A Casual Night Out

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'Today will bring you good fortune,' read the tag on Jessa's cup of tea. She swirled the tea bag in the warm mug as she waited, looking out the window. It looked cold outside, snow drifting lightly by the window.
She would rather not spend any time in the weather if she didn't have to. A summer girl through and through, she felt like she spent the winters waiting for the weather to warm again.
The sun was fading fast, splashing vibrant reds and pinks into the cloudy sky. Her friend Lars was due to arrive any moment now.
Typically, she would spend cold evenings like this in front of the fireplace, curled up on the couch with a good television series, only emerging from her blanket cocoon in the morning when she had to go to work.
Unfortunately, her partner was away on an extended work trip, and the house was beginning to feel a little too empty to justify lighting up the fireplace. She needed someone to talk to and hang out with.
There was only so much time she could spend with her cheap vibrator before feeling lonely; she needed some human interaction. After mentioning her struggle with boredom to Lars a few days ago, they had made plans to go to the local open mic.
Closing her eyes, Jessa imagined the participants getting ready for the event and dealing with anticipation in different ways. Singers warming up their voices, guitarists tuning their guitars, or going back over the sheet music for the hundredth time...
Jessa doesn't quite understand music, but Lars had been learning to play guitar recently, and she was always happy to glean what musical knowledge she could from him. Most of the time, his musical rants sounded like a foreign language.
Even if they don't share music tastes, the open mic was a way to get out of the house for a little bit, indulging in the local culture. Lars is loyal to the music scene, showing up every open mic night, but trouble at home meant Jessa had been absent for several weeks.
She and Lars got along well, and they had known each other for years, even if it didn't feel like it. They met in school but didn't spend much time with each other. Only recently they reconnected and started becoming good friends, exploring the area one karaoke or music night at a time.
Lars' car pulled into her driveway. Jessa set her tea down on the window sill and walked to the closet, pulling her long overcoat on.
It hid her simple knee-length black dress but left her legs exposed. It wasn't exactly the pinnacle of fashion, though she was more interested in staying warm on the drive than being fashionable.
She picked up her small strap purse and opened the door as Lars walked up the front steps. "Hi," they greeted each other with a smile. He was a little bookish, always a little fidgety, and never quite sure of himself, but she liked him as he was. How he moved and interacted with the world fascinated her, and she enjoyed watching him go about his day.
Closing the door behind her, they walked to the car quickly. "It's been a while since I've seen you, how have things been?" Lars asked as they both climbed into the warm car.
She shivered in relief as she shut the door, blocking the cold air. Her dress provided a little less coverage than she wanted for the cold. Thankfully, the event was indoors, which meant she could dress a little nicer without worrying about the warmth.
"It's been good!" Jessa started as he began to drive. A lump in her throat pushed her to tell the truth: "Actually, it's been kind of a rough time, but we're getting through it, I think."
"Still fighting with Eric?" Lars asked, barely louder than a whisper. Jessa fiddled with her phone's connection to the car, trying to put some music on while they made their way to the restaurant. It gave her hands something to do while her mind searched for an acceptable answer.
She and her partner Eric had been in a series of arguments lately over his controlling behavior.
"It's nothing too bad, but we have been. He's in Florida these next two weeks for work. It will be better when he's back."
Finally, she managed to connect her music to the car speakers. The cab filled with the instrumental beginning to the latest indie playlist she had put together to showcase for Lars.
It was a timely interlude so she could focus on enjoying the evening out rather than her problems at home. She let out a sigh of relief, sitting back in the warm seat. Lars nodded, either not wanting to argue with her or approving of the music.
She tried to keep her problems with Eric quiet, but a few weeks ago, Lars noticed the tension and asked her to spill the beans.
Even though she wasn't keen on anyone knowing about their relationship problems, it was a relief to have someone to talk to. Someone noticed how difficult it had been for her.
Unfortunately, this made Lars her go-to when she needed to vocalize her frustrations. The only thing she still kept to herself was how she was frustrated in the bedroom, too.
