Life As It Is Pt. 01

I.Mickaela

The first time I saw her, she was leaning over the bar, ordering a drink. I watched her for a few minutes-I watched the way her long, light brown hair fell across the front of her shoulders and onto her smooth, tan arms. I watched the way her smooth, beautiful hands, with perfectly manicured nails, wrapped around the bottle of beer that she had just ordered. She talked to the bartender for another minute or two and then started to turn towards me. I quickly turned and faced the bar that I had just been leaning back on. I had a funny feeling that I would be seeing her again so there was no use in staring at her now and being completely obvious. The whole time, though, I couldn't help but feel like I knew her from somewhere.

II.Trystin

While I was at the bar ordering my beer, the bartender let me know that I was being admired from across the room.

"Yeah, sure I am," I laughed. "You're just trying to butter me up so that I'll give you a better tip."

The bartender smiled back at me as she handed me my drink and pointed over my shoulder. "I'm serious, honey, directly across the dance floor and on the second level. Nice button down dress shirt-blue, I think-untucked with dark jeans."

I rolled my eyes and turned to look in the direction she was pointing. Sure enough, there was somebody standing up there in a blue dress shirt and jeans, but he was looking towards the bar on the second level, not towards me.

"OK, I'll give you credit for knowing it was a blue dress shirt, but that's it. He isn't even facing this direction. Besides, I'm not here to find a 'he'. They aren't even my type."

The bartender smiled and held her hands up at her sides, "Look around you, Hon!! There isn't a single person in this building that is looking for a 'he'. Some of them may wish that they were one, but there isn't anyone here looking for one. What's your name, anyway? Not trying to pick you up, swear it! It's just that I don't recall ever seeing you in here before."

I smiled, "My name is Trystin, and you're right. I have never in my life been in here before...as a matter of fact, tonight is a special occasion!"

"Excellent! What might you be celebrating? Sorry to be so nosey, but this end of the bar is a little dead right now."

"No, that's fine, really! I'm celebrating a few things, actually. I'm single-somewhat newly single-and I've just gotten a new job that just brought me back home for the first time since I graduated high school. So I guess you could sum it all up and say that I'm starting all over again and I'm right back at home! Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some cruising to do." I turned and started to walk away and then turned to look at the bartender over my shoulder, "Thanks for the drink and the conversation! I'll see you around!"

III.Mickaela

When I turned back around, the beauty that I had spotted from across the room was gone, but the bartender that she'd been talking to was looking at me and waving me over.

As I made my way across the bar, I realized that the bartender was a friend that I'd had since high school. "Shit, Allie," I said, "If I had known you were over here, I'd have come over here first instead of up there where I have to wait!! You're the fastest drink thrower in here, you know."

"Yeah, keep trying to butter me up...I know what you really want! For the record, I was gonna tell you anyway, but I honestly don't think that you'll believe me!"

I laughed, "Am I that readable? Anyway, try me, there isn't much that surprises me these days."

"Well," she started, "I know you watch porn and stuff-right?"

"Yeah, you airhead! Remember who introduced you to it? By the way, I wasn't buttering you up. You really are the quickest beer slinger that I've ever known. But the quickest to the point you are not. Spill it, skillet; tell me who she is."

"You know what? I was going to tell you before you chose to be a smartass. But just for that, all I'm going to tell you is that she is supposed to be the next Logan Rae. If you really want to know what I mean, come by my place tomorrow and we'll have a few drinks and watch a few of her videos."

"Fine, don't tell me anything else, I'll figure it out on my own! I'll have to get back to you about tomorrow, though."

"Aw man, Mick! Why? What could possibly be more important that getting drunk in the middle of the day with your best friend and watch some porn?"

I smiled, "Funny you should ask, Al. Logan is actually coming into town tomorrow. If she doesn't have to get to work as soon as she gets here, I'm gonna spend the evening with her." I winked at her, "Don't worry, though. When she's working, we can spend all day doing what you want. So anyway...what's new?"

She turned and picked up a glass and a beer and proceeded to pour me a shot of tequila. She handed me the beer and sat the shot down in front of me. "You ever hear from that girl that you were head over heels for in high school?"

My smile faded quickly, "You mean the one that broke my heart? The same one that I used to say I would do anything for and drop everything for if she walked back into my life? The same one that left me in tears in the rain on my parent's front porch five years ago and never looked back? Is that the one to whom you are referring?"

"Umm, yeah, that's the one?"

"Nope, not a word. The girl you were just talking to sort of reminded me of her, though. Her hands looked the same. Why do you ask, anyway?"

"You might want to take that shot now," she said as she grabbed another glass and poured me another shot. I did as she said and waited for what I was about to hear. "Word going around is that she's moving back to town-and she's supposed to be back this weekend."

