She's an Interesting Girl

It was interesting to me that she asked me what I thought about her piercings. Most people I knew that had body piercings didn't give a shit what anyone thought of them. They were expressing themselves in their own way. I wondered if she got hers in some acts of rebellion or if she were forced to get them by some asshole she called 'daddy.'

*****

I walked into the bar the following Sunday and saw Ro playing darts by herself. I was surprised she wasn't dancing. She didn't see me walk in, so I wandered up to the bar and ordered her a Malort.

"She suckered you too, huh?" Jimmy asked as he poured our drinks.

I laughed, "I take it she's got getting someone to buy her a drink down to an artform."

"She's the Picasso of getting a guy to buy her a drink," he laughed and spun away.

I walked over to her table and sat down while she threw. She was playing a remote game against someone in Wisconsin and had her earbuds in. I could tell by the look in her eye she was trying as hard as she could. She had some intensity, and I knew the look.

"Cal!" she shouted and walked around the table. I stood and returned the hug she wanted to give me.

"Here," I handed her the shot, and we did them together. She had a habit of touching the table with her shot before drinking it. I wondered what that was all about.

I noticed a bruise on her neck and asked, "What happened to your neck?" I feared it was from someone choking her.

She looked down and lied, "I don't know. I didn't notice it until this morning."

I lifted her chin with my finger and stroked her cheek with my thumb. "You deserve better."

She snorted, "You have no idea what I deserve." She spun and went to take her turn on the dartboard.

Joe walked in a few minutes later and went to slap her ass again. That time she saw him coming and stepped away from him. The confusion on his face amused me.

"Hey," I said, "Steve's wife is sick, so he's on baby duty today and won't be here."

"Who's subbing?" Joe asked.

I smirked and said, "No one. We have three. Bean will play as our third."

"Who the hell is Bean?" he groaned.

"Ro," I smiled.

The look she gave me could freeze the devil. "There is no way you're getting away with calling me Bean."

I laughed and said, "You don't get to pick your own nickname. I certainly didn't."

Joe glared at me and asked, "What's your nickname, smart ass?"

"Taxi."

"Taxi?" they asked simultaneously.

"My initials are CAB. It didn't take long to get taxi as a nickname when I was a kid."

Ro wasn't happy, but she wasn't upset either. I figured it had a 50/50 chance of sticking.

Joe said, "Forget all that bullshit. She ain't playing cuz we'll have no chance of winning. I'm calling Steve."

He walked away and Ro looked at me. "You and Steve already decided I'm playing, didn't you?"

"Yep. He loved the idea."

She pulled my head down to her level and kissed my cheek. "Thank you, Daddy."

I shook my head and watched her practice. I realized she changed her piercings. Where she had hoops in her nose and on her lip, there were small studs. I wondered if she changed them often. They were much more subtle than hoops to be sure. She still had small hoops on her eyebrows and ears.

"Fuck!" Joe yelled from the other side of the bar. He stormed over and said, "You'd better play your ass off Taxicab. If this fucks us out of winning the league, I'm gonna kick your ass."

I laughed. "Dude, if we don't take first place, it won't be because of this week. I assure you of that. You just play your game and I'll play mine. What Bean gives us will be gravy."

Cutting to the chase, we won, and Ro won her singles and Joe lost. Ro was so happy she won; she ran around the bar telling anyone who would listen about her game.

Joe didn't stick around after we finished. He growled and grunted all day, and I was glad he left.

I stayed for a while to get some of the alcohol out of my system and Ro sat beside me.

"What's for dinner tonight?" she asked.

"I hadn't thought about it. I'll probably make some chicken or something."

"Oh," she said.

"What are you doing for dinner?" I asked. I knew what she was doing. I didn't know if she just wanted a free meal or if she wanted me to come up to her apartment after we ate.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Probably just a grilled cheese sandwich."

I nodded and sipped my pop. "It's hard for me to go out to eat sometimes. I'm still new to the area and I have no idea if a place is good or not."

She perked up and said, "Have you been to Vitelli's yet?"

I shook my head negatively.

"Aw, Man! They have the best chicken parmesan I've ever had."

"Maybe I'll check them out sometime?"

She smirked, "You don't know where they are. Tell ya what, it's lucky for you I'm free tonight. I'll let you take me there, so you know where it is."

