joyride

Charlie Marie / Photographer

[charliesmarie]

taleoftwoindies:

“I’m far too young and healthy to have a heart attack. ‘Sides, they don’t run in the family. I can fret as much as I so choose, and unluckily for my mates, I choose to do it often.”

Adam clutched his drink, already knowing that the pair of them would never understand one another, at least not with this subject. “Majority?” He scoffed. “C’mon, you can’t actually believe that. Have you always thought that?”

“Oh, so you’re the dad friend? You know that’s nothing to be proud of, right?”

Charlie scoffed right back, shaking her head in disbelief. “You dont?” 

[charliesmarie]

taleoftwoindies:

“I never said it was my job, I just figure that it’s fairly easy to ask for something that pairs well with a drink. You know, as just a nice complement with the flavoring.” Adam was going to worry either way. He had been a mother hen his entire life, and that wouldn’t change just because Charlie was a stranger he had barely known for twenty minutes. “Sounds like she must be a good mother then. I think I’d be more concerned if she heard about your beans and had a nice laugh about them.”

“There are loads of nice people in the world. I mean, look, you’re nice. A few blokes over there look pretty kind. The bartender, he’s the best of us all. There are plenty of pricks, but that doesn’t burst any bubble. You’ve just got to look for the people doing the small things.”

Charlie couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ve known you for about three minutes and I can already tell you’re a fretter. Relax, you’ll give yourself a heart attack.” 

She shook her head, trying not to let her expression drip with too much cynicism. “Stop and smell the roses is all well and good, but it doesn’t do anything when the majority of the roses are rotten,” she said, shrugging. 

[charliesmarie]

taleoftwoindies:

“A tin of beans for a week? Should I even try to start worrying about that, or should I just buy you the drink and not bother with the questioning?” Adam had always been the sort of person to lend a helping hand, and the idea of anyone living off of that little food for a week made him nauseous. He was sure, however, that there had to be some jest in what she was saying. “I’m not wrong at all. My thinking has zero flaws.”

“Just pay for the drink. It’s not your job to worry about me, and I manage to look after myself quite well enough.” She paused then, lips quirking up. “Though don’t check with my mother on that one, we’ve got very different impressions of what well enough means.” 

She shook her head, and though she tried not to, she pulled an incredulous face, too. “I hate to burst your bubble, but people just aren’t that nice usually.”

[charliesmarie]

taleoftwoindies:

“Then at least I saved you some hard earned money?” Adam asked with hesitation. He was still reeling over the fact that he hadn’t been punched. It wasn’t until he felt the contact with her skin that he shook himself out of his daydream like state. His surprise wasn’t that he was touching another human, it was more her forwardness that stunned him. Adam himself was not a forward person, used to being approached rather than approaching. The ability to put oneself out there–it was something he never had a handle over. “Thanks,” He replied with a quiet smile.

“Why’d I do it?” He echoed back. “I don’t like people who can’t take no for an answer. Or anyone who thinks they can take advantage of someone. Basically I just hate seeing injustices committed, and if I can help stop that, then why shouldn’t I? Why shouldn’t anyone? I’m not some imposing figure, and I’m not perfect, but I’d like to think any sane human being would do the same, yeah?”

Adam was not the best fighter, the best shot, the holder of any weight lifting records among his friends–he couldn’t drink the most beer, and he didn’t date the most women. He was just Adam. Quiet and contemplative, but willing to fight. His friends more often than not would tease him for it, with never any ill-intent, but always a kind of amazement. A kind of confusion that came with a lack of understanding. Their friend who never wanted to be the best at anything was always the best at being a hero.

“I suppose I do owe you some thanks there,” Charlie admitted, “I’d have enjoyed the drink but it would have come at the cost of the tins of beans I was planning on living off this week.” Her head titled to the side with interest, the tension finally easing in her shoulders as she settled more comfortably against the back of her seat. “You can like thinking it all you want, but you’d be wrong.” 

