“Lyla, put your stripper clothes on faster and let’s move! I want to beat the rush!” I yelled as I flopped onto the couch in my house. I own a small duplex in the hills of Austin, and for extra money I rent the bottom duplex out to people who need a place to stay, while Lyla and I share the upper lever.

“Sorry I care about my appearance!” Lyla yelled as she walked into the living room, placing earrings in her ears. “How do I look?” She asked as she did a little twirl. She had on a tight black mini skirt with a floral crop top on. It definitely beat my crop top, that was a bit longer than hers and the same jeans and boots I wore earlier today.

“You look better than me, are you ready now?” I asked her as I sat up. Malley, my calico kitten, jumped onto the couch and stepped into my lap for some cuddles. “Hi, Malley, boy,” I cooed to him as I scratched behind his ears.

“No. Do not start cuddling with your cat, Kat. God, you need a man!” She groaned as she walked into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water.

“Malley is the only man I need, right Mal?” I asked him, knowing he wouldn’t respond.

“Alright, stop talking to the cat and let’s go,” Lyla said, hitting me upside the head as she walked by me towards the door.

“I’m coming!” I said as I stood up and ran out the door. We piled into the cab waiting outside and quickly rattled off the address for Todd’s bar. It was ten minute car ride to Todd’s so we were there in the blink of an eye.

“I’m ready to get drunk! I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready!!” Lyla said as she climbed out of the cab. I handed the guy the rightful amount, plus a little extra, and followed the rambunctious ginger into the bar. We weren’t even in the bar for 30 minutes when I lost sight of Lyla, I shrugged it off though and made my way to my brother’s office.

“Totem pole,” I sang as I walked through the doorway of Todd’s office. My six foot four brother was sat behind his computer, typing away.

“One sec, kitty kat,” Todd said and I took a seat in the chair that sat in front of his desk. “Alright! Give me a hug, loser, “ Todd said, a smile taking over on his face and I quickly stood up and enveloped him in a hug. “How was the shop?”

“Slow,” I told him once we pulled away from the hug and made our way back into the main room of the bar.

“Right. Well if you need any help with money just—“

“Todd, I love you and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but I have plenty of money, okay?” I told him while placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I just worry about you sometimes, after everything you’ve been through,” Todd told me as we approached the bar and took a seat on two of the available bar stools.

“Mario! Give me two bud lights!” Todd yelled, getting the bar tender’s attention. Todd and I drank a couple of rounds together before he had to leave to take care of some annoying drunks that were causing problems. I was sitting at the bar by myself and fumbling on my iPhone when Mario came over to me.

“Hey kiddo,” he greeted me as he leaned on the bar with his elbows.

“What’s up Mario?”

“Not a whole lot. Anyways, reason I’m here is the fellow at the end of the bar wants to buy you a drink,” Mario stated while pointing to his left. I looked over and saw Zayn, who was in the shop earlier, smiling at me. “What’ll it be?”

“Normally in these situations, as you know, I would order the most expensive drink but today I’ll take my regular cool blue shake up,” I told him with a smile.

“Ah, are you interested in the guy?” He asked as he walked to get the Malibu rum for my drink. “You don’t normally let guys buy you your favorite drink.”

“No, I’m not. I know the kid, I tattooed his friend earlier,” I told Mario who began mixing the Malibu rum with cool blue Gatorade. It’s my favorite drink, because it’s like a Long Island Iced Tea, you can’t taste the alcohol. I also can’t get it at very many places because most places don’t mix drinks with Gatorade.

“I see, well here you go. Biggest size we’ve got,” Mario said while placing the glass in front of me and going on to the next customer. I looked at Zayn and tipped him my cup in thanks and that resulted in him laughing before waving me over. A blush rose to my cheeks as I stood up and weaved in between some people before taking the empty seat next to Zayn.

“Hey stranger,” he said as he took a long gulp of his beer.

“What are you doing here?” I asked him.

“The guys and I decided to explore the nightlife of the city, and we ended up here!” He told me as his fingers flew across the keyboard of his phone.

“You picked a good place, it’s my favorite,” I said, looking into the crowd where I spot Lyla chatting up some guy.

“Yeah, why’s that?” Zayn asked after he slid his phone back into his pocket.

“My brother owns it, so it kind of has to be my favorite place,” I told him while shrugging my shoulders.

“I see, he’s got a nice place,” Zayn said while shifting in his seat so he was facing me. “What are you drinking?”

“Malibu and Gatorade aka the cool blue shake up,” I told him, taking a sip of my drink.

“That sounds so disgusting!” He said in between chuckles and I slid my drink over in front of him.

“Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!” I told him and watched him take a sip. “Well?”

“That’s actually really good! And there’s alcohol in this?” He asked, pointing to my glass.

“Yep! It floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee,” I told him as I took my drink back. Zayn and I kept the conversation light until I had the itch to smoke a cigarette.

“Hey, I’m gonna head out back and smoke. I’ll be back in a few,” I told him as I stood up taking my drink and purse with me.

“Nonsense. I’ll join you, I could go for a smoke.”

“You smoke?” I asked him as I walked through the crowd, with Zayn following behind.

“Yeah,” he said as he grabbed my upper arm so he wouldn’t lose me through the crowd.

“Isn’t it bad for you singing?” I asked him once we hit the hallway for the offices.

“It can be, but if anything it’s helped my voice, tremendously,” he said and I nodded my head before throwing the back door open and leading Zayn over to a wooden picnic table. I took a seat on the bench closest to me and Zayn sat across from me. I pulled my cigarettes out and offered him one, which he took and I held my lighter out to him.

“So, how long have you lived in Austin?” Zayn asked as he handed me back my lighter.

“Going on 5 years now,” I told him, nodding my head.

