Danni is as good as her word.
It isn’t too much longer before she and Rae are both trying to convince her for a night out. Shy might be able to resist the demands of one of them, maybe, but both? Not a chance.
‘Come on, darling, you’ve been up here for weeks, you need a little more human contact, some socializing, just for a bit.’ Rae’s tone is wheedling, but firm.
‘Yeah, I’ve already convinced my roommate to join us, you’ll like her, she’s about as much of a shut-in as you are.’ Danni provides, somewhat unhelpfully.
Shy looks to you for support, and you open your mouth before both of the other two shoot you a look. You know that sort of look; it’s the one your mother gave when you were on dangerously thin ice with her. You close your mouth and give Shy an expression of apology.
Shy’s shoulders slump, Danni grins.
‘Fine.’ she agrees, and Danni cheers.
‘Night out, woo!’ You hide a smile, but Danni will have none of that, ‘Don’t think you’re getting out of this one, buddy. If I can force her to get out, you’ll be no trouble.’
Again you open your mouth, but this time it’s Shy who gives you a look. This one is more similar to the one she gives to misbehaving animals around the shelter. It is not a look that can be argued with.
‘I immediately concede in the face of overwhelming tactical superiority.’ You say quickly, throwing your hands up in surrender. Shy smiles reassuringly.
‘Whatever makes you happy, dear.’ Rae chimes in.
You’ve been out before, and certainly with worse company. It won’t be that bad.
After heading back to your apartment, and with a brief thought as to the last time you spent any considerable period of time there, you grab some slightly better clothes and head back up to Shy’s house to pick her up. Rae’s there as well.
‘I could certainly take my own car, but every time we go out, Danni insists on trying to make me keep up with her, and even though it never works, I generally feel that I probably shouldn’t drive myself home. I do hope that’s not too much trouble, given that you’ll already be here to drop Shy off, yes?’
In other words, she’s keeping an eye on you, and you’re not to be doing anything remotely inappropriate. Not that you really had plans for anything like that, but Rae definitely seems like the type to make sure that everything is within her control.
She then disappears inside for those ‘finishing touches’ that women inevitably seem to feel necessary for going out, although privately you suspect much of it is bullying Shy into not wearing one of her sweaters.
You’re proven correct when Shy is pushed out the front door in a pastel yellow sundress, with a classically denim jacket over it. Her face, of course, is embarrassed, but that’s probably for the better, because you’d really rather not be caught staring.
Sure, you knew that she was pretty; you’d seen that the first time you’d met her on campus, and when you helped out around the farm, it was hard not to notice the natural grace she had when she moved, but she’d always had it hidden behind those giant sweaters. Evidently that was the point. Seeing her now, like this, she wasn’t merely pretty, she was stunning, beautiful. Everything Rae had said when you’d first met was definitely true; maybe it didn’t even fully express the point.
Then Rae final convinced her to get out the door and down to the driveway, where the car was parked.
Flashing a smile at Shy, you open the door with a bow, she smiles back and gets in, that same grace now so obvious.
‘A proper gentleman, well I never.’ Rae exclaims in mock surprise when you repeat the treatment for her, and then get in the front.
‘It looks like I’ll be chauffeuring you around tonight.’ You say to the two as you back out. ‘I’m afraid my limo is in the shop, so we’re a bit short on snacks and entertainment. Also, my radio and air conditioning are broken. Best I can do, really, is point out that I did clean the car, and also that the windows work.’
‘It’s very nice, thank you.’ Shy says.
‘Well I can’t say I wouldn’t prefer the limo,’ Rae interjects, ‘but under the circumstances, we couldn’t ask for better.’
Driving down the road isn’t too bad. It’s fall now, so the sun sets a pretty colour to the farmlands, and with the windows open just a crack, the air smells faintly of hay and wet leaves. A better time of year there never was.
Moving into the city, things are still pleasant, but Danni’s directions leave much to be desired. Not oly is the map unclear as to which way is north, her hand-writing is nearly incomprehensible. Fortunately, by the time you get within a few streets, Rae points out her familiarity (and distaste) with the particular bar that Danni’s chosen, and manages to point you to a nearby parking lot.
Spotting Danni’s powder blue motorcycle, you pull in besides it, and then help the ladies out.
Rae immediately heads for the doors, setting her shoulders like a woman going to war, but Shy hesitates to exit the vehicle and then just stands there.
‘You ok?’ You ask.
‘I don’t really do well with new people.’ She says, holding the jacket around her and looking down. The same thing she’d said the first time you met. You nod.
‘I know, but they’re right, it is good to get out every so often. New people is the only way to make new friends, right?’
She nods, but doesn’t move.
‘Don’t worry, I drove you in here, so if we stay a bit and you really can’t do it, I’ll take you home, no matter what Danni says, ok?’
‘You will?’ It sounds like she’d never even considered the possibility, and her heart goes to her eyes.
‘Of course I will, it’s nothing but a little time and gas. I can come back and get Rae after, or just leave her money for a cab, no big deal.’
‘Danni’ll get mad.’ Shy warns. You grin.
‘Don’t worry, I think I can take her. Maybe.’
Shy laughs at that, and you can see she’s relaxed. You continue the act of the classic gentleman and offer her your arm, which she takes as you head in.
The bar itself is not exactly the best around. It’s got a very old-fashioned design, with a low roof, wooden beams exposed, and worn wooden flooring. Still, it doesn’t smell terrible, and everyone inside seems to be having a good time, so it passes muster with you. Shy shrinks beside you, but Danni sees you at the door and ushers the two of you over. With a reassuring smile, you go in.
