Maria’s phone vibrated in her pocket, and she knew it would be Sylvester trying to get ahold of her for the 15th time that day. He was using the same old excuses as every other guy in history. It’s not what it looked like. We didn’t do anything. I promise. Blah. Blah. Blah.

He was wearing a towel. She was wearing negligee, and he had the look of guilt on his face. No. She wasn’t going to even grace him with a response. The cab stopped in front of the bar and the two of them climbed out.

“I’m going to have a Pina colada,” Becky announced.

“I need a long island.”

“I’ll grab the drinks. Why don’t you go secure a table by the pool table. We can have ourselves a game.”

It’s been at least a year since she’s played pool, but couldn’t wait to take out some of her frustration on the balls, pretending that they were his that she was knocking down a hole, one sack at a time.

Oh gosh, she didn’t really think that did she? She could only hope that she didn’t say her thoughts out loud. That was a bad habit of hers. Her face burned with embarrassment as she glanced around her immediate area. She breathed a sigh of relief. No one was looking at her funny.

Wasn’t long before Becky returned with their drinks, and they sat down to bury their sorrows in the bottom of a glass. Maria took in her surroundings as was the curse of being a writer. She loved to people watch and currently there were three guys by the other pool table next to them, huddled on the far side of their table, like they were telling some big fancy secret.

Becky waved a hand in front of her face, trying to get her attention again. “So spill it, Maria. What happened to Mr. Stud?”

After taking a long sip of her drink, Maria glanced over at the boys returning to their pool game. “He’s a cheater.” Why was it that any time she put herself out there the guy turned out to be a dick?

Sylvester was going to go right from one woman’s arms to hers, like it meant nothing to him. But it meant more to her, probably more than it should, and she was not going to be put through that.

“Want me to beat him up for you?” Becky asked.

“Wouldn’t do any good, I doubt.”

“Men almost make me want to become a lesbian. We’re good enough to fuck, but not good enough to marry.”

Her voice was just loud enough to catch the men’s attention at the pool table, and they glanced in the girls direction, expressions full of interest. Maria blushed. It’s not exactly a topic that should be broadcasted to the entire world. Taking the straw between her lips, Maria downed half of her drink in one gulp, so was the beauty of a long island iced tea. It had no bite so it was like drinking juice.

She just wanted to forget about the whole Sylvester sex thing. Maybe even forget all about her book. There was no way she could continue writing it now, it would just remind her too much of him. Unless she made him a bad guy. She chuckled. That would teach him!

Becky placed her drink on the table. “Well screw it. If Nathan wants sex with me, he’s gonna have to put a ring on my finger.”

Maria gave her a thumbs up. “Sounds good to me. Come on, let’s play pool.”

“Let me get another drink in me so that I don’t remember how badly I play against you,” Becky said, taking another sip of her drink. It was true, her roomie was a horrible pool player. But they still had lots of fun trying to see how long it took her to get the balls into a hole.

Just then Maria’s phone dinged again. ‘Please, let me explain,’ the message said for the 16th time.

‘Just leave me alone before I make you the bad guy in my book,’ she wrote back.

“Is that him?” Becky asked.

She nodded. Becky snatched the phone out of her hand. “Hi Jerk, this is Becky. Contact my friend again, and I’ll twist my heel into your crotch,” she said out loud as she typed.

“You can’t write that,” Maria squealed, trying to get her phone back.

Her friend laughed. “Don’t worry. I just told him we’re out on a date at The Rock.”

“Oh my gosh, you didn’t.” Grabbing her phone, Maria checked the message and sure enough, her friend had told Sylvester where they were. “We’re not even on a date.”

“Time to make the good ole boys jealous,” Becky waved to the boys in the corner, garnering their attention again. “How about a game of pool?”

“I don’t know about this," Maria said gripped her friend's shoulder.

“Come on, live a little.”

It’s the living part that got a lot of people into trouble. The men looked a little older than they were, maybe in their  late 20’s, early thirties. Their table was full of empty cups, so she knew they’d had a fair bit to drink already. One guy was bald and wore a green army shirt and black jeans. He was eyeing her up and down, licking his lips. The guy standing next to him looked a little like Damon off The Vampire Diaries with his thick dark brown, almost black, hair. The third guy had his eyes set on Becky. He was taller than the other two and more heavier set, like he lifted weights. His sported a buzz cut, hair a light brown. Well if anything happened at least she’d be able to give a description to the cops. She never forgot physical details.

“We really shouldn’t, Becky.” She wasn’t one for picking up strange guys off the street. 'Just strange guys at a bdsm meeting, right?’ her spirit sneered at her.

Her roomie shrugged off Maria’s concern. “It’s just a friendly game of pool. What harm could there be?”

“What kind of stakes do you girls want to play for?”

“How about if we win, you guys buy us some drinks?” Becky suggested, with her hands on her barbie-like hips.

“And if we win?”

“We’ll buy you some drinks.”

The bald guy, who had creeped her out, wiped the top of his stick with the chalk. “I’m not feeling those stakes. How about, if we win, you come back to our place for some fun.”

“I think we’ll just stick to the drinks, thank you,” Maria said, glaring at him.

“Pity that your attitude doesn’t match your dress,” the bald guy said.

