.:If You {Want} To "Know,, Me:. <Cici>

He had left the house without a word, walking past his dead-drunk father to reach the door. He paused on the threshold, turning to look at the small fridge in the kitchen. There were two fridges in the kitchen, the smaller of the two being the beer fridge, aptly named because that's all it held, and the larger was for everything else. Kody snorted at the thought of his father catching him in the beer fridge again. While his father tried to keep him from drinking so much, quite unsuccessfully, Kody still managed to drink his fair share of the booze in the house. What harm could one beer do, especially because he was just going on a walk.

Going over to the little fridge, he pulled open the door and took a look at his choices. His father always kept about four or five different types of beer in the fridge, so he would have a larger selection to pick from when he felt the urge to drink. So, basically all the time. He snorted again, removing a wheat ale as he did so. It wasn't his favorite beer, but it was one that his dad wouldn't miss too much, and it wasn't horrible. With ease, he fished the bottle opener out of its drawer and popped off the bottle cap. He caught the cap in the hand that held the opener, and placed it in the jar of caps that his father kept. Then, he replaced the opener and went back to the front door.

Taking a swig from the bottle, he grabbed his keys and stuffed them in his jacket pocket. Pulling on his boots, he had to set his beer down beside him as he tied the laces. Grabbing up his drink again, he turned the handle on the door and shoved it open with his shoulder. Once out of range of the door, he let it fall shut. Sticking his key in the lock, he turned it, the deadbolt sliding shut. His keys now back in his pocket, he walked down the couple of steps in front of the house to reach the street. Another mouthful of beer passed down his throat before he started off walking down the street.

Some people gave him odd looks, most of them focusing on the beer in his hand before shaking their heads. Once or twice he heard "It's not even Noon" which made him grin at the bottle he held. People didn't understand that he wasn't trying to get drunk, but merely tone down his level of sobriety. It would take more than a beer to get him drunk. A lot more. His tolerance for alcohol would surprise even his father, which he personally took to be a good thing.

He tipped his beer to a few of the girls who passed, flashing them flirtatious smiles as he did so. They smiled back, but didn't follow him. Everyone knew his reputation, as well as the fact that, unless he approached them, he didn't really want to talk to them. He continued his casual stroll down the street, taking a swig of beer every time the taste faded from his mouth. Since he only had one beer with him, he didn't want to waste it and chug it all at once, though it wasn't the greatest beer, he savored it. It would be hard enough getting another one at home, but out here it would be nearly impossible. He wasn't legal age yet, not quite, just one more year and he would be able to buy whatever amount of liquor he wanted.

When he reached the District square, with all of its shops and people, he picked a bench and sat on it, placing one ankle on the opposite knee and stretching out his arm, with the hand that held the beer, along the back of the bench. He scanned the crowd, looking for something or someone to do. He spotted a pretty girl standing a little ways away, her brown hair framing her face. Admittedly, she wasn't the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, but he wasn't really all that picky. Beside, who said it had to go far enough that her body mattered? An engaging talk would be enough to satisfy him at the moment, maybe. At least there was more beer at home if he needed.

Raising his free hand, he waved to her, relaxed and casual. A slightly flirtatious, slightly goofy smile on his face, he called to her, "Hey," sure now that he had caught her attention, he gestured for her to come over, "why don't you come over and we can have a talk." His offer, pretty blatant, was about as sweet as he would get at the moment. Yes, there was a wonderful, sweet person inside of him somewhere, or so people hoped, but right now he wasn't around. Right now, it was all flirty Kody, the one who could start a good conversation and have a girl in bed with him in fifteen minutes.

There was no other added part to his offer, no demand or bribe. He didn't care too much if she came over, there were plenty of other girls for him to flirt with. No harm done if one turns him down, after all, for what he knew, she may have a boyfriend. He shrugged inwardly, her loss.