The tables are high-set, with tall chairs beside them. Danni’s already got a beer and something that looks fried, cheesy and appalling, while Rae is inspecting a beverage that Danni apparently ordered for her, but won’t inform her of its contents.
The third member at the table is a bespectacled girl with long, dark hair with a stripe of pink. She appears to be of East Asian descent, and is wearing a blouse and knee length skirt. She, too, is inspecting a drink that Danni procured with some suspicion, but turns to the two of you as you sit.
‘Hi, Danni told me that there’d be some strangers tonight.’ She speaks with the sense of someone who’s practiced these words, and you get the sense she’s the kind that deliberates carefully on everything. Still, her smile and offer to shake hands are sincere enough, so you take the proffered hand and introduce yourself. Shy mumbles her name also, but it’s almost lost in the din of the crowded bar, and you can tell the girl didn’t catch it.
‘That’s Shy,’ Danni announces, following it with a load belch and then looking very pleased with the look on Rae’s face.
The new girl nods in recognition, appearing to commit the names to memory.
‘I’m Tara,’ she says, ‘It’s very nice to meet both of you.’
‘But that’s not your real name, is it?’ Danny interjects, clearly having waited some time for this. Tara gives her a dirty look, but Rae looks confused, so Tara sighs again.
‘It’s the name I chose to use here, because people have a lot of trouble with the name my parents gave me. They’re both quite traditional.’
Rae seems pleased with that, and takes a tentative sip of the drink, but Danni will not be deterred.
‘And precisely what is that name?’ she asks Tara intently.
Tara looks down now, and Shy, of all people, breaks in.
‘Maybe you shouldn’t push her so much, Danni, it’s her name, not yours.’ But the look from Danni silences her again.
‘Come on, tell ‘em what your name is.’
Tara sighs again, and repeats a string of syllables, poetic, but incomprehensible to you.
Danni can barely contain herself now, but you, Rae and Shy just look confused.
‘And what does that mean in English?’ Danni pushes, ready for the punch-line.
Tara gives one final sigh of resignation, and rolls her eyes.
‘Twilight Sparkle. She wants me to tell you my name is Twilight Sparkle.’
This is too much for Danni, and she bursts into laughter, loud even in the crowded bar, and almost falls out of her chair. Rae gives her a look of distaste, and you smile your forgiveness to Tara, but Shy just stares at her, eyes wide.
‘That’s beautiful!’ She exclaims, this time at an audible level. That brings Danni up short.
‘Oh come on, no one is laughed? No one is laughing at Twilight here?’ She sighs, loudly, ‘you’re all squares, you know that?’
‘Well, maybe some of us have better taste,’ Rae says with a disdainful sniff, ‘Which brings me to that abomination that you’ve brought to the table.’
‘It’s the fries supreme,’ Danni grins, ‘You sure you don’t want any?’ She waves the cheesy food in Rae’s face while the taller girl suppresses a gag.
‘You sure you can handle that thing, Danni?’ You step in, deciding it might be time to try your luck. ‘That things gotta have at least a couple thousand calories. That’s a lot of time at the gym to make it up.’
Danni’s façade seems to shift for just a second. Vanity is an odd weakness, but one we all have. Might as well start there. You think might have made a point, but then she’s back to laughing again.
‘It’s a cheat day, might as well go whole hog, eh?’ This time offering you some, but still looking surprised when you take it. Not quite a total victory, but some surprise is good.
Meanwhile, Shy and Tara have become engrossed in a discussion of the naming habits of her family. Tara explaining as though she might give an exam at the end, and Shy following with absolute interest.
‘Well, my brother’s name is ‘Glorious warrior in Shining Armour,’ but he hasn’t been in the area for a long time, and then my cousin lives with me and Danni. His name is ‘Little Dragon,’ but everyone calls him-‘
‘You talking about Spike?’ Danni cuts in, and Tara takes another deep breath.
‘As I was saying, everyone calls him Spike, despite what his real name is.’ She gives a small glare to Danni.
‘Spike’s a good kid, knows how to have a laugh. It’s you who needs to lighten up, Twilight.’ Danni flags down the waitress, and orders something.
You can see Tara grit her teeth, but Shy’s already got this well in hand.
‘Don’t worry about Danni, it’s just her way of showing how she likes people. She’s very afraid to just admit it. I can already tell she likes you a lot.’
‘Really?’ Tara asks, ‘ Because all she normally does is harass me.’
‘Mhm,’ Shy nods with a smile. ‘That’s why I can tell she likes you a lot. Just watch, she has a way of showing it all her own.’
With that, the waitress returns and sets down two more drinks, besides the untouched concoctions in front of Rae and Tara. This appears to be no mean feat, given that the pretty blond with the drinks has eyes that go off in two directions, but with a charming smile, she turns and head back to the kitchen, no incident at all.
‘Aha, time for me to show my special power, I think.’ Danni announces with some drama. She then points, one by one.
‘Rae, cosmopolitan to start.’
‘Twilight Sparkle, gin and tonic, though you’d never let anyone know.’
‘Shy, long island iced tea, but only because I won’t let you out here with a Shirley temple.’
Finally, she points to you.
‘Root beer, because you’re the DD, otherwise, jack and coke.’
She smiles and sits back, admiring her handiwork.
‘Well?’ she asks. No one says anything for a moment, they just take the drinks. Danni’s dead on.
‘See,’ Shy says to Tara, ‘I told you she has a way of showing it.’