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Allie hesitated for an unnoticeable split second before pulling open the door to the hole-in-the-wall basement bar, the familiar scent of mothballs and stale cigarettes hitting her as she trudged down the creaky stairs. The bar was the most undesirable place she'd ever seen, but it was the only bar in Stoneybrook she'd never went to with Ryan. Coming home and trying to find places -- grocery stores, restaurants, bars -- that didn't have his memory etched in them was next to impossible, but she was determined to forget about him. Or at least determined to somewhat mend the massive hole her idiot decision left in her heart.
The girl behind the bar wasn't the usual tender -- Allie frowned, not liking the looks of this girl. Judging from her skinny ass and flouncy hair, she seemed like someone who would chat Allie's ear off, diminishing her tip with every word. The usual bartender knew Allie, and tried to be friendly the first few times, before realizing Allie was not the social butterfly -- or the generous tipper.
"Hi!" the blonde chirped happily, grinning from ear-to-ear as Allie propped herself up on a stool. "So, like... you're totes gonna just laugh at me, but..." she broke off and giggled once before continuing, "do you, like... got some ID?"
Allie rolled her eyes before wordlessly handing the girl her driver's license, relieved that she'd managed to climb out from her funk long enough to switch her license back to Connecticut. She was fairly certain this girl would chirp away at her about Florida if the ID was from there.
"Oh, my God!" the girl exclaimed, grinning up at Allie before looking at her ID again. "It's, like... your birthday! That's so exciting! Happy birthday! It's your birthday!"
"Thanks for the update," Allie snapped, snatching her license back away from the girl. She wasn't a complete moron, she knew it was her birthday. All the more reason to be hiding in the dark bar, drowning her sorrows. Who could possibly want to celebrate being a twenty-five year old divorcee, living at home with the parents and driving a parts delivery van part-time?
"Can I just get a Bud, please?" Allie asked, her voice dripping with annoyance. The girl nodded eagerly and snatched a bottle from the cooler, sliding it in front of Allie and smiling proudly.
"On the house, birthday girl!" she announced cheerfully. Allie, though desperately wanting to slap her, took a large gulp from the bottle, slightly pleased with her own self control. It hadn't been very evident in her life lately, and if not punching the bartender was the start, well... it would have to do.
The girl behind the bar wasn't the usual tender -- Allie frowned, not liking the looks of this girl. Judging from her skinny ass and flouncy hair, she seemed like someone who would chat Allie's ear off, diminishing her tip with every word. The usual bartender knew Allie, and tried to be friendly the first few times, before realizing Allie was not the social butterfly -- or the generous tipper.
"Hi!" the blonde chirped happily, grinning from ear-to-ear as Allie propped herself up on a stool. "So, like... you're totes gonna just laugh at me, but..." she broke off and giggled once before continuing, "do you, like... got some ID?"
Allie rolled her eyes before wordlessly handing the girl her driver's license, relieved that she'd managed to climb out from her funk long enough to switch her license back to Connecticut. She was fairly certain this girl would chirp away at her about Florida if the ID was from there.
"Oh, my God!" the girl exclaimed, grinning up at Allie before looking at her ID again. "It's, like... your birthday! That's so exciting! Happy birthday! It's your birthday!"
"Thanks for the update," Allie snapped, snatching her license back away from the girl. She wasn't a complete moron, she knew it was her birthday. All the more reason to be hiding in the dark bar, drowning her sorrows. Who could possibly want to celebrate being a twenty-five year old divorcee, living at home with the parents and driving a parts delivery van part-time?
"Can I just get a Bud, please?" Allie asked, her voice dripping with annoyance. The girl nodded eagerly and snatched a bottle from the cooler, sliding it in front of Allie and smiling proudly.
"On the house, birthday girl!" she announced cheerfully. Allie, though desperately wanting to slap her, took a large gulp from the bottle, slightly pleased with her own self control. It hadn't been very evident in her life lately, and if not punching the bartender was the start, well... it would have to do.