Love is Blindness

Latte in one hand, Kerouac in the other. Jamie and Lindsey arguing magical realism next to him, Ben sneaking a joint on the other side and periodically giving him long, quiet drags from that soft mouth.

Man, Kieran Loughlin thought, Friday nights were the best.

One of his students—some heavy-set chick with curly red hair and a whiskey-colored voice—was up at the mic, doing a damned good job of slamming. The subject matter was a little boring—how many pre-menstrual, blood-soaked pseudo-prayers to the joys of womanhood and Kali could any man appreciate?

Still, the metaphors didn’t suck.

The doors opened, letting in the cold, late fall air. It was unusual for anyone to show up mid-slam, so it couldn’t be a regular.

Three goths came in, all girls, with a tall man in the midst of them. He was dressed all in black with dark hair and a pale, pale face. There was something that set him apart from his black-clad, white-faced companions. As if they were playing dress-up and he wasn’t.
Kieran watched them move, the Mary Jane making everything a little ethereal, a little unreal. Fuck, it was sexy, though. Sweet. Sensual.

Mmm… Alliteration.

They headed to a booth near the front, the tall guy stopping them about halfway there.

They all listened intently to him, answered him, and then two continued on to the empty front table, the third girl coming back toward Kieran’s table with the man.

“God, Ben… Look at him. He’s fucking stunning.” Kieran aimed his whisper at his friend’s ear.

Ben chuckled. “And he’s with three girls, Kier. Three. You’re not that pretty. Have another hit.”

Ben blew sweet smoke into Kieran’s mouth, and Kieran took it in, letting it fill his lungs.
The goth girl and the man approached the grouping of chairs and sofa where Kieran and his friends sat, stopping only when they were directly in front of the empty chair by Kieran.

“Excuse me,” the man murmured, voice low, words careful. “Is this chair taken?”

Kieran let the smoke go, shaking his head. “No. Go ahead.”

If he couldn’t have, he could watch.

Ogle.

Fantasize.

Whatever.