Spring and 6th.

She had Gin and Tonics and I had Guinness, we split the rounds, every other round actually. The bar was dark, blasting with funk, hip hop and hipsters. The bar did not at all resemble what it was in its' past life three years ago, no longer dingy, and no traces of its' former clientele. We sat in the back of the bar behind the dance floor across from the pool table where a pimp used to sit and wait for his money in the bars prior life. The spot was dimly lit with twenty somethings in skinny jeans and trucker hats all over the dance floor and pictures of celebrity mug shots on all four walls, we were sitting in the cut sorrounded by Jim, Janis, Kurt, Lil Kim and Bud Bundy.
We talk and laugh, deep conversations and small talk, I make her smile and the smile seems genuine. As she gets a round I cover the table, I notice everyone staring at her, mens eyes follow her figure, I am not jealous because eventually those eyes notice that I am with her and we are there together, this makes me happy. Downtown Artwalk is in full swing as we enjoy our conversation and drinks, time flies and her attention is mine, I use the rest room, there is a scribe in my pocket, my signature is in that bars pisser. When I return she leans over and in an annoyed tone tells me, "why is everyone looking at me?" I reply bluntly, "Because tonight I am with the most beautiful girl here" she brushes the comment off.
For one eternal second we lock eyes in silence and I crave her lips, we talk about hip hop, movies, tattoos, we make bets as to who'll win the different pool games. I blurt out how beautiful she is again, she blushes. It's almost last call and there are two options; food or a last round, after already having had a good number of rounds we go with two Tecate tall cans. We stumlbe out of the bar, Artwalk is pointless now because it has long since finished, we make our way to were she locked her faded turquoise Schwinn, I walk her to her bus stop on Broadway and First, City Hall is next us and I am still making her laugh. I roll a joint and she is impressed by the speed and the skill, rightfully so. We smoke it, we're high and drunk waiting for her bus to Highland Park.
she's standing next to her bike, i'm directly in front of her, there's silence, she knows, she's quiet, she looks off in the distance to see if her bus is near, she looks at me, into my eyes, the kiss catches her off guard, the night has grown colder, I hold her hips and for the first time I am tasting her lips, I hold her tighter. We look at each other in silence, City Hall by our side, we come to a moment of quiet realization and acceptance, her bus arrives she quickly puts her bike on the rack and we hug. A formal kiss on the cheek, she steps in to the bus and the door closes behind her. I cross the street to catch my bus south, roll another joint, I compose a poem and head home.