Fun working the bar

EVERYBODY GETTIN KINDA CRUNK
I THINK SOME DUDE JUST GRABBED MY JUNK
NOW I KNOW HOW KESHA MUST BE FEELIN

When you run a bar, you tend to become immune to things. Things that people may think are odd, or maybe even disgusting. Well Atticus had lost that sense, a few years back if not even before he worked for the bar. In high school, he was the kid who always looked older then he really was. Of course he took advantage of that, buying alcohol while under the legal age, but never getting carded in the process. Hell, he'd even come to the back he would soon work for while he was only twenty. It wasn't until he started bar tending and working the door here did he really feel the need to stop drinking. He had found that his parents, not the ones who raised him, but the ones who had created him, were the type who had addictive personalities. Knowing that drug use, and alcoholism ran on both sides, he tried his damnedest to keep his hands away from most of it. He didn't want to end up like either of his parents. A kid like that, who runs a bar, interesting most people would think. Most people didn't honestly know who Atticus really was though. He wasn't originally Atticus Crusoe Malloy, he was born Trenton Jack Hendricks. The boy who had lived through his father beating him mercilessly, and cutting two lines into each of his forearms. No one could remember that story now though, his mother had since died, and his father was off somewhere. He honestly didn't care, and if the man had ever had a reappearance in his life, he'd be sure to get a beating he wouldn't know coming.

Atticus focused back on the bar though, trying to get the looming thoughts out of his head. They always seemed to be too much for him. Walking around the bar was hard to do tonight. It was a Friday, so he knew why he was walking into coming to work. Of course, in December through, the girls who came to the bar were definitely wearing summertime clothes. As much as he didn't want to think about it, he couldn't help but look at all those girls walking around the place. It was amusing to him, he watched the crowd ebb and flow. The rush of females, then the rest males. Atticus didn't honestly care though. They were spending money at his bar after the holidays. He stepped up towards the bar, and got cut off. A girl who was obviously not holding her liquor well came swaying to him. Now he wasn't sure if she was going to get sick, or if she was trying to drunkenly come on to him. Either way he wanted to avoid it. The girl peered at him though as he walked closer to the bar. It was not looking good for her, although stopping to see what she wanted. Atticus looked down at the girl, with a light smile. "Hey, you okay?"

The girl looked up at him, nodding her head gently. It was just then a pack of girl decided to walk up on them. He looked at them, pointing his finger between the group and the girl in front of him. One seemed to be trying to protect the girl, as if he was trying to take her home. That wasn't his style. Nor did he was vomit on his sheets. "Look girls, I'm the manager of this place. Your friend walked over to me, but I'm glad you found her. I can call a cab for you guys if you want." The girls looked relieved, that their friend was safe, and some asshole hadn't decided she was the right girl for the night. Drunkenness never appealed to him in girls, so she was safe with him. A buzz, perfectly fine, but not falling over drunk. It wasn't cute for a girl, if Atticus couldn't bag them sober, what good was he as a man? After pulling out his phone and calling the girls a cab, he took a step behind the bar. Greeting each of the girls who were working as he went. Of course they smiled at him, and he smiled back. As bad as he would like to have fun with these girls, he didn't want to fuck with the business. So he went along his merry way. To the end of the bar, where someone sat in front of him. But didn't have a drink, and he didn't know if the girls didn't see them, or what. But he put on a smile, and asked the old bartender question. "What'll it be?"
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notes ?! noneeee
tagg ?! THIS IS OPEN
wearing ?!
credit ?! REAL SLIM SHADY !? @ odd, Caution 2.0
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You're the only one that I want Think I'm addicted to your light I swore I'd never fall again But this don't even feel like falling Gravity can't forget To pull me back to the ground again i can see your halo

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[if there was one thing orphelia knew for sure, it was that she hadn't actually missed out on much in high school. she'd avoided the stupid drunken nights that never seemed to lead to anything good. she'd avoided having her heart broken by a guy who seemed shocked to realize that you didn't actually want to have sex with him. she'd even avoided prom, the night full of so many cliches that the very thought made her sick. but she was an adult now, as crazy as it sounded, and she had an awfully hard time saying no to any of her friends. especially since she'd been gone for about three months on her trip to africa. she would have to finish the final draft of that story when she got home, but for now, it was all about having fun. she'd spent almost an hour trying to figure out what might actually be considered "bar worthy" clothes. most of her wardrobe was either too formal or too casual. she didn't own anything, she thought, that could come even close to being considered sexy. she couldn't remember ever having to try so hard just to pick out an outfit. and, she figured, she was probably never going to do so again if she had a say in the matter. but with that being said, after an hour, she'd finally found something that she deemed bar worthy. thankfully, she didn't have to poor near as much effort into figuring out her hair and makeup. that, at least, seemed like something that seemed pretty universal. about an hour and a half after she started getting ready, she had finally left the house.

orphelia had never been one to drive. she just didn't own a car, never saw the need for a drivers license. it was new york, it wasn't actually that hard to get from place to place, as long as you knew what you were doing. she'd walked to the bus stop, braving the cold in the only way she knew how. after finding the address her friends had texted her, she got on the right bus and as usually follows getting on the bus, she got off on her stop. her first notion was to look around for her friends. some part of her still wasn't entirely comfortable walking into a bar all by herself. it wasn't her scene, wasn't her style. she was here to hang out with her friends and watch as one of them went home with some cute random guy she barely knew. they would sleep together and then in the morning, the magic would wear off and they would never see each other again. that was how this entire thing worked, right? of course that was television and nothing in real life worked that way. she walked towards the actual bar, still casting weary glances around for her friends. when she got there, she still couldn't see them. she waited by the door, arms crossed impatiently. she probably waited out there for twenty minutes but it was too cold and way too many of the guys who walked in were whistling at her. maybe they were inside, yes that was probably it. after a deep breath, she pushed the door open. orphelia groaned and made her way over to the bar, ignoring any cat calls that may or may not have been directed at her. her eyes looked around, still not seeing any of the people she was supposed to meet. she rolled her eyes and sat on one of the empty barstools.

