Chapter Text
“Come on Em, please!” Tobin pleads with her friend, making those adorable puppy dog eyes at her.
“The last time I went to that bar with you, I just sat in the corner while you flirted with Christen.” replies the younger girl. Sitting down on the bed of their shared dorm, she says, “And anyway, I always get nervous when I use my fake ID.”
“It’s not like you have to drink.”
“I really don’t think I can make it through more than five minutes of you drooling over Chris while sober” Emily replies, rolling her eyes.
“Hey, you should be happy for me. At least I’m trying to be social for once.” The brown haired girl says. “Maybe you’ll finally find someone to hook up with.” She continues with a hint of laughter in her voice.
“You know what, fine. I’ll go, but only this last time.” She stands up and grumbles, “And only because you’ll owe me.”
Tobin leaps up, hugging Sonnett, who in turn grabs a pillow and hits her roommate over the head, “Don’t push it man, you’re lucky I’m even nice enough to go watch you hit on that poor girl. Honestly, Christen deserves an award for putting up with you” She says, laughing.
Tobin puts her hands up in surrender, as they get ready to go.
~~~~
Walking into the bar, Emily immediately feels out of place, while Tobs already beams and waves at Christen. Her friend’s happiness makes her feel warm inside, but she also feels a twinge of jealousy directed at the older girl. Telling herself to get over it, she walks up to the bar, where Tobin is already making conversation with Christen.
When the bartender spots her she immediately smiles and waves, “Hey Emily, Toby and I were just talking about you!” Tobin smiles at the nickname. Wow, Tobin must really like her if she lets her call her Toby, Sonnett thinks to herself, smiling.
“Oh really, and what exactly were you saying about me?”
“I was just saying to Chris, that it’s no surprise you haven’t met any cute girls yet, since you refuse to go to bars, unless I literally drag you.” Tobin replies, smirking.
Christen gently slaps her arm and apologizes, “I’m sorry. What Tobs meant to say is, that she is very happy that you agreed to come here with her. And for the record, I’m also happy you could join us.” Her eyes drift to a spot past the two roommates, by the entrance. “Oh Kelley is here. I’m so glad that they hired some help, so that I can finally have some drinks with you guys off the clock.” She winks at Tobin.
Sonnett looks over to the new bartender, who is making her way over to them, and finds herself staring at the freckles that decorate her face. Oh she’s cute. She finds herself blushing and looks away. Tobin seems to notice but decides to let it be for now.
“Hey, Kelley” Christen speaks up, in a welcoming voice, and gives her an awkward hug over the bar. “These are my friends Emily and Tobin” the raven haired girl says motioning to the two girls. Tobin enthusiastically shakes her hand, and introduces herself, smiling.
“Hey, I’m Emily.”, Sonnett nervously introduces herself. Kelley smiles at her and shakes her hand. She tries to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.
“Nice to meet you,” the freckled girl replies with a blush, that Emily fails to notice.
Christen looks at her watch and exclaims, “I’m now off the clock! Welcome to your first shift.” Winking at Kelley she says, “Now that you are officially on the clock could please get me a beer.” .
Kelley makes her way behind the bar and replies, “It would be my honor to sell my very first beer to you”. Smiling, she produces a bottle from the mini fridge below the bar, and hands it to Christen, who accepts it and thanks her.
Tobin speaks up, “I’ll take a beer too. Just put it on Em’s tab” she jokes, making Christen laugh. “Now that you’re finally not working, do you want to go dance?” she confidently asks Christen, who immediately agrees, grabs her hand, and drags her onto the crowded dance floor. Good for her, thinks Sonnett, smiling.
She turns back to Kelley who jokes, “So I guess I have to put her drink on your tab now.”.
Sonnett laughs and says, “Please don’t. You know how little money college students have.”
“Trust me, I know. I probably shouldn’t do this on my first day, but it’s on the house for now.” She replies, blushing.
“Thank you so much” Emily replies, relieved. “I will take a beer too though. And I’ll even pay for this one.” she jokes, as Kelley reaches down again and hands her a beer.
“So how long have they been together?” she asks, motioning towards Tobin and Christen, who seem to be in their own world, smiling and dancing together.
Sonnett laughs, “They actually aren’t, surprisingly. I can see why you would think that though.” She admits, “Honestly the only reason I come here is because Tobs drags me along to see Christen. I don’t really enjoy bars and stuff like that.”
“Come on, how can you not enjoy ‘bars and stuff like that’?” the bartender says, using air quotes to imitate Emily. “Don’t you enjoy dancing and getting drunk and letting loose sometimes?”
“I mean I like getting drunk, but it’s no fun if your friend that you usually get drunk with only has eyes for one person and completely ignores you when she’s drunk.” she say, shrugging. “And anyway, dancing alone is kind of lame.”
“Okay, when my shift is over, you are dancing with me.” Kelley decidedly says.
“But-”
“No buts. I’m not just gonna stand by and watch you not enjoy ‘bars and stuff’!” Kelley exclaims. Emily blushes and finds herself looking at the other girl’s freckles again.
“Okay fine, but only because you paid for that beer.” She replies and smiles at the girl across from her.
~~~~
“Do you think Em has a thing for Kelley?” Tobin asks Christen, who currently has her back turned to her and is dancing up on Tobin.
“Kelley definitely seems to like Emily” she replies with a smile in her voice. She turns around and grabs Tobin’s hips. “They’d be kinda cute together”, she says smirking, and looking over to the bar where Emily and Kelley are laughing together.
Looking down at her watch she says, “Oh shit my shift started like five minutes ago.”. Grabbing Tobin’s hand, she walks back to the bar.
