Forbidden Fruit

I walked into the club. Feeling the sudden rush of emotions. Employee's were running a muck. A new girl dressed in skimpy clothing was learning to be a bartender. My friend Bob was trying to hold of the people as best he could. Sara ran up to me shaking my shoulders. Explaining all of the trouble she was having. “AND THE BANDS THIRTY MINUTES LATE!” she yelled, completing her rant. I nodded and walked towards the office where things were much more quiet. I quickly dialed the number. “Hello?” A murmured voice answered. I guessed it was the manager. “If you don’t get your sorry asses down here to the Shimmering Bat you’ll never play in this town again! We’ve got bands lined up out the ass waiting to play here!” I raged into the phone. I hung up soon after he said they’d be there in two minutes with a quivered voice.

It was about 11pm. Things had finally calmed down after the two hour chaos of drunk singers and half naked women (Bob threw most of them out). I heard the door swing open and my eyes averted to that direction. I saw the most beautiful eyes. A calming hazel. His hair was a bit longer than the average haircut, it curled slightly at the ends. I admit he was short and a few men were bound to pick a fight with him, but he had a muscular structure. He was gorgeous. I straightened up slightly as I saw him walk over to where I was tending. I did not want to get his attention like the other female bartenders here, leaning over tell you could see most of my breasts or making out with other women for one man’s attention. Disgusting. I was going to go old fashioned. If I could work up the nerve. I felt my stomach quiver as I saw him in the close distance. His eyes caught mine. I wanted to look away from shyness but I didn’t want to give myself away that easily.
“Can I get you something?” I said in a gentler tone. “Just a beer please.” He replied. Practically smashing my high hopes. “S…sure.” I said quietly as I turned to grab his beer and hand it to him.
“Hey, you like the Smashing Pumpkins?” He asked me, his finger pointing at my chest.
“Yeah, not my most favorite band, but I like them none the less.” I said getting more interested in this divine creature.
“My name’s Frank.” He said smiling. I practically melted. His smile was so powerful. “And….uh…your name is?” he said in an awkward tone. I had gotten so nervous I forgot to answer. “Anna-Lee. But most people call me Anna…or any form of that; Anne, Annie.” I said. I felt so nervous I was stumbling on my words. He laughed slightly. “So what is your favorite band?” he questioned. His smirk befuddling me. “Iron Maiden.” I responded with a smirk of my own. His mouth dropped slightly and then his hands were in the air claiming how he loved Iron Maiden. I giggled. Touching my hand to my mouth as I laughed.
When I opened my eyes to see him, making sure he didn’t think I was a complete idiot, he was blushing. Which made me laugh even more. “What?!?” he yelled. “Y…You’re pfftt….blushing!” I said through my fits of laughter. “Well you’re blushing too!” He said, and then he began to laugh too. Most of the night was spent that way. Until we said our goodbyes and he walked into the crowd of people. I sighed longingly. Wanting him to come back.

The band had finished their last song and the d.j. picked up on the music. I walked up to the stage trying to help out the band as much as possible. I don’t even know why we hired this gig. The music stunk, they spent more time doing their wardrobe than the lyrics and, the were fucking drunk! I started helping with the instruments. When I felt a head placed on top of my shoulder. The nose facing my neck. Something grabbed my ass, and when I was about to turn around I heard a grunt. I swung around quickly realizing the music had stopped. The lead singer of the band was on the floor hugging himself; his face twisted in pain. Frank stood over him snarling. Bob made his way over. He wasn’t sure who to kick out though. In the end the band got kicked out, and were not to play here again. I grabbed the him of Frank’s shirt and took him out back, I didn’t need anymore ruckus in the club than what had already begun. When we were out I could here the music start up again.
“Thank you.” I said lightly. Frank turned his head to me in confusion. “What?” He said in an agitated voice. “Thanks.” I repeated. We stood for a minute in an awkward silence. “Where’d you learn to throw a punch?” I said. “Growing up in Jersey what do you expect.” He replied. A smile started creeping it’s way on my face. Frank started smiling as soon as he noticed I was. “You think you could work here…as a bouncer?” I said in a somewhat shaky voice. “Naw…too much temptation.” He said. He began laughing after finishing his sentence. He walked back into the club. Leaving me in a state of confusion.

I was wiping down the bar. Any leftover condensation. “Hey…Annie.” Sara whispered, nudging me slightly. “I think you got a stalker.” She said trying to fight off a laugh. She pointed at a table. The only person left here. Frank. I walked over. “The bar is closing sir.” I said in a very formal voice. “I see. Well I was wondering if perhaps I could walk one of the bartenders home.” He said, his eyebrows lifting. I turned around to see bartenders who were left. None. It was just me. “Uhh…No one else is here.” I said. He put his hand over his face and laughed. “I’m talking about you!” “Oh…” I replied. I felt the strange wringing sensation in my stomach again. I grabbed my messenger bag ad headed out the door with him. I wanted to walk. To spend as much time with him as possible. I’d pick up my car in the morning.

We talked about…pretty much everything. Music, cars, animals, food, clothes. It may sound boring but it felt like one of the most interesting conversations I’d ever had. We finally got to my long iron gate. I stopped, fumbling for the key in my bag. Frank kept walking, in his own little world. “FRANK!” I shouted out. He turned back, a little confused. “This is where you live?!?” He said, his jaw dropping and eyes going wide. “Um…yeah.” I said putting my hand behind my head. Slightly embarrassed. On the walkway towards the door he kept saying how he couldn’t believe I lived her and worked as a bartender. I had answered him by saying it was mostly inheritance. I stopped. Remembering what today was. The anniversary. I felt tears starting up in my eyes. I rubbed them away quickly. We stopped at the door step. Frank rubbed his arm awkwardly. “So…this is it?” He said trying to break the silence. “Gee I hope so. Or we just spent ten minutes walking up to the wrong mansion.” I replied jokingly. He laughed. That was the reaction I had hoped for. He stared at me for a long time. It made the wringing in my stomach start up again. “You know…you’re extremely beautiful.” He said.

His hand touching my arm. I sighed in disappointment. This is what it was like. I was suppose to be very beautiful, so I could attract my prey. That’s what all vampires were like. Beautiful. So extravagant to the human eye, but subtle to other vampires. I shied away from his hand. Feeling goose bumps rise on my arms. But he didn’t give up. I kind of hoped he wouldn’t. He put his hand in mine. His other hand traced my jaw. I felt like I was in a trance. Like I wouldn’t move away. His face etched closer to mine. Everything about this was wrong. I was not suppose to fall in love…or whatever this was. I was doomed for eternal sorrow that was my fate. I shouted in my head. I could feel his breath on my face. His eyes closed, and as if like a machine. So did mine. I couldn’t get away. I didn’t want to get away. His hand left mine as he put both of his hands on my face. Pulling me closer. Forcing us to…no allowing our lips to meet. I felt as if a lightening bolt went through me. I put my right hand on his shoulder. I wished this would last forever. But within one minute it had ceased. He pulled away. Looking me over. Watching my expression closely. I felt the sparks on me flush away. He smiled at the glazed look I had. “Here” he said quietly. He handed my a piece of paper, and walked away. I soon opened the door and walked into my home. My fingers fumbled, trying to open the note as quickly as possible. When I finally opened it. It had an address and a series of numbers, like a phone number, and a time. And then it hand tomorrow’s date on it. I soon figured it out. He wanted me to meet him at whatever this address was, at the time it stated. And if I couldn’t find it to call this number. I’d have to go through the agony of waiting now. He could go home and sleep. Not waiting slowly for the time to tick by. But with my vampirism abilities. I was to be awake. All night. All the time.