Once Upon a Time in Austin

"Hey. Ok so my friend is over there meeting a girl and I have to give them some space. It's a long story but I'm all alone and I was hoping that I could buy you a drink?" asked Hugo to a seated girl wearing a leather jacket with a phoenix on the back.
"Ummm sure," she said with a smile.
"Nice jacket by the way," said Hugo.
"Thanks, I got it at a monster truck rally," said the girl as she got up.

Hugo had waited till she finished her drink to ask. She got up and they made their way to the bar.

"I'm Hugo by the way. What's you're name?"
"I'm Amy."
"Nice to meet you Amy."
"Nice to meet you too. Are you going to tell me why you're third wheeling on you're friends date?" Hugo laughed.
"Yes of course, lets get these drinks and I will tell you all about it.

They got to the bar. She got a beer and he got a tequila soda.

"I'm the designated driver tonight so this is going to be my one and only drink," said Hugo.
"That's totally cool with me," replied Amy.

They made their way over to a booth across the bar. They sat down.

"So here's my story. Me and my friend, Sindar, are on vacation in Austin. He has been talking to this girl since college and she moved to Austin about two years ago. He is completely in love with her. She does not feel the same way but he can not and will not let it go. A few days ago we were at this same bar waiting for her to show up. We got here at 9pm and she didn't show up till 11pm. At which point she came in with her current lover and a group of his friends. We didn't know what to do. I wanted him to go over there and talk to her like the friends that they are but he was paralyzed by the shock. So we stayed here till 1 am just looking at them across the terrace. It was very awkward. At that point I had had enough. There is only so much you can watch you're friend suffer. I went to the bar to close our tab and when I got back he was sitting at their table. Now I was in a state of shock. I went to the table and received a less than warm welcome. They were very standoffish. Anyway, the night wrapped up and I thought that was the end of that. But when we got home Sindar told me that he and her had a moment. Apparently when he went over there she ran around the table and jumped into his arms and they had a supposed "20 second hug." Now "20 second hugs" are a running theme of this trip. Apparently if someone loves you they hug you for over 20 seconds. I don't buy it, but he does, so I go with it. So here we are again 2 days later in the same bar waiting for the same girl to show up. But this time she showed up on time, without her lover. So now they are over there doing whatever it is that they do and you are over here saving my life," said Hugo.
"Wow, that is one hell of a story," replied Amy with a smile on her face.
"I hope it doesn't make you regret having this drink with me."
"It doesn't at all. I love a good story."
"Good. That's my story, what's yours?"
"Well lets see. I grew up in Florida but I left home when I was quite young. I traveled around a bit and lived many lives. My best friend married and moved to Austin with her husband and kids. I am the godmother to her kids. She is really all the family that I have so I decided to move here as well. I am a painter and I just sold a bunch of paintings for a lot of money. Now I am looking to buy a house out here. That's my story."
"Solid story, how do you like Austin so far?"
"I like it. It's weird. It's a good place for artists but not a good place to date. Everyone I know here is polyamorous and I am a one man kind of gal. Wait where are you from?"
"New York City, the best place in the world."
"Ah that explains just about everything about you."
"Explains what?"
"The confidence, the fast talking, the aura of 'I don't give a fuck.'"
"I hope that's not a problem?"
"Its not," she said with a wink.

Hugo's phone started buzzing. It was Sindar. He and Daisy, the girl he was meeting, wanted to go to a different bar. Hugo was now the designated chauffeur.

"Ok so now they want to go to a different bar. Would you like to join us? You would really be doing me a huge favor," said Hugo.
"Wait, so the date is going well?" asked Amy.
"I guess, although I don't really like this girl. She leads him on only to crush him."
"I want to see this! I would love to go with you guys."
"Thank you so much, you are really saving me right now," said a relieved Hugo.
"It's no trouble at all, let me close my tab."
"Amy, can I ask another favor?"
"Yeah sure. What is it?"
"Can you talk to this girl? Her name is Daisy by the way. She has broken Sindar's heart a few times already and I don't want it to happen again. Can you just try to figure out what her deal is, girl to girl?"
"Yeah of course. I am on the case," she said with a salute.

