Perfect Match by Kelly Arlia

was always his favorite hang out, whether
it was for catching a football game or dancing on a Friday night.
He smiled as he walked into the bar remembering that the last time
he was here; he had an awesome night with Noelle, and knew he was
going to make himself have a good night tonight.
    Jackson and his friends walked up to the bar
and waited for the bartender. He was glad in a way to see Skippy
serving patrons, just as he had that first night. They sat on the
opposite side from where Skippy was, which was fine by him. He was
slow anyway. Jackson looked around and kind of laughed to himself.
He used to hang out here all the time, and even though it wasn’t
the same crowd that he hung with, the people were still the same;
the women that spent hours getting ready in the hopes of finding
Mr. Right, or the men that spent five minutes getting ready in the
hopes of hooking up with Miss Right Now. A pretty red-headed
bartender set cocktail napkins down in front of him and his cousin,
Chad. She seemed to know Chad so she knew right away what they
would be having. Jackson had to wonder if she was one of his
cousin’s girls. Jackson just wanted a regular beer. He didn’t need
anything else. The bartender looked right in his eyes, and nodded
when he told her what he wanted. She showed no signs of
recognition. “Bullet” was on a break, so tonight he was just
Jackson. As he waited for “Red” to come back with his beer, he
looked around some more. He forgot about the couples out on dates,
whether it was a couple in a relationship that wanted to go out for
a night or those couples that were on a first date, it didn’t
matter the years. The types of people were always going to be the
same. He noticed a couple sitting at a booth against the wall
closest to the deejay booth. He took a double take. There was
Noelle…with a guy. What. The. Fuck? “Chad, there’s Noelle.”
    “Where?” Chad said as he followed Jackson’s
gaze. Chad knew about all about Noelle, and how he also knew
Jackson still was hung up on her. He heard all about how Jackson
was peeved that he hasn’t heard from her. Normally, Jackson would
run right over to her but who she was with stopped him. “Looks like
she is on a date,” Chad observed.
    Jackson took a good look at the guy. He
didn’t recognize him. He disliked him instantly. He especially
didn’t like the way he kept looking at Noelle. He was a guy, so he
knew that look. He was interested in her, that was for sure. He
kept looking at her, gazing down to her chest. Not that she wore
anything that was revealing in the least. He had to admit that he
liked that she didn’t. Jackson also noticed the way “Mr. Evil”
chugged his drink. That bothered him. What if he got so drunk and
tried something with her? Or worse. What if he tried driving Noelle
somewhere? He didn’t know what was bothering him more, the fact
that this guy was a total loser and was spending an evening with
Noelle, or the fact that he hasn’t heard from her and tonight he
sees her here with this jerk. “I don’t like it,” Jackson spit
out.
    “That’s she’s not with you? Do you know the
guy?” Chad asked.
    Jackson just stared at the couple. He should
be the one sitting across from her. To hell with Larry’s rule. He
couldn’t believe this. So much for having a good night. He didn’t
like it at all and he knew that jealousy had taken over any
reasonable thoughts that he may be having. “No, I don’t, but I know
that I don’t like him. Look at him. He’s practically all over her.”
Mr. Evil looked very sleazy, and not at all the type of guy
that
    he’d want to see Noelle with. What the hell
was she doing with someone with long hair? Man, if Larry would see
this guy, he’d be putting his no wrestler rule aside that’s for
sure.
    “Let’s go over there,” Chad suggested.
    “I can’t just go over there, but I will keep
my eye on them to make sure he doesn’t try anything with her.”
Jackson stood there