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Sometimes paying three times more for a drink was worth just to be able to sit at a bar. Tonight was one of those nights. There wasn't really a reason other than wanting to be outside of the house. She usually didn't go out to meet people - or to bring them back home - but usually it just happened. For now, she just wanted a drink.
Free of grease stains, the mechanic cleaned up pretty well. Black suited her, and she kept with it. Tight jeans stopped above her ankles, complimented by fashionable loafers. A jacket hung loosely off her form, underneath revealing the only lighter shade she wore - a white shirt. Nice enough to get her into a place where she likely didn't belong, given her day job. It wasn't her usual pick, but it also wasn't like Emmett to commit to a place for too long. This was new, and just a little bit higher class.
Her hand curled around a short glass, amber liquid sloshing around a large ice cube. She brought it to her lips, hoping the effects would start sooner rather than later. Whiskey burned, but she preferred it over almost anything else. Her tongue caught the residual liquor on her lips just as someone walked in. Though she could only see her from behind, it was well worth the stare. She was hot. And when she turned, Emmett realized she recognized her.
"Alice?" It was just as much a question as it was a call for her attention. "The fuck you doing here?"
Given her line of job, many would argue that drinking wasn't very healthy for the body. Of course, Alice was never one to take advice from anyone but herself, but she found it amusing, if nothing else. There was surprisingly little else to do in this town, even with its size. It seemed like most people were either busy working, busy being antisocial or busy partying. She'd yet to see anything in between. Stepping through the doors of the locale, she did a quick sweep of the area. Dark blue skinny jeans with stretch, flat ballerina shoes for dancing and a black top that was easy to move around in. The perfect outfit for moving around all night.
A voice caught the brunette's attention and as she turned, she fully expected to see some haughty thrash she'd scorn by leaving before the sun has risen. Instead, brown eyes landed upon a familiar face. One she was actually pleased to see.
"Em?" she asked, a tad unsure at first. She drew closer to the familiar form then, as if needing to confirm that she wasn't seeing things. She wasn't. "Holy fuck," she breathed, taking a moment to look the blonde over. Top to toe. "You look good."
Holy shit, it was her. She knew that look, and was thankful that it softened when Alice had actually realized it was her talking. As she drew closer, Emmett took another swig of her drink, letting out an airy laugh. What had it been, like five years since she left Montana? Here was a face she never thought she'd see again.
When she felt those eyes take in her form, Emmett straightened her back a bit. The woman standing before her always had a presence about her that Emmett didn't know how to describe, and the muscles along her spine responded accordingly to being looked at. Over the years, a decent amount had changed. A handful of tattoos covered her form now, though most of them hidden. The bleaching of her hair was much less subtle.
"So do you," Emmett replied, gesturing to her with a hand. "What brings you to Oregon?"
Alice leaned over the bar table, elbows pressed against the wooden surface as she looked out over the dance floor: Her favorite spot. She hadn't seen the blonde in years and while she looked different, Alice was certain she would have recognized her anywhere. It hadn't been that long. She turned to look at the girl one more, the corner of her lips tugging upwards.
"Oh," she said, head tilting. "You know how it goes." She waved the bartender over. "Birds of a feather and all that." She ordered herself a beer and took a seat, making herself comfortable. She hadn't come her to attend college like most of the mutants who'd followed the move. Instead, it had just felt easier, with mutants being out in the open and all. Safer, too, perhaps.
As if realizing something, Alice's eyes widened. "Wait, this is where you left to?" If so, that would be one hell of a coincidence.
Ah, so she moved with Bellefonte. Really, it makes sense. Before the school changed locations, it felt a bit weird being in a place with a smaller meta population. Now they were everywhere; it was refreshing. In school, she didn't really think there was comfort in numbers, but she supposed wrong. Slipping into the seat beside Alice, she set her drink down on the wooden bar top, but still kept her hand on it.
Emmett laughed again, though with a little more heart. "Yeah, I didn't want to stay in Montana, that's for sure. My mum lives like forty-five minutes out too, so she's happy I'm back in the state." It was weird that the coastal town she moved to was where Bellefonte ended up. The idea was still strange to her. "So what have you been up to, anyway?"
Alice could see the appeal of moving closer to your family. She really did. That didn't mean it was for her. She loved her family and they were great, but she loved her sense of freedom even more. Or so, she kept telling herself. She'd always felt more restricted around them. As if they expected her to do more. To be more.
"That sounds nice," she said honestly. It did sound nice. Offering the blonde a shrug, she took a swig of her beer. She caressed the damp glass with her thumb, pursing her lips. "A little bit of everything, really," she started, head tilting. "Right now, though? I'm a yoga instructor by day and a dancer by night." She gestured towards the dance floor. Sure, she did a whole different kind of dancing professionally, but baby steps and all that.
"And you?" she asked before holding her hand up. "Let me guess: Married with kids." The sarcasm almost dripped from her voice and she couldn't help but wiggle her eyebrows. She could see her being married less than she could see herself.
Yoga and dancing. The idea put a grin on Emmett's features. She wouldn't have guessed it, but once Alice explained, it made so much sense for a free spirit like her. She finished the liquid in her glass with another gulp, and motioned for another drink on her tab, dark eyes turning towards the dance floor. She had to wonder what sort of moves her high school friend pulled out, and her eyebrows rocked upwards when she thought on it a little too hard.
Her attention snapped back to the conversation when a question hit the air. It forced a hard laugh out of the blonde, holding both of her hands up in surrender. "You got me. Married and four kids." Though joking, Emmett's tone offered flat delivery. She was never good with sarcasm. Her nose crinkled at the thought of it being truth. "Nah, I'm still just a grease monkey. I own a garage just a few miles away."