"Okay. Let me settle my tab and we'll head out."

The wide smile on her face was adorable.

*****

I took my first bite of the chicken parmesan, and it was as good as she said it was. Up to then, we kept the conversation light. She asked a lot about my job and told me she worked in tele sales. I jokingly asked if she sold extended warranties and she got embarrassed. I realized then she probably did, but I didn't pick on her for it.

"How do you know so much about BDSM," she asked out of nowhere. Truthfully, I expected her to ask much earlier. She didn't seem the type to let things go.

I didn't want to tell her, but I thought if I didn't she may not take my warnings seriously and I didn't want her to get hurt.

I began, "My childhood best friend was Mark Seeger. When we went to college, we went to opposite ends of the country but stayed in touch. He called me one day asking for help. He needed me to fly to Pennsylvania and help him get away from some bad people. I told him I couldn't afford a ticket to get there, and I'd call his parents. He freaked out about that and told me to not worry about it. He'd find someone closer to help him. Three days later, his mom called me and told me he killed himself."

She gasped and covered her mouth.

"When I went to the funeral, I was handed a sealed letter by his mom. It was addressed to me. She said she had one of her own, and I didn't have to share what was in it with her. I went into the bathroom, sat in a stall, and read it. In it, he told me how he met an older woman that liked younger men. They hooked up and she got him into sex games. They got worse and worse for him, until ultimately she drugged him and put him in a chastity cage and destroyed the key."

I looked up at Ro and she had a tear falling down her cheek.

I continued, "In the letter, he described how, at first, he got turned on by her dominating him, and that led to the escalation of her negative treatment of him. The problem with the cage was, it was truly a torture device. If he got an erection, there were spikes that would dig into his skin and cause him tremendous pain. It was the same if it were removed without using the key. There were some sort of spikes or hooks that would cut him if he pulled it off without the key."

"Oh, my God!" she whispered.

I nodded and finished, "I'm not sure why he didn't go to the police or find a sex shop that could hook him up with somebody who could get a key, or even a locksmith. I'll never know. All I know is, he lost hope and took his own life."

"I'm so sorry, Cal."

"Yeah, me too. I could've saved his life if I spent the four-hundred bucks on a plane ticket. I spent some time after that reading about that lifestyle and what it involved. I wanted to know how my friend could get caught up in it. That's how I learned about trusting your partner. I learned that there are pre-determined boundaries, not just safe words. I learned that it wasn't a game for everyone, and people could end up hurt."

"Or dead," she whispered to herself. I nodded. "What happened to the woman?"

"She went to jail. I don't remember what the charge was. Malicious mischief, maybe? Possibly battery or something like that. She didn't get a very long sentence. Her lawyer pushed the kinky sex gone wrong bit and the DA let her plead down."

She didn't say anything, she looked down at her food and pushed it around the plate. I hoped she would take my story as an opportunity to heed my warning. I didn't know all that much, but I learned just enough to push her into doing her own research.

I think there are a lot of people have fantasies about being spanked, tied up, humiliated, etc... but they just dabble in it. That's fine, of course. Role playing Dom/sub with your spouse or partner is perfectly alright. It's when you're picking up guys in bars and having them treat you roughly that changes the game. Especially, if you've got self-esteem issues and can't handle negative results.

"Tell me about the bruise on your neck," I asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I was with a guy, and he wanted to choke me. He said it would make me cum like crazy."

"Did you?" I asked, not caring about how personal the question was.

She shook her head negatively.

I didn't comment, and I tried to hide my look of concern.

"I can tell you don't approve," she finally said.

I took a sip of my water and swallowed, delaying my response.

"It's not for me to judge you, Ro. I'm not going to lecture you or anything like that either. I just saw things that worried me, and they reminded me of my friend. I hardly know you."

"You know, for someone that hardly knows me, you're the only person that seems to actually care about me."

"What about your parents? Brothers? Sisters?" I asked.

She swallowed a big chunk of chicken. "Didn't I tell you this was amazing?"

I nodded and waited.

She sighed. "My parents disowned me when I was a senior in high school, and I don't have any brothers or sisters. I bounced around various friends' houses until I graduated. That's when I started dating the guy who did my piercings. I worked, and when that relationship fizzled out, I got my own shitty little apartment."

