With my drink in hand, I flashed a friendly smile at the handsome bartender.
"Hey, could I borrow your phone? Mine's out of battery."
People working in places like this are usually tactful and accommodating, especially toward reasonable requests from female patrons. The bartender quickly unlocked his phone and handed it to me.
I swiftly sent a text and returned the phone with a polite "thank you."
Not long after, a man slid into the seat beside me.
"Hey, miss. All alone tonight?"
His obvious pickup line didn't spark any interest in me, but I forced a polite smile as I turned toward him.
His multicolored hair, rows of earrings, and smug demeanor screamed trouble. This was clearly not a man of good character—definitely not the type I was looking for.
My smile faded, and I didn't reply, making my lack of interest crystal clear.