With her glass filled, she stood up again. "Wanna dance? Seeing as that's what you do now."
"So, you're the person I should call if my car ever breaks down." Though, that would mean having to get a car in the first place. Alice enjoyed walking. She always had. Unless it was raining - or snowing. But there was always other means for days like those and it was usually cheaper than actually owning a car. At least, long term. Still the information didn't much surprise her. She could see the blonde in action and it made sense.
Emmett didn't have to ask Alice twice. Downing her beer in three swallows, she pushed herself out of her seat. "God, yes," she replied.
She moved forward a few steps, turned and held her hands out, waving the blonde towards her as a playful smile played on her lips. There was few places Alice felt so at home as on the dance floor. She often felt as if she was made for it. The way her body drew towards the rhythm was exhilarating.
"I'm the person you should just call anyway," Emmett quipped back, eyebrows shooting upward playfully. Though years have passed, she felt the familiarity of a fun friend when talking to Alice. She watched as the brunette downed her beer, and was quick to follow form with her own. It was probably needed, anyway. Because it wasn't that Emmett was a bad dancer, but she wasn't particularly good, either.
That didn't stop her from following, though. She weaved through the crowd until finding an open enough spot. "Show me your moves," Emmett jokingly demanded as she moved steadily to the tempo.
Alice couldn't quite help the chuckle that passed through her lips. "I'll keep that in mind." It seemed like the brunette was reminded over and over again why she'd taken a liking to the blonde in the first place. She was easy going and about as free spirited as Alice was. Kindred spirits and all that.
Dancing was like having a set of extra limbs. Following the rhythm felt natural, as if she'd done nothing else throughout her life.
It was until someone repeatedly tapped her on the shoulder that Alice took a moment to stop, head turning over her shoulder. Brows furrowed at the face looking at her, then at Emmett. Confusion colored Alice's brown eyes and she could feel the faint pull of recognition. "Uh, hiya," Alice offered, head tilting. The girl was cute, curly hair that reached to her mid back. Green eyes that complimented the freckles surrounding her nose.
Emmett's agility aided her in dancing, because at the very least she could follow along, and Alice was certainly someone to try and keep up with. She moved so naturally that Emmett couldn't stop the way she stared or grinned. That was, until they were interrupted. First, she noticed the way her dance partner had stopped, which in turn caused her own arms to drop as she looked at the cause of it all.
Her eyebrows raised at the familiar face, but she smiled regardless of the unimpressed expression she was wearing. "What's up." It was the best greeting Emmett could come up with, considering the awkward circumstances. She glanced at Alice, making an educated guess that she shared similar experiences with this girl.
"Of course you two would be together." The girl said, accusation heavy in her tone.
Emmett's lips pressed together in an attempt to suppress a laugh before gaining composure again. "Uh, what?"
There was that familiar pull again, yet Alice was unable to place any memories to the face. Which, naturally, wasn't unfamiliar to her. It wouldn't be the first, nor the last time and the brunette could only assume what was happening.
A sheepish smile formed on her lips. Looking over at Emmett, she couldn't hide the amusement from her gaze as she mouthed the hissing motion of an angry cat. What? She couldn't help herself. That was exactly what she was thinking of, watching the familiar, apparently very offended and possibly scorned girl.
Alice turned around then. So she knew both of them. Her brows furrowed then before lifting, as if suddenly realizing something. "Wait, so have we met?" She put a hand to her lips, unable to keep the mockery out of her voice. "Oh, no," she gasped. "Did we both forget to call you back?" She lifted her hand at her blonde friend, as if scolding her. "We're terrible, terrible people."
There was no better way to run into an old fling than with someone who was just as bad as herself - if not arguably worse, in the best of ways. Because at least Alice was straight to the point - something Emmett wasn't the best at. She did manage a smile that was borderline charming, given the circumstances. Because she was starting to really recall the prior encounter she had with this girl - specifically series of text messages that came her way in the following two weeks.
Were she in this by herself, she might have handled it with a little more grace, but bad influence and alcohol ran through her veins. "Look, it's got nothing to do with you." She tried still, though unsuccessfully considering the look she was still given. "We don't call anyone back."
Was she supposed to be graceful when handling a situation like this? No, she didn't think she had to. Alice had never promised any form of commitment and she had a feeling that neither had Emmett. Sure, she could have acted nicer about it, but she didn't need to explain herself. She didn't owe the girl anything.
"Not that we have to," Alice muttered under her breath. She was tempted to say something else, but instead, she pressed her lips shut. There was no need to be cruel.
And the girl only looked angrier then what she had when first approaching them. Huffing, Alice stood her ground. "What is that you're looking for exactly?" An apology? That either of them would change their minds and offer her the self-respect she seemed to think had been taken away from her? "Because I don't think you're going to find that here."
Emmett was starting to believe that nothing they would say would make this girl happy, even if they had given an apology - something Emmett would never find herself doing. As for Alice? Well, she knew the brunette well enough, and as she spoke she stayed true to her form. It was appreciated.
"I just--" The girl sounded angrier than when she first approached them, and Emmett put a hand up, stepping forward towards her it worked to cut her off, and soon she put that same hand on her shoulder, giving it a little squeeze even if risking being slapped for it.
"Look," Emmett started, and when the girl opened her mouth to protest, she cocked her head to the side. She let the mechanic continue. "I didn't know you wanted more than a one time thing - and that's cool that you want a relationship or somethin' and all. But - do you really want one of us to be the one calling you back?" She paused, looking over her shoulder to Alice briefly before turning her attention back to the girl. "Say I said I'd go on a date with you tomorrow or something. I'm still probably gonna fuck her tonight - and that's not gonna make you feel so great, now is it? So why bother?"