"Sorry to hear that," and I was. I had a good relationship with my parents. I always felt bad for my friends that had crappy family lives.

"It is what it is. I manage on my own just fine."

It was obvious she didn't. I wondered if she would eat that night if I didn't take her to dinner.

I sighed, "Could you do me just one favor? Could you be more careful?"

She got angry, "I don't pick up random guys at bars, you know. I knew Andy and Joe before I started messing around with them."

"Fair enough," I said, "it just seems like Joe doesn't have your best interests at heart. Maybe, be careful with him."

"Thank you for taking me to dinner again," she said changing the subject. "I'm not a mooch, I'll pay my way," she frowned and pulled money out of her pocket.

"Hang on to it. I'll pay for dinner, just buy me a drink next week and we'll call it even."

"You seem like a good guy, Cal. Why don't you have a girlfriend?"

"I didn't want to get tied down. I've been looking to move to Chicago for a while. Having a girlfriend would've been a complication I didn't need."

"But not now? Surely there's been opportunities? How long have you lived here?" she asked.

"A few months. I've been really busy and haven't had time. I've been house hunting, working, getting to know the area, it all takes time. Actually, you're the first lady I've been out with since I moved here."

She snorted, "Lady? Whatever. You can't call these dinners dates."

"Why not?"

Her eyes opened wide. "Uh...well..."

"Two people. Restaurant. Conversation. Sounds like a date to me," I smiled and threw her even more off guard.

Suddenly she smiled, "Good. Then when you take me home, you're coming in and I'm going to fuck your balls off."

I coughed up the drink of water I took, and she laughed.

"Nice," I said. "Real nice."

She laughed more and I shook my head. I wondered if she were kidding.

*****

I pulled into her parking lot, and she said, "Park."

I gulped and wondered if it were something I should do. She was cute and I liked her, but she had some clear issues that needed to be handled. Could I handle them?

I put the car in park, and she said, "Cal, I'm not taking you up to my apartment. Believe me, I really want to take you upstairs and ride your big dick into the mattress, but I won't. The problem is, I could fall in love with a guy like you and I don't think you could love me back."

I tried to protest, but she cut me off.

"Quiet. Listen, I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose, but I don't need for it to happen by accident either. I'm going to keep you at arm's length because we come from different worlds. Thank you for dinner and thank you for caring about me."

She kissed my cheek and before I knew it she was running for her building's front door. I watched her open it and turn and wave, she looked sad and so was I. Not because I wasn't getting laid, but because she thought I couldn't love her. She didn't mean it as such, but I never felt so hurt by someone's comment before.

*****

Two months later, I walked into the bar, holding my girlfriend's hand, and saw Ro sitting on some guy's lap at the bar. She saw us, jumped off his lap, and danced over to our table.

"Hey, Cal Naughton Jr." she said as she eyed my girlfriend.

I introduced them, "Ro, this is Jenny. Jenny, this is Ro."

They both eyed each other warily. I didn't have any idea why they would. Ro and I hadn't gone out to dinner since the chicken parmesan, and Jenny didn't know anything about Ro.

I'd been dating Jenny for two weeks. I missed the darts league the week before, so it was the first time she'd ever had the opportunity to come along. I met her at work, and we hit it off right away.

"Do you guys want something from the bar?" I asked.

Ro said, "You know what I like," in a sultry voice I'd never heard her use.

Jenny said, "Cabernet, if they have it." She looked around the bar with a sneer.

It wasn't a dive bar and her comment annoyed me. The look on my face must have told her so, as she changed her tone to brightly say, "Please."

"How's it going, Jimmy?" I said. "Let me get shots of Jamo and Malort, a pitcher of Miller Lite, and a Cabernet, please."

"How'd you do last week?" he asked, referring to the tournament I played.

"I did great. Took a couple firsts."

"Good for you, bruh," he smiled.

"Let me help carry that stuff," Ro said as she bumped my hip.

"Thanks. How've you been?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Same as ever. I lost my job though."

"What happened?"

"I guess I got told to fuck off by one too many people one morning and snapped at a bitch. I mean, I'm just doing my job, ya know. You don't have to be rude to me."

"Sorry. What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. I'll find something, I guess."