“Ignore Van,” the Damon look a-like said. “He hasn’t been laid in a while. Hi, I’m Daniel.”

Van punched him in the shoulder and then turned back to his table, grabbing his beer.

“I’m Becky and this is Maria,” she said, accepting his hand. 

The body builder guy came around the table to their side and held out his hand as well. “Hi, I’m Asher. Now that we’re all acquainted, let’s get this game started. Do you girls wanna break first?”

“I’m gonna trust you can win this for us, Maria,” Becky whispered to her.

“Hey, you got us into this mess.”

“You’re the pool player.”

“I haven’t played in a year,” Maria hissed quietly.

Now she remembered why she stopped going to places like this with Becky. This was so not going to end well. She didn’t like the looks of Van. His eyes gave her the heebie-geebies. He’s the type of guy you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley.

She walked around to the front of the table to break the balls and he was standing just off to her right. Maria shivered, but leaned down to take her shot. Resting the pool cue between her thumb and index finger, she took a deep breath as she moved the stick back and forth, getting the feel for it. When she was comfortable, she moved the cue ball about four inches from the side rail and lined up her first shot.

The two men at the other side of the table leaned in close to each other and talked to each other quietly, one nodding in her direction. Shaking her head, she focused on her shot. Pulling the cue back, she let her rip. The balls separated nicely, providing her with an easy shot.

Walking around to the left side of the table, she lined up her shot, calling it. “7th ball, middle pocket.” She didn’t have to call out the pocket, but it made it feel more impressive somehow. The solid-colored ball easily landed in the pocket.

“Boo yah!” Becky yelled out, doing a Fortnite dance that she learned from her little sister, Zena.

The easiest one to snag next was the yellow one, and she leaned down again to take her shot. Van came and stood fairly close behind her, letting his hand run across her butt cheeks. Maria drew the stick forward, and then brought it back hard, whacking him in the stomach.

“Oomph,” he groaned, doubling over. His friends howled with laughter and he glared at them and then turned to her.

He took a step toward hers, but she twirled the stick in her hand like a baton, and then swung it out, stopping within an inch of the side of his neck. “Don’t even try it,” Maria warned.

“Did I forget to mention she’s a security guard?” Becky said, throwing an arm around her shoulders.

Van slinked away and joined his buddies on the far side of the table, but his eyes followed her intensely as though he was thinking of a way to get her back. Shrugging him off, she used her cue and pointed at the yellow one again. “Corner pocket.”

And sure enough, the yellow one zipped along the table, landing in the hole.

“When were you girls going to tell us that she’s a shark?” Daniel whined.

Becky spread her arms out, palms up. “I wanted another drink.”

Funny enough, she managed to sink all her balls without the boys even having a turn. Maria even impressed herself. She’s never done that before. Maybe it was the adrenaline or just the desire to get out of the bar fast, but it felt good.

“Best two out of three?” Asher suggested.

“What do you say Maria?” Becky asked, looking over at her.

Maria climbed up on the high stool and picked up her drink. “I’m good, but thanks for the game.”

Van’s face darkened, his brows knitting together as he glared at her. He seemed different than the other two. They were more good-natured. Their eyes were friendly and smiles genuine. She always felt like she was a little empathic, could sense things from people that made her either feel comfortable with them or want to run away.

“Well, guess we can’t be sore losers eh,” Daniel said. “What would you girls like to drink?”

“I’ll take a snowball,” Becky replied. “And I’m sure she will have another long island. Right?”

Maria nodded. But all she really wanted to do was leave before Van popped a blood vessel. Becky didn’t seem to notice or care. Her goal was to make Nathan jealous and when her roomie wanted to do something, there was no deterring her. And she couldn’t very well leave her alone because if something happened to her, Maria would never forgive herself.

Pulling her phone from her pocket, she stared at the last message that was sent to Sylvester. He never responded to Becky’s date message. Not that it mattered to Maria. She was done with him. She didn’t want to be with someone who couldn’t keep his word, especially after signing his name beside hers.

It was a ridiculous idea anyway. That wasn’t her world. She just wanted to write a story about the topic, not be in the topic herself. Daniel returned with a drink tray and handed them their newly refilled drinks.

“A long island for the shark and a Snowball for the sneaky lady,” he said.

“You really are impressive with that stick,” Daniel said, plunking himself in the seat beside Maria, while Asher sat beside Becky. Van sat by himself at their table, grumbling. Obviously not liking how the evening was transpiring between them all. He’d make a good villain in one of her thrillers.

Maria smiled at him. “Thanks. I spent a lot of time playing pool at our local arcade while I was growing up.”

“And what about you, Becky, do you play?” Asher asked.

“I suck.”

“I highly doubt that. Why don’t you play a game with me?” he suggested. “I’ll go easy on ya. Maybe even give you a few pointers.”

Becky looked over at Maria, giving her a hopeful look.

“If you want to, don’t let me stop you. I’m going to visit the ladies' room.” The first drink was already making its way through her body, even before she was a quarter of the way through her second drink.

“I better go, too. We’ll play when we get back,” Becky said, patting Daniel on the arm.

As the girls walked away, Van walked over to their table. “So are we going to do it?”

Asher waited until the girls were around the corner and out of sight before he produced a bag with some little pills in it.

An evil grin spread across Van’s face. “I call the girl in red.”