at that exact moment, she felt her phone vibrate. finally, someone actually cared enough to tell her what was going on. the text message was indeed from her friend amy but it wasn't the 'on our way' text she'd been expecting. it was amy saying that something had come up and the others weren't going to be there. great, this was just freaking great. her only reason for being at a stupid bar and they had just up and ditched her. she dropped her phone onto the bar and ran a hand through her hair. this was obviously what she got for attempting the be a good friend and do something for them. what jerks. thats when she happened to notice what was conspiring at the other end of the bar. some drunk girl had come wandering over to the bar and towards, as she assumed, one of the bartenders. she couldn't make out any words over the sounds of the bar, but it wasn't long before the single girl was joined by a pack. orphelia watched as he called someone on the phone and then escorted the other girls out. any other time, she probably would have lost interest the second the girls were safely out the door, but she couldn't seem to take her eyes off the bartender guy as he walked back over to the bar. with that event finally over, he seemed to notice her for the first time. once again he was moving, but this time towards her. he had a smile plastered on his face and she didn't know enough about people to tell whether or not it was real or faked. nor, she assured herself, did she really care. water, please. god, she was strange. who went to a bar just for the sake of ordering a water. but she didn't drink. she never had. she'd always been far too innocent for that. so what you did over there she nodded towards the front door, where the girls had disappeared. that was pretty nice of you. i thought all men were pigs. she couldn't help the nervous giggle that bubbled up. she was just teasing, of course. but she'd never been good with members of the opposite gender. she bit her lips, trying her hardest to be nonchalant about things, but probably failing. she looked down at her phone, the screen perfectly black. but she was having an awfully hard time looking mr. bartender in the eyes.

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woooo - atticus crusoe malloy - 1016 - outfit

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[presto]

Everybody gettin' kinda crunk

Now, most people who came into a bar often times were looking for a good time. Or maybe to hang out with friends, while that was the truth, one friend always just drank water or soda to make sure everyone made it home okay. The girl in front of Atticus though appeared to be alone, and most people who came to the bar alone would always order a drink. Most people have seen Coyote Ugly, the bar movie where if you order water, you get sprayed. That wasn't the kind of bar Atticus ran. Although, the girls behind the bar definitely made it look like that's what they were going for. He grabbed a clean glass from behind him and got her the water she asked for. Although if she had actually asked for a drink, he would have been furious at the bouncer who had obviously let in an underage girl. That was that last thing that Atti needed at the omens. Especially after dealing with the girls who had obviously had way too much for them to function normally. Speaking of those girls, the one who sat in front of him seemed impressed that he took matters not his own hands.

"Well thanks, I think?" he said with a slight smile on his face. The girl let out a laugh, and it made him smile a little more. She obviously had not been drinking, and she seemed perfectly normal to him. But she was avoiding looking at his face really. It was funny, Atticus was used to women staring at him even if they were all the way across the bar. But this one, she seemed content not making eye contact. Raising an eyebrow at the sudden difference of this one. "When you work at a bar, you kinda have the local cab company on speed dial. Happens just about every night, just like it did tonight." just trying to talk, to see if she'd actually look him in the eyes, hell she just had to nod to make him realize she heard him speaking to her. Looking back down at the back, he saw her phone on the counter. Black screen and all. It seemed like she was waiting for someone or her friends. The way she had set the phone down on the bar a few minutes ago though made him realize that she might have been angry with whoever was on the other end of her messages. that really wasn't his business though, but everyone seemed to pour stories out when they were at the bar. Maybe he could see what he could get out of her. Make her feel better, becaus she had seen plenty of things happen in his bar. Fights, break ups, make ups, friends leaving friends behind, people cheating on their significant others, and the rest of the madness that comes from working in a bar.

"So, why the water? I mean, you are at a bar. Not that you don't know that. But also not that I mind serving people water. Just kinda wondering." in his mind Atti was shaking his head at himself. Some night he spoke better then other nights. Obviously this was not one of the good nights. Although, he was also not trying to appear as though he was being nosy. Which was exactly what he was doing. The girl still hadnt looked up from her phone. So he turned and got himself a soda. Giving her time to decide if she had wanted to look up and talk to him, or if she would just walk away without another word. While most girls would have just approached him on their own and began talking way too much, this girl just couldn't even look at him. Was his hair messed up? No, it couldn't be, his hair was messy all the time, but it was a planned messy, so it couldn't be that. Was he really thinking that something was up with him that she didn't want to look at him? That made it sound like he was wrapped up around himself in his own mind, laughing to himself as he thought about it. "Just figured you know, maybe you need someone to vent to without judgement. What better than a bartender? I do the same job as a psychologist, but get paid way less. But it's cheaper therapy for the patrons." at this point he was just trying to see if he could get her to laugh again and forget bout whoever left her at his bar on her own.