She grabbed my pitcher and her shot and walked back towards my table. We did the shots, she kissed my cheek and said, "Thanks," and danced away.

Jenny wasn't thrilled at the cheek kiss, but I ignored her dirty look. I was having second thoughts about whether I could be in a relationship with her if she were going to act that way when we were out with my friends. There was nothing inappropriate about a kiss on the cheek.

As we went along through the games, I explained to Jenny the rules and strategies for what we were playing. It would shock me if she could have been more bored. The worst thing was, she didn't try to hide it at all. During my singles match, she got up to go play the slots without telling me.

"What's up with Barbie?" Ro teased.

"What do you mean?"

"Dude, she just ghosted you in the middle of your match to play slots."

I couldn't see the slots from where we were so I couldn't see what she was up to. I knew it though.

"Don't call her Barbie," I groaned.

She laughed. "Look at her. Tell me she doesn't look like a Barbie Doll."

I shook my head. Jenny was blonde with long straight hair and was wearing a pink track suit. I couldn't deny she looked like Barbie. Ro was annoying me though.

I snapped out, "Ro, just stop. Go back to your 'daddy' at the bar and leave Jenny alone."

Her head snapped up at me and after the flash of anger left her eyes, I saw sadness.

"Don't be an asshole to me. Not you too."

She walked towards the bar and disappeared behind the wall. I don't know why I got annoyed with her. It wasn't as if I'd been dating Jenny for a long time. Jenny already ticked me off too by going to play the slots during my game. I would have liked her to watch me play. It was her idea to tag along with me in the first place.

"Come on Casanova; it's your turn to shoot," Steve pressed, and took my attention away from my issues with the ladies.

*****

When we finished playing, I sat and waited for Jenny. She was at the bar talking with a guy. I saw her when I went to the restroom, but I wasn't going to chase after her.

After an hour, I ordered a wrap and continued to wait. I was taking the last bite when Jenny walked up to the table. "You ate without me?"

I wiped my mouth and said, "I didn't know if you were hungry."

She looked at the dartboards and saw there was no activity, "How long have you been done?"

"About an hour and a half."

"You've been making me wait this whole time? What's your problem?"

"My problem? Well, you chose to play slots instead of hanging out with me. That's the start. The guy sitting at the bar with his hand on your thigh was the finish. You were barely there an hour, and some guy had his hand on your leg? That's pretty quick."

She shrugged her shoulders. "He's an old...friend. He moved away and recently moved back. I was surprised to see him. We spent some time catching up."

"Gotcha. Instead of bringing your 'friend' over and introducing us, you caught up with him by letting him cop feels. I understand completely."

I stood and carried my trash to the garbage. I looked at the bar and saw the guy notice us, "Your friend is waiting. I'll see you around."

Ro watched from the end of the bar where we were standing. She looked upset but didn't say anything or get involved in any way.

I walked out the door and Jenny didn't try to stop me. I figured it was better to find out early she couldn't be trusted. I'd only wasted a couple of weeks. I wasn't out much.

*****

It turned out the other guy was Jenny's old fiancé. He was transferred to New York, and she didn't want to leave her family to move with him. They split amicably and hoped to see each other again someday. Apparently that day came, and they just happened to be in the same gin joint at the same time. She wasn't a major loss for me.

I had tournaments to attend over the next two weekends, so I missed league for two weeks. The tournaments went well for me, and I even managed to get laid a couple of times.

When I went to the bar for my next league match, Ro was sitting at the bar and looked amazing. The weather was warming up, and she was wearing denim short shorts with black pantyhose underneath. She still had on a hoodie, but she was wearing makeup and had brown hair that looked natural. Her ever-present Chuck Taylor sneakers made me smile.

"What's going on, Bean," I asked as I took the open stool next to her.

"I got a new job. C'mon, I owe you a shot," she smiled.

I nodded to accept. She owed me more than one but who's counting.

After tossing it back, I asked, "So, tell me all about it."

"I'm working for myself," she answered brightly. "I think I finally found something where I can make some good money and have control over my life."

"Good," I said wondering what business she could set up that quickly. I assumed she was in some kind of sales scheme. "Are you in sales? What are you doing?"

She pursed her lips and said, "I guess it's like sales, in a way. Hey! How were your tournaments?