She looked Edirne Escort (http://www.edirneescort.com) at Lars as he got lost in thought and nodded gently to the music. He wasn't a particularly attractive guy in her eyes, but something about him fascinated her.
Dare she say she had butterflies in her stomach? Or was it just because she hadn't been out with friends in a long time, and it was genuine excitement for the outing?
It didn't take long for Lars to notice her staring, and she shook the thought away, giving him a quick smile before settling into the seat to enjoy the music.
It didn't feel like a long time before Lars pulled into the restaurant parking lot and smoothly into one of the empty parking spaces. The place was already buzzing with activity, and finding a parking space close to the doors was unlikely.
People were bringing instrument cases in, hanging out in the front of the restaurant, smoking and talking, or lining up for seating.
The two of them hopped out and ran to join the seating queue before it got too long, laughing as they did. Fortunately, the line was moving quickly.
The rustic restaurant had a comfortable feeling to it. Soft lighting filled the room with the accompanying smells of cooking food. A fire roared in the fireplace on the back wall, providing all the warmth the compact restaurant needed. The holidays were coming up soon, and decorations were strung from every corner of the room.
"Pizza?" Lars asked.
"Only if there's pepperoni on it," Jessa said as a hostess waved them over to the bar.
As they walked over to their seats, the opening set began to play on stage ? a simple instrumental guitar cover of a well-known song to start the night.
Lars draped his jacket over the back of his seat and ordered while she took off the coat and hung it on the rack on the back wall.
She turned around to see Lars watching her with a crooked smile. Was he admiring her?
She blushed and glanced down briefly, smoothing out the silky dress that hugged her curves. It was a bold choice to wear for what she would consider a casual night out, but it was better than letting it sit in her closet.
"What's that look for?" She asked, pulling herself up onto the barstool.
"Nothing. You look good." He said, eyeing her for a moment longer before taking a drink and directing his attention to the music on stage.
"Thanks. You too," she offered, taking a drink of what he had ordered for her.
Lars wore a black indie band t-shirt over a light long-sleeve shirt and bright skinny jeans. He wasn't dressed up as nicely as she was, but she knew he put in the effort, even into his casual outfits. She'd be a hypocrite if she said it wasn't similar to how she usually dressed on a weeknight after work.
As the night started, a waitress brought the pizza out, and the two dug in with hungry excitement. Only a few drinks in, the energy was high. They were joking around, and the night felt great. It was like the outside world melted away with the music and cozy atmosphere.
Someone wedged their way between Jessa and Lars' seats, setting a drink down in front of Jessa. "Have a drink on me, sweetheart."
She looked up. An older gentleman smiled back at her, eyes crinkled. "Oh - no, thank you, though," Jessa smiled sheepishly, pushing the drink away from her.
"Suit yourself, young lady." He shrugged, wandering back over to his seat at the bar.
"Does that happen often?" Lars asked, nodding towards the drink the gentleman had put in front of her. "Awfully bold of him to do it himself instead of sending it over with the bartender."
"I don't know. Often enough, I suppose, especially when I go out alone. I don't ever accept." She shrugged. "Bars aren't the kind of place I want to find a new hookup."
"Oh, compared to the other places you find a hookup as an engaged woman?" He asked, briefly swatting at her arm to emphasize the joke.
"I don't need a reminder," she said with a huff.
The fact was, she was here to forget about a lot of that. She wasn't convinced that marriage was the way to go anymore. All it did was limit what you could do and who you could do it with.
Was this what people meant when they said it's easy to get cold feet before the big wedding day or was she really growing apart from Eric?
The world felt too confusing and overwhelming to sort out alone. Then again, that's precisely why she wanted a night out like tonight.
"It's free alcohol. You might as well enjoy it." Lars said, interrupting her thoughts and pulling her back into the moment.
He pulled the drink closer to the two of them, so the bartender didn't take it away. She looked at him with the last slice of pizza in her mouth, "you think that's okay?" she asked through the cheese and sauce.
Lars laughed and shook his head at her for her absurd pizza manners. She smiled a little, happy to keep the mood playful. She didn't want to pull the conversation down tonight.
