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"Another?" Vicki yelled over the thumping bass, gesturing at the empty glasses littering the sticky table top.
The other women rammed into the booth let out a loud boozy cheer in the affirmative, and Vicki grinned. She wriggled out of the booth - no mean feat, given how Lou was draping herself over her and giggling into her ear - and headed for the bar.
She skirted the dancefloor, glancing enviously at the women so entangled in each other it was like they were trying to fuse themselves into one. She'd been here numerous times since the break up, but no one had ever managed to catch her eye, and maybe it was dramatic of her, but she was starting to think she was doomed to a life of spinsterhood. Maybe she should look into getting a cat instead.
(There was definitely a pussy joke to be made there.)
The bar thankfully wasn't that busy, and Vicki managed to order the drinks quickly. She drummed her fingers on the wooden top as the bartender made them, eyes drifting down to the figure at the other end.
Oh bless. Vicki could instantly tell the woman was a newbie. She was all alone, hunched over her drink as she stirred it with her straw. A curtain of blonde hair fell forward, obscuring her face. Something about her was pulling Vicki in - but she couldn't say whether it was attraction or some Elder Queer Maternal Instinct.
(Hopefully it was the former - the thought of being an Elder Queer at twenty eight was too much to bear.)
She collected the drinks and took them over to the table, before making an excuse about needing the loo.
"You won't pull any girls if you spend all night looking like you're trying to drown yourself in your G&T," she said, sliding onto the barstool next to the blonde.
The blonde's head jerked up and her hair fell back, revealing a face younger than Vicki had expected from the way she'd been sitting like she was carrying the world on her shoulders - she looked twenty two at most, all tousled blonde hair and wide hazel eyes. The oversized fuzzy blue cardigan she was wearing made her look even smaller.
"I wasn't-" the girl started, and then stopped. "Just fancied a drink," she mumbled.
Oh that accent was delicious. "Aussie, huh? What you doing in London when you could be sunning yourself in Bondi?"
"We're not all from Sydney," the girl replied with an eye roll, and Vicki grinned.
"My bad, can't say I know much about Australia if I'm honest. Maybe you could educate me."
The girl chewed pensively on her straw, clearly conflicted.
"Hey, or you can tell me to piss off if you want, I won't be offended," Vicki added.
"No, it's okay," the girl said quickly, and Vicki didn't miss the way she cast her eyes up and down her body, and the pink tinge to her cheeks when she returned to her drink.
"Do you guys really wear those hats with the corks on them? What's the deal with that?"
The girl huffed out a laugh at that, and oh, what music to Vicki's ears that was.
"Some people do, but I never have. Don't think I could pull it off."
"I bet you'd look cute," Vicki said, and nodded at the girl's drink. "Fancy another?"
"Yeah, go on then."
They continued to chat as they got their drinks. Vicki learned that the girl's name was Tess and that she was turning twenty three in a month. She was originally from a town called Thirroul and had moved to London three months previous to take up a job in marketing. She spoke as if she was running towards something but Vicki could tell she was trying to leave stuff behind.
Eventually they left the bar so they could sit together in a booth, both piling into the same seat despite the wealth of space. Seeing Tess giggle, eyes lighting up and the tension visibly leaving her shoulders as they talked and laughed made Vicki's heart do funny little flutters.
"And then, my other brother Joe, right, he takes the opened tin of beans -"
Tess was sitting with one hand wrapped around her drink, the other resting loosely on the seat between them as she listened to Vicki regale her with another tale of her twin brothers. Vicki shifted slightly, casually, so that her own hand "accidentally" brushed up against Tess's, feeling the warmth of her skin through that small point of contact.
Tess, to her credit, didn't move her hand away.
Tess was just talking about her interest in photography when she was interrupted by the buzzing of her phone. With a sigh Tess removed her hand and fished it from her pocket, squinting at the screen. She closed her eyes for one long moment and then quickly shot off a message in response.
"I've gotta go," she told Vicki apologetically. "My flatmate's locked herself out again and she wants me to let her back in. I'm sorry."
Vicki tried not to let the crushing disappointment show on her face. "No, yeah. Of course. I understand."
"Thank you," Tess said. "For tonight, I mean. Moving right across the globe is like the scariest thing I've ever done and it's been lonely and I've struggled with making friends outside of work, especially friends that are also - y'know. And then you appeared right when I needed someone to just talk with so - yeah. Thank you."
Vicki smiled softly. "No problem, I've loved talking to you."
"And - er - " Vicki could see the blush suffusing Tess's cheeks even under the flashing lights. She paused, clearly trying to arrange the words she wanted to say properly in her head. She looked more like she was steeling herself for battle than to say whatever she wanted to say. "No pressure but d'you wanna maybe do this again sometime?"
"Are you asking me out on a date?" Vicki teased, and Tess went an alarming shade of red.
"No - no, I just -"
"Hm, shame." Vicki pulled over a paper napkin and scribbled her number down on it. She handed it to a still flushed Tess, who took it gently like it was a priceless artefact.
"Has anyone ever told you you're adorable?" she winked at her.
"I - um - am I?" Tess squeaked, fidgeting with the napkin.
"Very." Now that she was sure it wouldn't completely frighten the younger woman off, Vicki leaned in, placing a hand on Tess's thigh and a kiss to her cheek, the skin warm beneath her touch. When she pulled back Tess looked slightly dazed, before her face split in a delighted, if goofy, grin.
"Night," Vicki said.
"See ya!" Tess chirped, sliding out of the booth. There was a definite spring in her step as she exited the bar. Vicki shook her head with a smile as she finished the last of her drink, and hoped it wouldn't be too long before Tess got in contact. She missed her already.
(In the end it only took her an hour. It was the longest hour of Vicki's life.)