Try me, see what happens (Alexandra)

[Josie Raines]

Josie's throat burned as she downed her third shot of whiskey, although not nearly as much as the first had. Tonight wasn't a beer or wine night. She was here on a mission, and that mission did not involve being sober for very long.


An hour before, while she was lounging around after work, Josie's cell phone beeped the arrival of a series of text messages. It had been Cal, she'd realized like a punch to the gut - it was only last week that she'd brought herself to delete his number, but she still recognized it immediately. And who else would be texting her to beg for a second chance? Josie had almost broken down and called him when another message arrived, addressing her with the name "Sarah." Well, fuck - it looked like somebody had gone and gotten himself too drunk to recognize who he was attempting to crawl back to. And the only consolation Josie had was that apparently the girl he'd cheated with had managed to drop his ass, too.


Her apartment had suddenly felt stifling - she wanted to rage, to throw plates and scream as loud as she could. Staying in tonight was no longer an option; Josie needed to let off some steam. So she threw on an outfit that she knew she could dance in and headed out.


Now, with the pounding of heavy bass around her and a proper buzz achieved, Josie didn't feel quite so powerless. She paid for her shot and headed back out on the dance floor, almost wishing some schmuck would get in her face. Just because Cal wasn't here didn't mean nobody was getting their teeth knocked out tonight.

[Alexandra Patterson]

As usual Alex had come to the club earlier tonight to get her mind off of school and everything else. The fact she wasn't graduating this year with her class was getting to her and she knew she just had to get her mind off it. She flunked all the way back in middle school and it wasn't like she could do anything about it now. It still after all this time made her feel kind of stupid though. So in true Alex style instead of dealing with her feeling and maybe doing her work so she won't get held back this year she goes out to drink and grind her feeling into oblivion on the dance floor. She was having fun besides this guy who kept asking her for a dance. She kept putting him off but it just kept coming back and asking. "Look,  " she said turning around to face her current stalker. "You are like thirty something and not even a hot thirty something. Go home and be with your kid and wife i'm guessing you have judging by tan line around your finger and leave me the hell alone. Your gross and I don't want to dance with you". 
"Come on beautiful. Just one dance and I'll leave you alone".
She rolled her eyes. Did this guy not hear a word she said? "Or you could just leave me alone". She turned to walk away when the guy gripped her wrist. She tried to snatch it back but his grip was too tight.
"I just wanted a dance. What you just think your better than me you stupid slut"?
"Yo get the fuck off me you creep" she said stuggling to pull her wrist away.

[Josie Raines]

Out on the floor, Josie's feverish dancing was doing nothing to wear her out. Rather, combined with the whiskey and the heavy bass, it served almost as an adrenaline rush. At this rate, it felt like she could do this all night. Maybe she would.

"...me, you stupid slut..."

Josie's eyes snapped open and she began craning her neck around as she danced, searching for the source of the insult. The music was pretty loud, maybe she'd misheard -

"...fuck off me, you creep..."

Josie whirled around; no, she definitely hadn't misheard. There, a girl who, despite her myriad piercings and wild hair, was clearly too young to be here. And a man who, despite her protests, just didn't know when to beat it.

Perfect.

Josie sized him up as she shoved her way through the crowd, actual adrenaline rushing in her blood now. He looked to be taller than she was by maybe half a foot, but the way his ugly Hawaiian shirt draped over his gut made him look doughy and slow. And he reeked of booze, Josie realized when she got close enough.

"Hey!" Emboldened by her own liquid courage, Josie's hand shot out to grab the man's arm much as he had latched onto the girl's. "How 'bout you go bother someone your own age, gramps?"

"Mind your own business, bitch," he sneered before shaking off her grip. "We're just mess in' around."

Josie glanced to the girl; she knew that look. She gave the girl a quick nod before swinging around and slamming her fist into the man's nose.

[Alexandra Patterson]

Alex was starting to get frustrated with the guy who held on to her. "I swear to god if you don't let me-." That when she was cut off by a slightly familiar blonde who held her stalker in her own grip. She looked at the idiot in disbelief rolling her eyes. Yeah, because you stalking me and grabbing me was all just part of a hot new game you wanted to show me. Why did certain guys not no how to take no for an answer? She had been in this situation more times she would like to admit and she wonder when certain people would learn the meaning of no?

Alex mouth dropped open as she witness the girl punch the guy in the nose. "Oh shit," she said with a weird grin, getting satisfaction out of this. The guy grabbed his nose as it started to bleed letting go of Alex in the process. "Nice! Only I prefer fighting more dirty myself when it comes to scum" she said to the girl. Alex cocked her fist back and as hard as she could she punch him in the place guys hated to get punch at the most. The guy instantly nailed over.

