I wasn’t supposed to be there that night. One of my cousins was celebrating getting off probation and dragged me out. No Chill ATL wasn’t my kind of scene — neon lights, adult board games, drunk laughter echoing off the brick walls.
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But she was.
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She was behind the bar, laughing with a customer, wearing this tight little black jumpsuit and gold hoops big enough to double as weapons. Her smile? Loud. Her energy? Louder.
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“Yo,” I said to my cousin, eyes still locked on her. “Who is that?”
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He followed my gaze. “That’s the owner. Brie or somethin’. Don’t even try it. She don’t do street dudes.”
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I smirked. “Good. I ain’t tryna be one tonight.”
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I watched her for maybe thirty minutes. The way she moved like she owned the whole damn city, like no one could touch her unless she let ’em.
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Eventually, I made my way to the bar. She turned, wiped her hands, and hit me with a look that had no business being that fine and that uninterested at the same time.
But what really hit me was her.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CKV3QhTaC
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She was behind the bar, serving shots, commanding the room like she owned it. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. And when she finally walked my way, all that attitude and honey in one glance—I knew I wasn’t leaving anytime soon.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxUU9iIbpn
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She looked me up and down like she was tryna decide if I was worth her time.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERb81LFfgw
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“You look like trouble.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZdsuSX3IW
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“Only when I’m bored.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdbGDtBjeU
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“So what is it tonight? Bored? Or just lost?”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJvDhfGLBV
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“Little of both. This place wasn’t on the map.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeOqfxloQv
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“That’s the point. It’s for people who don’t wanna be found.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3KSvErhiy
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I leaned in on the bar, watching the way her eyes flickered in the dim light.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAMBUVxD6b
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“So, what are you? Owner? Host? Bartender?”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbATHkHKVB0
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“All three. I’m the one who built it. Brick by brick.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxo4cBxLnw
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“Damn. You always been a boss?”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrizjEjyaS
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“Always. I just finally got the title to match.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqRnepPXhj
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The way she said that? Like she earned every scar behind it. I liked that.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWII3aQmq1
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She reached under the bar, poured a drink without even asking what I wanted, and slid it to me.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jUxsdETeP
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“This one’s on the house. You got the kind of face that looks like it’s holding back a thousand thoughts.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAYVDWgPF9
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“You wouldn’t be wrong.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2W3KBk43e
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“And I’m not nosy… but I’m real good at listening.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZZXhkk5kS
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I stared at the drink but didn’t touch it.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqBsPILLA5
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“You always this… inviting?”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxP05ZYuXG
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“Only when I feel like it. And something about you says you don’t open up easy, so… maybe I’m curious.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIRNzxHvFG
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“And what if I said curiosity’s dangerous?”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNb6QM3tEGw
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“Then I’d say I’ve lived through worse.”69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRSWcDsMeg
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And just like that… silence.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpY5g6EvU7W
Not awkward. Just heavy. Like something just clicked.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJ489tuhq6
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I didn’t ask for her number.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJuJo1WPWj
Didn’t need to.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJeVA1sdqp
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That first night? It was enough.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jMZXVT6YZ
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She was peace in a room full of chaos.69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjmqrixOll
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And I didn’t even know yet—69Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKk62jpyE00
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She’d be the bullet I’d never see coming.
