I was busy buttoning up my shirt as I walked that I didn’t notice a person approaching my way. Once again, luck wasn’t on my side as I bumped unto the most unexpected of persons. Or maybe I was lucky because…

“Wow” I exclaimed

How in the nine heavens? I really hoped that this wasn’t a dream 

 I was momentarily captivated by the beauty of the maiden whom I originally thought I would only get to see from afar. I was extremely glad I bumped unto her…

“I’m sorry, are you okay?” I asked, concern overwhelming the delight and joy of standing so close to a woman of her status

“You should really look where you are going, bumping unto strangers is kinda becoming your thing” she chuckled then proceeded to sigh at her spattered drink.

So she saw the whole exchange earlier with the huge man, I gulped.

And her voice, I would kill anyone just to hear her talk. It was so melodious and soothing that I felt like I was in an angel’s presence. Or maybe she was an angel, because no normal human being could be this beautiful. It was almost ethereal.

“I would have offered to buy you another drink but you’d have to wait until evening”

“It’s just thirty bucks” she shrugged casually

“Thirty…” I started shouting but then I quickly regained my original demeanor. I didn’t want to spook her away.

 “Thirty dollars?” I asked more calmly

“Yes, “

That was even more than my daily wages but even though I just met her five seconds ago, I felt like I would do anything for her. Travel to the moon if she asked.

She is looking right at me, I marveled and tensed at the same time. The feeling of her eyes assessing me from head to toe so great that words got lost in my mouth

“But it’s okay, it’s actually fifty percent my fault. It takes two to tangle”

She made a point there

“That means you owe me a new shirt?” I smiled as I indicated at the drink that had spilled on a large patch of my shirt

She chuckled as she took out a bundle of cash from her back pocket.

“How much does a new one cost?” she casually asked “a hundred, two hundred, and a thousand?”

The laidback attitude as she counted the notes suggested that her back ground wasn’t that simple. It almost seemed like she carried that kind of cash around on a daily basis.

Of course she ought to be that rich, it only matched her inhuman beauty. 

“Yeah, I don’t think it costs more than twenty” I faintly smiled. A bit embarrassed that I was like a normal church mouse in contrast to her unique imperial charm.

“Keep the change then” she handed me a two hundred dollar bill.

I was at a loss whether to take the money or kindly reject it. I was in a dire need of cash and I was tempted but receiving such kind of cash from her, it didn’t sit right with me. How she turned the situation to the point where she was the one paying me really baffled me. It was as if she was the one who bumped unto me and not the vice versa.

In my moment of hesitation, she decided to put the cash in my pocket. On that close proximity, I felt her scent filling my nostrils, so much that I wished she would just stay close to me forever. But how could she? She was like a queen and I a slave

“There you go” she smiled, her eyes lighting up in the process

“You owe me a drink” she said as she started walking away towards the motel “today evening, don’t be late”

She was already a couple of steps away when I recalled that I didn’t have a phone, nor did I know how and where I would find her.  As if she had read my mind, she stopped then turned her head

“I will find you”

As I worked the day shift, anticipation and enthusiasm filled me to the brim. I kept recalling the short but sweet conversation I had with the young woman. I regretted not asking her name and not prolonging the conversation a couple of times, but the joy of seeing her once again was overwhelming. I was so cheery and in high spirits most of the day that it baffled Alexia.

When my shift was almost ending, we heard a commotion which drew us out of the bar.

Normally, the club had two rough-looking bouncers who offered security and right now, I really feared for their lives. They stood against a dozen men whom I recognized from yesterday outside the mountain truck. The person standing at the foremost was surprisingly the woman I was looking forward to see today evening.

A smile was slowly starting to get plastered on my face as I made my presence known.

Painfully, she only spared me a single glance, her earlier playfulness and bright smile forgotten. Her face was now stern and serious, a direct distinction from the person I spoke to in the morning.

Did she maybe forget about our earlier conversation? Or was I perhaps taking the short moment too seriously? Of course a girl of her beauty ought to have lots of admirers and encounters with prominent guys, but was my face that abysmal?

I chastised myself as to why I thought I was different. And just like that, my mood was instantly dampened, like a cold towel over a hot coal.

Alexia made way to the front and fearlessly faced the other young woman, despite the presence of the over-sized men behind her.

“What are you doing here?”  She asked without emotion, her face deadpan serious “you know you are not welcome”

“We want to have a drink” the red-haired lady shrugged “it’s a bar, right?”

“We don’t want any trouble with you guys,” Alexia’s voice dropped “and you have your own club”

“It’s out of drinks”

“That’s your problem” Alexia retorted

“We will pay”

“We don’t need your money”

“Oh” red head beauty smirked as she took a step closer, purposefully invading Alexia’s personal space “maybe I didn’t say it properly, let me rephrase it then. By the authority of the tri-pact, and as the daughter of the head, I’m ordering you to serve us drinks in this club, right now. That seem fine with you?”

I was confused with half of the things she said but they sure made Alexia’s face to dramatically change.

Alexia clenched her teeth then stomped back into the bar whilst motioning to me to follow. On reaching the counter, we stared at the huge men whose presence was hard to miss by the right corner of the club. Alexia clicked in anger then took out fifty dollars.

“Go away” she ordered “right now”

“Huh?” I exclaimed, perplexed that she gave me fifty dollars

“Want me to speak in Spanish pendego?” she glared “you don’t want to be here when things go down”

When what goes down?

She took out her phone then dialed a number,

Whilst I walked out of the club, I noticed the beautiful woman staring my way. I was so maddened by her casual reaction on seeing me minutes ago that I was pressed to confront her about it. When I assessed the other men on the table, I thought against it and decided to let it go. I never stood a chance with her anyway.

“Hey…” a voice made me stop by the door

I wasn’t sure if I heard her speak or it was me just imagining things so I hesitated a second before stepping outside.

“Hey” the voice called again and this time when I turned, she was walking towards me. I noticed Alexia and everyone else in the club looking at us,

“I am sorry about my brother” she started

I frowned

“He tripped you yesterday?” she added “remember?”

“Oh” so they were related, how cool. A goat had a greater chance at a singing career than me having a relationship with her.

“He is a bully. I warned him, he will not do that again”

“Cool” I nodded “thanks”

“What’s your name?” she asked.

I was momentarily confused at the newfound curiosity about me. Didn’t she just ignore me a while ago? Pretending she knew nothing of our morning conversation.

I darted Alexia a glance, she shook her head

“Uhm…” I hesitated “John…John Steward”

“You don’t look like a John” she chuckled “I’m Cara”

I shook the extended arm

“Wanna join us for a drink?” she offered with a smile

Did she really not recall our earlier conversation? Or was she just acting dumb?

Maybe this was her finding me for the drink I owed her, I started thinking

“He was actually leaving” Alexia approached and said

Cara frowned as she darted her eyes between me and Alexia.