Her First Steps

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"There you go fella."

I drop the loose change into the outstretched hand of the male opposite me watching as he stuffs the coins into his pocket with a nod before clumsily seizing three-pint glasses up off the bar before turning and making his way into the melee.

"Someone here for you," Steve offers as he passes behind me, throwing a glance to the far end of the bar.

I spot her immediately, freezing as I catch her eyeline, she sips a clear liquid from a high ball glass full of crushed ice. Forgetting the crowd before me on the other side of the bar I squeeze past Shauna who attempts to say something that I choose to ignore as I head towards the familiar looking blonde. She appears to be on her own.

"I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm surprised to see you here," I offer with a gentle grin.

Carly's Williams face is stern. Her short, bobbed hair slicked back, her dark eye makeup is heavier than I have seen previously. I can only see her from the waist up but can see that under a tight-fitting pale denim jacket she wears a high-necked sheer burgundy colour top with a dark bra underneath.

I lean towards her over the bar about to rephrase my previous statement as she in turn leans forwards, eye contact maintained, her expression unchanging.

"I've been thinking about..." she finally offers and pauses,

"...I mean how can I even stop thinking about what you fucking did to me" she continues with a statement dripping in incredulity as she slightly shakes her head.

I hear her words over the excessive noise of the bar, I cannot hide the grimace that comes to my face, my blood runs cold in my veins as I worry what she will say next.

Carly keeps her eyes locked on mine, a searing intensity to their ice blue colour off set by the dusky make up that paints her eyelids.

She leans forward and I feel her warm breath pass my cheek as she brings her mouth close to my left ear.

"Show me more."