Notes - @username - words - outfit

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[presto]

baby I can see your halo

one didn't really have to look hard to tell that orphelia stuck out like a sore thumb in a bar. everything from the clothes she wore to the drink she ordered just screamed innocence, someone who belonged in the nurturing arms of a parent, not the rough parts of new york city. but she had been trying, at least for her friends sake, to fit in, to be less of a goody two shoes. but as she sat at that bar, she didn't feel any less like she had twenty minutes ago when she'd been standing on a street corner, waiting for her friends. she looked around for a second or so before turning her gaze back to the bartender. he was fixing her drink, facing away from her. funny how the lack of his eyes on her made it much easier for her to slide her gaze over his figure. now, orphelia had never been with a guy her entire life and to be honest, she didn't actually have a type when it came to men. but she'd always figured her type would be clean cut, smart, with a college degree. yet somehow, she couldn't take her eyes of the bartender, who seemed to be anything but clean cut. his hair was ruffled in a way that said he didn't actually care too much. he just seemed entirely rough around the edges, no one she'd have have ever pictured herself with. but then how come her cheeks flushed a bright red as he pushed the glass of water towards her? she picked it up and lifted it to her lips, taking a long sip. she couldn't imagine how she must have looked to the bartender. maybe there was a smile playing at his lips, but probably he was just laughing all about the girl that came to a bar alone and ordered water.

it didn't exactly make it any easier for her to look him in the eyes. he was speaking again, sounding far more successful at being nonchalant than she had been. she flicked her gaze upwards towards his, but still not quite looking directly into his eyes. and it was only for a millisecond before she was looking down at her hands again, the nails chewed to bits and covered in clear coat. still, i mean, some guys wouldn't have minded taking advantage of her, especially if they're desperate. she didn't exactly realize how the words sounded till they'd left her lips and she immediately found herself backtracking. not that you're desperate. because i'm sure you aren't because you probably get girls all the time because you're you know... once again, cue more furious blushing and lip biting. you're just... you know.... and i just... and i just... oh god, i'm really sorry. she looked down at her phone, a brighter red then she'd thought was possible. way to go orphelia, she scolded herself, way to make yourself look like a total fool. she ran a hand through her hair, so busy scolding herself that she didn't realize he'd started talking to her again. she lifted her head so as to hear him better, but her eyes were focused on a point behind him. it's still really cool of you. i'm sure a lot of them appreciate it be the time they've sobered up she tried to keep her voice neutral this time and at least she managed not to ramble and stutter like a complete fool. that at least was a good thing. all of this made her wonder if she'd really missed out on boys in high school. she probably would have made an even bigger fool of herself, just another reason for all the cheerleaders to tease her.

she couldn't help the small laugh that came out when he asked her about her water. great, more talk about things that made her different from everyone else in the bar. though it was a little strangely worded, maybe even a little bit of a ramble. did that mean...? no, probably not. what could a guy like him possibly have to do with a girl like her. she was so her, sweet and innocent and naive. and he was so... not. i don't drink, don't smoke, don't cuss. don't do anything one might consider 'bad.' as you probably can guess this she motioned to the crowd around her, all at least a little tipsy at this point. isn't exactly my crowd. she shrugged. it wasn't exactly like she was saying anything that wasn't totally obvious. in a room full of dogs, she was the cat. despite everything she'd done in her life to fit in, including dying her hair blonde once a month, nothing she could do would ever make her fit into a crowd like this. and she was mostly okay with that. she couldn't ever actually picture herself in this sort of scenario. having the kind of confidence that made the girls flash a smile at the bartender in front of her, wearing clothes that could have been tailor made for them, they were so skin tight. she couldn't imagine pink streaks in her hair or going home with a random guy that she wouldn't care about in the morning. she was okay with that. she turned her head towards the bartender again. he still had that charming smile on his face as he spoke. and for the first time, she managed to look directly into his eyes, too distracted to really realize what she was doing. until she did. but there was something in his eyes, she couldn't figure it out, but she could see why other girls couldn't take their eyes off him. he was most certainly handsome, in a rough around the edges sort of way. i mean, there's not a whole lot to tell. i just got back from africa late yesterday night. so when my friends asked me to come with them, i said yes, even though bars aren't exactly my speed. so i came here to hang out with them since i've been gone for so long. and now they aren't coming. but i'm here now so... she shrugged. the fact of the matter was that not that she was here, looking into his eyes, she couldn't seem to find the strength to get up and leave.

1067 words for atticus

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[presto]

Everybody gettin' kinda crunk

It was almost as if this girl had seen what he had done as this heroic feat. Most people would probably do that for someone in that kind of state. Who knew anymore, yes some desperate guys would definitely try to take advantage of those girls. To Atticus though, sending drunk girls home was just his job, he couldn't even imagine what kind of lawsuits the bar might face if there wasn't someone like him there to call those girls cabs. As tempting as the girls had always seemed, he sent them away. That wasn't exactly something he found attractive, go figure. It made working at the bar that much better, girls came and hit on him, and he'd flirt, but he'd always let them leave with someone else or he'd end up calling them a cab. "Well I'd hope any decent male would send a girl on her way, but I know some just can't pass that kind of thing up. I see drunkenness too much to even want to be involved like that." It was the truth, the last time he'd done anything like that was when he was a teenager. But the girl did more than him, he didn't even want to think about it anymore. It was such a blast from the past and it wasn't exactly pleasant seeming.

"You have no idea how many phone calls I get here in the mornings. It's crazy, girls calling and thanking me, or their friends thanking the bar. It's kind of awesome." Atticus smiled, realizing that the girl was barely looking at him. That was a first, most girl that walked into the bar couldn't take their eyes off him. Maybe it helped his ego, or maybe he just felt better because he was one of the few males that worked there. This girl was something different then the rest that had always seemed to find their way here. She barely made eye contact, she was drinking water, and seemed like she didn't even want to be here. "Wait, you don't do any of those things? Then what's the point of life? I mean sure, I work in a bar, I'm going to encourage everyone to drink. But have you ever drank before? Alcohol, I mean? She looked like the kind of girl who would give you the kind of answer you knew, but whatever. He was entertained, this was the first girl who had held his interest for more than just a glance. Although, after a couple of moments, Atticus thought about what he had just said. 'Wow, I sounded like a complete asshole. Or was it just me? It was just in his mind that cussing, alcohol and those kind of things were fun. Far be it from the way he was raised, it was just his bloodline. Addictive personalities, and obviously he lived the way his mother once did. But his life was very different from what his parents had wanted it to be. This girl's parents were probably the proud beaming type. While Atticus' were just glad that he texted them that he had gotten to his apartment safe after a shift at the bar. Obviously Atticus and her were two very different types. He looked at her, since she had been looking down at her phone again. Maybe waiting for the posse of friends that she was talking about.

