Clare

“It’s called the Lounge. What do you think?”

The Lounge, as Lissa called it, could be referred to as the Hawkins pack’s recreation center for young adults. The coolest part? It had all the vibes of a nightclub—minus the raunchiness and chaos typically found in one. In fact, Lissa said it mirrored the adult club on the other side of town but didn’t work like a club as adults above twenty-five were not allowed in and there were paid chaperons present all the time, as well as tons of cameras.

It was the most exciting recreation center I had ever seen in my life. It had an energetic yet sophisticated vibe with a rich, dark burgundy theme that permeated the space, creating an inviting and vibrant atmosphere.

The dance floor, the heart of the club, was a kaleidoscope of flashing lights, pulsating to the rhythm of the music. Around the dance floor, cozy seating areas were thoughtfully arranged, providing perfect vantage points for those who wished to watch the dancers or dancers who wanted to take a break. Plush couches and stylish chairs, all in shades of deep red and black, offered comfort and a touch of elegance.

Off to one side, a collection of arcade games added an element of fun and nostalgia. The cheerful sounds of electronic beeps and laughter mixed harmoniously with the music, creating a lively backdrop.

“What do you think?” Lissa asked again, since I didn’t answer the first time.

“This is awesome! Wow, how could anyone have come up with this place?” I asked, staring at the mocktail bar which was illuminated by soft, ambient lighting showcasing an array of colorful fruits and mixers.

Her eyes glimmered with pride as she smiled so hard that her eyes were almost crinkling closed. “Our Alpha designed it so it’s pack property, owned and managed by the pack. It offers a job opportunity for us too. The people working with the music, managing the arcade games, bar tending and cleaning up are all our age or around it. They only offer adults jobs like chaperon shifts and the other jobs if there are no young adults to do them.”

“Wow, your Alpha must be so cool then!” I said, truly impressed.

The Alphas of the two packs my mother and I had lived in the same town with before she married my stepfather and after she married him had been old and formal, and from what I’d heard from my schoolmates that were pack members, they had strict curfew rules, strict dressing rules and all sorts of rules about how they could use electronics and their screen time.

“Yeah, he really is the best. One time, the cool kids wanted to make this their space and they would tell us not to come into the Lounge at certain times. When our Alpha found out about it, he instantly banned them all from the Lounge for an entire year. That’s why there’s always an adult managing the entryway now. Come on, let’s get a drink.” Lissa said, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the bar.

I followed her, staring around the club as she led me to the bar. However, just as we got closer to the bar, I saw a boy.

His eyes, narrow and slightly almond-shaped, held a soft, introspective gaze, hinting at a depth of thoughtfulness. Thin, round glasses perched on his nose, lending him a scholarly air. Dark and slightly tousled, his hair had a natural wave that framed his face, complementing his high cheekbones and slightly pointed chin. His lips were thin and light pink, adding a delicate touch to his features.

Rather than a sharp or angular jawline, the subtle contours of his face were perfectly balanced, giving him a gentle and approachable appearance. This refinement made him seem both delicate and inviting, a portrait of quiet elegance.

His looks and everything about him made me stumble to a stop. I had never realized until I looked at him that I would ever be attracted to anyone at first glance, but when I saw him, I was awestruck. He felt like the dream boy I never knew I wanted.

“Why did you stop? Clare?” Lissa said, as she moved back to where I was standing, probably with my lips parted and drool dripping down the sides of it.

“Lissa, who is that?” I asked, subtly pointing at the boy behind the bartenders' counter, dressed in their uniform and shaking a drink with a calm, focused expression—one I couldn’t help but wish was directed at me.

“Who? Oh, no, not you too. That’s Elijah Shepherd.” She said.

“Why’d you say not me too? He has a girlfriend?” I asked, still unable to stop staring at Elijah’s every charming move.

“He doesn’t. He’s the Beta’s son. Because of his looks and his status in the pack, a lot of people like him, but he’s never dated anyone. I heard he only hooks up. He tells every girl who approaches him that he’s not interested in anything but a hookup, too. I know he’s warning them off because he doesn’t want to hurt their feelings, but I just…don’t like that.”

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“Huh.” I sighed, feeling bummed out that I would probably never get the chance to date him.

However, looking at him again made me feel super warm. “It doesn’t matter. It’s fine if he isn’t dating anyone. It’s better that he isn’t dating anyone. This way, I can maybe become his friend and then give it a try.”

“Don’t be deceived. Many girls have said the same thing, but they only ended up falling deeper in love with him without changing his mind at all.” Lissa warned.

“Oh, I got it.” I answered. “Well, I guess we could just be friends, too. I don’t mind being able to just look at him anytime I want to. Does he work here every day?”

“You do know that’s stalker behavior, right?” Lissa asked as we started making our way to the bar again.

“It is not. I’m not following him home or anything. I’m just coming to the Lounge to enjoy the atmosphere provided by the Lounge and its employees.” I said with a smile.

“Moon goddess, you’re such a weirdo.” Lissa said, shaking her head disapprovingly.

“Hello,” Another bar tender with dark hair greeted us.