“Really? Where are you originally from?” He asked, tilting his head to the side.

“A really small town out in Brenham,” I told him. “What about you? Where in England are you from?”

“Bradford, it’s a ways away from London. But I live in London,” he said after taking a drag from his cigarette.

“That’s really cool. I bet it’s pretty there, huh?” I asked him and he nodded his head.

“Just like you would imagine it,” he told me. We sat in silence for a little bit, both of us just smoking our cigarettes. “So, one of the lads took quite the liking to you.”

“What?” I asked him, scrunching my face up.

“Harry thinks you’re sassy,” Zayn said and I nodded my head.

“That’s because I am sassy,” I told him with a smug smile on my face.

“I could tell. You’re a really cool person, I like you,” Zayn said as he playfully punched my shoulder. I don’t know what it is about Zayn but he’s easy to get along with, there’s a pull to him that I haven’t had with someone in a long time. But I wasn’t sure if it was physical attraction or if he was friend material.

“But you barely know me?” I said to him and he shrugged his shoulders.

“Doesn’t matter. I’ve seen your personality,” he said and I nodded my head.

“Right. So, what do you miss most about good old England?” I asked him while stubbing out my cigarette in the ash tray.

“My family and my girlfriend,” Zayn answered, also stubbing out his cigarette. He has a girlfriend. It must be a friendship attraction then.

“Yeah? Who’s the lucky lady?” I asked him, lighting up another cigarette.

“Perrie Edwards, she’s in a group called Little Mix,” he said and nodded my head.

“Never heard of them,” I, bluntly, told him.

“They aren’t as popular as us, here in the states,” he spoke with amusement.

“I see. So, where are the rest of the boys?” I asked him. “I never noticed them inside.”

“Liam and Louis stayed home and the other two are somewhere in there probably chatting some girls up.”

“Oh yeah, they got their eyes on anyone in there?” I asked him, pointing my thumb back to the bar.

“Last I checked, Niall was attempting to talk to a blonde and Harry was trying to chat up your friend from the shop, Lyla was it?” Zayn asked and I nodded my head. “But I don’t think she’s his type.”

“Really? Easy isn’t his type?” I snorted.

“Isn’t that your best friend? At least, that’s the impression I got from you two,” he said and I laughed at him.

“Of course she’s my best friend! She knows I think she’s a slut, I’m the one that tells her to stop being one. It’s just the way our friendship works,” I told him and he nodded his head.

“So then what are you? If she’s easy,” He asked with a quirked eyebrow.

“I’m….complicated,” I told him while taking a long drag from my cigarette.

“We all ride different roller coasters in life,” Zayn said and I laughed at his metaphor.

“That was lame and oddly insightful. If I ever have a reason to say that I’ll credit you,” I told him with a humorous smile on my face.

“Why thank you,” Zayn said. I heard the ringer to an iPhone getting a text message go off and I quickly checked my phone and saw it wasn’t me. When I looked up Zayn was looking at his phone with a confused look. “Well, looks like Harry is going to hit a home run with your easy best friend tonight.” Zayn said as he turned his phone towards me so I could look at the message.

Don’t wait up or worry about me. Took that red head from the tattoo place home. –Haz

“Great,” I groaned as I put my head in my hands. “Looks like I’ll be airing out Lyla’s dirty laundry in the morning,” I said as I took a long gulp of my drink before placing it on the table.

“Don’t worry, Harry isn’t one to overstay his welcome,” Zayn said as he pat my back.

“So I won’t have to like feed him?” I asked and Zayn quickly laughed while shaking his head.

“Definitely not. He might even be gone by the time you’re up,” Zayn said and I nodded my head.

“I sure hope so. So, have you thought about what you’re going to add to that sleeve of yours?” I asked Zayn and he looked at me like I was crazy.

“It’s been what? 8 hours since you last asked me that?” He, amusingly, said. “No I haven’t. Why do you want to add to my sleeve so badly?”

“I don’t know. I have this gut feeling when it comes to tattoos and knowing they’re going to be badass and I had that gut feeling when I looked at your tattoo,” I told him and he nodded his head with every word I spoke.

“That’s really cool.”

“Yeah and I’d really like to be a part of that badassness,” I told him and he barked out a laugh.

“I’ll keep that in mind. In fact, tell you what, how about we exchange numbers and next time I want to add to my sleeve I’ll give you a ring, yeah?” Zayn said as he gestured to his phone.

“Yeah, okay. I’d like that,” I said while handing him my phone and taking his phone.

“Sweet cat case,” Zayn said as he inspected the back of my case. It was a ‘hipster’ cat and I loved it.

“Thanks, got it off the internet for 3 bucks,” I told him as I programmed my number in his phone. “I put my name in your phone as Kat the Tattoo Girl, in case you forget about me.”

“Don’t think I could forget about you, love. You gave quite the first impression when you called Harry mophead. We’ve never heard that one before,” Zayn said as he handed me back my phone and I gave him his.

“So, how long do you think Harry will be? Hours? Days? Months? Years? Lifetimes? I kinda, wanna ditch this bar,” I told him as I stubbed out my second cigarette.

“A few hours maybe, depends on what kind of mood he’s in,” Zayn said while stifling his laughter.

“Great, what the hell am I supposed to do to pass a few hours?” I groaned, more to myself than Zayn.

“Well, Niall just text me saying he hit rock bottom with the girl and is ready to go. You could always come back to our hotel with us and hang out and drink some beers for a little bit,” Zayn offered and I quickly thought it over. Nothing would be wrong with that and it’d be a lot better than walking into my home and passing Lyla’s room where she was going at it like a monkey.

“Yeah, okay, I’ll go with y’all,” I said while standing up and chugging about half my drink before offering the rest to Zayn, who gladly drank it.

Notes

Kat's Outfit