"You've already Edirne Escort Bayan (http://www.edirneescort.com) told him no. He's not going to think you changed your mind." Lars said with a shrug.
"Look, he's leaving. He won't be a bother," He nodded toward the door. Jessa turned around just in time to see the man disappear out the door and into the cold night.
She shrugged and set the pizza slice down, taking a big swig of the drink. Whatever it was, it wasn't good. It had enough colored syrup to make it look sickeningly sweet, but it didn't cover up the weird, salty alcohol taste enough for her to want to finish it.
"Blech!" She stuck her tongue out in disgust, scowling. Free alcohol or not, she had standards.
Pushing the half-empty drink away from her again, she looked down to find that Lars had stolen her pizza plate. He was chewing away at one of her slices happily.
Jessa gave him an exaggerated pouty face, which bubbled into a laugh. He pushed the other slice back towards her.
Pizza split between the two of them, they turned back towards the music as another act came on stage.
The night resumed, and they sat and joked, applauding to the music after each set. As the next act was preparing to get on stage, she started to feel dizzy.
It was a little here and there, easy to dismiss with the alcohol until the world turned dark and distorted. Music began to play, but it sounded distant.
She had a decent tolerance for alcohol, but this wasn't right. It felt like she was being pushed down by some invisible force.
The music faded as she struggled to keep her head up, holding herself upright on the bar.
"Are you okay?" Lars asked. His warm hand on her arm brought her back to the moment, helping her focus.
Briefly looking up, Lars and the bartender were both trying to steady her, concern across their faces. How long had they been trying to get her attention?
She tried pulling herself up on the bar top, but her head drooped. She mumbled something, but it came out as nonsense.
"Are you sober? It would be best if you took her home," the bartender said to Lars. The world just spun around her. "That man at the end of the bar gave her something," he pointed.
"I'm on it. Be careful on your way home," the bartender said before rushing off.
At this point, Jessa was struggling to keep herself upright.
The world came in snapshots.
Lars putting her coat over her shoulders.
The two of them walking through the parking lot back to his car, footsteps silent in the fresh snow.
Him buckling her into the seat with the door open, cold air and snow flurries rushing in.
Him with his head in his hands, sighing in frustration.
She must have dozed off at some point.
Slowly, she came to with a steady image of Lars in the driver's seat, driving her back home. His eyes were steadied on the road ahead of them, but his face was tight with concern.
She was curled up on her side in the passenger seat, huddled as far into her coat as she could manage.
The position had strained the seat belt, locking it in place, but she felt comforted, curled up like she was, coddled by the heat of the seat warmer.
The world still felt fuzzy, but it was coming back to her. Her skin felt sensitive, the feeling of everything doubling in on itself.
"Thank you," Jessa muttered, her head still spinning.
The motion of the car didn't help her vertigo.
He looked at her but didn't have words to fill the space. He looked like he had been crying. Instead, he turned his attention back to the road and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
He had been drinking with her, so she couldn't tell if the silence was concentration or a more meaningful thoughtfulness.
Somewhere distantly, she felt a flicker of anxiety. Was Lars sober enough? How would this affect him? Would he want to go out with her again after her carelessness?
Her head spun, and her anxious thoughts turned into nausea. She closed her eyes to steady herself, letting herself doze off again.
What seemed like seconds later, she felt the car pull to a complete stop. She opened her eyes as Lars turned off the car, leaning back in his seat in relief. They made it back in one piece, whether he was sober or not.
She looked up at the house, the porch light glittering in the darkness, but she made no effort to move from the seat.
"I'm sorry I made you drink that. I had no idea." Lars said abruptly, his inner turmoil spilling out in a near-tangible flood of emotions.
"The bartender told me she's seen girls get targeted like that, and they end up... They end up in bad shape." His words almost caught in his throat, and his eyes glistened.
Despite it being her mistake, he was taking the situation like it was his fault. She swallowed hard, trying to gather her thoughts.
She locked eyes with him, thinking about how different it felt in the car earlier in the day. She didn't want him to feel this way, Escort Edirne (http://www.edirneescort.com) but words wouldn't change his feelings.
