Thread: The Professor With the Thorn in His Side (PassTheHatchet & dearestdarling)

Audrey felt positively gleeful as she drove towards her pint-sized apartment, a thick stack of textbooks and binders strapped in the passenger seat beside her. Living on her own was everything she had ever dreamed it to be she loved having her independence, and not having to appease the expectations of a roommate. She had a habit of leaving her books and notes scattered everywhere. To her, it was her 'system', but to anyone else it just looked like a mess. Her place, while perfect in her eyes, wasn't in the best shape. The building was old and things broke all the time she often had to do her laundry at the Wash n Spin, or take a shower at a friend's house. At the moment, everything was under control, but it was only a matter of time before another appliance wore out, or a fuse would blow... Stripping out of her school clothes, she sifted through her closet for something to wear. It wasn't a date-- she didn't go on those-- and the bar wasn't exactly the most banging spot, so everything glitzy and glittery was out. Flicking through slips of fabric, she finally found something to her liking a black dress that clung to her lithe body, but covered the essentials. She slipped in on, tugging at the hemline that came down to her mid thigh. She snapped a picture in her vanity mirror, sending it to Ashley with a message, 'Too trampy?' She grinned in anticipation as she waited for her to text back, stepping into black wedges that gave just a bit of height to her petite frame. She heard the buzz of the phone against the wood of her vanity and rushed for it, nearly tripping in her shoes. But the text she received made the smile slip from her lips. 'Sorry, Auds. Josh and I got called in to wait tables!' Audrey paused before she began to text Ashley back, her good mood dampening considerably. Some first night out, she grumbled to herself, and as if Ashley had read her mind, another text popped up. 'You look great! Go out, you can't waste an outfit like that. We'll catch you some night this week!' Audrey let go of a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, looking over herself in the mirror. Ashley was right-- she used to go out by herself all the time, why not tonight? She combed through her soft, wavy hair with her fingers, taming the flyaways that had popped up throughout the day. Her homework could wait, none of it was due for another week anyway. With newfound determination, she swiped her keys from the bowl beside her front door, her purse swinging on her shoulder. A few drinks might be good for her... She liked to work hard, but playing hard kept her from going crazy. The Hideaway was a traditional sort of bar, dimly lit with built in booths of varnished dark wood. Audrey had been a couple times, but never alone. It wasn't much of a party bar, but since she could drink without needing a valid ID, the atmosphere wasn't very important to her. She took a seat at the bar, perched on a barstool so high that her feet didn't touch the ground, and she ordered a seven and seven, which she took graciously from the bartender. The bar wasn't too busy, but Audrey decided to stick it out anyway, sipping her drink until she looked up at the mirror behind the bar, and saw a man approaching her. He was tall, a burly frat-boy type, but she had never seen him around before. Without a word, he sat down on the stool beside her, propping an arm on the bar and turning to her. Instinctually, she turned toward him, taking in his hulking frame. His platinum blonde hair was disheveled and it seemed dirty to her, his face pocked with acne scars. As soon as he opened his mouth to speak, she could tell that he'd already had a few. Hey, sweetheart, you look awfully lonely sitting here by yourself, he muttered, his eyes falling onto her bare legs appreciatively. Audrey shook her head, giving him a humorless smile. I'm waiting on some friends, she said shortly, turning back to her drink. The guy smirked, putting a head on her shoulder. Audrey went rigid, folding her arms across her chest, which suddenly felt much too bare, and shrugged his hand off of her skin. Hey, let's be friends. Then you won't have to wait on anybody, he said forcefully, his hand remaining firmly on her arm. She slowly slid off of her stool, and his hand fell away. He didn't look happy about that. No thanks. Excuse me, I need to use the ladies'. She quickly started walking towards the women's bathroom, with the guy following right behind her. She was a little slower in her wedges, and she noticed the bartender had disappeared into the back room, no where to be seen. Before she could reached the door her grabbed her wrist sharply, pulling her into a dark corner of the bar, out of most of the patrons' line of vision. Listen, little skank-- why the attitude? I was just trying to be friendly, and you snub me like some stuck-up bitch, he growled, his voice dark and harsh. Audrey backed up against the wall, nearly frozen in fear. She stuffed her hand blindly into her purse to search for her pepper spray, but she was out of luck. Just as well, he knocked her bag out of her hand and onto the floor, corralling her to the back door. Please, let's go back to the bar-- you can drink on my tab-- Audrey choked out, but the man wasn't having it. Fuck that. Come on, I've got something for you to see outside. I think you're going to like it, he said with a chuckle, gaining another inch towards the door.