He shook his head though. Wait had she just said? "Wait, you just got back from Africa? What do you do that would send you there?" These kind of things were what bartenders did. Ask questions, learn more about the customer. If they needed to talk, talk for a bit. That kind of thing seemed standard in this job. People didn't seem to mind that he was easier on the eyes then some male bartenders. He wasn't trying to be nosy or to pry into her life, although if she's never been to a bar she may have thought that. 'Maybe I should introduce myself. Seem like less of a nosy bartender.' He nodded his head at himself, not even realizing he was doing it. "Well, I'm sorry your friends ditched you. But you can tell them you met the coolest bartender ever.I'm just kidding, I'm not really that full of myself. I'm Atticus by the way." It sounded smoother than he thought it would come out. Sometimes after a couple nights straight behind the bar his mind got jumbled. He wasn't always used to being back there, but most of the customers thought he was just a bartender. That's probably what she was thinking, just some guy bartender trying to talk her up. But she had said herself that she didn't drink, so at least she had a good head full of sense on her shoulders. Atticus always was the type to wonder what people thought of him, although when he looked back to the girl, she seemed to not be able to take her eyes off of his. Not in a creepy way of course, but just attracted he would say.

Notes - orphelia hannah jones - words - outfit

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[presto]

baby I can see your halo

orphelia couldn't help the smile on her face. there was something about this guy, an air that he seemed to have. he was confident about himself and who he was. but then, any guy who was being stared at as often as he was would probably be just as confident. the only experiences she really had with bartenders were the stereotypical kinds that she saw in movies. and most of her experiences with guys were all very platonic. she'd never gone farther than maybe awkward attempts at flirting. after thomas... she just had never found the time. and to be honest, she hadn't really cared at the time. now, of course, the added experience would have been extremely helpful right now. well, then i guess you're practically a hero. huzzah. saving damsels in distress from their drunken self. wow, because that didn't sound totally awkward or anything. she felt the color rush to her cheeks as she blushed, practically biting a hole in her lip at this point. so flirting, definitely not her strong point. thankfully, she didn't have to think about it for too much longer, because he was definitely talking again. thank god. but she wasn't exactly sure how she felt about that particular set of words. what's the point of life? you know, there's more to life than just drinking your cares away. her words came out sharper than she intended, an edge to her voice that even she barely recognized. she looked away, feeling quite abashed at her own straight fowardness. no, i've never had a sip of alcohol before. not even on my twenty first birthday, despite my parents complaints of it being a rite of passage or something. she shrugged. drinking, like social lives, had never been of any real interest to her.

it was rare that something orphelia did ever actually caught someone by surprise. with her life as boring as it tended to be - africa trip aside - it was that hard to figure out what she was doing at any given time. but her saying that she had been to africa had definitely seemed to pique his interest, almost, but not quite, causing him to do some sort of double take. she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at that. she liked being the one that did the fun stuff for once. i'm a journalist actually, mostly i just work with times magazine, but on occasion, i do articles for local papers. but my trip to africa was for the magazine. its actually an article about elephants. met a cute little elephant named todd. it was pretty fun. job perks i suppose. she smiled. her trip to africa had to be one of the most exciting this she'd ever done. it was the kind of thing that she and thomas had talked about growing up. maybe she was bragging a little, but then, wouldn't anyone in her position do exactly the same thing. she giggled a little at his comment. i'm orphelia. nice to meet you she hadn't actually realized that they hadn't shared names quite yet. atticus. a name from to kill a mockingbird, she wondered if the two were at all related. guess that's what i get for trying to be a good friend for once. one favor for them and they can't be bothered to show up. but again i'm here, might as well make it worth my while. she offered him a halfhearted smile. she could play it off as nothing, but in all honesty, she wasn't over it. they knew she didn't like bars or people at bars - though atticus seemed to be an exception - and not first the first time, she found herself wondering if they'd done it just to spite her.

at that exact moment, orphelia's gaze was torn from atticus's. a guy had plopped himself down at the bar next to her, bumping her arm in the process. she was about to say something (though she wasn't sure what) but then the other guy spoke. hey atticus, buddy ol' pal. can i get my usual? this guy looked for all the world like exactly the kind of guy she'd avoided by never going into any bars. he had long shoulder length brown-black hair. maybe he was mexican or something? she couldn't actually be sure and she learned to never assume anything. he was thin, but a goofy smile adorned his face. he was probably halfway to drunk or something. orphelia sighed, a quiet enough sigh, but it seemed to have caught the man's attention. he turned his head to look at her. she had never felt so exposed when someone stared at her, but there was something almost hungry about the way his gaze slide over her figure. he had warm chocolate brown eyes that on another canvas (atticus maybe?) might have been handsome. i'm sorry, he looked back and forth between atticus and orphelia. did i interupt something? orphelia narrowed his eyes at him, once again searching for something to say - tonight just wasn't her night - but she was interupted. not bad, not bad at all. almost makes me wish i was back on the market. his goofy smile got even goofier for a second. no, i don't. nessie's definitely better. still, good for you buddy. at this point, she could smell the lace of alcohol on his breath. i'm not - so atticus, the guys and i are up for a song or two. you in? orphelia couldn't help but look at atticus, her mouth set in a curious line. this could proce to be amusing, right? she smiled a little at the thought.

