“And then—!” Another empty shot glass landed onto the counter in a loud thud, and my lips smacked against one another. Whatever had come over me was definitely because of the tequila, but my lips wouldn’t stop mumbling nonsense. “He tells me he has a girlfriend?! The audacity of this guy—! I slapped him across the face, and he still looked confused when I told him we’re done!” 

I had absolutely blabbered Thomas’ ears off, hadn’t I? Did he even care about my problems? Why am I still talking? 

And yet, Thomas sat there, relaxed and silent, and had lent me his ears. Still sipping on his Old Fashioned, ice long melted within and diluting his drink, he hadn’t said a single word ever since I had begun to complain about the impossibilities of Vincent’s behavior. I complained, endlessly, about how rude he was, about how he didn’t appreciate me, burst into tears at every other sentence, only to admit I still liked him, nonetheless.

Dammit. I totally ruined his evening, didn’t I?

“Uh—I’m … sorry…” I gulped as I watched him loosen his tie, his hands appearing so veiny as he did so. And then, to unbutton that very-first button on his shirt, revealing the tiniest sneak peek of his collar bone … I almost melted away. He really was so damn handsome. There was no way a man like that was single. 

“What are you apologizing for?” And that damn voice, and that prominent ridge along his throat … I couldn’t stop staring. A few peeks here and there never hurt anyone, right? I was simply enjoying the view!

“W-Well, I’ve been blabbering on and on, I’m sure you’re annoyed …” 

“Why would I be?” 

“Um … My ex, he used to tell me I talked too much, or that I’m boring. Which … how does that make sense? Am I too much, or too little, you know? Am I boring because I keep talking about the same stuff, or am I annoying because I don’t shut up? Which one is it! Ah, but, um, I mean … I’m sure you don’t care about my issues, you just came here to enjoy a good drink.” 

Thomas let out a slight scoff as he rose his glass up to his lips. “I’m here alone on a Friday night. If anything, I enjoy you keeping me company.” 

“Eh…?”

“Otherwise, I’d just think about work. So, thank you for keeping me entertained.” 

I had trouble understanding his words. Was he being polite? Did he think I wanted a big tip, so I kept blabbering? There was no way he was entertained by my relationship failures, was there? I had never heard I was entertaining, because I wasn’t. I went to school, worked the rest of the time, had no hobbies and no dreams.

There was nothing entertaining about me. 

And yet, Thomas smiled at me rather softly, and barely noticeable at that. Just before he finished his drink, the corners of his mouth rose ever so slightly, and I was left staring, dumbfounded at what I saw. 

I’m drunk. That third tequila was too much.

That’s the only reason my heart’s so loud right now … right? 

Even my flushed cheeks, I blamed on the alcohol. Those shots heated me up inside out, and that’s all it was. But when Thomas rose onto his gigantic height before me, his empty glass slumbering on its designated coaster, I couldn’t exactly hide my disappointment. Sweat dribbled off his glass, the ice long molten within.

From the inside of his suit jacket, Thomas reached for his wallet, and my heart stuttered, and so did my words, tongue tumbling all over them. “Leaving … already, so soon? Why not have another? It’s Friday, after all.” 

Thomas chuckled way too handsomely when his black-and-gold credit card found its way across the counter and into my hands. “I would love to continue our chat a little longer, I’ll be honest,” he said. “Unfortunately, I have somewhere to be tomorrow morning.” 

“Oh…” I sulked, but I hoped he didn’t see. “When you’re successful, you’re even busy on the weekends, huh? What a pain. It’s the same when you’re broke. Guess it never ends…” 

When I returned his card and receipt to him, he was quick to ask for a pen, and in a blush, I turned away, staring up at the dim ceiling lights as he added a tip, trying to be as nonchalant as possible, but I couldn’t lie, there was hope deep inside my heart, praying for a big tip as I whipped my towel back and forth against my legs.

Was that fair, though? He had paid for all my tequilas, too. I shouldn’t expect anything. I was grateful, already, because I had finally stopped crying thanks to him. 

Pen and receipt slithered towards me, and I caught it just before it fell off the counter. 

“Have a good rest of your night, Felix,” Thomas said rather softly, adjusting his tie ever so slightly along his neck before heading for the bar’s exit.

“Please … come again,” I whispered, and only once he’d left did I allow myself a peek at the receipt. 

I squeaked as I saw the hastily written tip, pressed the receipt against my hammering chest, and clenched my eyes shut. “S-Seriously, what’s his deal? I blabbered on and on, and made him buy me tequila, and he still …” Another 100 bucks. Are you kidding me?

Maybe I could buy some new shoes, now? A new pair of jeans, maybe, ever since my old one’s had ripped? No, who am I kidding … I totally had to pay my energy bill. 

When I looked once more, the 100 was still there. It was real. A huge, massive, insane tip. No one ever tipped this much. Wasn’t it stupid to throw your money away like that? 

And then, there was the back of the receipt. I didn’t know why I checked. Because he’d written something last time? Honestly, I didn’t think he had enough time for it this time around, but when I flipped the thin paper, lo and behold, something hid on the other side.

It wasn’t necessarily a message.

Hastily put together, with hurried handwriting, Thomas had left something behind. 

And it was most definitely … his phone number. 

“… Huh?” Too astonished to react, too confused to process it at all, I simply stared at the numbers in front of me. In the end, I could do nothing. The little paper slipped into the back pocket of my jeans, where it’d rest for days to come, and whenever I remembered it, my heart thumped, and I blushed, and all thoughts left my mind.

Why would he give me his number? I don’t get it at all!