It was a cold crisp December evening as she stepped outside after locking the door.
Pulling her coat tight, she hurried to the tram stop. As it was a busy Saturday night, the carriage was packed with pre-Xmas revelers. Failing to find a seat, she reluctantly stood for the ten minute journey into the city.
As she alighted the tram, a nice-looking young guy smiled at her, letting their eye contact linger just a little too long. It reminded her that she had made a bit more effort to look good tonight. She usually avoided that sort of attention. Smiling back, she quickly strode off up the platform to the stairs to the square.
When she got out onto the main street, she fished in her canvas bag for her phone. All the messing around with changing outfits had meant that she had forgotten to text her boyfriend to tell him she had decided to go out after all.
Quickly dashing off a text to him, she pressed send.
It was a short walk to the pub from the tram stop, and as she got closer, she felt the familiar butterflies in her stomach giving rise to anxiety. At that precise moment she wished she had stayed at home. Contemplating whether to turn back or not, she felt her phone vibrate. It was her boyfriend.
"Hey Gill, glad you decided to go out, it'll do you good. Don't stay out too late, text me when you are home safe. missing you xxx."
She smiled as she read it. She knew he was being nice, but at times he made her feel like a child. She was 29, and if she wanted to stay out late, she would.
At that moment though, she was still thinking about turning back to the tram stop to go back home. The text changed her mind and she started walking again. She decided she would make the effort and stay out for at least an hour, or maybe one or two drinks.
Getting to the door of the pub, she prepared herself for her first social night in months. There were a few people milling about outside as the doorman stepped aside to let her in. She could tell it was already very busy.
The downstairs bar was thronged with people. It was so busy. she almost had to push her way through the revelers to get to the stairs. A couple of young guys nodded to her as she started up the bottom steps; the brief interaction momentarily taking her mind off her social anxiety.
Reaching the top of the wooden stairs, she peered into the depths of the upstairs bar. It was rammed with revelers too, as loud relentless dance music boomed out.
Taking a deep breath, she ventured in heading towards the back bar area where Irene had said they would be. Quickly she saw some of the group at two tables on the left-hand side. it was too late to turn back now.
Gillian smiled as Irene and Lucy yelled out in surprise and delight that she had actually turned up this time. They ushered her over into a seat next to them.
Biting her lip, she sat down looking around the crowded room. The girls quickly introduced their pal Erin, whom she had never seen at climbing. She was a pretty blonde with two long pony-tails and emerald green eyes.
Looking over at the other table, she waved to Dave, Mark and Luke. They seemed happy to see her, raising their beers in a hearty salute.
There was no sign of Davey at all. She felt her heart sink as she slipped off her winter coat. Telling herself that was a stupid thing to think, she checked if the other girls needed a drink. They answered that they had just got some in, but Lucy shouted, "I think Davey's at the bar, if you are quick."
She swiveled around and saw him from behind, through the crowd. Her stomach knotted as she got up and moved towards the bar.
He was smiling and chatting with two gorgeous girls; all dressed up for a big girls' night out. A brief glance told her that they were transfixed by his dark good looks and easy-going charm. A pang of jealousy flashed over her.
Again she chided herself for silly thoughts. He wasn't even her boyfriend, she barely knew him, and she certainly wasn't the type to be going behind her own guy's back, trying to get some other guy's attention.
Approaching the bar slowly, she caught his eye. He instantly stopped chatting up the girls, giving her an incredibly warm effusive greeting. His smile was radiant, and his blue eyes sparkled in the brightly lit bar area. It made her heart jump and stomach knot further.
"Wow Gill, you came out, that's brilliant...I was just getting some drinks in, do you want one?"
She nodded, feeling a stupid wan smile come over her face. Despite speaking to him a lot that afternoon at the climbing wall, a simple drinks order was hard to get out.
As she stammered a greeting, followed by her drink order, she saw both girls looking her up and down with barely concealed disdain. Next to their sexy little dresses and tousled luxuriant hair, she felt like a dowdy frump. Casual jeans, and a buttoned up black wool cardigan, combined with her short unfussy hairstyle were no match for these sassy feline seductresses.
They clearly resented the momentary interruption to their chat with her tall handsome climbing companion.
As he cheerily added her drink to his order, she stepped back stuttering that she was sitting next to Irene. Davey signaled that he would be bringing the drinks over soon, as she slunk away, feeling sheepish, and as shy as ever.
Glancing back, she saw he was wearing smart dark jeans and a fitted navy shirt over a red t-shirt or vest. It fitted his muscular sculpted torso perfectly. He looked dreamy. Right at that moment, he was also looking at her and not them, which made her smile.
Seating herself back down, she nodded to the girls and listened in to their work-related chat.
After a few minutes a strong arm reached over and set down her drink. It was Davey. He quickly said how great climbing was with her today, which made her blush slightly. Lucy noticed and prodded her arm, teasing her. All the girls seemed to like Davey. They seemed to think he really liked her too; an amusing assertion she quickly brushed away.
Sipping her drink, she still felt nervous, but tried hard to inject herself into the conversation.
Meanwhile, Davey was back at the bar with the sexy girls. She doubted she would get much time to chat to him again before she left.
Nerves made her polish off her drink a bit too quickly, but it brought her in line with the other three girls. At a break in the conversation Irene asked if they all wanted a round in. Lucy and Erin indicated they were meeting their boyfriends in an hour; but would stay for one more. Gill was still nervy and ready to reach for her coat, but that swayed her. She would stay until the other two girls left.
Irene slunk off to the bar as the girls giggled and chatted about a television actor, they all liked.
During the next hour Gillian relaxed a bit. They were three drinks in, and she felt good. She got more involved in the chat and shared a good few laughs. The guys at the next table occasionally came over for a bit of friendly banter, but it was mostly girl talk.
A few times Davey came back over, but he was still spending his time with the girls at the bar. Gill wondered if he was actually seeing one of them. Her back was to them, so she only occasionally saw him when she looked over her shoulder.
A couple of times the other girls commented on Davey working his charm. She laughed, but inwardly she bristled at the comments.
Remembering the afternoon's climbing, where they really connected, she had hoped he would at least chat to her a bit during the evening. The few times he had come over to chat to the guys, he had looked over at her and smiled. That had made her happy.
It all went too quickly, and before she knew it, Erin and Lucy were finishing off their drinks and reaching for their jackets. Gill had enjoyed herself, but it was time for her to go. She felt a bit disappointed the evening was drawing to a close. She had now really loosened up and was happy she was out.
"Errrr... i better get my coat too," she ventured.
