Catching up: Ashley and Belinda

[pikazard]

Ashley would nod when Belinda went to get another round and would get out her phone when she was told to pick some more dates. She gave Belinda a sheepish smile when the girl patted her shoulder, had she figured out that Ashley was lying? Once Belinda was gone Ashley would check her calendar app on her phone, remarking at how despite the lie she had told Belinda this month was actually a great month for this, her schedule was completely open until the middle of next month. Speaking of her lie, Ashley found herself wondering how exactly Belinda was so good at seeing through her lies; Ashley was of course completely oblivious to her tells.

When Belinda came back Ashley would thank her and accept her drink, taking a long sip before she set it back down and prepared to lie "Well I'm pretty heavily booked for the rest of this month, but if she's free at the start of next month then I'm pretty much available for a whole week." This was not entirely a lie, she was free for the whole of that week, she was just also free for the weeks before as well. Ashley was starting to worry that she'd blown it, what if Belinda decided to call the whole thing off because Ashley's lying? She would take another sip of her drink nervously, awaiting Belinda's response.

[Devastated]

Belinda could enjoy the fact that she had been able to pretty easily pick up on what she felt was some pretty telling tells from Ashley. Smirking a bit as she came back with the drinks, switching up to something stronger. More alcohol of course! Belinda would take her seat and watch the fellow blonde. She would nod her head a bit as she watched Ashley continue her little charade. "I'll let her know." Belinda said as she would start to tap on her phone, sending a message off to Aurora about when she Ashley was free.

" And now we wait...remember she is usually pretty busy so if you can't meet at the start of the next month, then maybe you'll just have to take another time." Belinda said as she would take a long sip of her own drink. Tilting her head a bit, " of course if she can't hang out with you. I could always kick your butt another time." Belinda teased as she would throw a wink towards Ashley, taking yet another long sip of her appletini.

[pikazard]

Ashley would nod along as Belinda told her that she might have to arrange a different time if Aurora couldn't meet her at the start of the month. Ashley would calmly take a sip of her drink, then almost spit it out when Belinda cheekily teased her. Taking a moment to properly swallow Ashley would narrow her eyes at Belinda "Oh yeah? Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" Maybe it was just the alcohol speaking, but Ashley couldn't be any more sure that what she was about to say was a great idea "How about you and I have a little competition right now then?" she would suggest, planting her elbow on her table with her hand raised; a classic challenge for an arm wrestling match.

[Devastated]

Belinda would raise an eyebrow as she saw Ashley bring her arm up and place her elbow down against the table. The Swedish-American would nod her head and take a good long sip of her martini. " Hoho~ You think your strong enough for that?" Belinda said as she would raise her arm and put it down on the table, elbow down and palm wide open next to Ashley's.

Belinda would slowly wrap her hand around Ashley's, giving it a firm squeeze as she would then wink her eye at Ashley. " Ready when you are."

[pikazard]

Ashley had a satisfied grin on her face when Belinda accepted her challenge and planted her arm on the table, asking her if she thought she was strong enough "There's only one way to find out." Ashley would remark as the two of them clasped their hands together "Alright, on three. One. Two. Three!" As soon as they begun Ashley would go full throttle, her competitive nature rearing its head as she would push with all her might from the start, hoping to take Belinda off guard and get an early win.

[Devastated]

Belinda would smile as she reached for Ashley's hand with her own, clasping their hands together and fingers weaved tightly shut around one another's hand. " As I remember it...I am stronger than you~" Belinda teased as she thought back to their few grapples in their match. Though as Ashley counted down, Belinda was quite surprised as Ashley would go full throttle! The arm of Belinda would quiver a bit and start to be forced down...but quickly she put a stop to it, grunting out as she stared firmly into Ashley's eyes.

" NNn...n-not bad..." Belinda let out as she would try and fight her way back to a neutral ground, looking to force them back to the start and then try and bully Ashley's arm down instead!

[pikazard]

Ashley let out a slight laugh as Belinda reminded her that when they fought she was the stronger of the two, but this fact didn't seem to shake the blonde's confidence as the two of them prepare for this competition "I've been hitting the gym since then, so who knows how this'll go?" For the first few moments of the match Ashley's confidence seemed to be well founded as she started to push Belinda's arm down, but before it went too far Belinda was able to stop her progress and even start to reverse their paths, instead pushing down on Ashley's arm. This went on until their arms were hanging above the table at a 45 degree angle, with Ashley's hand being the one facing down.

"Nngh..." Ashley would grunt, not having the concentration to spare for words. With a burst of energy Ashley would push back on Belinda's arm, giving enough force that the two of them would be at a stalemate, though Ashley was still in the worse position. Even though they had not been at this for long Ashley could already feel that their palms was covered in sweat from effort. Belinda would be able to see that Ashley's face was full of concentration, she was clearly taking this very seriously for just a friendly competition at a random bar.

[Devastated]

Belinda would nod her head as the two of them started the competition, she couldn't tell if Ashley had been to the gym or not, they were already pretty closely matched with Belinda barely edging out over the fellow blond. Now as they were struggling and trying to overwhelm the other, Belinda managed to force her way up to a stalemate and then started to force Ashley down!

The heads of most of the patrons in the bar started to turn and look on at the two and after a few more seconds of struggle a crowd had gathered around them. Belinda's arm flexed as she just barely stopped the sudden burst of power from Ashley and kept them at a perfect stalemate in the center. Arms shaking as she could feel sweat building up on her hand. She grit her teeth and kept a serious face filled with concentration, piercing eyes glaring at Ashley as she kept push and trying to force Ashley down.

The two of them locked in a hell of a contest! Just like their match the momentum swung back and forth and now it was at a dead even. " Nnngh.." Belinda grunted as she would narrow her eyes a bit, sparks practically flying between their shared gaze at one another's eyes.

[pikazard]

As the two of them struggled for dominance with their hands clasped together they would end up attracting the attention of some of the other patrons of the bar who gathered to watch. Some of them would mutter among themselves as they watched, seemingly trying to guess who was going to win "I think the girl in the black shirt's got this." "Nah, my money's on the one with the red eyes." One of the young men in the crowd actually recognised the two of them from LAW and decided to record the arm wrestling competition on his phone.

If Ashley even noticed that a crowd had formed she didn't show it, though with how intently she was glaring at Belinda and their clasped hands it was entirely plausible that she didn't know they were there. The blonde could feel sweat starting to form on her forehead, though with how tight the stalemate currently was she didn't want to risk losing her focus so she didn't do anything about it. Ashley would take a deep breath in and go for one big push, leaning in to put all of her weight behind the push. If this didn't bring Belinda's hand to the table nothing would.

[Devastated]

Belinda only had focus on Ashley right now, she hadn't noticed the gathering crowd as she glared into Ashley's eyes. The two similar looking blonde's engaged in this fierce competition as their arms flexed and swayed back and forth in this nearly dead even contest. While the crowd was starting to shout and cheer and placing actual bets, nothing overtly serious but betting a drink or two on who would win.

Already feeling a big of sweat form on her hand from the tight grip and a bit on her forehead as well, Belinda would see Ashley take that deep breath and watch her go in for that big push! Belinda grit her teeth harder and harder, so much that her teeth might actually start to crack had they not been pristine and free of cavities. She held against Ashley as best as she could, her arm shaking and flexing more than ever before as she was being brought downward slowly but surely.

However, the Swedish-American would try and throw her own last ditch effort into it, inhaling deeply through her nose as she would try and force her way back up and tip the scales, looking to push in with everything she had to try and slam Ashley's hand down against the table.