956 words for atticus

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[presto]

Everybody gettin' kinda crunk

Atticus was amused by the girl saying he was some sort of hero. Saving drunk girls from ill fates. He kind of liked the sound of it. Although he would hope that normal males would just do what they should. Sure, Atticus could get all the girls he wanted, the drunk girls were the ones he wanted farthest away from him though. There was always trouble there, mood swings, and the sudden passing out. Not that all girls couldn't handle their liquor, just most he saw couldn't. His mother raised him better than to take advantage of anyone. "I'm not a hero, I just do what I should. Although I can't say the same for most guys my age." Atticus smiled, realizing that he probably wasn't that much older than her. Although most people thought he was still twenty one or twenty two. That sadly wasn't the case, but he was glad that he was older than people though, it kept his thoughts young. This girl didn't really seem to mind talking to him now, actually forming longer sentences, and sounding like she was getting irritated with his thoughts on drinking. Atti had been a bartender since his twenty first birthday. Honestly he had never minded alcohol, it was definitely a thing for him in high school. Actually most people would have classified him as an alcoholic at that age. There was definitely more to life than drinking, although he spent most nights in a bar, where people came to drink away their problems. Who was he to tell them that they were making bad choices. Hell, that was practically what bars were for. He tilted his head a little, hearing her tone take a turn. He could see that she hadn't exactly meant for it to come out like that. All he could do though was laugh. "You aren't offending me if that's what you're concerned about. Trust me, my best friend, he's the most brutally honest human being I know." It was the truth, and truthfully he was glad that Boo hadn't shown up at the bar tonight. Of course he loved his best friend, but this girl was already shy around him, and Boo would probably run her off. Not that he was trying to do anything with her immediately. No, that wasn't his style, who was he kidding, yes it was.

After shaking off his own thoughts, he smiled a little bit. Realizing now that the girl had decided to open up a little bit more than he thought she would right away. Maybe he was easier to talk to for her, maybe it was because he was talking about stuff that she had mentioned first. That always seemed like the way to go about it with girls who seemed shy. Of course Atticus was far from shy, the complete opposite. He could walk up to almost anyone in a room and start a conversation. It was just how he was, although it wasn't when he was younger. Now though was a different time, much happier that he could be who he wanted to be without giving a damn. "Those are some pretty good job perks. Mine include food and liquor, so you definitely have it way better than me." Atticus smiled, he was definitely happy with his jobs perks. When he wasn't working he could drink his fill. Honestly the food in the bar wasn't that bad either, but most people didn't order it. So the boss had pretty much let the employees eat whenever they'd like. Although the difference between the two of them was that she already had her career path. Atticus was just on his way to running a bar, in most cases he was already doing so. Now if he could just move his way up, maybe eventually prove to his parents that he wasn't just some high school graduate who aced most of his classes, and graduated in the top five people in his class. His best friend being one of those other people. "I'm jealous of the fact that you got to see a baby elephant, up close I'm sure." Atticus wouldn't actually be jealous, but it was actually interesting. Most of the girls who came into the bar really had nothing fun to say, or they just wanted to hear him talk. Which usually got boring, so it got old pretty fast. He snapped his hearing back to her though, her name. It sounded familiar. Although it was definitely different then the normal names he heard all the time. His name normally threw people for a loop, and he could tell that it was on her mind. "If you're wondering, Yeah, I'm named for Atticus Finch. I'm sure you know the book, most people should. My parents are English teachers, so yeah. Interesting name for me I guess, I feel like I've heard yours before though. If that doesn't seem weird." Although, if he seemed weird, he was sure that Orphelia would have made her way slowing backing up from him.

Oh no, that would probably happen now though. As he looked up from his own drink behind the bar, he saw a very familiar face. Hearing his name ring out louder than it probably should have been said. He watched Vince take a seat next to Orphelia. The look on her face immediately made him want to burst out in laughter, but he held it back for her sake. He knew something would probably come out of Vince's mouth that would bother her. So he tried to take his attention away from her. "Hey Vince, sure. Hold on." As he turned to make Vince's drink, he kept within an earshot of the two he left behind. Making sure that Orphelia wasn't totally subjected to Vince and his humor. Sure, Atticus got along with Vince pretty well. They drank a good bit whenever they hung out, so it was kind of like hanging out with Boo, although Boo was like a brother to Atticus, so it was different. They caused more trouble than Atti and Vince did. Although, when drinking Vince could cause trouble all by himself. As he got back to the two, he set Vince's drink down in front of him. Hearing him ask if he interrupting something. Atticus couldn't even speak before he was at it again. He locked eyes with Orphelia as Vince commented about wishing single. Rolling his eyes trying to hide it from Vince, and trying to make her laugh, although it seemed like Vince had a few drinks in him. But there was always that one question Vince asked and Atticus could never turn down. That was singing with the guys and Vince. Sure, he didn't like to admit it, but he could sing. Or at least he thought so. Vince was part of a band, and was kind of well known. Atticus had almost always been drinking when Vince would ask him this. Tonight was different though, he was working the bar though, hiding a bottle of water behind the counter. Atticus looked at Orphelia, raising an eyebrow as she looked amused. "Wanna see me embarrass myself? Cause I'm sure that's what it might end up being?" Turning his glance back to Vince, he had a wide smile one his face. Nodding his head, he came out from behind the bar. "I'm down, when aren't I down for that?"

