"With what? What am I good for?"
"…", I took a moment to reconsider and decided to do it anyway. I straightened to sit properly and ask my friend for real advice, "I will need you to lend me some more formal clothes… I can't go to the company in my usual clothes and Mom's clothes are… Well. You know."
"Ah, right. You can't go looking like a hippie to such a big company."
"That's right, it doesn't suit me."
"That's your reason?" She said, making me aware that it shouldn't be my sole reason, "Wanna go to my room later? I can give them to you today."
"Ah… what day is it today? Is it Thursday?"
"Wow…" Mason then said, "You don't even know what day it is? The bliss of having no real life~"
"The calendar says it is indeed Thursday, b*tch," Sophie showed me her phone, annoyed that I was that free while she struggled with uni.
"Sigh, sorry… I really can't today. I have some things to do even if you don't believe it."
"Like what? Fart in your pyjamas while you watch some stupid reality show?"
"… That and enjoying my last few days of freedom. Montoya's a funny guy alright? If you watched it you would know...." I said at last… Lying this time since I wasn't actually going to do that at all tonight.
From a while ago I've been hiding something from Mason and Sophie... and that something is… that I wasn't only going out on Saturdays with Mason to the pubs…
A few months ago, when I got upset at him after cancelling our plans at last minute three times in a row because of any weird excuse he had at the time when I had already prepared myself to go, out of spite I went downtown on my own and found a bar which from then on I started to visit every Thursday since I felt comfortable going on my own if it was on a weekday and to keep it from Mason and Sophie.
Today was my last chance to go there since I'll start working from Monday and I want to keep it a secret until the end since I feel like it's my little own place and my little rebellious whim.
It was an only gay men's bar, of course. Although I go out every Thursday and Saturday I'm still poor enough that I can't really afford that many drinks so the bar had just what I needed: classy flirting to get at least one drink for free besides the one that I always buy for myself.
Thursday was also perfect because it's not busy and business is slow that day in particular, the ambience is really nice as well, the place has always been relaxing, enough to just sit and enjoy a drink alone if I so like it... One could say it's even fancy, since the music went accordingly to the calm atmosphere and well-mannered staff.
The fact that the prices weren't as high as I expected from the kind of elegant design the local had, surprised me at first but I guess it was because of the limited menu they offered since only drinks were served. In the end, liking the ambience was the main reason that made me go a few more times to end up making it part of my agenda every week.
But then… that's not all there is to it. I ended up becoming friends with the bartender, Ruben, and also…
"Connor, huh? That's a nice name. I'm Xavier, nice to meet you." I recalled how he introduced himself the day I met him at the bar.
There is another acquaintance I made there. I met this guy there on my second visit actually. I had already decided to go often and from then on, he would always buy me cocktails whenever he met me and he would also make conversation for a little while before going with any guy that approached him later that was a sure home run and he thought was "alright" to end the night.
He was obviously one of the handsome, successful ones as well. At least that's what I thought since many guys knew about him and were interested in spending a night with him. Maybe it was because he was apparently a regular of the bar, but either way, from then on I at least knew I would get one free drink here if he was around.
Today was my last day going there, at least for some time since I have to focus on earning the money I will use to buy my own alcohol the day I come back.
I walked the busy street downtown for a while, enjoying the freshness of the night breeze that felt so nice as winter was ending. Turning just at that wide corner that had many places for people to go enjoy a good night in the exposed surface, at either restaurants, pubs, bars, karaoke, even cyber coffee shops and many other things which I got to learn that a lot of people still went to have fun on weekdays thanks to my little hidden place.
At the boulevard in the middle of the block I would go down a short stair and open the wooden door that was as elegant as the inside of the bar. "Glass of Prism" was its name and just thinking about it I couldn't help but like it since it has quite a stylish mysterious sound to it.
I entered as usual and the little bell announced my arrival. Some would glance at me and some wouldn't since they were busy hanging out with their "friends", but then again, the bored bartender did glance to fulfil his job and grinned once he noticed who it was. Continuing to clean the glass in his hand that didn't need much cleaning, he welcomed me as I took the seat right across him. "You arrived earlier than usual today, Connor. Too bored at home? Did the thirst kick in too early tonight?"