[charliesmarie]

taleoftwoindies:

“Yes,” Adam said without hesitation. “Actually, it looked like you were about to give him a damn good one. I’d wager you were about to start throwing fists around, too. Not that I’d blame you. Anyone who doesn’t understand the word no seems to be in need of a shake up to their brain.”

He flagged down the bartender and ordered a beer. “Do you want one? If not, that’s fine. I’m not really great with the whole confrontation thing normally.” Adam moved up his hand to show her the shaking. Being a soldier never meant it made things like that easy. His adrenaline always made his hands shake and his knees wobble. Fighting for a living and it made him rock like he was on a ship during a rough storm.

That was the best thing about a quick beer. It calmed the nerves more than anything else. Had there not already been alcohol in his system he wasn’t sure he would’ve been able to sit there with her eyes on him. Adam was by no means the picture of confidence, but fill anyone up with a mind altering substance and they’d do things they never expected.

“I’m Adam, by the way.”

A small laugh fell from Charlie’s lips, even as she shook her head. “I’m honoured and quite pleased I look as though I can throw a good punch,” she said, a satisfied smile creeping up her face. “It’ll serve me well on the late night walks home. But a punch wasn’t quite what I was on the verge of throwing.” She pointed clearly at her drink, eyebrows raising impishly. 

She took a long, pointed gulp of her drink. “Probably should finish this one before I start on another, but give me a few minutes and I’ll hold you to that offer.” She took in his shaking hand for a couple of seconds, before she lifted her own, using her fingers to steady his. A bold move for someone whose name she didn’t even know, but the artist in her had never seen walls or barriers. She pushed his hand down with her own, placing it back onto the bar. “Problem solved,” she shrugged, lifting hers away. “Why’d you do it, then?”

The question sounded like an accusation, and on the back of the encounter she’d just had (and many more before that in her lifetime of being a woman) perhaps a small part of it was, but a larger part of it was curiosity. Just why would a stranger who owed her absolutely nothing get into a confrontation on her behalf when he hated them? It spoke volumes to human nature, something she’d always been interested in. 

“Charlie.”

[charliesmarie]

taleoftwoindies:

“What does it have to do with me?” Adam paused for a few beats, looking at the woman and knowing it wasn’t his place to make up lies, but sometimes it was the easiest solution to a messy and unnecessary problem.

“She’s my girlfriend. And I should probably apologize to her because I’m running late from work, and if I know her well enough, then she’s going to give me an ear full as soon as we get home. So how about you skitter off so she can give me a proper tongue lashing.” Before the man had a chance to move or respond, Adam pushed him further away. “I’d also suggest not coming here again. Not until you can learn to keep your hands to yourself, yeah?”

He sat down in the seat next to Charlie, his knees brushing hers, and he wanted to apologize, to tell her that this wasn’t some dumb idiotic come on, but for the moment he knew that would’ve been an even more ridiculous plan. If he was going to play the part, then he’d play the damn part. “Looked like you were about to smash him. Figured I’d save the owner from buying a new glass set.”

“You alright?”

It was lucky the man was so preoccupied with- well, her boyfriend, apparently- because if he’d looked over at Charlie, he’d have seen her obviously struggling to keep a straight face. She’d never been particularly good at hiding her emotions, her heart always firmly on her sleeve - perhaps it was the artist in her. 

It was both relief and annoyance she felt when the man finally heeded the message he was unwelcome, and, with a last sour look over at Charlie, who quickly rearranged her facial expression, stalked off. She was glad to see the back of him, that was for sure, and she saw him off with a sarcastic smile and a wave, but she couldn’t help but be irritated that it took another man pretending to be her boyfriend to do it. A no wasn’t good enough when it came from her. Now, however, more than a few drinks in, and in a loud, busy bar, wasn’t the time to get into the finer points of misogyny. It wasn’t this new bloke’s fault, and the person who her annoyance was directed at had vanished, which was what she’d wanted in the first place. 

She shifted her knees as he sat, giving him an appraising look before speaking, not without a small smile on her face. “Do I look like the sort to be able to deliver a good tongue lashing, then?”