[Josie Raines]

Well, that had worked better than expected. The girl had floored the fucker before he could retaliate, buying them some time. But the people closest to the fight had stopped dancing and started staring, and Josie thought she saw someone run off the floor, maybe for a bouncer.

"We need to get out of here!" she yelled over the music to the girl. Josie grabbed her hand so as not to lose her in the crowd. "Follow me!"

Hastily, Josie shouldered her way between the other dancers, taking a longer way around towards the bathroom rather than the front exit. Thank god she was short - it made it easier to hide in the crowd.

The bathroom was quieter due to the music being muffled, although it was full of other girls fixing their makeup and chattering. Josie dragged her new charge in, making sure the door swung shut behind them.

"How old are you?" she immediately asked, in a low voice in case anybody around gave a shit. To look a her, Josie was pretty sure she was a minor; if security found them she'd be in trouble, unless they could turn the focus back around on the creep for perving on someone underage.

[Alexandra Patterson]

Alex was too busy enjoying the suffering of the stupid guy to notice anyone else watching them at first. "Your probably right" she said looking at the girl. Next thing she know the girl was holding her hand and guding them threw the crowd. "I do have to say being manhandle by a pretty blond is much more enjoyable then being manhandle by that slob" she joked over the music as she kept up with the girl.

"I'm twenty-two" she answered without a second though. Well that was what it said on her fake I.D anyway. Alex instant reaction was to almost always lie. Yeah, the girl had just saved her from that asshole and she was greatful and but she still didn't know her. Anyone who knew her knew she wasn't a very trusting person.

[Josie Raines]

Josie regarded the girl cynically for a moment, processing her answer. Now that they were under brighter light, she looked familiar; piercings and multi-colored hair had a way of distinguishing a person. And while Josie didn't make a habit of chatting with students while she worked, some kids just stuck out. If her hunch was right, though, would that make it more difficult to call the girl out? The club they were in was mostly patronized by non-metas, but someone nearby might recognize what she was talking about.

"...Fine, you're twenty-two," Josie conceded after a moment. "If anybody asks, I believed you, but I didn't buy you any drinks." Sure, she needed to cover her own ass, but it's not like she was in any position to judge. She'd gotten up to similar trouble at that age. Adrenaline beginning to wear off, she leaned against a wall near one of the sinks. "So are you okay? Did you know that guy or was he just some drunk rando?"

[Alexandra Patterson]

"Deal." After the girls at the sink left out the bathroom Alex walked over to the sink to fix her hair and makeup. "Yeah, I'm good. Sadly I deal with scum like that so much it doesn't fade me much. He was just some old and drunk rando mad because I didn't want to dance with him. Very pathetic actually". Looking at the girl in the mirror, Alex smiled. "By the way I guess I should say thanks so um thanks. That was pretty badass of you." Her nose scrunches up as she looked back at her hair. "Do you think my hair and piercing make me easy to spot. I'm really not in the mood to get kicked out"​.

[Josie Raines]

Josie listened to the girl's explanation, arms crossed, unsurprised. She'd done her share of fending off creeps as a teenager; when sneaking out to dance and drink in loud, dark nightclubs was your main release, it came with the territory.

"Well, they certainly don't help you blend in," she replied, movin to a mirror to check her own piercings. It was dark enough out on the dance floor that maybe nobody had gotten a good look at them, but it might be safer to at least ditch the obvious ones for now. As Josie unscrewed the ball on her eyebrow piercing she asked, "Do you have anything to cover your hair with?"

[Alexandra Patterson]

"I do now, " Alex said when a girl with a beanie came out of the stall and washed her hands in the next sink over next to her. "How convent" she mumbled to herself. She approached the girl with a smile. "I love your hat its so cute."
"Oh really? Thank you."
"How much did you get it for".
"Only five dollars actually".
"I'll give you a twenty now for it," Alex said pulling a twenty dollar bill out of her wallet. "My hair is a mess and I need a hat so it's your lucky day. You just earn a twenty for making the choice to wear a beanie to the club tonight". The girl looked down at the money and then at Alex probably trying to figure out if she was for real. She grabbed the twenty and took off her hat handing it to Alex."Its a pleasure doing business with you and just some friendly advice the mess hair look works for you".
"Um thanks" the girl said confused. She stuff the money in her pocket and walked out.
"The more you pay the fewer question people ask I learned." Alex put the hat on and stuffed all her hair under it. Next she took out her piercing and put it in her pocket. "Now let me buy you a drink um...what is your nme by the way"?

[Josie Raines]

Josie watched the transaction in front of her with mild interet, her now piercing-free eyebrow raised. She almost wanted to laugh - this girl was slicker than expected. And with her hair - easily her most distinguishable feature - covered up so thoroughly, maybe even the old creeper wouldn't be able to recognize her.