I downed the second shot of tequila and motioned for her to pour me a third. "When did you hear this? Is she just coming for a visit or is she back for good? Is she bringing someone with her? You can't just tell me this shit, just drop it on me like this, and not tell me anything else about it? That's just fucked up!"

Allie poured me another shot and laughed, "Take a deep breath, kiddo! From what I understand, she got a new job out here. All I know is that she bought a new house out here, but I'm not entirely sure if she's single."

I took the third shot, "How'd you find out about this anyway?"

"I'm a loser...Mark is her real estate agent. He called me and told me, but he didn't say her name directly-it almost seemed like he couldn't believe it-and he didn't tell me where. What was her name, again, anyway?"

I started to turn away, "Trystin...Thanks for the shots and the news." With that, I turned and started to walk off.

"Mickaela, wait a second! You aren't mad at me are you? I just though that you should know!"

I turned back around and smiled my best smile, the one that melts hearts and gets me whatever I want, "Absolutely not, babe! You just gave me a lot to think about is all. Definitely the best news I've heard in a while. Thanks. I'll call you tomorrow and let you know what's going on."

After the news that Allie had just given me, I decided it would be best to cruise the room and see if I could find that girl. Allie told me that she was supposed to be the next Logan Rae and I wanted to see for myself. I'd been sleeping with Logan for a few years now and Trystin was the only other person that was better in the sack than her. If this girl was really that good, I wanted to know.

IV.Trystin

I walked away from the bar and went to the other side of the dance floor, where I could see what all was going on around me. I really wanted to watch the bartender that I had just been talking to because she was really familiar. I think her name was Allie. I'm pretty sure we went to school together. After about five minutes, I noticed that the girl that Allie had said was staring at me was walking towards her.

She had a strong and confident, yet, casual, stride. Shoulders back, head up. You'd think that she owned the room. And it seemed like everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her as she passed. She seemed so damned familiar, too; she reminded me of the girl I'd dated in high school, Mickaela.

A girl walked up next to me and started talking, "Is your name Trystin?"

I turned to see it was my best friend from high school, "Oh my God!!! Lisa? How the hell have you been?" I hugged her.

Lisa laughed, "I can't believe that it's really you!!! I haven't seen you since graduation, when you left town with that girl. Where'd you go? What happened to you? God you look great! Sorry if I seem so excited and stuff, but I just can't believe it's you!"

"Wow! Didn't really expect 'Twenty Questions' right off the bat, but it's understandable." I turned and looked at the girl talking to Allie. I wanted to watch her while I talked. "Well, when I left here with Lauren, we went to Houston. That's where I've been for the last five years. Lauren and I broke up about a year ago; I found out that she had been cheating on me since the beginning. Now that we've gotten everything split up the way that it should be-after a year-I've decided to come back home. This is where I belong."

Lisa's mouth dropped, "She cheated on you for four years and you just recently found out about it!? God that sucks! But couldn't you call that karma?"

I frowned, confused, "Why would I call that karma?"

She sipped her beer, "Well, you cheated on Mickaela. Lauren cheating on you could be considered your karma."

I looked at her, "Actually, I knew from the beginning, but then I thought that she'd stopped for a while, at least that's what she told me-apparently not. And for the record, I did not cheat on Mick...I ended things before I ever did anything with anyone else." I turned back to look at the other girl, "Speaking of Mick, what has become of her? Did she ever find anyone that could make her happy?"

Lisa laughed so hard and loud that a few heads turned, "You're joking, right?"

"Why is that so funny?"

"Trystin, she was absolutely crazy about you! She still is, but she'd never admit it. She's still around."

I raised an eyebrow, "She still is, eh?"

"Still around or crazy about you?"

"Still around, of course."

She turned her head in the direction I was looking and smiled, "Yeah, she's still around."

My interest was way more that piqued, "What's she been up to, then? Is she seeing anybody?"

Lisa laughed again, "She is sort of seeing someone...they have an open relationship. The girl lives out of town. She has slept with a lot of folks, though. She's done a lot for herself."

"Mickaela? Slept with a lot of people? No way, I don't believe that! She was way shy and way insecure!"

"Like I said, she's done a lot for herself. After you left, she lost a lot of weight, toned up some. After that, she gained a lot of confidence. About a year or so after graduation, she was working in that little bookstore in the middle of town and this girl walked in and fell for her."

I had to laugh; I couldn't help it, "Just fell for her? Just like that?"

"Not like as soon as she saw her, but not long after that. You'll never guess who it was, either!"

I pretended to think for a minute, "You're right! I haven't a clue."

"Logan Rae, the porn star!! She was lost and stopped in to ask for directions. Mickaela says that all she did was smile when she turned around to see who the customer was. I believe it too...it's that smile of hers that gets us all and makes us all melt. But anyway, Mickaela gave her directions and wrote her number down on a business card. She told her to call her if she got confused about the directions or needed to know how to get anywhere else while she was in town."