[/b][/b][/div]

Notes - orphelia hannah jones - words - outfit

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[presto]

baby I can see your halo

it was funny, really. orphelia spent so little time around people in social settings, but she'd gotten pretty good at reading people. a lot of time, when doing articles, you had to know the right places to poke and prod, or you'd never get the answers you wanted. but somehow, she couldn't seem to read his face. it made it awfully hard to tell whether or not he was actually interested in what she was saying or if he was just being polite and searching for a way out of talking to her. she decided she would tread carefully. she had learned about elephants a lot over the past few months that she'd been there and could probably ramble on about them for hours. yeah, it was my first out of town article. it was a lot of fun. she nodded. it was actually probably one of the most amazing experiences she'd ever had. it was a huge part of why she'd become a journalist. sure, reporting stories was fun. but going to africa to see a baby elephant being born and getting to do a story on it? that was even more fun. todd was born while i was there actually. they let me choose his name. she couldn't help but feel a little awkward. was this too much information, was she rambling on? she hated being socially inept at times. she hit the home button on her iphone and pushed it towards atticus. todd had been her phone wallpaper because really, who wouldn't make a baby elephant their wallpaper? that's todd, probably a couple days after he was born. it's kind of weird seeing a baby that weighs more than i do. okay orphelia, she told herself, time to stop talking about elephants now. or you're gonna make a huge fool of yourself. she looked down at her phone, the picture having faded back to black.

atticus had changed the subject back to names, thank god. though her name was an entirely different story. his name though was exactly what she had expected. so he was the son of english teachers, figured he would be named after a literary figure. if only her name were that easy to explain away. her name just made her sound like she was just this huge freaking nerd. though, she was. her parents love for marvel had rubbed off on her. she spent most of her free nights curled up in front of the tv watching some marvel movie or lord of the ring or something. my parents were huge marvel fans and so they found the most obscure name they possibly could and tada orphelia jones. my sister is jessica jones. yup. not quite literary like yours, but you know. he probably didn't know, probably because even she didn't know. but still... she flashed him a smile, once again hoping she didn't sound too awkward. then of course, vince had joined them at the bar, with his nonstop chatter. orphelia was never really quick to dislike people based on first impressions. but she wasn't very impressed with vince at this point in time. it did help that atticus seemed to be trying to catch her eye at this point in time, rolling his own eyes as vince talked. she covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to giggle. vince... she knew that name didn't she? she'd done a report on some band or the other and she remembered them saying that vincent crosby was the newest member, a good singer and and even better songwriter. when vince joined the band, she remembered, the band suddenly found themselves a little more widely known. maybe not world wide, not yet. but they sounded good, looked okay, so it was only a matter of time, right?

she had to say, she was quite amused by the idea of atticus singing. so when he agreed, she had to bite her lip, - she could taste the blood in her mouth at this point - to stop from bursting into laughter. have fun. she teased, and it was probably one of the few things she said that hadn't felt totally awkward. she watched the two approach a set of instruments that she hadn't noticed before. at this point, she wasn't the only one paying attention. this must have happened quite often, because they were all clapping and cheering at the small band of boys - and a girl drummer - on stage. you all ready for this? it was a small venue, not too many people. but you could tell that the crowd was definitely excited, if only by the cheers. orphelia grabbed her phone and slid it into her pocket, moving closer to the stage so she could see atticus. she was leaning against the wall. and while atticus was by no means the only guy on the stage, he was definitely the only one that she saw. you guys know the drill by now i'm sure. vince was a natural with the crowd, he had been the first time she watched them perform. it was probably one of those reasons the band had gotten so popular. he gave a dark side to an otherwise light hearted band that called themselves outlook optimistic. we managed to drag atticus up on stage with us. vince turned to look at atticus, a playful smile plastered onto his face. she couldn't help but giggle over the entire thing. maybe her friends had ditched her, but she'd managed to make a good time out of it. at that point, the band had launched into a song. she didn't recognize it from the first time. maybe it was a new song? or maybe, she figured, it was a bar-only song, as atticus sang the first few lines. she smiled at him up on stage.

980 words for atticus

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[presto]

Everybody gettin' kinda crunk

Walking past Orphelia, he heard her slight teasing. Atticus didn't exactly mind the singing and jamming out with Vince. It had actually helped him walk out of the bar later that night with a girl. Usually he actually would jump on the chance to play with them. He had played guitar since god knew when, and he sang sometimes too. Although, he wasn't all too sure of his singing abilities, Vince seemed to always have faith that he could hold a tune and carry a melody. This would be no different he was sure, especially since he knew Vince had been drinking prior to asking him to come up with the band. Walking up on the small stage felt odd tonight, he watched as Orphelia followed behind them towards the stage. Her eyes on him, he smirked the whole way up. Everyone turned away from the bar was carrying on, excited for the music to start. He lit up his flashiest smile, careful not to look creepy. Most people in the bar knew him by now though, but being up on that tiny stage was in a completely different light. He looked from side of side of the bar. Waving as Vince had announced that he had dragged him on stage. A smirk on his face as Vince turned to him with a wide smile. All he could do was smile and laugh at him. Atticus knew what song they'd be singing, and of course he was prepared, maybe. He turned to the guitarist, and pointed at the guitar, and the guy handed it over to him, taking a step off the stage. This normally happened, so he had been used to it.

Vince ended up pushing him in front of the microphone, waiting for the beat to start for him to start his singing. Oddly enough, this was Vince's band and all. It seemed like Atticus was the one singing most of the lyrics, Vince popping in at the chorus, saving Atticus part of his voice. There was no telling of the song name, the band never really played it without him. Most people knew what was happening when Atti was on stage with Vince though. A song about Love being like war. Atticus didn't really know what to say about it. He liked the song, and the sound of it, and apparently Vince liked him singing it. Singing the first few lines, then bursting full on into the chorus, playfully singing along with Vince as they shouted. "We go together or we don't go down at all." Being on stage with the band felt right for this, maybe it was the attention, or people actually singing that song along with the boys. It amused Atticus, although he knew he would never be like Vince. He'd never be an uprising star. He'd always be Atticus, the guy who was accepted into Ivy League schools on full ride scholarships, but decided not to go anyways. Although, he could get used to life being like this.

He searched over the crowd, looking for Orphelia as the crowd seemed to move with the band. Singing, playing guitar and searching the crowd was hard work. Finding her before he was about to give up, he smiled down at her. Making sure she knew it was aimed right at her. Of course he was hamming it up, who wouldn't at this point. He was having too much fun on the stage. Dancing around with the other members, and singing into the same microphone as Vince. As if he was in the band. That was the last thing on his mind. This was just for enjoyment, he didn't think he had the talent to make it a living, and he was perfectly fine with that. As the song neared it's end, Atticus carefully tossed the guy back his guitar, laughing the whole time. Grabbing onto the mic stand, making it seem like he really didn't want to let go. Vince would only ever get this one song out of him. Atticus always made sure of that. "Thanks guys, I really enjoyed jamming out with you. But I should get back to work."

