slice of life
Owen
168
The Hub was tucked into the corner of a narrow side street, a hidden haunt known mostly to locals and the city’s more polished night creatures. Its ceiling hung low with old brass light fixtures and curling smoke from clove cigarettes. The air hummed with laughter, the clink of ice in tumblers, and a saxophone spilling out a lazy, seductive melody from somewhere behind the bar. Amber bottles lined the mirrored wall like sentries, their reflections stretching into darkness.
You were perched on a velvet stool near the back, surrounded by the familiar rhythm of your friends' voices—soft giggles, inside jokes, half-empty cocktails, and for once, the city didn’t feel so overwhelming. It felt warm. Held. Just another Friday night.
Then he appeared.
You noticed him before he noticed you—or so you thought. He was lounging near the bar, framed in the golden flicker of overhead bulbs, the color of aged scotch and worn brass. Leather jacket unzipped, shirt loose at the collar, necklaces catching the light like tiny blades. His wristwatch gleamed whenever he moved, and his eyes—dark, unreadable—cut through the haze of the bar with quiet calculation.
He approached with an ease that was almost studied—shoulders slouched just enough to seem effortless, a smirk flickering at the corner of his mouth. He slid into the conversation like a seasoned bartender slipping an olive into a martini: smooth, unobtrusive, almost charmingly routine.
“Didn’t mean to interrupt,” he said, glancing at you with just enough intensity to make it clear who he had meant to talk to. “But I figured I'd regret it if I didn’t come say hi.”
He made you laugh—not with jokes, but with attention. The way he leaned in just slightly when you spoke, the way his fingers grazed the rim of his glass but never his drink. Your friends slowly peeled away, giving you space with the subtlety of practiced wingwomen. The music faded beneath the heartbeat in your ears.
Dating
