T-Bar

"Two Long Islands," Jamie said to the bartender.

I turned and looked at Jamie with confusion. "Did you just order me a Long Island ice tea?" I asked.

She smiled. "Yep. When you go out with your buddies you can drink beer but tonight you're drinking with me."

I laughed and then shrugged. When in Rome.

After Jamie paid for the drinks we stepped away from the bar. There was an empty high top table close by so we walked over and stood next to it. As I took my first sip of the strong cocktail I heard Jamie swear under her breath.

"Heads up," she said to me in a whisper.

I turned to see two guys approaching. The guy in front was tall with sandy blonde hair and an average build. The other guy had light brown hair and was a little shorter and thicker around the waist. I took a small step towards Jamie as they arrived.

The blonde guy looked back and forth between us and smiled. "How are you ladies doing tonight?" He asked.

"We're good," Jamie answered flatly.

I could tell immediately that Jamie wasn't interested. The tone of her voice and her body language screamed apathy. The guy either didn't pick up on it or he thought he could win her over.

"That's good," he said. He motioned towards his friend. "We were just talking about how we were hoping to meet some cute girls tonight and then you two walked in." He paused as if waiting for a response but when he didn't get one he continued. "I see you already have drinks, would you like to dance?"

Both of them were looking at us expectantly. The brown-haired guy seemed particularly interested in me, looking me up and down and letting his eyes linger on my legs. I felt a mix of discomfort and annoyance at the way he ogled me and I looked over at Jamie hoping she would get rid of them.

"No thanks," Jamie said affably. "I think my friend and I are just going to talk for a bit."

The blonde guy hesitated briefly but then seemed to get the hint. He nodded. "Ok," he said smoothly. "Maybe later."

As they turned around and went back to their table I looked over at Jamie. "Later?" I asked Jamie skeptically.

"No," she said immediately. "That was rude. They didn't even give me time to take a drink." She sipped her Long Island ice tea. "Besides, neither of them were good looking enough." After a pause she smiled and said, "unless you're interested..."

I rolled my eyes. "No." As I looked around I asked Jamie, "is that gonna happen a lot? Guys hitting on us?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, probably. But don't worry about it. Just be polite when you turn them down and they'll go away." She lowered her voice. "Usually."

We sipped our drinks for a while. I typically liked to drink beer but I wasn't against the occasional cocktail. Jamie seemed to be enjoying hers as she scanned the room. I figured she was checking out the guys so I asked her if she saw any she liked.

"Not yet," she replied with frustration. "Last time I was here there were lots of good looking guys." Looking over at me she said, "Let's finish our drinks. I'm ready to dance."

We both downed what was left in our glasses and then headed to the dance floor. While Jamie started moving her hips as soon as we got there I was a bit more hesitant. I had never been the best dancer. It wasn't like I had no rhythm but dancing just didn't come that naturally to me.

Jamie immediately noticed my uncertainty. She took my hands in hers and smiled widely. She began shaking her butt, wordlessly encouraging me to do the same. I followed along with her movements, eliciting laughs from both Jamie and myself.

Laughing loosened me up. The alcohol helped too. After a few seconds I was able to get out of my head and just let the music wash over me. My body started moving to the beat as Jamie and I danced together like a couple of girlfriends. It was really fun.

Dancing while being dressed like a woman was a completely different experience. My soft, tight clothes felt good against my body and as I moved I felt my skirt bounce on my bare thighs. Maybe it was because I had just shaved but my body had never been more sensitive. I could feel every touch of fabric.

The hair from my wig also kept getting in my face. I had never had long hair before and tucking it behind my ears only seemed to help temporarily. Looking at other girls around me I noticed that most of them just ignored it in their face or they tied it back. I chose the former.

We danced for a good thirty minutes. During that time a few guys approached or started dancing next to us but Jamie quickly shooed them away. I was content to let her handle it while I pretended not to notice their leering eyes.

Finally Jamie leaned in and asked me a question over the loud music. "Should we get another drink?"

I nodded.

We left the dance floor and headed straight back to the bar. The line was still long but Jamie and I chatted while we waited. In no time she had me cracking up with a story about the last time she had been at T-Bar with Alex. Apparently guys don't like it when you spill your drink on them.

