Catching Kristal

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The smell of alcohol, hard straight up liquor, and smoke filled up Kristal's nostrils. She swung her light mud brown haired pony tale behind her back as she sashayed her way down the bar. Brittany and Charlotte laughed together as they passed off stories of ex boyfriends and lovers. Kris smiled, happy that they'd hit it off so well. She loved that her two best friends were finally meeting.2

As she set down her tray of shots glasses at the end of the bar when strong arms came around her middle and pulled her back against a warm muscled back. Jeff pressed a kiss to the side of her neck before moving up and licking her ear. Kris shivered and laughed batting his hands away.3

"I'm working!" she squealed when he lifted her up and kissed her full on the mouth. She laughed again and bit at his lower lip. "But I don't think Jim will mind if we use the back room for twenty minutes." Jeff smiled and set her down on her feet. Then he shook his head and lifted a large packed gym bag.4

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"Where are you going?" she frowned as she checked out the bag which seemed to be completely full as if he was going to be away from a while.6

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"Sorry, babe." Jeff rubbed his hand through his hair. "I'm going to a tournament. I got two students who might make it to champion this year. Martial arts is dangerous, you should know. You are after all the last three year in a row champion." He leaned in and kissed the side of her cheek and then turned nodding towards Brit and Char. Old Jim, the father of almost every lost little girl that walked into his bar set down another round of shots and noticed her face. 8

"Ah, baby girl. What's wrong?" he leaned across the bar waving Shelby, the assistant bartender to the other customers. "Jeff just left," Kristal sniffed as she loaded herself up with the shots. Jim took them from her and set them down again. 9

"Dana," he called to the only other waitress on duty. The short little black girl bounced over and took the tray from him. "Table six," he instructed her then looking back at Kristal he pointed to a stool. "You, sit." Kristal sighed but didn't argue further with the old man for any resistance would've been futile in the first place. He was the boss and you did what he told you to. It just was, in the south you protected, followed, and respected.10

"Okay, hon, start up," Old Jim took a seat next to her at the bar. She stared down at his wrinkled hand before taking a breath and starting. Kris hadn't planned on spilling her guts to teh old man. But he just had a way of making you let it all out.11

"I don't think he's very interested in me anymore for one thing. For another I keep having this feeling that something else is wrong between us. He doesn't want to have sex, we hardly see eachother except at night. I'm surprised he just stopped by here. But it was only to tell me he was leaving without any forewarning. Jim, I don't like whats happening and I don't know what to do." Kristal put her head down in her hands and just let it hang there. Jim patted her shoulder and pushed her up out of the chair.12

"I'll tell you what you are going to do," he said. "You're going to go home and get in bed. You're going to go to sleep. Then when you get up tomorrow your going to call Brittany and go with her to her book signing at the downtown mall. You need to spend time with your friends little girl. Jeff will come around if he's the right man for you. If he's not then just let that boy go. Your big enough to know what you want." Jim kissed her cheek and pushed her towards the exit door. Kristal grinned at the old man and waved to her friends as she left.13

Outside the cool fall wind hit her in the face. Summer was definitely over. As Kristal hurried to her Dodge pick up she glanced up the lighted street. Several cars flew by as she tuned up the 95.1 SX radio station. Jim was right, if she was smart she'd just go home and go to bed. But as she pulled out onto St. Charles Lane she thought ironically to herself. She usually wasn't very smart. Then she smiled and turned down the opposite direction of her apartment with Jeff on Kings street. Instead, she drove up Jackobin Drive and towards Green Apple Plex. A dance club with the hotest guys on the street.14

Unfortunately she wasn't really dressed for a good time at the club. So as she drove into the half crowded parking lot she unzipped her jacket. As Kris hoped out of the pick up she yanked her t-shirt up over her head and tossed it in the bed of her truck. Clad in her skimpy under tank and tight jeans she headed in.