She had to work the night before her birthday, but would get out around 8:00 PM. She had plans to meet up with KSL for their signature portable beverage...just like last year.
But this year, she didn't want a kiss. She wanted answers. She wanted a why. It had all happened and she had accepted it...but she still didn't know why he really kissed her that night. No one just kisses someone because it seemed like they needed it.
Did they?
Work was the most difficult that it had been. Her new job was normally a dream, but the company they were working for was doing things the wrong way and causing a ruckus. She had been left alone and tried to do her best. She knew that she'd be forgiven, but it was still a new job and she wanted to be able to show them she could handle anything that came her way.
She left work agitated, but trying to calm down. Her phone rang, it was KSL. He immediately sensed how upset she was and attempted to calm her down.
"Hey, you're out now, you are okay. I'm on my way, give me 10 minutes. We'll get a drink, it'll be fine."
She told him about the night as they walked over to grab their drinks. She raged through the first half of her drink, and then he spilled about his trip to see his dying friend, who sadly passed before he could get there. On the way he had an awkward road trip with people he didn't really care for anymore. They played a road game where they added up all their sexual partners. He said that he was embarrassed to say that he had 56.
"You were the last one though." He said to her.
"No I wasn't."
He looked at her, puzzled.
"There was that one girl that I don't like to talk about because it was basically the end of our friendship, and then there was Banana. So, you are at 58 pal."
"Shit!" He was clearly a little distraught over his number. She wondered how many others he had "forgotten" in-between.
She didn't have time to wallow in this news, because he grabbed for her drink. "Looks like you had a friend hiding in your ice"
There was a fly floating in her drink. Her already bad night took a turn for the worst.
"You should go back up to the bar and show them. They owe you a new drink." KSL said sensibly.
Her face crumbled and her heart sank. "I don't want to" she pouted.
"You want me to do it?" He said gently. She nodded, and he stood up and took her drink. It took him a few minutes, and as soon as he got back she was ready to break the drunk seal.
She headed up to the seedy bathroom of the bar, which was normally pretty messy but passable. Tonight, of all nights however, it was in the worst condition she'd ever seen any other bathroom in her life. Shit was all but painted on the walls. The hooker hanging out by the sinks noted her reaction and countered "Girl, I know...it's the worse I've seen it too."
She shot out the door and down the stairs to their table and picked up her fresh drink and rounded the other side, near shouting "We're leaving!"
KSL was shocked. She again stated that they were leaving, they were going back to her place where she could pee in a place that wasn't already covered in fecal matter.
"You are walking awful fast..." KSL said to her as she motored out of the bar, nearly knocking over a homeless man on the other side of the door to the back alley. She didn't answer, instead just muttering "Cm'on" as she continued to walk. His long legs caught up with her easily, and he got her to slow down by grabbing her elbow and whispering "hey" into her ear. She slowed and calmed down.
Slightly embarrassed she said "That bathroom was really gross. I'm just done."
"Hey, we are on our way. You're okay."
"This is shaping up to be a worse day then that whole throwndown with BFF." It really wasn't, but she was upset and the booze was causing her dramatics to heighten.
"Yeah, what really happened that day?" He asked with concern.
She spilled most of it to him, and when she was done he had his arm around her as they snuggled on her couch, looking out over the city. She wiped the tears from her eyes, but more came when he played a message he had recorded for his dying friend. She talked about messaging Piz after Valentine's day and how stupid she felt....how her ex was still living with her mother.
She screwed up her courage and asked him why he kissed her last year, on her birthday. She was quiet and waited for an answer. He was quiet for what felt like another year. She picked her head up off his shoulder and gazed at him. She wasn't going to be the first to speak, to give him an out. She would wait for his answer. She deserved something besides the excuses he made before.
When he finally spoke, he changed topics. She steered him back, and he said "Oh...I thought the question was rhetorical."
He might never have an answer for her.