As Jamie finished her story I became aware of a conversation happening in front of us. A short but decent looking man had his arm around a tall, beautiful woman. I immediately thought she might be one of the working girls who had been sitting against the wall because she looked absolutely elegant.

"And that's when I decided to start my own company," the guy said boisterously. "I already knew everything I needed to know about the business so of course it was immediately successful."

The girl had a smile on her face but it didn't touch her eyes. She seemed to be just biding her time, nodding as he talked. She must have seen me looking at her because she turned her head and we made eye contact.

The guy saw her glance over at me and he did the same. Turning around he looked back and forth between me and Jamie. He smiled. "Hey ladies," he said conversationally. "Having a good time?"

Jamie smiled back. "Yep, how about you two?"

"Yeah, good," he said with a glance over at the woman next to him. "I was just telling her about my latest success story."

For the next few minutes he told all three of us about how successful he was. He talked about all the money he made. He mentioned the overseas trips he had been on. I looked around to see the same bored smiles on the other girl's faces which almost made me laugh out loud.

When we got up to the bar he ordered himself a drink. As the woman next to him told the bartender what she wanted he turned and looked back at me and Jamie.

"What would you ladies like to drink? It's on me," he said boastfully.

"We'll both have champagne," Jamie said immediately.

I was a little bit taken aback by her order. Champagne? Why would she order that?

He turned back to the bartender. "And two glasses of champagne," he said. "Yeah, the good stuff."

The beautiful woman next to him smiled at us, the first genuine smile I had seen from her. Jamie gave her a thumbs up. I laughed.

After he handed me and Jamie each a glass of champagne he offered his arm to the other woman. She took it and he bid us a quick goodbye as they left to go to their own table. I thought it was strange that he would buy us drinks and then immediately leave but Jamie reassured me that he was just showing off.

Once again we sipped our drinks next to an empty table. More people had come in since we arrived. I found my attention being pulled towards the TVs showing a basketball game but then I noticed Jamie smiling at a tall guy with a shaved head. When I asked her if she wanted to go talk to him she just shrugged.

"He's cute but I think I can do better," she said. After a pause she added, "I'll keep him in mind though."

After finishing our champagne Jamie dragged me back to the dance floor. In truth I was more than willing to go but she was just excited. There were more people dancing than there had been earlier but we found a spot and picked up where we left off.

We had been dancing for about thirty minutes when I felt someone brush up against my back. Looking over my shoulder I made eye contact with a tall, handsome man. He had dark hair and a short cropped beard.

I stepped away from him and turned around. He took the opportunity to look me up and down, a smile coming to his face.

"Hey cutie, what's your name?" He asked loudly so as to be heard over the music.

I thought about just telling him straight away that I wasn't interested but Jamie had told me to be polite. Then I almost told him my male name by accident. Finally I said, "Ava."

"Beautiful name for a beautiful girl," he replied confidently. "Shall we dance?" He asked as he began moving his hips.

I glanced over at Jamie who had stopped dancing. She was looking back and forth between us, clearly ready to jump in at any moment. That actually gave me the confidence to take care of the situation myself.

"No thanks," I said. "I'm dancing with my friend right now."

I stepped closer to Jamie and she immediately threaded her arm through mine. He looked her up and down.

"Don't worry," he said suggestively. "There's enough of me to go around. I can handle both of you." Then he reached down and ran his hand over his crotch to make the point clear.

"Ugh, get lost creep," Jamie said loudly.

When he didn't immediately move away from us Jamie grabbed my hand and pulled me off the dance floor. Making a beeline for the bathroom I had a moment of panic when she pulled me through the women's door. Once we were inside she let go.

"What a fucking asshole," Jamie said to no one in particular.

There were two girls chatting and fixing their makeup in the mirror but they ignored us as Jamie ranted.

"Fuck him," she continued. "Just because he's hot that doesn't give him the right to say that kind of shit. Dickhead. I'll bet he has a small dick too."

I couldn't help but laugh. Listening to Jamie go off was always very entertaining. "Alright," I said to try to get her to calm down. "It's over. But yes, I agree. Fuck that guy."

She nodded and then looked at the stalls. "I have to pee."

