Willow said as she sat at the table with a bottle of water, "Something will come up"

I sat with my head in my hand while my other hand scrolled down the job listings on my laptop, "I'm getting restless" I sighed, "I just want a job"

"How about we get your mind off of it" she said, "let's go out tonight"

It was a Friday night, tomorrow was an off day for Willow and the team and I was actually beginning to think it wasn't such a bad idea.

"Okay" I replied, "Let's go out, dance, drink and flirt"

I was surprised at my comment, and I think Willow was too.
She tilted her head and looked surprised at my remark, "Seriously, where is Lauren and what have you done with her?"

"It's a fresh start for me, right? I need a change, and I think this will help"

--

I found the perfect outfit. A navy and white striped, high waisted skirt and a white tank top. I finished it off with gold open toed heels. I left my brown hair straight and had a gold clutch. Willow left her red hair curly and she wore a simple red twisted halter party dress and silver heels, carrying a black clutch. We looked each other over and were satisfied. It was time.

We stepped into the club and the bass pumped through the floor all the way up to my chest, and we signalled each other to the bar. I sighed and simply ordered a Coors Light, I was never one for fancy drinks, neither of us were, because she ordered the same. We were pretty simple girls.

We leaned against the bar, scoping the place out and after about a minute I felt Willow nudge me in the side. I looked over at her and then the direction she was pointing in but all I saw were people. She leaned into my ear and all I heard was "penguins" and I knew what she meant.

I followed her to a corner of the bar, and it was significantly quieter, enough to be able to hear each other. Willow stopped me before we approached the group, "Okay, so a few of the players are here from the team. I've become fairly acquainted with a few of them, but I'm honestly not supposed to go after any of them, rules of being a female physical therapist, it's terrible, but tonight I'm breaking the rules, because I haven't been laid in four months, and not to sound like a slut, but I'm reeling one in tonight Lauren, so help me out?" Liam and I had just broken up about a month ago but Willow and her boyfriend of three years had broken up about four months ago, and Willow was never one to dwell on breakups, even a three year relationship. I wasn't too keen on it but she was my best friend, we came here to dance, drink and flirt and so I'll have to find one to flirt with.

I nodded, "Okay, find one for me to at least occupy my time with though?"

She smiled, "I think I have just the guy for you. You know I'm really great at eavesdropping, not that it's something I'm proud of, anyways, word around is that James Neal just broke up with his girlfriend and I'm sure he could use a bit of flirtation"

"Uh..." I had to admit, I didn't want to barge in on a guy who's just getting over an ex, but honestly, I was doing this for her, he might not even talk that much anyways, "Sure"

She grabbed my hand and we approached the group. This was the first time I had ever had to flirt with guys in a bar in a few years, since I had met Liam. There was about six of them, all in their mid 20's, one blonde and the rest were dark haired. The blonde one was significantly taller than the rest, who all seemed to be at least six feet tall. Willow first greeted the blonde one with a smile and a quick hug and then simply waved at the rest, I could already tell who her interest was.

"This is Lauren" she said as I shook his hand, "Lauren, this is Jordan and that's Sidney, Matt, Marc-Andre, Kris and James" they all nodded and smiled in greeting and I did the same back. James, the one Willow had given me details about, was attractive, easily. He had perfect black hair, slight scruff and a smile that lit up his face. He knew how to dress too, of course they all did, but he knew how to wear it, as if he was showing it off without really trying. It was a simple black v-neck and dark washed jeans, but I liked it. He looked simple and laid back, and without even realizing it, my attraction to him was inevitable and too quick.

He was chatting with a blonde girl, pretty, curls down her back and a classic black dress, but he looked distracted and his smile wasn't genuine, but still, somehow, bright. She got disinterested quickly and left, and I saw Sidney go over and chat with him. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my back push me in his direction, and I looked behind to see Willow egging me on while she wrapped her arm around Jordan's waist.

I took a breath and stopped in front of James and Sidney, who greeted me quickly, "Willow's friend, right?"

I nodded, "Lauren"

"Nice to meet you officially. This is James" he looked up from his phone and said a quick hi before looking back down at it but suddenly he took a second look and then his eyes brightened, "Hi" he said again, with more enthusiasm.

"Hi" I smiled.

"Hey Sid!" I heard from behind me and Sidney left us with a quick smile and a nod. James slipped his phone back into his pocket, "So you play hockey?" I asked, before he could say anything.

One corner of his mouth turned into a smirk and he chuckled, "I do. Left wing"

"That's pretty great. It's been a while since I've been to a hockey game" I said, running a hand through my hair, "but I'm hoping I can get to one now that Willow is with you guys"

"You should" he replied.

He was answering questions and asking them, but they were short and too basic. He seemed still really quiet, and still somewhat distracted since I saw his hand reach down to feel the phone in his pocket, as if he was waiting for a text. I left it alone for a while as we chatted back and forth about the basics. Where we were from, our age and anything else that kept the conversation flowing, but then he was really looking distracted and I called him on it.

"Am I distracting you from something?" I asked.

His eyes widened and he shook his head, "Uh no"

"If you want to check your phone, you can" I didn't mean to sound irritated but that's how it came out, so I pulled my own phone out and scrolled down twitter while he checked his phone.

Then he spoke after a minute of texting, "Do you want a drink?"

I smirked and put my phone back into my clutch "After that, you owe me a shot...maybe two"

He looked surprised, but directed me to the bar.