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10. Beer Anyone

Cora

I got up and went downstairs. Aisia sat at the table, drinking her coffee and reading on her phone. "Hey, Asia. Is there any news on Sierra?" "Yeah, she had surgery. Apparently, her mother and father are coming to town. She should be okay." I felt relieved. I had worried that she would not be okay and that it would have been all my fault. I made myself some coffee. "So what are you doing today." "I have a date," I told her. "So what is his name?" "Jax Hemmings."

Asia nearly spit out her coffee. "You are going out with Jax Hemmings?" "Yeah, we went out last night." Her eyes widened, and she just stared at me. "What?" "He, well, has a reputation, not to mention he owns almost the whole town." "What kind of reputation." "Let's just say he gets around." I stood there looking at her. I mean, he was smooth last night. There was no denying that. "So he dates a lot of girls?" I asked. "I wouldn't say he dates them. Honestly, it surprised me that he took you on a date. I have only seen him with this girl, Courtney. She is the only one I have seen him actually hang out with, but yeah. Let's just say he likes to sleep with a lot of women."

I felt like an idiot. I had fallen for the smooth guy. Hell, I had almost given in and slept with him. I didn't want to be just some girl to him. "He usually does not stick around. As I said, he is only consistent with Courtney." I felt like an idiot. But, I could have sworn he liked me more than some lay. I felt like we had a connection. But what did I know about men? He had been my only date, so maybe I was just stupid to think he liked me more than some plaything.

"Just be careful with that one. I wouldn't get too attached." I nodded and went and grabbed a bowl of cereal. Asia finished up her coffee and then left the house. I sat there thinking. I must have sat there for a while because Marina entered the kitchen. She looked as perfect as ever. "Hey Cora, how was the date." I just shrugged. "That bad, huh?" "I had a good time. But Asia said Jax was a bit of a playboy, and I don't want to just be, you know."

"Well then, don't be." She made it sound so easy. I couldn't help that I was drawn to the guy. "How about you and I go out today? This thing at one of the college bars seems like fun. It starts at 11." I looked at her. "I kind of made plans with Jax for today at noon." "Just text him and tell him you can't. Something came up. Or invite him to meet you there. You know it will make you sound like you have more things going on than just him." I could see where Marina was coming from. If he is a player, he won't care, right?"

I could see the validity of what she was saying. "Come on, Cora. It will be fun." I nodded and pulled out my phone to text Jax. "Where are we going, Marina? What is the place called?" "You going to ask him to meet you there?" "I will tell him he is welcome to join." "It is called The Nail." I nodded and sent Jax a text. Then I looked at Marina, who was now drinking coffee. "Did it go well last night, though?" I smiled and nodded. "Okay, I want details. Even if he is a player, you know he knows what he is doing. Sometimes it is nice just to get laid, you know."

"Marina, I have never done that, and if I do, I want it to be with someone who likes me, and I like them." "Suit yourself. But come on, tell me I want to know." "Well, we had a nice dinner and then walked around. He bought me some crystals and a plant I found that I loved." "You are so a witch." She laughed. "What do you mean." "I mean, you naturally want to be around plants and crystals. That is such a witch thing. When I was a kid, I had so many crystals." "Now you don't? I saw some in your room." "Oh no, you never grow out of that desire. You just learn how to use them. But gravitating toward them is something natural." I shrugged. I had no idea about anything like that. Hecate Journal had some things on crystals, but I had yet to read that section. "So it is ten now. Why don't we get ready to go? We can probably just walk to the bar. I mean, it is just a mile away."

That sounded fine to me. I loved walking. Jax texted me that he just wanted alone time with me. I responded by saying that if he wanted to see me, then that is where I would be. I felt terrible about it. I wanted nothing more than to be alone with him. But I refused to just be someone he just fucked and left. I wouldn't allow that to happen to me. I deserved better than to just be a fling. I hurried upstairs and threw on some jeans and a cute top. I looked in my mirror and saw how I wanted my hair and makeup, and it was done. I was ready to go out with Marina.

I looked through Hecate's book again while waiting. Marina knocked on the door, and I hurried to get to it. We both left, walking to the downtown area. We had a good time walking, and I loved having Marina for company. We got there, and the place was packed. I leaned over to Marina. "What is going on here today." "Big party school starts tomorrow." I just nodded. We got in fast, and Marina said we needed a beer. I had no desire to get drunk in the middle of the day, but after about an hour, most people were already gone.