I realized that I had to go too and I entered the stall next to the one Jamie had picked. Closing the door behind me I lifted up my plaid skirt and pulled my panties down to my knees. Sitting down I took care of business. When I was done I tucked my penis back when I pulled up my panties.

When I exited the stall I saw Jamie at one of the sinks. Washing my hands next to her she began checking her makeup. I decided to do the same and I noticed that the makeup on my right eye was slightly smeared. Opening my purse Jamie helped me wipe it off and reapply.

When we left the bathroom I couldn't help but look around for the guy from the dance floor. I didn't see him anywhere but I made a mental note to avoid him for the rest of the night. Seconds later Jamie nudged me with her elbow to get my attention.

"What do you think of that guy over there?" She asked. "The muscular guy by the bar."

I followed her line of sight to see two guys standing together. One was tall and muscular, his black t-shirt stretched tight over his chest. The other was a couple inches shorter and thinner. Neither of them were unattractive.

"Yeah, not bad," I said with a shrug.

Jamie nodded. "He's hot. Are you cool with talking to his friend?"

"Yeah," I replied. "I'm here to be your wing-woman, remember?"

She smiled and then she started walking towards them. About halfway there the muscular guy noticed us and whispered something to his friend. Then they both watched us approach.

"Hi," Jamie said as soon as we got close enough for them to hear her.

"Hi," the taller guy echoed with a small smile. "How's it going?" He not so subtly checked Jamie out.

"Good," Jamie answered with a smile. "I'm Jamie and this is my roommate Ava," she said as she gestured towards me.

"Nice to meet you," he said. "I'm Nico and this is my cousin Luca. We were about to grab a drink, can I get you something?"

"Sure," Jamie said.

We immediately joined them in line at the bar. Jamie stood next to Nico while I took a spot next to Luca. I gave him a quick hello which he returned and in the process I noticed something different about him. He was the first guy I had interacted with who didn't blatantly check me out.

Standing next to Luca I realized that he was taller than I initially thought as he had a few inches on me. He had short brown hair that was messy in a stylish way and although he wasn't as muscular as his cousin, he wasn't skinny. Looking at him out of the corner of my eye I could see the family resemblance as well.

Jamie had immediately jumped into conversation with Nico and they were both laughing about something she said. I glanced over at Luca but he was looking up at one of the TVs. I figured I might as well start the conversation.

"Who's your team?" I asked.

Luca looked over at me and then back at the basketball game playing on the TV. "Lakers," he said. After a pause he asked, "what about you?"

"I don't have a team," I answered honestly.

He looked over at me. "Because you don't like basketball?" He asked curiously.

"I love basketball," I answered. "I just grew up in a small town without an NBA team. We weren't close to any major cities either so I just became a fan of individual players."

He nodded. "Yeah, I get it. I mean, I love the Lakers but at some point I'm just rooting for laundry, you know?"

I knew exactly what he meant. "Yep."

We were next in line to order and Luca asked me, "what can I get you to drink?"

I looked over at Jamie but she seemed to be engrossed in her conversation with Nico. I had been going along with Jamie's drink choices for the sake of girl's night but I really didn't want another sweet alcoholic drink. I decided to tell Luca what I really wanted.

"I'll have a beer," I said.

Luca nodded. "Any particular kind?" He asked.

"Whatever they have on tap," I replied. "If it's an IPA even better."

He looked surprised for a second but then he nodded. Seconds later Nico ordered for himself and Jamie and then Luca said, "And two of the IPA you have on tap."

Jamie gave me a surprised look and then shook her head with a smile. I smiled back and mouthed, "I'm sorry," even though I wasn't.

Luca handed me a beer and then Jamie and I followed him and his cousin over to an empty table. Jamie sat down next to Nico while I took the chair next to Luca. As soon as I sat down I remembered Jamie's advice from the car and I crossed my legs. Then I smoothed my skirt down.

Jamie and Nico began talking immediately. There was silence on our side of the table for a few seconds before Luca asked me, "so you said you like individual NBA players. Who do you like?"

I smiled. I could talk about basketball all night. "Let's see," I started. "Growing up I loved Steve Nash and those seven seconds or less Suns teams. Then Durant on OKC. Steph and Klay. Right now I'm loving watching Ja tear it up on Memphis."

