Chapter 9- Night Out II
1012 Words
Abbey paused for half a second near the entrance.
Maya grabbed her hand. “Don’t freeze now.”
“I’m not freezing,” Abbey said, letting herself be pulled in.
They found a spot near the bar.
“Drinks first,” Maya said, already signaling the bartender.
Abbey leaned lightly against the counter, taking everything in.
This was different.
“What do you want?” Maya asked.
“Something light.”
Maya smirked. “We’ll fix that.”
Minutes later, drinks in hand, they moved toward a slightly quieter corner.
“Okay,” Maya said, lifting her glass. “To your first day at a big, intimidating company.”
Abbey clinked her glass lightly against hers. “To surviving it.”
They drank.
Abbey let out a small breath, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little.
“See?” Maya said. “You needed this.”
Abbey nodded. “Maybe.”
“Careful.”
Abbey turned at the voice.
And blinked.
Anthony.
He stood there, hands casually in his pockets, a small smile on his face.
“You again,” he said.
Abbey let out a short laugh. “This is getting strange.”
“Or intentional,” he replied.
She shook her head. “Definitely not intentional.”
Maya leaned slightly closer to Abbey. “Friend?”
“Anthony,” Abbey said. “We met earlier.”
Maya smiled immediately. “Of course you did.”
Anthony chuckled. “She has a habit of running into people.”
Abbey pointed at him. “You walked into me.”
“After you spilled coffee on me.”
“Which I apologized for.”
“Repeatedly.”
Maya looked between them, amused. “I like this already.”
Before Abbey could respond, a man stepped too close beside her.
“Hey,” he said, leaning in slightly. “Can I get you another drink?”
Abbey shifted slightly, polite but firm. “I’m okay, thank you.”
“Come on,” he pressed. “One drink won’t hurt.”
“I said I’m fine.”
He didn’t move
Anthony’s expression changed, subtle, but clear.
He stepped forward, placing himself between them.
“She said she’s fine.”
The man looked at him. “I’m talking to her.”
“And she answered you,” Anthony replied calmly.
A pause.
Then the man scoffed lightly and stepped away.
“Relax,” he muttered before disappearing into the crowd.
Abbey exhaled.
“Thank you.”
Anthony shrugged slightly. “Didn’t look like he was going to leave.”
Maya leaned in, whispering loudly, “Hero.”
Abbey nudged her lightly. “Stop.”
Anthony smiled faintly.
The night moved quickly after that.
Music.
Drinks.
Conversation.
Anthony stayed with them, talking, laughing, fitting into the rhythm of the night without effort.
At some point, Maya disappeared, dragged into conversation with someone else, already laughing too loudly.
Abbey shook her head slightly. “She does that.”
Anthony glanced over. “She seems like she enjoys life.”
“She does,” Abbey said. “Enough for both of us.”
Later, when the music felt louder and the night heavier, Abbey checked the time.
“I should go,” she said.
Anthony nodded. “Want me to walk you out?”
“I’ll be fine,” she replied.
Maya reappeared just in time. “No, we’re leaving together.”
She pulled out her phone. “I’m calling an Uber.”
The ride home was quieter.
The energy of the night settling into something softer.
Maya leaned back in her seat, smiling to herself.
Abbey stared out the window, watching the city pass by.
When they got home, Maya kicked off her shoes immediately.
“Okay,” she said, turning to Abbey. “Let’s talk.”
Abbey dropped her bag on the chair. “About what?”
“Anthony.”
Abbey blinked. “What about him?”
Maya stared at her. “Are you serious?”
Abbey shrugged slightly. “He works in finance.”
“And?”
“And nothing.”
Maya walked closer. “You met him twice in one day.”
Abbey smirked slightly. “And spilled coffee on him.”
Maya gasped. “Wait, you didn’t tell me that part.”
“It wasn’t important.”
“It is now,” Maya said. “Start from the beginning.”
Abbey sighed, sitting down. “I bumped into him this morning outside the coffee shop.”
“And?”
“And I spilled coffee on him.”
Maya laughed. “Of course you did.”
“I apologized.”
“I’m sure you did.”
“And he wasn’t very nice about it.”
Maya raised a brow. “But he still talked to you tonight.”
Abbey leaned back slightly. “People are different outside work.”
Maya folded her arms. “Or maybe he just likes you.”
Abbey shook her head immediately. “No.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
Maya watched her for a second.
Then smiled slowly.
“We’ll see.”
Abbey rolled her eyes, standing up. “I’m going to bed.”
“Of course you are,” Maya said. “Miss Responsible.”
Abbey paused at her door.
Then shook her head slightly, a small smile slipping through.
“Goodnight, Maya.”
“Goodnight, Abbey.”
- Writer