Hugo was really starting to like Amy. She was different. They both closed their tabs and met up with Sindar and Daisy outside. The foursome got in their rented Porsche Cheyanne. Hugo drove and Amy sat in the front with him. Sindar and Daisy were in the back. This made Hugo feel really good, he had never driven before with a girl riding shotgun. It made the whole experience seem wholesome. The double date was on.

"Wait, how did you guys meet?" asked Daisy.
"We just met at the bar," replied Amy.
"At The Black Crow?" asked Daisy in disbelief. She was referring to the bar they were just at.
"Yup," replied Amy. She touched Hugo on forearm. He smiled. So wholesome.
"Wow, you guys must have really hit it off," said Daisy.
"We sure did," said Amy.
"Anything's possible in Austin," added Hugo with a smile.

They got to the next bar. The Little Darlin'. They got their drinks, Hugo got his water. They went to sit in the outdoor patio. Amy and Daisy started talking to one another. The plan was working, Hugo was ecstatic, Amy was really coming through for him. This also gave Hugo and Sindar an opportunity to huddle and catch up.

"How's it going?" asked Hugo.
"Good man, she's been going through a lot. We've just been catching up and its been nice," replied Sindar.
"What about her man?"
"She says he's toxic and she's trying to end it with him."
"What does that even mean? Either you end it or you're still in it."
"It's not that easy for her. She's been going through a lot man. Try to understand."
"Ok, if you say so," said Hugo rolling his eyes.
"But enough about me, what's going on with you and this girl?"
"Isn't she great? I really like her."
"Yeah she seems great."

The night went on and the double date turned out to be a fun time. They talked and got to know each other. Turned out Amy was far more successful and connected than any of them had anticipated. She had done makeup for The Chappelle Show and had developed a close relationship with Dave. She had made so much money that year that her accountant told her to stop working. She would be paying most of her additional income in taxes. The only one more impressed than Hugo was Daisy, she was also in hair and makeup and she had never met anyone quite like Amy. This made Hugo feel really good. In Daisy's world, she was always the center of attention. She could get whatever she wanted when it came to men. But she hadn't gotten to where Amy had gotten, not even close. Now it isn't good to think these things but when someone you love is being constantly toyed with by another person, you develop a healthy disdain for that person. Thus was the case for Hugo and Daisy. He liked it when Amy put Daisy in her place. She did it with him in mind. And he fell in love with her.

The night was coming to an end as Daisy had to go home. Turned out she left her car at the last bar so they had to drive her back to The Black Crow. Inconvenient but this was classic Daisy. When they got back there Daisy and Sindar stepped out of the car to say their goodbyes.

"Should we just drive off?" Hugo asked Amy while they were still in the car.
"That would be hilarious," replied Amy.
"At least it would give Sindar a clear message that he has to confront her."
"Yeah. But you can't do that to a friend."
"Yeah." They should have left him.
"Do you want me to drop you home?" Hugo asked Amy.
"Yeah that would be great. You can come over and smoke a joint if you want?" Amy offered. He should have driven off right there.
"Yeah I would love that."

Sindar got back in the car. It had been less than two minutes.

"Damn that was quick. Good night kiss?" asked Hugo.
"No. She just got in her car and left," said Sindar.
"No 20 second hug?" asked Hugo.
"Just a 2 second hug." replied Sindar.
"What is it with you guys an 20 second hugs?" interjected Amy.
"Its a sign that someone is in love with you," answered Hugo. Amy laughed.
"So what are we going to do now?" asked Sindar.
"Well me and Amy were going to go back to smoke some weed at her place," replied Hugo.
"I like smoking weed," said Sindar not getting the hint.
"We would love to have you," said Amy touching Hugo's forearm.
"Yes, we would absolutely love that," said Hugo sarcastically.