“Hi Fiennes, can I get a virgin mojito? Clare, what do you want?”

Seeing the bar tender, an idea slid into my head. I needed a job. The Lounge employed young adults, and my new favorite boy also worked in the Lounge. How about getting a job in the lounge?

“Clare? Daydreaming again?” Lissa asked.

“Sorry. What did you say?” I asked.

Lissa shook her head again. “I was asking what you wanted to order.”

“Oh, do you have a menu? Can I get a menu?” I asked, thinking about first determining the skill level of the people that worked here, starting with Fiennes, to see if I could get hired here like I was hired at my first bartending job.

The dark-haired Fiennes chuckled at my question as he gave me the menu he was already holding. “Who’s your friend, Lissa?”

“This is Clare. She’s a new and temporary member of the pack.” Lissa introduced.

“Temporary, huh? If you want to be a permanent member, how about dating me? If you marry me, you can become a permanent member.” Fiennes said.

I didn’t even need to look up from the menu I was assessing as Lissa responded on my behalf. “That was such a lame joke.”

Fiennes chuckled again. “Sorry, sorry, I was just joking. I’m Fiennes, I’m currently dating Lissa. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Clare.”

I smiled and handed him the menu back. “Clare. Nice to meet you too. I’ll get the Virgin Smoke and Mirrors. Thank you.”

“Hey, what’s that? I didn’t even know there was anything like that on the menu.” Lissa asked curiously.

"It's a mocktail made with brewed and chilled lapsang souchong tea, lemon juice, honey syrup, apple cider vinegar, sparkling water and some garnishes like say a slice of dehydrated apple." I answered.

“Wow, you know a lot…Worked at a bar before?” Fiennes asked, seeming intrigued.

“Yep,” I answered with a proud grin.

“Well, I don’t know how to make this at all, so you’re probably going to have to wait for the expert to do it. Hey, Shepherd, come make a Virgin Smoke and Mirrors for this lady when you’re done.”

I followed Fiennes’ gaze to Elijah and watched with a sigh as Elijah gave him a thumb up to indicate he had heard without removing his gaze from the drink he was working on.

Fiennes apparently heard my sigh as he turned to Lissa, “She’s into Shepherd?”

“Yup.” Lissa answered. ”Hurry up and make my drink. I’m a paying customer here, not your girlfriend. I’ll give you a bad rating.”

“Oh, please dear customer, don’t do that to me,” Fiennes said playfully as he forgot all about me and my crush on Elijah and started chatting with Lissa as he made her drink.

I gave her a grateful look and focused my gaze on watching Elijah as he finally delivered the drink he was making.

As if he could feel my gaze, he looked up and our gazes locked. That moment felt like the world around me and time had stopped all around us. I felt like I could hear romantic music in the background as we both stood face to face on a long sandy beach.

However, Elijah didn’t seem to have felt what I felt as he broke our locked gaze and then walked away, leaving the bar through a back door behind It, with a cold pale face as if he wasn’t feeling well.

Was it my gaze that made him feel that way? Did Elijah see something in my gaze that made him uncomfortable or worse, sick? Did me liking him creep him out so much?

I was lost in thought when Fiennes asked, “Hey, where did Shepherd go?”

“He went out through that back door. He looked super pale, too. Is he going to be okay?”

“It’s fine. He probably just needed a break. What to do now? Shepherd is the only one who can make that drink. How about you order something else? Something simpler?”

“Well, I can make that drink. Is your Lounge hiring bartenders?” I asked.

“If you can really make Virgin Smoke and Mirrors, you can bet that we’re definitely hiring you. Let me get the manager.”

Within fifteen minutes, Fiennes came back with the manager, gave me an apron and pointed me to where I could wash my hands. Then I started making the drink as I promised.

While I was not as good as some bartenders at the club I worked at before in terms of the showmanship, I made up for all that with the drinks I made.

So I was very sure of myself as I poured Fiennes, the manager and Elijah, who had returned looking much better, a cup of the drink I made.

I stared at the manager, trying very hard not to stare directly at Elijah, who was tasting the Virgin Smoke and Mirrors with a stoic demeanor.

“Oh, my! This is actually good!” Fiennes was the first to answer.

“It’s pretty good. What do you think, Elijah?” The manager asked.

His question gave me license to stare at Elijah, but I tried my best to do that with as simple a gaze as I could summon, just in case he had really gone pale the previous time because of something he saw in my gaze.

Elijah’s face was a mask of indifference and I was nervous that he would say something like he hated it.

However, all he said was, “It’s okay.”

The way he said it deflated all hope that I could be his friend someday. His mask of indifference and the way he walked away after our gazes met were all undeniable evidence that he didn’t like me. After all, before our gazes met, he had smiled at the customer he was making a drink for and when he gave Fiennes a thumbs up, he’d also smiled at him.

“Well, Miss Clare, you’re hired. My name is David, I’m currently the manager here. Come with me. We need to process your hiring details.” The manager said.

“Okay, thank you.” I responded with one of my mask-like smiles as I waved goodbye to Fiennes and Lissa and followed after the manager while feeling horrible about Elijah’s evident dislike of me.