"...Yeah, sure, I'll take that drink," Josie replied after a moment of thought, the corner of her mouth pulled up into a smirk. "Hero's reward or whatever." Hey, sure, the other way around it'd be plenty illegal, but if the bartender made the mistake of selling to the girl and Josie just happened to receive a free drink as a result, well, she wasn't the one breaking any laws, now was she? And supposedly the girl was twenty-two anyway, right?

Josie walked back to the exit, but before she opened the door she turned and said, "It's Josie, by the way, and I'm havin' whiskey tonight." Might as well get introductions out of the way before they plunged back into the noisy dark. And if the girl wanted to flash her cash around, Josie wanted to get something decent to keep her buzz up.

[Alexandra Patterson]

"Nice to meet you Josie. You can call me Ruby and good choice. I think I'm going to have the same" she said before she walked out. Ruby was actually Alex middle name and a nickname used rarely since she came to Hammel. It was the one she decided to have on her fake I.D though and since she was pretty sure she might never see this girl again anyway and it was on her I.D she probably should use the name. She kept a look out for the creep as she walked to the bar also making sure not to walk to fast so not to lose Josie in the crowd. She sat down on one of the stools and motion to the bartender who walked over as soon as he seen her. "What can I get "?
"Let me start off with two whiskeys for me and me friend here".
"Sure I just need some I.D first". Alex took out the her I.D and showed it to the guy her face not showing any sign of worry once. When it was came to this she followed the trick fake it to you make it. As in act like your twenty-two in till your actually twenty-two. An when asked for I.D people of age will never be worried because they know their no way they can get in trouble. He handed her back her idea and smiled going to make the drinks. "So Joise what brings you out tonight"?

[Josie Raines]

Once again Josie waited, watching quietly from the next stool over, this time as the girl passed her ID over the counter. She was still unconvinced of the truthfulness of the kid's claims, but she wasn't the one who needed convincing. That fell to the barkeep - who, Josie noticed with a grin, bought it with little trouble.

That boded well, at least. Back when Josie was in high school - pft, like that was so long ago - passable fakes were pricey. That, combined with the $20 hat stunt in the bathroom, painted a picture of this kid as having plenty of change to throw around. Plenty of change meant plenty of drinks, and that meant - if Josie was right about her being underage, anyway - that this kid was worth sticking with for a little while.

After all, Josie was on a mission.

"I came out to beat up drunks and rescue damsels," she answered, leaning in to be heard over the music. As she spoke, a shot appeared before each them, thanks to that excellent bartender, and Josie threw it back without another thought. Shots before thoughts, hey - especially tonight. And definitely shots before spilling her guts to a stranger about her dumb, drunk ex-fiancée.

[Alexandra Patterson]

"Well you a doing a great job so far". Alex smiled as the girl took the shot back without a thought. "Fearless and can take shot of whiskey like its lemonade. Your my kind of person Josie. Where have you been all my life"? Following her lead Alex took the shot back herself. "My good man keep the shots coming for me and this heroin" she said to the bartender. "It's all on me tonight" she said to the girl. Hey this girl was nice enough to step in when Alex was in trouble and she seem cool so she didn't mind spending a little money on her even if she was a stranger. After all she had more money she could do with.

[Josie Raines]

Who the hell was this girl? Josie wondered at the call for more whiskey. The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that she knew the kid from somewhere. Maybe not Hammel after all? Well, whatever. They could sort that out later, if there was even going to be a later. Which there would be, Josie hoped, at least as long as Ruby was feeling generous.

"What can I say, I'm the total package," Josie replied with a wink, before downing the next shot poured. False; she was a fucking train wreck and she knew it. But if Ruby wanted to lay on the praise, well, she wasn't gonna stop her. Nothing like an ego boost to go with getting tanked.

"So. Ruby." Fake name? To go with her fake age and fake ID? Man, Josie didn't care anymore. She was officially five shots in with the promise of more; if the kid wanted to be called Princess Sparklecakes then that was all right with her. "Have you ever considered - "

"YOU!" came a roar from behind them. Josie swiveled in her seat, wobbling precariously. Behind them stood - more like swayed - Old Creep, face beet red and pointing a sausage-like finger in their direction. Ah, fuck.

"ME!" Josie threw back with an exaggerated grin and accompanying jazz hands. "Or her!" As she hitched a thumb towards Ruby, a man with biceps as wide as his head appeared next to Old Creep, and Josie wasn't too far gone to feel her stomach sink. "Guess that's our cue!" Hopefully the bouncer was slower than he looked, she thought as she hopped off her stool, gripped Ruby's arm and ran as fast as her buzzed little legs could carry her.