Notes - @username - words - outfit

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[presto]

baby I can see your halo

as orphelia watched atticus up on stage, singing his heart out, she took the oppurtunity to look at him. to really look at him, without the bar to hide his lower half from her. even with him leaning over onto the bar, it wasn't that hard to see that he was tall, by any standards. but now that she could see all of him, she could also see that he was the long, lanky kind of guy. she wanted to say that she didn't find him at least a little bit attractive, it would have been a total lie. despite her idea of a perfect, clean cut guy, she couldn't help but stare at him in total fascination. she'd never quite been able to understand the appeal of a bad boy, the kind that you knew was nothing but trouble, would only break your heart. she could now though. especially when atticus' eyes met hers, that smile telling her that this was all for her. all her life, she'd never really met a guy that could send her heart in a flurry, could give her the butterfly-in-my-tummy effect. but atticus was doing this to her so easily that he must have some way to know. so this was attraction, this was longing to reach out and touch someone, was wishing that someone was closer. and needing, yes needing, to feel the press of lips against hers. the moment his eyes met hers, these were exactly what she felt. slowly and yet all at once. and it didn't matter that there was an entire crowd of girls crooning his name, cheering him on, begging for his attention. because in that moment, all she could see was him. there was no one else in the bar. just a single man, serenading her.

any other time, she might have been smart enough to see past her feelings. but not this time. one might have dubbed it love at first sight, but naive as she was, she knew better. this was not love at first sight, but an obsession, formed at that exact moment. she knew, even then, that she wouldn't be able to get this picture out of his name, that her mind would chant his name like a mantra. she didn't even notice the guitar player had come up to her - he'd stepped off the stage earlier when atticus took his guitar from him. but now, he'd taken a step towards her, clearing seeing something he liked in her. her head was still so full of atticus that when he tapped on her shoulder, she'd actually jumped. the guy looked a little taken aback by this, smiling a small apologetic smile. sorry, didn't mean to scare you. he seemed awfully nervous for someone who was in a band, though she couldn't really judge. no, no, you're fine. off in la la land i guess. somehow, it didn't strike her as polite to say that she'd been so busy thinking about atticus that she hadn't even cared to notice him. she smiled at him, not quite her biggest smile, but it was polite at the least. so, i couldn't help but notice that you were all alone over here. i figured i might come over and introduce myself. orphelia was bad at flirting, but this seemed a little awkward, even for her. suddenly, it just felt like this conversation couldn't have been over fast enough. she hated to admit it, but she was having a hard time pulling her gaze away from atticus. of course it was rude to stare, and even more rude to stare at someone else while another person was talking to you.

but then, she finally managed to look at the guitar player. he was cute, in the way that small dogs were cute. but comparing him to atticus was like comparing a god to a slave. there wasn't any. of course, when she realized what she'd just thought, she blushed. the guitar player seemed to take her blush as a sign that she was nervous. i'm sorry, you'd think id be better at this, being a band boy. but i'm not. yet another polite smile. this was another comparison she couldn't help. but somehow, she found it so much easier to talk to atticus than she did to this guy. she was used to being awkward around guys, she'd been like that her entire life, but she enjoyed the semblance of confidence that she seemed to have around atticus. the song had come to an end at the point and it seemed like atticus was slowly exiting off stage. she was almost ashamed at the little bit of relief that she felt. as soon as atticus had stepped off the stage, she knew she had to find some way to get out of this awkward conversation. but vince - thank god - saved her. calling our guitar player. you can talked to atticus's pretty blonde later, that is, if atticus doesn't slap you first. the guitar player flushed. i think that's your cue. she tried to keep the relief out of her voice. the guitar player nodded, still a bright red color. he turned and headed onto the stage. when he wasn't looking, she mouthed a thank you in vince's direction. he winked in response and nodded in atticus's direction. not that he had to tell her twice. she walked back over to his side, already feeling much better than she had five minutes ago. so... you can sing

927 words for atticus

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[presto]

Everybody gettin' kinda crunk

Walking down the set of stairs to get off stage, he looked around. Seeing that the guitar player had actually gotten up the nerve to talk to Orphelia. It kind of made him laugh, sure...he knew the guy was harmless, and that he wasn't exactly the type of guy to be outright with women. Unlike him, most girls knew what they could be getting into with Atticus. He was not the fuzzy, lovey dovey type guy afterall. Pulling the guitar strap over his shoulder, as Vince called out to him. Atticus handed his guitar back over to him with a smug smile. It was something that never really left his face, he knew it, most people knew it. Sure, he'd gone through Hell in his life, but this was just him being an asshole. "Trust me, I won't slap you man." Saying it with that smooth smile on his face, looking over to Orphelia again. Raising an eyebrow, noticing how she smiled as he approached her. Sometimes he loved being on that stage, those were the times they couldn't get him to walk away. But because he saw something in her he wanted, it was simple to walk away tonight.

Looking down at her as she spoke, he smiled. She acted as if he would just go on stage and not be able to sing. That would just be embarrassing. He shrugged, trying not to seem to pleased with himself. "I mean, I guess I kinda can. You don't see me making a living off of it though." He waved his hand back towards the bar, as if asking her if she wanted to get back so they could chat. "I guess I just don't have the balls to actually sing in front of more people than this." It was the truth, sure he loved the attention, and he loved hearing girls scream out his name. What man wouldn't like that? After all, it was one of the biggest boosts of confidence that he could imagine. But she seemed like the type who would laugh at a man like him. One who could turn him away without a second thought about it. Atticus just didn't want that to happen. Something about her, it made him want her without knowing much more about her than he already did.