[charliesmarie]

taleoftwoindies:

Done deliberating, Adam made his move. He finished his drink, stood up, and pushed himself through the crowd, already knowing that most of the people there were too drunk to truly care about someone knocking them out of the way for a moment. Besides, there were more important things to worry about than briefly hurting someone’s feelings.

The woman’s voice cut through the air, sharp, firm, and if had been Adam, he would’ve been running in the other direction. Her tone was the kind that left little room for interpretation, but apparently the man she was speaking to either couldn’t understand what she was saying, or didn’t want to understand. Either way, Adam stepped behind the man, placing a hand on his shoulder, and pulling him away.

“Hey, I might need to get my ears checked, but I’m pretty certain she just told you not to do that. Now, she looks like she can take care of herself, but seeing as how you’re incapable of taking her no for an answer, how about you take mine.”

As another no went straight over the man’s head, Charlie decided she was done playing nice. She’d been firm, sure, but so far she’d kept her toe firmly on the right side of the line, despite the unwanted company clearly taking up residence on the wrong side. It seemed what her mother always used to say to her was right; if you can’t beat them, join them. Time to join him on the wrong side of the line. 

She opened her mouth to speak, and if she’d have got the chance, a string of expletives would have come out, though what ones, she couldn’t have said if she’d been asked later. Fingers hovered dangerously over her glass. Luckily, for him or for herself she couldn’t be too sure, she never got her chance. 

A voice, unfamiliar but not in a threatening one, interrupted her before she’d even begun. She saw her intrusive friend pause, shocked momentarily that someone had had the gall to interfere, and then- “What the fuck’s it to do with you?”

She’d never have said so out loud, but it seemed this was about to get entertaining. 

[charliesmarie]

taleoftwoindies:

@charliesmarie

The bar was packed tonight, more so than usual, and while Adam never had an issue with crowds, sometimes he just knew when something bad was going to happen. When the air changed, grew thicker, making it harder to breathe. He had just wanted to come here for a few drinks before stumbling home, but instead he could feel his blood pressure rising. Adam wasn’t a violent person, he had always been gentle, yet firm. During his time in high school he had managed to avoid fighting, avoided drugs, all in his quest to enlist, and serve his country. That had been his dream for so long, and now, with his dream realized, and a drink in hand, he should have felt relaxed.

But he could see the men sitting at the bar from his dark spot in the corner. The way their hands refused to acknowledge a no, and the way their bodies were even less submissive. They weren’t here, tonight, for just a drink or two with their friends. They were there for the chase, the challenge. And while Adam would never consider himself an expert, he did know his fellow man. He might have been gentle, but where he was gentle, others were forceful, and angry. Full of rage, aching for the wrong kind of release. His only regret through all of this was not stopping before he heard the woman speak up even louder than he assumed she was speaking before.

Adam never wanted glory. His dreams never included him being a hero. Being a bystander, though? Watching a scene unfold that he could help prevent? That was the true crime.

Charlie let out a long sigh, accompanying it with a roll of her eyes, as the man - though boy would be a better adjective - continued his advances. Once again, stalwart proof that men were idiots. Most of them, anyway. She glanced around the bar, scanning for her friends. They’d probably left by now, lost in the crowds of people out to enjoy a Friday night ages ago, and eventually given up. That was Charlie’s way, you see. Easily excited by people, and easily distracted by them too, she had a tendency to drift off and not necessarily come back. She didn’t mind her friends leaving, she was independent; perfectly capable of enjoying herself alone and making her own way home. 

Except for tonight, when the usual pushiness of drunk men was seeming it inch toward aggressiveness. When this man, whatever his name was, kept insisting on following her around, popping up wherever she finally felt safe and settled. Yes, she was independent, but to any woman on her own, this would have been threatening. 

The man’s hand, sweaty and pressed tightly on her thigh, began to move up. She took a deep breath, hoping to keep her temper even, but to no avail. “I’ve already asked you not to do that multiple times,” she said, voice raised, teeth gritted.