They got to Amy's apartment complex and made their way up to her apartment. It was a nice and spacious apartment but there were unopened boxes all over the place.

"Sorry about the mess, I have a lot of stuff and I'm still unpacking," said Amy.
"All good, you don't have to worry about us," replied Hugo.

The three of them got settled in on the couch. Amy put on some music and rolled a joint. They smoked it on the balcony of the apartment and went back to relaxing on the couch. They got along well and a conversation started about nothing and everything. A conversation that was very philosophical in nature but nothing was said of any real substance. They were shooting the shit. The topic of creativity came up and they all shared something creative they had done. Amy showed a painting she had made and was hoping to sell the following year. It was magnificent. Sindar played a song he had recorded and uploaded to Soundcloud. Hugo read a poem he had written during his stay in Austin. A feeling of camaraderie had developed within the group. After a while, Amy stepped back out on the patio to smoke a cigarette. Hugo joined her.

"Hey, thanks again for having us over," said Hugo.
"Yeah of course, you guys are a great time," replied Amy.
"Amy I just want to tell you that I really like you. I have never met anyone like you. I know this may come across as a little weird and I can't believe I'm saying this but do you mind if we take it slow?"

Hugo couldn't believe what he was saying. She lived in Austin, he lived in New York. He wasn't a long distance relationship kind of guy. He wasn't even a relationship kind of guy. He didn't like to admit it but he was just an average fuckboy. The kind that these modern times are built for. Fuck boys can't take things slow!

"We don't have to take it slow you know" replied Amy.
"And what do you know, I have instantly changed my mind! Hold that thought," said Hugo. He might have been stupid, but he was not insane. Amy laughed.

Oh my, this was a real situation indeed. He went back inside to have a stern talk with Sindar.

"Dude, you gotta go," said Hugo with a serious look on his face.
"What? Oh you want me to call an Uber?" asked Sindar a bit startled.
"I don't care if you jump off the balcony, you gotta go."
"Ok."

A few moments later, Amy walked in.

"What's going on?" asked Amy.
"Oh nothing, Sindar here was just getting an Uber home," replied Hugo.
"What! Why?" asked Amy, trying to be polite.
"You don't want me to leave?" asked Sindar. Sindar was one of those people you should not be polite with.
"No, of course not. Why would I want you to leave? Stay," replied Amy. What is happening?

Hugo was in a state of shock but he should not have been. How had Sindar still not called an Uber? He realized soon enough that Sindar had started to think Amy might be into him instead of Hugo. Or into them both maybe. He knew how the male brain worked. 'Oh she's spending time with me and likes my music, surely she has to be into me.' Sindar had gotten lost in the sauce. Clearly once the Soundcloud came on all bets were off. Honestly Hugo should have known better, this could have all been avoided. But when he did realize what was happening he knew he only had one option left. He wasn't about to play this game all night long, it was late enough already.

"Ok I'm really tired guys, I think its time to call it a night," said Hugo.
"Yeah you're probably right," said Sindar.
"Aww man, that's fine I guess," said Amy, clearly a little disappointed.

As they were about to leave, Sindar went over to give Amy a hug. Sensing that the hug was taking a little bit too long Hugo went over and broke it up way before the 20 second mark.

"Yeah, that's enough of that," Hugo said as he broke it up.

They all laughed. Then Amy and Hugo had their goodbye hug. It lasted well past the 20 second mark.

"Bye," said Amy.
"Until we meet again," said Hugo with a wink.

As the guys left, Hugo made sure that Sindar stepped out before he did. Once Sindar was out Hugo swiftly closed the door and locked him out. He put the latch on the door and turned around. Amy was laughing. He went up to her, grabbed her waist, pulled her in, and kissed her. She kissed him back. It got hot and heavy very quickly. He picked her up and took her into the bedroom.