gonna drink my blues away... open

[BENJAMIN JAMES CHARLESTON]

Another long day of work at the Academy and reviewing applications for new students for spring semester and new teachers to start in fall. He liked that his school was something that people around here aspired to - to attend or to teach at. But it all meant extra work for him and most of the time he hated that. So here he sat, at the bar at O'Riley's, drinking scotch on the rocks and eating bar peanuts.

It's just another late evening during the week when his kids are at their mother's house. He hated to be alone, so here he was, passing time and getting drunker by the minute. "Barkeep", he said aloud and raised his hand to get another refill. "One more and I'm done" he said to her, noticing the look of 'I'm about to cut you off' coming from her. He knew that look all too well - it's the same look his ex-wife used to give him when they lived together.

He had been sitting at the bar now for about an hour and was on his fourth and final drink. He slouched over the bar, placing his forehead on his arm that was propped up, rubbing his temple with this thumb and finger. When did life get so hard to live, he wondered to himself. He signed aloud and finished off his scotch.

[EMILIE GRACE BENNETT]

outfit- www.polyvore.com/untitled/set?id=7422812

After a long day of grading papers, and being kept on her toes by her students Kate could use some down time and unwind. She drove over to O'Riley's for a quick drink, and then go home and relax. Maybe throw in a relaxing bubble bath, yeah that sounds wonderful. She had thrown on something cute, yet simple outfit. She let her hair down, the multiple curls did a little bounce as she walked. Her side part was braided back to the side of her head, and you could see her small earrings.

She walked in and greeted the doorman smiling, and slowly walked to the bar. Only seeing a few people at the bar, she reached the bar standing a few feet from a older gentleman, and she waited for the bartender to get done with someone. She flagged her down, and smiled. She greeted her and they briefly told each other about their days. " Can I have a gin and tonic," asked Emilee. She looked at the gentleman next to her, and some Advil and water for my friend here," she said softly and set her bag next to her. She looked at the gentleman again. Was it... " Dean Charleston?"

[BENJAMIN JAMES CHARLESTON]

He hated having to spend his evenings alone; it always made life seem so much more depressing. He just wished he’d had Melody to hang out with tonight like most other nights he was doomed to be alone. Although, it hadn’t taken him that long to notice the girl that suddenly seemed to appear beside him. He’d taken a few side-glances at her, listened to her order a gin and tonic. He tried to ignore the fact that she was there; he mostly wanted to just drown in his own loneliness. Then he heard his name.

“Yes…” he said, turning to actually look at the girl’s face this time, noticing her beauty before realizing she was one of his teachers at Rosewood. “Ms Bennett” he said, drunkenly trying to make out her face in the haze of his mind. He shook his head again, trying to clear his mind. “How are you this lovely evening?” He asked her, trying to be nice but not truthfully caring about her answer. Then a glass of water and some aspirin appeared in front of him, he glanced at the bartender who just smiled at him. He took the pills, chasing them with some water. How thoughtful.

[EMILIE GRACE BENNETT]

Emilee looked at her boss and almost wanted to feel sorry for the man, but she had no respect for the a man who would drown his sorrows at a bar and just get drunk till he fell over. She frowned and looked down at her gin and tonic that was placed in front of her and and she slowly took a sip. Placed it back down in front of her and slowly sat down in the stall next to him and leaned back, and crossed her leg slowly. She rested her arm on the bar and just looked at him, almost wanting to judge him right here, but she refrained from doing so. Here was a man whom she looked up, and now here he was slumping over a bar, and a scotch in front of him.

No, she wasn't going to judge him. She looked down and sipped her gin and tonic. She took a deep breath, wow there was certainly gin in there. She looked at his expression and replied," I am doing well sir, just got done grading some papers, and now to unwind before heading back home. How are you sir," she asked. She could only guess what and why he was here. She knew about his nasty divorce and his ex-wife, but that was no reason to be at the bar at this time when the divorce was years ago. She watched him take the pills and said softly, " Thought you might need them if this is your last drink," she said.

[BENJAMIN JAMES CHARLESTON]

He had always hated how shook up this small Georgia town had gotten when he and his wife divorced. It wasn’t exactly something that many people in the south did at all. He’d swallowed his pride many times when it came to people talking behind his back, and sometimes even to his face. It took a lot for him to not punch some guy out for making a remark about him and his home life. Even walking the halls of his school was like being on stage naked. He hated the stares from his own staff and teachers, and he hated all the casseroles and meals that had been brought to his home as if someone had died. Nope, just his marriage.

Now he was getting that look from a teacher at his school, the same look he’d gotten so many times before and then he noticed it changed suddenly. He wondered what was on her mind, and why she looked so disgusted at him. He wondered about her and her home life, at this very moment he couldn’t even tell you which class she taught or if she was married and had kids.

“Good to hear. And stop calling me Sir. We aren’t at work” he said, running a hand through his short and spiky hair. “I’m doing alright, today was just exceptionally bad.” He exclaimed, hoping to not seem so depressed and off kilter to his employee. He hated that people that worked for him saw him in this condition from time to time, but what else was he supposed to do in this damn small town? Drink at home, alone? That’s depressing.

“Thanks” he said to her, for the pills and water. “Yeah, I’ve got to sober up and call a cab to take me home.” He waved to the bar tender, asking for some coffee.

[EMILIE GRACE BENNETT]

Emilee looked at him and finished the small bit of drink that she had left. She put the glass down and ate a few pretzels that were offered on the counter. " Sorry Ben, it's just a habit of mine. It's a hard habit to break. Why are you having a hard day? The sun was shining, the students were well behaved and we got our academic scores back. We are still nationally ranked," she said and ate one more pretzel. When he mentioned that he needed to sober up and took a deep breath, " I can take you home if you don't want to wait for a cab," she said and paid her tab.