I glanced at Lisa and noticed that she was looking in the same direction that I had been looking. We were looking at the same person. "So what? She gave her number to Logan and then she suddenly starts getting laid? For all you know, she could have made that story up!"

Lisa looked at me and shook her head, "You didn't let me finish ...Logan called her later that night and told her she wanted to personally thank her for keeping her from being lost any longer by buying her dinner. Mickaela obviously said yes and Logan showed up an hour later on her doorstep with a pizza and a case of beer. They got along so well that they ended up having sex that same night. Logan told everybody that she'd never had better sex or more orgasms with anyone before Mickaela. Now Logan stays with her when she is in town-has a key to her house, clothes there, even keeps her horses there on her land. Anyway, since Logan said that about the orgasms-her being the most famous porn star and all-we all wanted to know if it was true."

"You've had sex with Mickaela? What the hell?" I couldn't believe that this person that was once my best friend had had sex with one of my exes, especially not the one that mattered most to me. Better yet, I couldn't believe that Logan Rae had never mentioned it to me.

"Hey, back off!" Lisa started to get defensive, "Just because you didn't want her anymore doesn't mean that nobody else could have her! When you left with someone else, she became fair game!"

I backed off, "Ok, point taken. So tell me, was she good? Because she was good in high school-actually the best sex I've ever had!"

Lisa lightened up, "She's the best I've ever had, too. I'm pretty sure that is the consensus of half the girls in this bar. And I only say half because she hasn't slept with everybody in here." She got a very quizzical look on her face, "The last time I talked to you, you'd only been with Mickaela and when you left, Lauren. That really doesn't seem like much to compare her to, you know."

Now it was my turn to laugh, "You're kidding, right?"

She was even more confused, "Kidding about what?"

"I thought everyone knew!!"

"Knew what? What are you talking about?"

"Wow!! You seriously don't know? Ok...when I moved to Houston, I got into the adult film industry. In the last five years, I've risen to the top as an award winning porn star. Logan Rae and I are actually close friends!"

"Then how could you not know about her and Mick?"

"I don't know. It's just not something that ever came up. I mean, she told me that she was really into this one girl, but she said it probably wouldn't ever be as much as she wanted it to be because the girl had been screwed over pretty good in her last relationship...I just never once thought that it might be Mickaela, nor did I ever think to ask!"

"Well, now you know."

The girl at the bar had just taken a few shots and she seemed part nervous, part excited about something, "So how much has she changed?"

"You miss her, don't you?"

I could feel the tears in my eyes starting to form, " I've regretted leaving her for the last one thousand, eight hundred, and twenty-five days. There isn't a single decision that I've made that I haven't thought of her. It's been so long that I'm not even sure I could spot her in a crowded room."

The girl with Allie had turned around and started to walk away. Lisa nodded her head towards her and said, "You know, the two of you were together for so long, junior high and high school. When you left it shocked us all, y'all were made for each other. I think that if y'all were in the same room, y'all would be drawn to one another and not even realize it."

I smiled, "You think?"

She put her arm around my shoulders, "Yeah, I think. You've been staring at that girl with Allie for a while now. Mind if I ask why?"

"I knew that was Allie! I'm not staring. I'm watching."

"Sweetie, watching is one thing, and you are definitely not watching. You are staring. What's the deal?"

"Well, I'm not meaning to stare. It's just that Allie told me that that girl was watching me while I was over there and I figured that it wouldn't hurt to watch her for a while. Besides, everyone else seems drawn to her. What's with that?"

"Easy. Everyone is drawn to her. She exhumes confidence."

I rolled my eyes, "Maybe if our paths cross this evening, I'll talk to her...by the way, you never told me how much she'd changed."

Lisa smiled, "She's changed enough that the only way you would know for sure that it was her is if she smiled that smile of hers that melts hearts-and she doesn't even use it all the time. It's like she can just turn it on whenever she wants to."

"God, I'd love to just talk to her again, just to explain things and to just hear her voice again! I doubt that she'd want to have anything to do with me, though, if we ran into each other again."

About that time, the girl talking to Allie had turned around completely and was smiling. It was a smile I'd know anywhere...and it was at that very moment I melted all over again. It was her!

"Lisa, it's her!" I turned around real fast, hoping that she didn't see me. I wasn't ready to talk to her just yet.

"Yeah, sweetie, I know. I've known since I saw who you were looking at. Do you want to get out of here and get something to eat before you have a heart attack?"

"No, just stay with me the rest of the night, please. I'm not taking you from anybody, am I? Please!!"

Lisa smiled and hugged me, "I'm here for you, babe. Do you need another drink?"

I sighed, relieved, "Yes, please...I think I need a shot or two. Do you want to go over to Allie's bar and I'll meet you there in a minute? I have to pee."

"See you there in five."

With that, I walked off to use the restroom and get myself together.

God she looked good!