I was standing at the bar, only getting my second beer, when a guy approached me. "Hey there, what are you ordering baby." I looked at him. He was clearly drunk. "A beer." "Can I buy that for you?" "No, I got it. Thank you." I didn't want to give this guy the wrong idea. "Oh, come on, let me buy you a drink." "No, really, it is okay." He then put his arm around me, and I felt his hand grazing my butt. I felt extremely uncomfortable. I moved away from him. "Come on now. Maybe we should just leave here to find something better to do." I looked around for Marina. When I saw her, she was talking to some guy.

I just wanted to get out of this situation. This guy was not taking the hint. He then grabbed my ass, trying to pull me to him, and I kept trying to pull away without making a scene. Just then, a tall body I had liked so much the night before came up. "I suggest you get your hands off of her." The guy looked at Jax. "Come on now, man. I mean, she wants it; go find someone else." He said as he slurred his words. The guy still had his hand on me. "Take your hands off of her, or I will remove them from your body." He practically growled.

The guy looked at me. "You really want him?" I didn't say anything before he said. "Whore, of course, you want a muscled guy." Then, Jax punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground. He then grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the bar. Once outside, he turned to me. "What the hell, Cora? We had plans, and you blow me off to come here and get groped?" I just stared at him. "I didn't blow you off. I said you could meet me here, and I didn't ask for that guy to put his hands on me." He just scowled.

I took a deep breath and then said. "Look, Jax, I have heard some things about you, and I don't want to be just some fling to you." I didn't know if I should have told him I had little conflict experience. But that is how I felt, so I spoke up. Jax just stared at me. "Cora, if you were just someone to fuck. I would have done that last night." He then paused and then started to speak again. "I mean, you have to feel there is something between us." I stared into his green eyes. They looked so serious.

I knew he was right. I did feel this unexplainable pull to him. Like it felt like gravity. When he left me last night, my body felt physically sore. Like it hated that he had left. "You feel it, right?" I nodded, agreeing with him. "Okay, then, let's get out of here." "Jax, I can't leave Marina here." He looked at me. "Look, if I was treated like that, I don't think I should leave her here alone. I don't think it is exactly safe." I could tell he was frustrated and didn't want to stay here. "Well, let's go back in." I offered up a small smile.

I led the way back into the bar. There were a lot of people in there. It was packed. I made my way over to Marina, who was now slamming back shots. "Marina?" She looked at me. "Cora!" She then looked at Jax. "So he came." Then she leaned into me, and I knew she was trying to whisper, but it did not come out as that. "He is hot. No wonder you were so reluctant not to give up." I blushed. I knew Jax had to hear that. She looked at him, smirked, and then looked back at me. "If you want to leave, you can, Cora." "I don't feel comfortable leaving you here. Some of these guys are not so great." She smiled huge. "Trust me, I know, and I am here for it. You should go. I can take care of myself." "But Marina." She winked at me. "Remember what I am." I gave her a smile and then nodded.

"Okay, Jax, you said you wanted to go." "Yes, thank you." We made our way to the door. The place was so full of people that it was like moving through thick water, trying to make an exit. Then suddenly, I felt a hard slap on the ass. I yelped, and Jax turned around. "What happened." I flushed. I was so tired of being groped by strangers. "Someone slapped my butt." Jax looked furious. "Who did it?" I just shook my head. There was no way to tell who it was.

"I have no idea there are too many people to tell." He moved, so he was behind me, and we began to move. We had almost made it to the door when someone stopped in front of me. It was a guy and a girl both blocking the exit. "Excuse me. Can we get through?" The guy began to stare at my chest. The woman started screaming at him, and the next thing I knew, I had a beer dumped all over me. I had beer all over my white blouse. Jax pushed the two of them out of the way, and we finally made it outside. There was a bunch of people outside the bar also drinking.

"Come on, Cora. Let's get out of here." I let him lead me by the hand. I couldn't believe that all that had happened in an hour. I felt so stupid for even coming here. I should have just waited at home, and then I would be all put together and not soaking wet in beer. I would not have been grabbed at. We approached a black motorcycle. Jax looked at me, handing me a helmet. I just stared at it. I had never been on a motorcycle. "Cora, take the helmet." I hesitated but took it. He got on, and I slipped on behind him. "Make sure you hold on." "I don't want to get beer on you." "Cora, it is fine." I did as he asked, and then he took off.

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