[ WP ] You attempt to start a conversation with a girl at a bar . The girl next to her looks at you , startled , and asks , `` you can see her too ? ''

I had spent at least an hour sitting at my end of the bar, babysitting some drinks, eyeballing up this cute blonde at the other end of the bar. She was there with a friend of hers, but I just couldn ’ t work up the nerve to say walk up and say anything. Each passing moment, I felt like my chances were plummeting. It would be too awkward for me to have been sitting here for an hour and then to finally make a move. Whatever I came up, I ’ m certain she would see through me. “ Oh, surprise. I didn ’ t see you here earlier on the other end of the bar I ’ ve been sitting at for an hour. Do you mind if I buy you a drink? ” I don ’ t think I could even get that bullshit out of my mouth. What ’ s the other approach? “ Hey, I ’ ve been staring at you for an hour, but I just couldn ’ t work up the courage to come and ta- “ Blech. That ’ s so weak. It ’ s pathetic. 
 
 Maybe I have a chance though. Her tan-skinned brunette friend has been shooting down chumps like geese. Okay, I ’ ll admit they ’ ve got confidence and don ’ t experience the same anxiety I have with approaching a group, but her blonde friend is quite the catch. It ’ s some wonder that they aren ’ t going for her instead. 
 He paused. He tipped his glass towards himself, and stared into the dispersing foam that had accumulated at the surface of his beer. All throughout his outing, he had polished off a single drink, and remained with a firm grip on a second. All the while, he was attempting to feign ignorance of what was actually captivating his attention. He had been casting his gaze towards a baseball game playing on the television sitting on a shelf behind the bar, but he had not the slightest idea what the actual score was or who was even playing. For a fleeting instance, his vision slackened and became inattentive, seemingly staring through the wall behind the bar. He gently replaced his drink to a resting position. In this pause, the man acquired resolve. Liquid courage? That ’ s nonsense. 
 
 Though wracked with anxiety, his still managed to cast himself from secure ground into the arena. He had forcibly suffocated his mind and forced his body to abandon its perch on the stool to walk down towards the pair of women sitting on the opposite end of the bar from him. There was a seat available right next to the pair. Tunnel vision gripped him and his surroundings phased out of existence. He had no plan. He would run a trial by fire. He would let instincts take its course for conscious effort had proven itself to be totally inadequate for providing means to achieve ends. 
 
 Putting on his utmost charm, he placed his left hand in his pocket, left thumb sticking out. Brimming with confidence and remembering the basics of human interaction, he first acquired their attention: “ Excuse me. ” They both looked at him. The lighting was dim but he could clearly see the warm personality radiating from the blonde ’ s blue eyes. He pointed to the stool between himself and the blonde, maintaining eye contact, “ Would you mind if I sat here? ” Perplexing him, she turned away and spoke to her friend as if to measure the costs and benefits of the matter. There was too much chatter for the man to hear what was said, but he shifted his focus away from the back of the blonde ’ s head to meet eyes with the brunette who had never taken her look away from him since he approached. 
 He had watched this brunette woman confidently shoo away many men before him, but in this moment, she seemed somewhat stirred. As she turned her gaze forward again, she half-confidently uttered, “ Yeah, go for it. ” 
 
 They continued talking, and the man felt that he was at risk of being shut out. However, he had relinquished control of conscious decision making. He was in deep and in danger, but he could not back out. He was cornered! Then, as if fate itself had delivered opportunity upon his doorstep, the blonde turned away from her friend to observe the baseball game. Whether or not she was actually interested in the game, the man seized the opportunity all the same. He leaned over towards her. “ So, ” he began as he pointed towards the screen. “ You a big fan of hockey? ” 
 
 A jolt hit his systems and cognitive processes rapidly came online, being fully restored to functioning levels. At the same time, his soul vacated his body. As reality came crashing back to him, his internal dialogue ran a single line through his mind: Jesus fucking Christ. While their faces first presented bewilderment, a grin slowly crept across the blondes face. She propped her elbow on the counter and cupped her forehead in her hand and began to laugh, heartily. 
 Again, thought the brunette, the eye contact was amiss. Even a drunk person can at least make eye contact. He ’ s looking at something. “ Hey, ” she called out, breaking the man ’ s stupor. “ I need to get some fresh air. Why don ’ t you join me? ” Though still wracked with nerves, he accepted. 
 
 Together, the three of them lined the sidewalk, taking in the view of the street in front of them, teeming with life. The man reached in his pocket for a pack of cigarettes, opened it, and held it out towards the brunette. “ No thank you. I ’ d like to- ” But she was cut off. After she declined, but before she could speak again, he had already switched targets to her friend. In his efforts to be polite, he stunned both of them. They stared at him, and he returned the look. Finally, he asked, “ Are you two alright? ” 
 
 The blonde woman spoke directly to him, “ You can see me? You can hear me? ” 
 
 The brunette added in, “ You can see her? You can hear her? ” 
 
 The man was taken aback. “ You know, if this is a prank, I don ’ t take kindly to pranks. You can just tell me if you want me to piss off. ” 
 
 The brunette pursed her lips, placed her hand on her hip and ran the other through her hair. The blonde stepped forward, distraught and frantically waving her hands, “ No, no, no! This is nothing of the sort! This is not a joke. Please don ’ t leave. ” Logic dictated that the prank ran deep, but the panicked emotion in her defense gleamed with genuine qualities. The stranger remained, not entirely convinced but sufficiently willing to be gullible. The blonde woman sighed relief, “ Thank you. ” 
 
 Recovering from her own disbelief, the brunette asked again, “ So you can see her, right? ” 
 
 The man crossed his arms, and waved his hand in the air while shaking his head. “ Okay. You got me. Hook, like, and sinker, ” he said. “ Yes, I can see her. What is all this? Please, explain. ” 
 
 The blonde woman held her hand out toward him. “ Here. Take my hand. It ’ ll say a lot on my behalf. ” 
 
 The man was hesitant, but he reached out and gently took hold of her hand. Or rather, he would have, but his hand phased through hers like grabbing for mist. It parted, losing form, and re-aligned. He jerked his hand back, “ What the- This can ’ t be real. ” 
 
 The blonde shut her eyes and shook her head. “ It really isn ’ t. It sure doesn ’ t feel like it. ” 
 
 He searched their faces, trying to find an answer. The blonde ’ s face twisted in raw emotion. The brunette took a shaky breath, then speaking up once again. “ Let ’ s go for a walk. We shouldn ’ t be in public like this. ” 
 
 Together, the three of them wandered. The streets depleted of people as the hours drew long. Businesses were closing and all that illuminated a seemingly endless hall of towering buildings were the dim shine of the lining street lamps. They were sisters and one had passed. Self-loathing had strangled her, finally wresting life from her hands. In some odd sense, she lingered still yet only present to her beloved sister. To be transparent to all else left something to be desired: something human. In the regard of being the only one capable of acknowledging her sister, the brunette was alone. The blonde, while possessing her sister for company, longed for new companionships. The man himself admitted that this very nightly venture was his own poor attempt at remedying his own lack of social graces. For who else but the fool would seek romance at a bar? While he was naïve, he was sincere and concerned. Just as before, a closed social loop was created… plus one. 
 
 They agreed that the following week they would meet again for drinks.