He looked over at me. "No love for LeBron? AD?"

"Look, Bron is one of the best ever but I like a little more excitement in my game," I replied.

"Excitement?" He said incredulously. "A genius level basketball IQ and perfect passing isn't exciting enough for you?" He smiled at the end to let me know it was all in good fun.

I laughed. "Miami LeBron was unbelievable," I said. "But he just doesn't have the same athleticism anymore."

We went back and forth for a while. Our conversation was contentious but in a light hearted and fun way. Luca had interesting opinions about basketball and I enjoyed talking with someone who knew the game so well. It felt comfortable, like I was just shooting the shit with one of my buddies.

"Ava," Jamie said to get my attention. "We're gonna go dance." The way she said it made it clear that all of us were going.

"Oh ok."

I set my empty beer glass down and stood up. The guys followed me and Jamie to the dance floor and we found a small bit of space for the four of us. Jamie and I picked up where we left off and started dancing. Both guys immediately followed suit.

We started dancing in a tight circle but in no time we had paired off. Jamie and Nico began dancing close together while Luca and I had some space between us. As I moved my body to the beat I noticed Luca looking over my shoulder. Glancing back I saw the basketball game on a TV behind me. I laughed.

Luca was a pretty good dancer. He had good rhythm and when he was paying attention he was fun to dance with. It was certainly different than dancing with Jamie but Luca's non-aggressive demeanor made me feel comfortable. I was able to just relax and enjoy myself.

At one point I looked over at Jamie to see that Nico had his arm around her waist. Her hand was on his shoulder and they were dancing close, practically chest to chest. As they moved in sync to the music I noticed the smile on Jamie's face.

I looked back at Luca to see him watching Jamie and Nico too. He had a pensive look on his face and then he quickly looked away. I caught his eye and we both realized that we had been watching them. We laughed.

After dancing with Luca for about ten more minutes I found myself following his lead and watching basketball on TV. Realizing that we could just do that sitting down at a table I leaned towards him and asked, "do you want to stop dancing?"

"Oh, no, I'm ok," he answered.

Thinking that he probably misinterpreted what I wanted I said, "I think I'd rather go sit down and watch the game. Do you want to come?"

He looked at me for a few seconds in an attempt to read my expression. Finally he nodded and said, "yeah."

I reached over and tapped Jamie on the shoulder to tell her that we were going to go sit down. She nodded and then gave me a wink which I rolled my eyes at. Luca and I walked back to the table we had been at before and sat down. Once again I made sure to cross my legs.

Our conversation about basketball picked right back up. We mostly talked about the game we were watching and the players in it but nothing basketball related was off limits. After we both praised a tough finish in traffic the game went to commercial. There was a lull in the conversation as I saw Luca looking around.

"I take it this is your first time here," I said.

He smiled. "Is it that obvious?"

"Yes," I said with a laugh. "Did you know what kind of place this was before you got here?"

"Yeah," he said. "Nico told me. He's been here a few times and he said he needed a wingman tonight."

"Sounds familiar," I said with a smile.

"Do you and your roommate come here a lot?" Luca asked.

"She does," I said. "This is actually my first time coming here."

He nodded. He looked thoughtful for a second and then he said, "This is actually the first time I've ever met anyone who is trans."

It took me a second to realize that he meant me. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I was just a guy who had been convinced to dress up for the night. "So are we as scary as you thought?" I teased.

"Of course not," he said immediately. "I just meant that this is all new for me."

I nodded. I totally understood where he was coming from because I was coming from the same place. I was just as uncertain as he was walking through those doors only I was wearing a skirt.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't be so sure that you've never met anyone trans before," I said seriously. I looked at the working girls over by the wall. "I would never have guessed that any of them weren't born women."

Luca looked over at them. "Good point," he said. After a pause he asked, "why are they all lined up like that?"

"They are sex workers," I answered. "At least that's what Jamie told me. I assume they are all lined up to display their wares," I said as I jokingly pushed my small chest out.

He laughed. Looking down the row he said, "yeah, that woman in the black cocktail dress is really putting it all out there."