Just a few hours ago, she was chatting with him about music on the way to the show. Now, the car felt a little too quiet without the rumble of music through the air and the anticipation of a good night.
Now, all she had to look forward to was a big, lonely house. Where was the good fortune in this?
"I don't want to be alone."
It was all she could muster.
She searched his eyes, but Lars was weighing options somewhere else. The moments stretched on.
"I can take you to a friend's house," he finally offered, sounding tired.
She shook her head, "no, this is stupid. I'm stupid. I should enjoy the time at home while I can."
Truthfully, she didn't want to be around any other friends, and she had drifted away from many of them because of her situation at home.
She was with Lars now and didn't want him to leave. She couldn't imagine that he would want to take care of her. Her mind understood, but her heart felt a little heavier.
"Are you even sober?" she asked as he left the vehicle and shut the door behind him. She sighed.
It felt like a struggle to keep the world from spinning out of control, but she managed to unbuckle her seatbelt and wrest free from the purse straps tangled around her coat and seatbelt.
Lars opened the door for her, a hand outstretched to help her out of the seat. "The least I can do is make sure you're comfortable and safe."
He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Jessa took his hand, shivering as snow fell around them. She hated the cold air, but the oppressive darkness made the loneliness really sink in.
She pushed forward with him in tow, pulling the keys out of her bag and unlocking the door. He followed her inside, stopping to close the door behind him. Tears welled in her eyes as she surveyed the empty house.
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
Whatever she had been given amplified the roller coaster of emotions inside her. Or was that the alcohol? How many drinks did she have?
She searched for the words, but they failed her. Instead, she turned towards him, wrapping her arms tightly around him in a hug.
His jacket was cold, but his warm body underneath felt like a haven. She could feel his steady breathing and the warmth of his arms around her, and she had no intention of letting go.
"Let's get you to bed. You should sleep it off." He said after a few moments, gently pushing her out of the embrace. With those words, she felt dread for the quiet house but mostly a disappointment in the foiled night.
As he moved away, a tightness in his pants caught her attention. She had to look again to be certain she had really seen it.
Her heart leaped into her throat. Was he turned on? Had she turned him on?
He caught her gaze, and the moment drew on as the two of them knew what was happening, but neither knew how to address it.
He moved his jacket down to hide the evidence, his face turning bright red. "I'm sorry, the alcohol... T-this happens sometimes?" he stammered.
She looked up to meet his eyes. The world was still spinning, but the effects of the drug were wearing off. Whatever was in the drink, she hadn't had enough to last for long.
She couldn't help but feel a tingle of possibility moisten the sex between her legs as she looked into his eyes, noticing for the first time how the color complimented his complexion.
Here was a man who felt something for her when she felt so vulnerable. Not only did he care about her mental health, but he would also go out of his way to ensure she was physically protected. Friend or not, that meant a lot to her.
Tonight would be a night that she would have trouble getting to sleep.
Alone with a little cheap vibrator to keep her company and thoughts of a very unlikely someone... Her cheeks grew warm as she imagined it.
"What's the matter?" Lars asked, breaking the tension that confronted her with her own thoughts.
Ideas bounced around in Jessa's head, and she had trouble answering him, distracted by her feelings. "Nothing, I just..."
Was it really the alcohol, or did he feel something for her? Did she even feel that way about him?
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, but they turned to a lustful ache as she thought about what it would be like if he pressed his body against hers.
But Lars, of all people? She wouldn't dare.
Still, some part of her wanted to grind against his leg, unzip his pants and find out what he tasted like.
The thought only turned her on more, making her wetter than she wanted to admit to a friend.
Perhaps that was part of what made the idea so thrilling, knowing it's not supposed to go that far.
"Look, I won't stay for long. I just want to make sure you are all set." He said, breaking her daydream.
If she wanted him to stay, she would need to do something now. A nervous chill brought tingles to her body, but it felt like someone else's emotions.
Logically, she knew she shouldn't and that she would regret trying anything.
It's Lars, for goodness' sake. She couldn't just go kissing anyone she felt like. He wouldn't want that, anyway. Right?