“Hey losers” exclaims Tobin jokingly, clearly confident from having danced with Christen.
Emily rolls her eyes and gently slaps her arm. “You’re just mad because Christen has to work now, and can’t put up with your terrible dance moves anymore.”
“I’ll have you know that my dance moves are very good, right Christen?” she says turning to the raven haired girl, who shrugs and jokes “I mean, I guess they’re Okay”. Tobin tries to act offended but just sits down on one of the bar stools and orders another beer from Kelley.
“I’m not even working anymore, you have to order from Chris now” she says, walking out from behind the bar, and smiling at Emily. She grabs her hand and starts walking towards the dance floor. Kelley feels a fluttering in the pit of her stomach at the contact. When they get to the dance floor she grabs the other girl’s hips and says, “Are you ready to truly experience bars and stuff like that?”
Emily is already extremely flustered at the contact, but manages to reply, “I don’t really think I have a choice.” She can feel the music’s bass in her bones, and feels drunk from being so close to Kelley. She swallows as Kelley starts moving her hips to the music. The fluttering in her stomach has clouded her brain, and in a sudden burst of confidence she grabs Kelley’s hips and pulls her closer.
The younger girl shudders as Kelley leans in to whisper in her ear, “It’s not that bad, is it?”. As she pulls back their cheeks graze and the fluttering in Sonnett’s stomach intensifies and spreads through her body.
Flustered, she jokes, “I guess it’s not that bad.” Kelley turns around so that her back is pressed against the blonde’s front. They are moving in sync now, with no regard to the people around them. There is virtually no space between them, as Kelley reaches behind her and grazes her hand over the top of the other girl’s thighs. Her hand wander upwards until it rests on Sonnett’s ass.
“Is this okay?” Kelley whispers in her ear, not wanting to make the other girl uncomfortable.
“Definitely ” she replies, maybe a bit too quickly as Kelley chuckles at her eagerness.
Kelley turns around again, sliding one hand into Sonnett’s back pocket. Her eyes drift past the other girl where she sees Tobin and Christen watching them, and laughing. Tobin sees Kelley and motions for them to come over to the bar. “I think your friend want to leave,” she says not trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.
“I guess so” Emily sighs, looking over to where Tobin and Christen are probably talking about how her and Kelley were just dancing up on each other. She feels Kelley sliding her hand out of her pocket, missing the contact. She’s relieved when Kelley interlaces their fingers as they walk back to the bar.
“Well you two certainly looked like you were enjoying yourselves.” Tobin comments winking at the pair, who quickly detach their hands from each other, embarrassed.
“I mean somebody had to teach Em how to enjoy bars and stuff like that” Kelley laughs, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Christen smiles at Sonnett and asks, “So, do you enjoy bars now?”
The blond girl feels her face getting red as she says, “Definitely more than before”. She steals a glance at Kelley, who is looking down, and trying to hide a smile. Shit, she is really cute.
“Anyway,” Tobin says, interrupting Emily’s train of thought, “I want to go back to the dorm. I have class at noon tomorrow”.
Christen laughs, “Toby, I can’t believe noon is too early for you.”.
Tobin shrugs, “Not everybody can wake up at 5 a.m. to do yoga. We’re not all as blessed as you” she says smirking at the raven haired girl, as she stands up.
Sonnett interrupts their exchange to say, “I’m gonna get another beer, you can wait outside if you want.” As Tobin leaves, Emily turns to Kelley and smiles. “I’m really glad you taught me how to enjoy bars and stuff.”
Kelley blushes and replies, “Me too.” Suddenly not so confident anymore she adds, “So, could I maybe see you again?”
“Definitely. Give me your phone I’ll add my number.” Kelley hands her the phone and as Em adds the number she thinks to herself, this is for sure one of the best first days of a job I’ve ever had.
As Emily gives her the phone back they start making their way to the exit. Before walking out to meet Tobin, Sonnett turns towards the freckled girl. “Thanks for tonight.”, she smiles and leans in for a hug. As she leans back again, Kelley reaches forward to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. It’s as if there is a magnet, pulling them towards each other, and suddenly Emily’s bottom lip is between Kelley’s. Her lips are soft and taste a bit like beer, but it’s okay because they are Kelley’s and she is kissing them. Wow.
As Sonnett pulls back, all she can think is that it’s over too soon. “Text me when you and Tobin get home?” Kelley asks hopefully.
“Yeah, don’t worry. How are you getting home?”
“I’m getting a ride from Christen.”
They go in for a hug again, enjoying each others warmth, and this time Emily kisses her on the cheek. “I’ll see you around,” she says, and it sounds more hopeful than she wants it to.
“Definitely,” Kelley smiles.
~~~~
“Well that took longer than I expected.” teases Tobin as Sonnett exits the building.
“Shut up,” she grumbles, embarrassed “you’re just jealous because I got more action than you have in months.”
“Hey, at least I finally asked Chris out,” Tobin gushes, “and she even said yes” she continues, smiling up at the night sky.
“I’m happy for us tonight” the younger girl says, slinging her arm around her friends as they walk through the cold night.
“Me too”
~~~~
Em: Hey, I just got home. going to bed now
Kelley: cool, glad you got home safe (; omw home right now with christen
Kelley: she wont shut up about tobin, its kinda cute :D
Em: i know this sounds lame, but i havent really shut up about you to tobin either
Kelley: not lame at all, very sweet
Emily smiles down at her phone.
Em: When do you time to go out for coffee?
Kelley: I have time tomorrow after my 11:00 class, so at like 12
Em: sounds good to me. im gonna go to bed now. i got class at 9 D:
Kelley: cya tomorrow. goodnight xoxo
Em: good night :p
~~~~
It was definitely a good night