It Had Been Years (13 page)

The train stopped and he stepped off “You coming?” he said laughing. 

“No not yet, not even you are that good, you might have to do more than take me on a train ride to get me off” 
Nadrea
shot back.  “You might actually need to touch me”. 

He held out his hand to help her off the train, she ignored it and just stepped past his gentlemanly gesture. On the walk out of the station they found the fleeting light of day.  On the three block walk to the bar she explained that “fuck wit” was a British term, meant to be a more insulting version of the American use of the word idiot.  Again he laughed. 
Nadrea
was figuring out that he laughed a lot, most of it genuine.  “That pretty much sums me up.”  Vincent admitted.  He explained that he had been going to Thirst
T’s pretty much every 2
nd
and 4
th
Thursday of the month whenever he was in town for years, a creature of habit.  When they walked into the bar it was full of 20 something students, many edging to their mid-twenties most likely grad students, girls in Hollister and baby doll shirts, tight low rider jeans and bare mid-drift.  Some of the patrons looked at the pair like they were intruders to the inner sanctum of something mysterious and special. 
Nadrea
could feel the stare, feeling out of place, again the women despised her at first sight, but the men lusted for her openly, except for the one that had brought her here.  Vincent didn’t notice, but then again his jeans and T- shirt blended in.   Weaving and pushing their way past the standing room only bar crowd, many stepped out of his way. He was tall and muscular and at this moment in time his eyes were focused exclusively on a man standing in the back of the dining room.  The man was standing there with a group, his back to the dining room and the bar.  The gent in question was holding court as the other focused on whatever tale he was weaving.  Vincent’s body language changed he tensed, his nostrils in a controlled flare and his neck flushed red veins pulsating in his neck and forearms, like a predator ready to attack on the hunt.  His pace quickened and his glare intensified, on the man in the back of the room in the Diesel jeans and Thomas Pink shirt. 

Nadrea
wondered how she had gotten herself into this
situation, that
she again could not explain and more importantly didn’t understand.   He moved to the right in the back of the dining room, to the b
ack side of his target and with
out explanation charged like a tiger on the hunt, muscles flexed, tense and powerful.  A second before impact one of the group called out “VINCE!” and they started to scramble right as Vincent hit his target blind sided with a controlled amount of force, but still violently enough to carry both Vince and his target into an open booth bouncing off of it and crashing into another open table and a heap on the floor.  As the rest of the group did their best to get out of the way.  Vincent and his prey were wrestling and mock fighting on the floor after a few real body blows were
exchanged  the
circle called for Jimmy, Vincent’s target or Vincent to “Get him!”.  “Now punch him in the head,”  and other assorted encouragements all seemingly cheering for one of the brawlers one second and then the other the next,
relentlessly cheering them on.  Two large bouncers came bounding out of the bar area into the mostly open dining room stepping quickly toward the table, to step in but realizing who them men on the floor were and stopped dead.  This was most curious to
Nadrea
she had never seen bouncers pause like that before. 

The bigger of the two called out, “Stop it before you fucking break something!” 
Nadrea
still watching mystified as to what was going on.  Jimmy and Vincent
laying
intertwined on the floor laughing between gasping for breath, they untangled themselves and stood up still panting. Hugged each other and Vincent waved
Nadrea
over. Greetings were exchanged and introductions were made.  Jimmy and Vincent went back forever.  “Why did he attack him?” 
Nadrea
asked thinking it was just boys being boys, but nothing with Vincent would ever be that simple.  The other ladies explained that the two were both Pink Panther fans. Vincent played the part of the loyal sidekick Kato, who was instructed by the bumbling Inspector
Clouseau
to attack him at any moment as a part of his training to stay alert. 

Drink orders were taken and it dawned on
Nadrea
that strangely enough she was not only completely sober while out, but hadn’t had a drink all day, not even a single drink during the night’s preparation ritual.  Food arrived at the table at the table filled with appetizers, wings, munchies and salads. 
Nadrea
doesn’t remember anyone actually ordering anything other than drinks. 
Nadrea
was adopted by Beth who explained the groups past and ties enough for her to make sense of the night.  There was a group of eight not counting Vincent and
Nadrea
,
Jimmy owned the place and another Irish pub just down the street.  Two of the girls were pharmaceutical reps who were sliding
Prylosec
to Seth, the worry wart of the group.  Seth hadn’t yet found his calling, as he took his disorganization and apathy from job to job.  His true calling was renting umbrellas on the beach in Ocean City. Unfortunately that doesn’t quite pay the bills much after graduating.  Beth was a grad student back in school after a few years working while her husband Scott had finished law school.  He practiced labor law,
Nadrea
kept her profession to
herself,
she had no interest in talking shop.  “Isn’t he amazing?” Beth asked.  
Nadrea
not really knowing Vincent
yet,
admitted that they had just met, it was their first time out and the second time they had seen each other. 
“Really?
He doesn’t bring many people around us.”  Beth conceded before continuing on to extol the greatest virtues of Vincent the Great. 
Nadrea
listened in befuddled amusement as another man’s wife spoke of Vincent as if he were a noble man of great power and influence. Vincent, while she painted a pretty picture, if forced to picture himself as a deity would have pictured himself as a pagan deity.  Mean while Vincent, and his forked tongue and sharp cold wit, floated between the members of their little group and people at other tables and the bar.  One could never really be sure who he knew and who he didn’t.  He was after all, practicing his old habit of amusing himself, the rest of the world’s reality be damned.  Before anyone realized it, it was eleven and the group started to dissipate.  Liz one of the drug girls was sitting at the table with Beth and Susan.  Jimmy, Vincent, and Scott were still there completely involved in one of their passions, anything relating to
golf,
in this case they were in a tournament play game of Golden Tee Live.    

