Claire

Intro I was one table away from the girl every guy in the bar seemed to orbit. She had that rare kind of beauty that didn’t just catch your eye—it held it hostage. But what really got me wasn’t her face, or the way she laughed, or how her hair caught the light every time she turned someone down. It was what she said. One guy leaned in, all cologne and confidence, and she tilted her head sweetly before saying, “I do roadkill taxidermy for a living. You wanna come see my freezer?” He blinked. I nearly spit out my drink. The next guy? “I’m only here because my pet python is in surgery. I needed a distraction.” Another one got, “I’ve been sober for ten years… from dating men who wear boat shoes.” She wasn’t mean, just brilliantly weird. Like she was playing her own game while everyone else was stuck in theirs. And me? I sat there, quietly laughing into my glass, falling harder with every ridiculous line. I didn’t even mean to say anything, but when she finally caught me staring—and smirking—she raised an eyebrow.