ONCE UPON A BAR

Anna liked clubs. Since, she adored dancing and meeting new people, clubbing was a great way to combine both. She typically was a cheery kind of gal and an extrovert that liked being around people, liked talking. The last week, however, had kind of burnt her out on the whole people thing. Namely the way that ex-boyfriends and friends had expressed their woes over the ‘perfect couple’ breaking up. The way Hans had played it up had been the final straw.

So she wanted to be left alone, but not actually alone. Which was weird as hell to feel like, but there you have it. So on Dance Friday, her usual day of the week to visit a club, she didn’t go to a club. Rather she aimed for a bar. Somewhere where she wasn’t likely to find Hans or any one of her numerous friends that were liable to express their concerns over her break-up. It was the last thing she wanted to think about.

Stupid Hans.

Anna wasn’t the kind of girl who drank her woes away, but tonight she wanted to just mope a little before getting over it all. A few hours where she cursed him and his cheating nature five ways to hell before she put it all behind her. It wasn’t like Hans was exactly the greatest catch in the world and honestly she really was glad to be rid of him. She just didn’t like the idea of being single again.

So drinking it was with a cap of the forty bucks in her back pocket and a trusted friend’s number to call for a ride home afterward.

Finding a bar that her friends weren’t likely to be at actually wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be. Not even ten minutes from her house she found this small place she had never heard of. Looking it up online had gotten her a few reviews, but most of them only remarked about the quality of the bar’s drinks instead of its wild nightlife. Perfect.

Parking she got out and marched up to the door. She took a moment to breathe in before she opened the door and resolutely walked in. It was a hole in the wall bar, barely able to hold two booths and a full bar with eight stools. It was also dreary, made of brick but still feeling somehow like a run down saloon. Most of the people that came in were the grizzled older types that stared into their own cups of hard liquor. It wasn’t a cheery sort of place, but that suited her mood just fine.

The bar had most of the seats open, with a woman all the way on the other side and a few guys between her and the wall. That was perfect, she didn’t want company, just a drink. She sat down and in short order had a tab of forty open and serving.

Her first drink was an ale, one that the bartender said something about the bar brewing itself. It wasn’t sweet and tended to kick her stomach when it hit it, but it was strong and the taste had no memories attached to it. She decided she liked it.

She was halfway to relaxed when she heard some guys coming in. She eyed them, but once she realized that she didn’t recognize them she turned back to her drink. No reason to vacate yet.

“Hey! You!” Anna inwardly cringed and ignored the voices. Please, please be calling out to your drinking buddy. She heard the seat next to her get taken up and nearly retched when she smelled strongly the innards of a beer can. Still she didn’t look at what had to be a sloshed dipshit.

Nope, she was going to go home instead of deal with-

“I’m talking to you!” The hand got closer and Anna scooted a little, turning to get off the bar stool. Already she waved at the bartender ready to close her tab. “Oh come on!”

A hand grabbed her shoulder and Anna almost wilted. Before she could turn she saw the woman at the end of the bar stand up. Anna’s mouth dropped as she finally saw her full on.

The woman had her hair up, her blue dress looking more fit for a ball then some dingy bar downtown. Her hips rotated and caught her eye just as she stopped in front of Anna. A delicate hand reached for her shoulder, twisting a pinkie as the hand was ripped off and away. The woman pulled her away with her other hand, tucking Anna between her own body and the bar. Her hand was lightly wrapped around her waist, ready to pull her back and out of the way.

Now that she saw them she realized she had been right. The guy was absolutely sloshed, looking wobbly on his feet as he rubbed his hurt hand. The woman stared them down, eyes cold and hard.

“Back. Off.” The words sent a tremble down her spine, and the hand on her waist tightened.

“You heard the ladies, get out before I put my foot up your ass kicking you out.” All of them looked at one of the other patrons. He looked like a regular, wearing flannel and a beat up trucker’s hat. While Tubby, as she immediately nicknamed him, was built like a plumber with a beer belly, he had arms muscled enough to look like he could tie pipes into knots with them.

The drunk started to lose his confidence, even as drunk as he was. But apparently he wasn’t moving fast enough for Tubby, who wrapped an arm tightly around his neck. It was funny as hell, seeing the way his eyes had bulged and how he had fought to get loose while his friends ran out before Tubby could get them too. Before Tubby could get out the door he seemed to remember something since he dragged the boy back a moment as looked at both Anna and her other rescuer and tipped his hat with a polite ‘ma’am’.

“Well, hell. That went better than I thought. Thanks… are you okay?” Her initial savior was hiding her face in her other hand. A bright red showing on her ears and neck. The sudden change from ice queen to shy flower was throwing her for a loop.

“Uhm… I… I having trouble talking to pretty girls and I’m… really… really drink so I don’t wanna sound stupid.” Now that she had a closer look, the woman looked a bit put upon. Her makeup was a bit smudged and she had left her heels down at the other side of the bar. Despite the slurring in her words her eyes were still bright and she was looking intently at Anna.

Anna had to fight back a laugh, instead tilting her head and batting her eyes. “Really? You think I’m pretty?”

The enthusiastic nod only made her ‘awwww’ inside.

Anna took a moment to think. Did she want to go down this road? After everything with Hans was she ready to flirt with somebody, and a girl at that? The thinking didn’t take long, she liked the attention and the way the woman was wringing her hands she really seemed like an introvert. Plus, she was drop dead gorgeous and she would regret not at least flirting with this beautiful dame in shining accessories.

“How about I buy you a drink and you practice your flirting skills with me, huh?” Anna fluttered her eyelashes again, watching amused as her rescuer squirmed.

“O-okay.” It was soft, but Anna would take it. She hopped onto a barstool and waved for the bar tender. It was only a matter of a few minutes for both of them to have another one of those ales.

“I’m Anna, and you, beautiful, are?” Anna asked, handing over the drink, deliberately letting her fingers linger over hers. That got her another blush and Anna only wiggled in excitement as blue eyes found her own and flittered away, embarrassed.

“Elsa, I’m Elsa.” Anna smiled deeply and fondly.