“So how did you meet him?” Susan asked. 

“I wondered into the wrong bar.”
Nadrea
shot back, a response that while true made all three ladies laugh.  No one was surprised they had met in a
bar,
Nadrea
was drinking like a fish since right before the food arrived but still seemed strangely sober. 

“Let me guess, sitting at the end drinking a coke?” Susan replied. 

Nadrea
looked up, “So you really know him.” she said as a statement.  “

In more ways than you can imagine!” 
Ahh
, Vincent the Noble has a jealous little flat
chested
bitch protecting her turf,
Nadrea
thought. 
Nadrea
liked the thought of aggravating the little whore asked, “Is he worth it?”  She just couldn’t resist asking.  Beth tried to step in and change the direction of the conversation, but the claws had already come out.  Susan didn’t like someone showing up with Vincent dressed like a little school girl, slutty play clothes for people who can’t get men off without the fantasy.  “And then some.”  Susan stated in her sultriest voice, but with
Nadrea
she was way out of her league.  Laughing out loud, which Susan found as upsetting as
Nadrea
had been when Vincent had done it earlier just thought to herself…”What do you know, he likes them with small
tits and wide hips.”  Beth quickly interceded and
Nadrea
thought she seemed nice enough for a future suburban baby
factory,
a slight chill came over her as she had the thought.  As the boys finally found their way away from the game it was time for them to leave.  Vincent hugged Beth, but in a very sisterly way.  Then he hugged Jimmy and while doing so shook him vigorously. Patting Scott on the back as Susan approached him, turning her back towards him as slowly moving in closer, she moved her long cheaply dyed hair to the side pressing her body into Vincent’s began to nuzzle in.  He placed his hands on to her hips to feel her motions but not suggesting guidance with them, she smiled coyly closing her eyes and tilting her head.  He paused for a second, whispered something into her ear and as she ground herself into him smiling.  Vincent knew the routine, usually he played along, but he was keenly aware the entire group was watching, not that it bothered him.  Drawing Susan even closer to him, he made eye contact with Jimmy and then
Nadrea
making sure they were focused on him. 
Nadrea
not sure what she was watching, wanted to hit the bitch and hurt her, but for once, not in a sexual way at all.  Once eye contact had been established, he stuck his tongue out as far as it would go, flicking it like an aging rock star in an old heavy metal video. He slid his hands around to her stomach and she dug in with lap dancer intensity he flicked a sopping wet tongue one last time and liked her from the base of her neck to her temple with a move more akin to a Charles Shultz TV special or a black lab than a sexually aroused man.  Grabbing and twisting her breasts like a fat kid getting picked on in the locker room by the jocks before gym class.  “ASSHOLE” she yelled. Pulling away from Vincent, he wasn’t laughing although everyone watching was.  “Don’t play to be mean SLUT!” 
he
yelled back, slut was the one word that would cut her to the bone, and he knew it. 

“FUCK YOU VINCE!” she yelled back,
Nadrea
laughing intensely at Susan’s rage. 
“Yeah!
FUCK me?  That’s the root problem, you don’t get to FUCK me anymore SLUT!”  What had started as seemingly playful became heated quickly, she was
more angry
that Vincent had caught on.  Instead of her marking her territory and making his whore for the night jealous, Susan was now the court jester. 

“Come on Nod, time to go.”  Again
Nadrea
found herself following him, maybe for the first time she was starting to understand why.  “See you guys later, it’s been fun!” Vincent said like nothing had happened  then stopping one last time “ SEE you in HELL SLUT!” he yelled at Susan, his words cold and cruel, they were the same words he used so often being playful, there was no mistake he was being harsh.  She knew there was not even a friendship to be salvaged, there was no relationship left and Vincent would never look back.  He was simply
done,
she was now a memory not to be called upon.  For Vincent it was over and his mood and demeanor was like nothing happened.  Walking through the door into the street
Nadrea
came up even with him still reveling in his assisted victory.

They walked from the bar to the
station,
Nadrea
was chilled by the cool evening air.  He stepped behind her to block it as they walked.  “What are you doing?” she muttered with a great deal on cynicism in her voice. “Looking at your ass, keep walking.”  He wasn’t really back there intending to check her out, but he couldn’t help notice her shape as her hips swayed gently with each long flowing stride.  In fact, both times he had seen her she was wearing a skirt that while it provided general dimensions as a reference point the actual size and shape of her backside remained very much a mystery.   Instead of remaining modest and continuing to try to keep her skirt in place, she continued to walk keeping one hand in place front and center not being in the mood to be giving free kitty shots to strangers up ahead but taking her hand from behind swinging it to the side in stride, tossing a pig tail to the side, looking back and grinning “Enjoying the view?”  She said with a wide seductive smile and deep heavy eyes.  “Hopefully,” He replied.  There he was again being the smug bastard toying with her, but then again perhaps he was there hoping for a strong lasting gust of wind baring her assets to the world and for his own enjoyment.  The last two blocks were both leisurely and uneventful.  Moments get odd when intentions get altered.  In this case she went to toy with him, to get his motor going and then leave him hot and bothered, but now she wasn’t sure what she intended as they headed for the train.  She reached into her purse and pulled out a metro card.  Handing it to him she asked “Do you want to put it in?” as they approached the turnstile.  He laughed, there it was again, laughing carelessly, whatever had happened at the bar between he and Susan was done, having flared and said his piece, he never gave it a second thought once they headed out the door at Thirst T’s.