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Abbey found herself enjoying listening to him talk about music. She didn't understand all the technical, but he was very passionate about the topic. It was quite interesting. She pushed her hair out of her face and then moved to quickly tie her hair up off of her neck. It was hot and she always had a spare hair tie on her. It came from around her wrist, mixed in with some of the bracelets. It was a messy ponytail, but it would do for now.

"Do you wanna go walk around outside while we talk? It's so hot still." The back of her neck was still sweating.

She slowly grabbed her margarita in hand and got out of the stool before breathing out a warm sigh.

"Also no. Believe it or not, I don't get paid as much as some, so I supplement with a Walmart job." She wasn't even joking. Abbey wished she was, but the pained expression on her face said it all. She took a long drink of her drink, now it was under half, but that was fine.

When Yukio mentioned he wasn't a full DJ, her head spun to look at him. "Wait. What? Really? You're not a full DJ? I thought you would be by now." While she didn't know his whole repertoire, but he was so good at his music. Abbey may or may not be scooting toward the side exit that the smokers used.

She shuddered when the door opened and the chill hit her. Ugh. Abbey pulled her jacket around her more tightly and just braved it. While not a smoker, Abbey didn't mind hanging out for the chance to cool down.

When Yukio pulled out a cigarette, she seemed unphased, shrugging at his questions.

"I mean, it's not ideal, but I'm not working fast food, and I don't usually get anyone grabbing my a**. Sometimes I'll get a cranky old person or a Karen, but for the most part it's... scan items, bag items." Boring. So beyond boring. "There's a couple of vids on TikTok of me on shift dealing with these kinds of people. One time though, I did get slapped. She was arrested and I pressed charges. Newly eighteen at the time. Happy birthday, right?" She rolled her eyes and glanced off at the others who were out here smoking.

That one break would be a god send. She didn't like worrying about money all the time. "Yeah. I'm working with the same brands as you know, the big TikTokkers, not as big ticket items as them, but hey. It's a start and it's more money than Walmart... Just not as reliable." Brand deal money was squirreled away but it also ran out rather quickly.

Putting her arms above her head, Abbey stood in front of Yukio and stretched. "Programming like computers or like... games?" She knew there was a difference.

A song played in her head as she took in his sunglasses at night. Not for the first time since meeting him tonight, either. It was probably going to be on repeat when she got home. Abbey had the urge to crowd into his space and put her hands on his chest, but she was a flirt who was sipping at her drink now. Luckily she didn't spill when she'd stretched.

"Mmm. I don't know, I think computer programming is more important right? You can't code games without some form of computer coding and stuff." At least, as far as she knew. Abbey didn't study anything beyond basic keyboarding in school. She could type like a beast but was very uneducated in the ways of anything beyond plug and play. "But yeah. I get money from my cashier job, and I get new outfits for my TikTok gig. I'm thinking about taking up roller-skating to do dancing on them. I used to go to the public rink when I was younger."

Then it wasn't as cool when she got older. Now she just didn't care. She could dance on skates, and not on the ice? Sign her up.

When he mentioned teaming up, Abbey's eyes lit up and she met his gaze before nodding enthusiastically. "Hell yeah, I'm down. Collab and stuff. That'd be so fun. Man... s**t, what could we do together too? Dancing vids do so well in TikTok. We could also do beer pong, but instead of beer, it's water, and there are dares we have to do instead. I saw it in a YouTube video. Fear Pong I think they called it? Seemed really fun. We'd need someone else to come up with the dares or punishments though..."

Now she seemed to be rambling. Abbey didn't notice it, however. Instead she finished off her drink and was now drumming one of her painted nails on the glass as she thought.

She grinned when he agreed, a slow-spreading thing creeping across her face. Top teeth bit down on her bottom lip as he continued talking, and then she nodded at his question. It was a bit too chilly to be out here longer than a cigarette, even if the wind was blocked off.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

With the empty glass in hand, she took his other, threaded their fingers together, and weaved her way back into the warmth and loudness that was the bar. It was filling out with more people now, the dance floor was about half full, and their previous spots at the bar had been taken. That's fine. Abbey kept his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. She slowed down and tugged him to one side. "More soda and dancing or do you have other plans?" Abbey spoke loudly to stay above the music, that was more typical of this kind of place. Lots of deep, thumping bass.

They agreed to meet, and they'd already been here a couple of hours, from the looks of things.