Chapter 2 #2
The bar is covered with different neon signs for all kinds of alcohol, giving the space a very vibrant look.
One of the many reasons why I like this bar is that it’s in Ballard, not right on campus; I rarely see students here.
This spot is a little hole-in-the-wall dive bar that I’ve been going to for years.
Even though I live near Pike Place, I consider this bar worth the drive.
Jared nods at me without looking up from his phone.
I can see the one blazer he owns thrown haphazardly over the back of his chair.
He wears that blazer, a graphic T-shirt, and jeans every day.
Today, the shirt has a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles graphic.
There are already three beers on the table, some light crap that Jared drinks, an IPA for Elijah, and my Guinness.
Elijah is already halfway done with his beer.
He runs a hand through his golden-brown hair and flicks his startlingly blue eyes up my way.
He’s in black slacks and a white button-up with the sleeves rolled up, showing off heavily tattooed arms. It’s what he calls his ‘work clothes,’ but I’m not sure how often he actually works.
Jared sets his phone down and sighs, removing black-framed glasses before running a hand over his face.
“Everything okay?” I ask before taking a healthy sip of my beer.
“Just dealing with my divorce lawyer. That woman is trying to take half of everything I’m worth!”
“I’m pretty sure that’s usually how divorce works,” I muse.
“Did you do anything shady during your marriage that she could use against you?” Elijah asks. “Or that you could get caught for?”
“And that, my friends, is why neither of you will ever get married.” Jared smirks. I crumple up a bar napkin and toss it at him. He holds up his hands in defense. “It’s been what? Three months since you’ve even been on a date?”
“Four,” I grumble.
“I went on a date this morning.” Elijah shrugs.
“Does it really count as a date if it’s with the one-night stand from last night?” I fire back.
“That depends.” He grins, pretending to think it over. “Do you go to third base on a first date?”
“I think we’ve established I don’t date often.”
“And that sunny disposition of yours doesn’t help,” Jared adds as the bartender drops off a basket of fries.
He pops one in his mouth. “Your pessimism isn’t going to get you any dates anytime soon, and you,” he says, pointing at me with a fry.
“Need to get laid.” He gestures toward Elijah.
“You could probably use some abstinence.”
“You picked all that up from this short conversation?”
“No, I picked that up because you’ve both been a pain in my ass lately.”
I scoff at him as the door to the bar opens, and musical laughter reaches my ears.
My heart feels like it shoots up into my throat.
I look over to see that Summer has walked in with her friend from class, and they’re both laughing and clutching at each other’s arms. They make their way over to a booth near the window, and Summer wipes tears from her eyes as they sit down.
An unexpected burst of jealousy hits me at the fact that someone else can make her smile like that.
Jared turns to look over his shoulder at what’s caught my attention. I see his mouth drop open a bit before he turns to me and waggles his eyebrows as he mouths, ‘wow’ at me. “Do you see those legs?”
“Yes,” I say through gritted teeth as Elijah spins to look her way. He shrugs before returning to his beer.
Jared cranes back for a second look, then snaps toward me so fast I worry he’ll break his neck. “Her face screams innocence, but that skirt and heels are telling me she is super dirty.” He grins.
“Okay,” I say, trying to bring a stop to this. “You’re still in the middle of your divorce.”
“Exactly, what better way to get me over my five-year marriage than to get under her?” He must see the dark look on my face because he shoots me a shit-eating grin.
“Unless you want a crack at that? I’ll give you a thirty-second head start.
” Jared runs a hand through his blazing red hair, trying to tame stray flyaways.
Elijah opens his mouth to say something snarky, but Jared waves a hand at him.
“I’m not competing with you. You always beat both of us.
Once you go talk to her, neither of us has a chance. ”
Elijah breaks out a smug smirk.
I grind my teeth together so hard that I’m surprised I don’t crack a molar. “That’s one of my students for this semester,” I bite out.
“I’m sorry, that’s one of your students?” Elijah asks, as if the idea of a hot schoolgirl has never crossed his mind.
Jared stares at her in disbelief. “I definitely would’ve remembered having her in one of my classes,” he says as he gives her another thorough once-over. I feel annoyance start to collect in my gut at their reactions. “Does she dress like that every day?”
“So far she has,” I grumble.
“That is rough,” Elijah laughs.
“Is it wrong that I’m hoping she just hasn’t gotten around to taking my class yet?” Jared asks as I chug half my beer. “Because I’d really like to teach her a thing or two.”
“Can we not?” I snap.
“Yeah, Jare, neither of you can offer to buy her a drink. Me on the other hand…”
“Oh, come on,” Jared snorts. He leans toward me conspiratorially, the fluorescent lights catch the spots of green in his hazel eyes, and make the freckles scattered across his pale face stand out more prominently.
“You can tell me if you think she’s hot.
I won’t tell anyone.” I glare at him as he continues.
“It’s okay to appreciate them from a distance. ”
“It definitely isn’t.”
“You do know they’re all over the age of eighteen? Most of them by nearly a decade?”
I gesture at the bartender for another round as I finish off my beer. “Please tell me you’re not considering dating one of your students,” I deadpan.
“No,” he gives me a devious grin. “But none of my students look like that.”
“Okay, can we talk about literally anything else?”
“You wanna hear about my date last night? And twice this morning?” Elijah offers with a devilish smirk.
Summer’s laugh rings out from the other side of the room, and I can’t help but look.
She crosses her legs, showing toned calves that are clearly the result of hard work.
She throws her head back with a laugh, showing off perfect white teeth.
The martini glass in her hand holds a concoction that’s a bright, unappetizing green.
Jared’s grin has only gotten wider since he noticed me looking her way again.
The bartender drops off our second round, and Jared clears a laugh from his throat.
“Look, I’ll just say one more thing on the matter.
” I groan at him, but he keeps going. “If you happen to find yourself in a situation where you have a shot at that.” He gestures over his shoulder with his thumb.
“No one has to know about it, so I say go for it.”
“You do know that is a gross misuse of power, right?”
“Only if you hold her grades over her head because she won’t put out,” he retorts, like I’m the one being unreasonable.
“That is not…” I shake my head, refusing to have this conversation any longer.
“I certainly wouldn’t tell anyone if you were to give me some insight on what a good student she is.” He shrugs innocently.
“Dude,” I say, exasperated.
“Okay, okay, I promise I’m done.”
He shoves more fries in his mouth before he starts going into how he thinks this semester will go for his class. I try to give him my full attention, but I keep finding my attention drawn back to Summer.
She’s watching as a boy scribbles something on a piece of paper for her friend while she smiles good-naturedly.
She purses her lips before smoothing out her grin as her friend says something to the boy.
I can’t help but notice that her lips form a perfect bow shape.
She pulls her long blonde hair up into a ponytail, and I can’t help the image that pops into my head of looking down at her while I hold her hair back from her face as she kneels before me.
Her eyes suddenly meet mine, and I’m suddenly worried that the lust I got caught up in is written all over my face as her eyebrows scrunch in recognition at me.
She slowly raises her hand and waves her fingers before turning back to her friend.
“Oof,” Jared snickers. “You’re in trouble, my friend.”