5. Best day?

"A game?"

"Yes, a game." He smiles. "Are you in?"

I don't have to think about it for too long. I'm interested in whatever he has to do. "Sure."

Gabriel nods delightfully. "I know you said you're trying to forget your problems, but you know how ranting helps ease the pressure you're feeling?" He doesn't wait for me to answer as he keeps speaking. "Well, I was thinking we should tell each other why exactly we came to this bar. After all, we're not gonna see each other again, are we?"

I mull over it for a moment. I haven't had any time to rant to my friends because they're all so busy with their work life and their families. It will be nice to let everything out. And what better person to talk to than a stranger? "On one condition."

He smiles widely. He knows he's gotten me already. "Anything."

My lips twitch up in a smile. Maybe, he's not just eager to learn about me. Maybe, he also wants someone to talk to. "You first."

For the second time this night, I see his smile fall, and like before, he doesn't let it last long before he's putting it right back in place. "Fair deal." He concludes before ordering shots. I may end up going home drunk after all.

"Where do I start?" He asks himself and I wait patiently for him to come to terms with the fact that he's about to share his story with a stranger. "I think it started when I lost someone special to me, say six years ago, or so."

Okay, I guess we're giving vague answers. I don't blame him though. I don't expect him to tell me all of his life stories at our first meeting.

"I didn't get the opportunity to grieve. I haven't grieved. I've just accepted the fact that they're gone and I have to live with it. Then, there's a lot of pressure on me to succeed." He laughs bitterly. "I mean, to climb higher than I already am. It's overwhelming and I sometimes, I just snap."

I wisely keep my mouth shut and let him finish.

"I almost did today, so I decided, hey why not go get drinks at that cool club instead? Maybe, you'll meet a beautiful woman."

I chuckle. Is he flirting with me? Even if he's not, the humor at the end of the sentence lightens the mood a bit.

"Coincidentally, I did meet a beautiful woman, only that she carried a wet patch around."

I crack a genuine smile. "Are you gonna let me live that down?"

His grin is easy like he wasn't just talking about grieving his loss seconds ago. He tries hard not to dwell on his problems and he's succeeding. I don't know how he does it, but I envy him. "Never. Your turn."

I'm one hundred percent sure it's the alcohol because I don't hesitate before I start speaking. "Have you heard about Landon and co? It's a small advertising company. Well, it's not that small but it's not very well known as well."

Gabriel nods. "I do. We've worked with them a few times."

Glad he knows what company I'm talking about, I continue. "Well, I used to work there as an advertiser, but I got fired because of my tardiness. It wasn't entirely my fault though. I was supposed to start at 8:30 am, but they suddenly shifted the time to 8:00 am."

Then, I went on to explain the story of how I was only a few minutes late when he fired me. And the only thing he asks is, "Why didn't you just not go to work late?"

"Lucas is a handful in the mornings. He's not a morning person, so before he finishes getting ready, I'm already late."

"And Lucas is?"

"My son."

Gabriel blinks repeatedly and I just stare at his surprised face. He looks cute and his jawline looks less chiseled. "You have a son?"

"Yup," I answer, not fazed by his surprise. A lot of men tend to run away when they realize I already have a child. "He's seven."

Gabriel bites his lip, a question on the tip of his tongue. He doesn't know whether to ask it or to leave it. I guess he decides on the former. "What about his father?"

"Dead," I reply easily, the answer not hitting as hard as it usually did when I was sober. Maybe, being drunk isn't so bad after all. He opens his mouth, I'm guessing to apologize but I wave it off. Just because it doesn't hurt as much doesn't mean I want to talk about it. "Where was I?"

"Where you got fired." He reminds me and I beam.

"Yes, yes. I tried to find a job, but it's hard these days, you know. I didn't succeed, so I settled for waitressing, but surprisingly even those jobs don't come easily. When I did find one, it happens the manager is a good friend of my ex-boss, so when I told him what Shawn did to me, he didn't believe me. Instead, he turned the story around and called me a potential rapist. Here I am."

Gabriel is quiet for a few seconds and startles me when he suddenly moves closer to me, our eyes meeting. As expected, I get lost in the colors of his eyes. They're fascinating and captivating and make me forget I just spilled my problems to a stranger. I don't care much though. It's not like I will see him ever again.

"What did Saul do to you?"

I smile, knowing he's intentionally getting the name wrong, but the smile drops when I think about that asshole, Shawn, and how his lips were on mine. "He kissed me forcefully and told me he would give me my job back if I gave him a blow job."

"What did you do?" He asks, looking almost scared to hear my answer to his question.

"Hit him in the balls, of course."

Gabe's whole body relaxes. "Good." Somehow, his pride in me makes me smile. "You said his name is Shawn Landon, right?"

I narrow my eyes at him. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing. Just curious."

"Uh-huh." I don't believe him, but I let the subject drop. "I should get going," I spoke after a few minutes of silence when I look at the time on my digital wrist watch and it reads 00:03 am. How long have I been here? If I remember correctly, I came in around nine. Can I even remember correctly?

"Why?"

"Why not?" I retort.

Gabriel shrugs, showing me a dimpled smile. "I don't know. I just thought you'd come home with me."

I narrow my eyes at him, trying to decipher if he's serious or not. "Is that why you bought me drinks?"

"Maybe."

His amused grin tells me he's joking and I'm relieved. I don't have any money on me to pay him back for all the drinks he bought for me. I don't answer him as I stand up, staggering a little. I chuckle at my clumsiness.

"You're sure you can get home yourself?" Gabriel seems even more amused at this point.

"What do you mean?" I ask, carefully taking my first step. I almost faceplant, but Gabriel catches me, holding my arm and straightening me up. I start laughing.

"That's a no." He muses, then he stands up and assists me because I refuse to let him carry me out of the club. When we get outside, he looks around the parking lot. "Did you drive here?"

"Mm-hmm."

He sighs. "I'd drive you home, but I'm intoxicated myself."

I lean against his side as he takes out his phone and dials someone. It's not like I can't hold myself up, but I'd rather not do it if I don't have to. In less than a minute, a red vehicle appears in front of us and Gabriel guides me toward it.

He opens the back door and deposits me inside. "You know your address, right?"

I recite it to the driver.

Gabriel nods. "You still looking for a job?"

"Yes, why?"

He brings out a card from his pocket and hands it over to me. "E-mail them with your resume. I heard they're looking for an employee in the marketing and advertising department."

"And you know this how?"

"Let's just say I have a lot of connections."

I don't ask more about it, knowing he won't provide a straight answer. "Will I see you again?"

That's the dumb question my drunk brain decides to ask and I'm not the least embarrassed by it. I'm sure I will be though, but when the alcohol wears off. "That depends."

"On what?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

And then, he closes the door with a wink.