Walking back to the bar, making sure she kept close to his side. He looked around, making sure that no one else would try to rip him away. Boo was at home, he knew that for a fact. Arthur had just texted him and told him that their stock was low. No, not actual stocks, but stock of alcohol. Guess he'd have to cough up some cash and spring for some of the bottle behind the bar. Glad that his boss didn't actually mind. Shaking Boo out of his head, that was the farthest thing he wanted to think about. He had to find out more about her. Not wanting everything to be about Atticus. The bartender, who also managed this place, known for his nightly...activities. Obviously she must not have known about them, otherwise she wouldn't still want to stick around, right? For once he was questioning himself. She seemed smart, and he knew that. He could tell just by the way she spoke, and how she looked at the other girls in the bar. Falling over drunk, laughing and talking too loud. But he could barely take his eyes off of her. Resuming his place behind the bar, opening a bottle of water from behind it, labeled with his name. "Normally I'm up there a little longer, but I dunno, I just didn't want you to be alone." That charming smile slid across his face once again.

Now he knew one other thing, she was not like the other girls who would have given anything to be with him for the night. That's not what she was here for, but he admired it. For once, he didn't have to just play it easy, maybe she was into the whole chase thing. It had been a while since someone actually made him work for a phone number, or anything really. "Did you like it? I hope so anyways, if you could hear it over all those girls who've obviously drank too much." Taking another swig from his water bottle. Getting her a fresh glass of water in the meantime. He didn't like the idea of leaving it on the bar, better chance of someone doing something to it. He just didn't want anyone to mess with her. It was also that he could be held responsible for it. Not exactly something that would get them off on the right foot he'd said.

Notes - orphelia hannah jones - words - outfit

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[presto]

baby I can see your halo

she would never quite be able to pinpoint what exactly she saw in atticus, or what made her so insanely attracted to him in the first place. he wasn't clean cut, that couldn't be any farther from the truth... atticus was the sort of guy she couldn't spend time with, mostly out of fear that she'd end up picking up the pieces when she was done. yes, atticus was that kind of guy, not even mentioning that he actually seemed to tower above her, because most people had a way of towering over her. she wasn't the shortest person alive by any means, but she was shorter then the general population. which was actually pretty irrelevant. but as she watched him up on stage, it didn't really seem to matter why she was hypnotized, just that she was. His smirk, which seemed permanently plastered onto his face, or his confidence, that way he seemed pretty okay with everyone staring at him. In fact, he might have fooled her into believing that he actually liked being the one everyone was paying attention to. Either way she couldn’t really help the way that she smiled as he approached. And from his reaction to it, he didn’t actually seem to mind. you can kind of sing? that's what kind of singing is to you? she couldn't help the small little giggle that bubbled up on her lips. she would have killed to be able to sing like he did, to have the confidence he did. that's a pity, the world could use more talent like yours. she wan't sure why she was flattering him, but she enjoyed his smile, the way he almost seemed to puff up every time she complimented him, which actually sounded kind of ridiculous to say out loud, even for her.


by then he was leading her back to the bar and of coure she followed. unwilling as she'd been to come, she now found herself equally unwilling to go. and she had an idea that the man next to her may have played a part in the whole entire thing. she wanted to be wrong in her speculations about him, she wanted some solid proof that this guy wouldn't just screw her over lik she meant nothing to him. she wasn't going to loose her virginity to a guy like that, not likely. orphelia wasn't really the type to question what she did, maybe atticus was confident about everything, but she only every seemed to be confident in her ability to carefully consider her choices before making them. atticus was a bad choice, a really bad choice and she knew it, knew it with a firmness that surprised her, but she couldn't make herself care. she couldn't make her smile go away, couldn't drag her eyes away from him. it seemed almost funny that atticus was looking around. it almost seemed like he might actually be looking to make sure there were no other guys to come in and try to woo her. she couldn't hold back the way that made her feel, the warmth in her stomach. finally though, they had apprached the bar and without any interuptions from anyone else. she slid back into her seat in front of him, pulling her phone out of her pocket and placing it on the bar. he was speaking again, that charming little smile never leaving his face. she wasn't exactly used to the way her body reacted to this smile, the warmth between her legs, and she felt the blush spread across her cheeks, a small little smile of her own adorning her face. i mean, you could have stayed up there longer. not like you owe me anything. i'd hate to ruin your fun. her voice was soft, the blush still never leaving her cheeks. 

she watched as he drank from his water, about to reach for her own when atticus took it and dumped it out, replacing it with new water. for a second, she couldn't figure out why. and then she did and she was almost embarassed with herself for not knowing. of course he'd be worried about someone drugging her drink. she herself would never have thought about that, proving how naive she could really be. it was great, i enjoyed it anyways.  she smiled. for one of my earlier stories, i actually did a reveiw of vince's band. i'm not sure why i didn't recognize him. is that like a bar only song or something? i've never heard it before and i listened to all their songs. she was rambling, something she'd always been pretty well known for doing. especially around people of the opposite gender. and even more so with guys of the opposite gender that she was attracted to. she turned and took a sip out of her water before looking at her phone. by now, it had lit up with a couple of apologies and even someone offering to come and keep her company. for some odd reason, she actually found this idea to be pretty repulsive, she kind of wanted atticus to herself, she didn't want to share him with another girl. she unlocked the phone and sent a quick reply that said no, don't worry about it. i actually decided to go home, i've got an article to work on. okay so that was a lie. but it was a pretty small lie in the grand scheme of things. she turned her gaze back up to atticus, that smile returning to her face. so... uhm.... okay she'd started talking as an attempt to start a conversation but now that she was starting, she wasn't actually sure what they could possibly have to talk about. they were both two different people, what could they possibly have in common?

967 words for atticus

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