let them eat cake

“Home sick I guess, which is weird considering I haven’t been home for five years. I’m just missing home from a new place now.” Danny paid for the shots and stared at his hands.

“And where is home for you?” Reese asked, her head turning to the side to look at her drinking companion, hoping not to make things uncomfortable or awkward, “If you don’t mind me asking, that is. I don’t need a life story or anything... just curious.”

“Yeah the quality isn’t great but I don’t drink the good stuff until after…” Danny looked at his watch “eight pm at least” He pushed the empty glasses towards the bartender “Someone should tell her friendship isn’t a one way street. And tell you that you shouldn’t have to deal with her shit.” 

“I quite honestly wouldn’t know the good from the bad. Doesn’t really matter much anyways, I suppose,” Reese shrugged, resting her elbows on the bar, “Ha, well if someone were to tell me that it’d probably be good of me to take the advice, wouldn’t it? I’ve learned to deal with it, though. I’m not usually this bothered by it. It’s weird and like, whatever. And now that you know why I’m drinking, what brings you to the bar tonight, good sir?”

Danny chuckled and raised his hand to call to the bar tender and then pointed at the empty glasses in front of him. He walked over and filled up two before he could fill another Danny gave another hand signal and he walked off with the empty glasses. Danny passed over one of the filled shots to the girl and gripped his ready to throw it back. “I don’t know anything about her but she doesn’t sound that great” He added before taking the shot.

“She can be really awesome and fun and stuff, but she’s like one of those people who only keeps your around as their friend for when they need you. And the rest of the time they could care less.” Reese took the second shot without much thought, the burning hitting her soon after, “Ugh, these are nasty.”

“Sure thing” Danny pushed the glass towards her moving one seat over so there was less of a distance between them. “You don’t need plans for a night out, your evening isn’t completely ruined you know”

“Thanks,” Reese spoke softly, grabbing the glass “This is the third time she’s done this to me, I don’t know why I thought it would be any different tonight,” she rolled her eyes, moving the shot to her lips. She leaned her head back as she let the bitter liquid go down quickly, setting the now empty glass back with the others. She coughed, and her nose squished her face into a grimace, “Good hell, that was horrible. --But I think I might need another.”

“That’s so nice of you. Hey, it’s something to look forward to, like you said, which is completely true.” Jasper never looked forward to plans with just one other person, but her aura was much friendlier than other people he met in the past, almost like he could trust her, but if he said anything like that to her now, he would be sure to embarrass himself. “Yeah, I just moved in a week or so ago, and you never met me until now,” he cackled before he continued. “Maybe we should expand our horizons, ‘cause I’ve only met a few people around here. So far.”

Reese was glad to have made a new friend, especially one who seemed as eager as her to make plans. It was a nice change from most of her other friends, who she felt she had to spend hours convincing to get them to do anything with her. “Oh so you’re like really new. Well then.Welcome to Emerald Heights! Hope you enjoy your time here and all that. I’ve already introduced myself so I feel like I’m off to a good start with you. Hopefully we can both work on that horizon expansion ay?” she giggled, quickly taking a sip of the coffee she’d almost forgotten about, now completely cooled, “Are you from around here? I myself am a Utah native, Salt Lake City resident for a few years now, and livin’ in this building for nearly a month, I think? It’s nice, quiet. I feel like the people I have met here tend to keep to themselves more. Or maybe I just really haven’t gotten to know them at all. Yeah, that’s quite likely..”

“Sweet! Awesome! Yes! Ha, and no problem. I’m always trying to help out a fellow Christmas enthusiast. And if that means making plans to get them through their week then so be it,” Reese really couldn’t help but smile with all the excitement. She leaned against the wall, folding her arms across her chest, “So are you new to the apartment or have I just never met you until now? It wouldn’t surprise me if it were the latter. I really gotta work on meeting my neighbors, I feel like I know literally no one here.”

“Yeah, of course! I wouldn’t want to miss out on something like that. It actually sounds like a blast. I’m open most of those times, so whenever you want to have me over or whatever-” he almost finished his response before Reese’s phone was handed to him. “That sounds ten times easier” he chuckled as he added his contact information into her phone. “It’s all there, and I just texted myself from your phone so I’d have your number. But, I’ll definitely be free nights and Sundays.”

“So you come to a bar for the scenery?” Danny asked putting back another shot glass waiting for her to take him up on his offer.

“Ugh, no,” Reese spoke, not looking up from her phone this time. It buzzed in her hand as she received a text. After reading it she let out a long sigh and shoved the device into her purse, “I was supposed to be meeting a friend but it seems she’s cancelled on me. So now I’m all dolled up for a night out with no freaking plans,” she slouched on the bar stool, looking at the line of glasses. “You know, I think that last one might be calling my name...”

“Do you want one? I shouldn’t be finishing these anyway” Danny pointed at the fifth shot glass in a line in front of him three already empty.

Reese sat by herself, fingers texting hastily on her phone. She hadn’t realized she was being spoken to until she glanced up and her eyes met with the person next to her. “I don’t really drink, but thanks for the offer,” she gave a half smile, returning to her phone.

“No, thank you! You get it as well!” Jasper could sense the excitement radiating through Reese’s voice, which he felt he should not hold back his own excitement. “We need to, the world needs our cheer,” he added. “It’s a start, but we all need to start somewhere, right? I’d absolutely love to contribute to Christmas crafting. It actually sounds kinda entertaining. Whenever you’re willing to invite me over, I’m open to make that work with my schedule.” He responded with great faith. 

“Wow, really?” Reese beamed, somewhat surprised, but happy that Jasper had accepted her invitation, “Alright cool! Hmm. Well. I don’t work late afternoons, nights, or Sundays so if any of those work for you... Oh, here!” she pulled out her phone, opening up the new contact app, handing it over to her new friend, “Put in your number and then I’ll send you a text so you can have mine as well. It’d probs make it easier to plan our little crafting get-together.”

Jasper nodded as she spoke, because he actually felt the same way she did about the holiday spirit and peace on Earth. “I’m right there with you. Life’s too short to be a grump about everything in your life.” When Reese returned the question, he had no shame of telling her how much he decorated for December. “To answer your question, I have some tinsel around the inside doorway of my apartment and some Christmas lights on my walls. And I don’t feel guilty about it, at all.”

“Yes, yes yes! Exactly! Freaking thank you. Finally. Someone gets it!” Reese almost jumped in her excitement, making a mental that she should probably calm herself down a tad, “We really gotta spread this cheer to the rest of the world, my new friend,” she grinned as he spoke about his decorations, “That sounds absolutely fantastic! And no, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it. Hey, you should totes mcgotes come over to my place sometime and try these Christmas crafts I got lined up. They might turn out if we have two great minds reading those damn Pinterest instructions. I mean, if that’s not weird or anything...” part of her felt like she should be more cautious about inviting someone she had only just met to her apartment, but he seemed to have good enough morals seeing how he felt about the holidays.