With Strings Attached

Breakup and Wakeup

"I'm breaking up with you."
Tears swelled up in my eyes, I made out the blurry sight of my next ex-boyfriend Joe walking away from me in the middle of the street.
How could someone just break off a 3 year relationship?! I was beyond hurt.
I walked into the bar across from the coffee shop we were supposed to be having date night at. I sat down at the bar and ordered some shots of Tequila. I hated feeling sorry for myself so I thought why not even feel it if I don't have to.
I took the first 3 shots one by one with a lime in between of course.
"Impressive!" A voice came from behind me I turned to face a tall black hair, brown eyed handsome guy  who was smirking down at me.
"It's been a rough day." I defended my drinking display.
He sat down on the seat next to me. "Tell me about it." He kept his gaze on me.
"What are you? A therapist?" I giggled under my breath.
"Actually I'm studying to be a counselor." He rubbed the back of his neck looking down at his shoes.
"Whoops." I laughed
I got up from the seat grabbed my bag and went to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror I was wearing a low cut red tank top, black ripped jeans,  and wiped under my eyes to remove some of the smudged mascara.
I checked the time it was only 9:30 and I was nowhere near drunk enough. I came back out and sat in my previous seat.
"Hi again." The stranger greeted me.
"Hi." I glanced over.
"So..." the stranger continued.
"Yes?" I ordered a few more shots by motioning towards the bar tender.
"What has you drinking... tequila of all things?" He glanced down at the previously empty shot glasses.
"If you must know I was just dumped in the middle of the street by my boyfriend of 3 years, so I just didn't think a cappuccino would suffice for the evening." I came off slightly more snarky and agitated then I intended to.
He nodded silently.
The bar tender came back over to this side of the bar.
Giving the handsome stranger his drinks which he picked up and  threw back rather quickly, got up and returned to the table of college age boys he'd come with.
Finally the bartender handed me my 2 shots.
I threw both back and chased with some lime. By that time I felt numb enough, I was definitely drunk. I headed towards the door past the handsome stranger and stumbled as I headed to the door. "Woah..." he spoke up from beside me trying to give me an assisting arm.
"I'm good." I barked at him.
"Ok. Ok. Wait what did you say your name was?" He continued to stand beside me, the room was spinning a little bit.
"It's Bella." I said dryly.
"Well... Bella you aren't sober." He implied as I stood leaning against the wall.
"Wow Thankyou..?" I searched for a name but remembered he hadn't told me his name yet.
"I'm Jack." He offered his hand but I just leaned against the wall blankly.
"Let me drive you home." He offered.
"I'm sorry mr handsome stranger but I barely know you and even me knows that." I mumbled.
He laughed.
"Look I've had one drink, and to be honest I think you need a friend right now." He smiled gently.
"Um yeah."I barely responded.
I felt his arm wrap around my waist and he lead me out the door.
"Jack she's a good one." I heard a voice call at him.
"I'm a good one?" I smiled stupidly.
He laughed. "Keys?" He asked me.
I dug in my pocket and out fell my phone with the lock screen of me and Joe. Jack picked up the phone.
"This is your Joe?" He asked showing me the phone.
"Mhm." I teared up, I must've been hitting my emotional drunk phase.
"This guy is in my frat house! He's a total jerk Bella! He hits on girls every other night!" The handsome stranger informed me I cried hysterically. He came closer to me.
"Come on don't cry. I'm not good with that stuff." He said as he stood as I was crying more hysterically.
Suddenly I felt him pull me into a hug. I stopped crying and calmed down.
"Okay good. Keys?" He said as I unwrapped from the hug.
I handed him the cold metal keys and he handed me the phone.
He unlocked my little white bmw, and I got in the passenger seat.
"Oh good at least you have "home" bookmarked in your navigation." We drove and I dozed off.
He finally pulled up to some of the college apartment complexes. "Bella you go here?" He asked excitedly.
"Mm" I mumbled still out of it.
"You live in the campus apartments?" He asked
"Yeah ye." I responded in a mumbled manner.
He got out of the car and walked around the car to open my door helping me out of the car slowly.
We walked to the elevator and once we were in he asked which floor I was, "Bella what number?" He asked as I leaned on the wall.
"5." I mumbled.
We got to the floor and we walked to the end of the hall where he opened the door and I basically fell onto the couch.
"Well..." he began.
"I think I'm gonna go." He said awkwardly.
I sat up.
"Jack?" I started to say slowly.
"Yeah." He responded glancing over as I put my head in my hands.
"I don't wanna be alone." I started to cry again.
"Bella..." he started.
"It's ok. You don't know me it's ok." I wiped my eyes.
He sat next to me.
"Here call me tomorrow." He gestured fir the phone in my hand.
He put his number in my phone and left shortly after.
I don't remember sleeping on the couch but woke up with a killer hangover. It was bright outside when I woke up and I checked my phone it was 1pm.
It was Saturday and I had no classes. I found jacks number and texted him.
Me: Hey thanks for taking me home! Hope you got back to your place ok. I'm so embarrassed I hope we can forget all about last night.
Jack: I don't wanna forget last night, happy I could help :)
Jack: coffee?

All of sudden I heard a knock at my door.
I opened to see Jack holding two coffees and a bag.
"Hi." He smiled shyly. I opened the door more and he walked in setting the coffee on the counter.
"What are you doing?" I asked confused.
"Checking up on you." He said genuinely.
"Look Jack that's sweet of you but I'm not really looking for something I just got out of something." I said dryly.
"Look I'm just bringing coffee that's it. You kinda needed someone in your corner last night and I decided to be that someone." He shook his head.
He stood up. "Got it! I'm not wanted here." He sounded frustrated.
"Wait!" I got up.
"Don't go." I finished.
I grabbed his surprisingly muscular arm.
"I do need a friend. Thankyou." I sat back down and he sat next to me.
The red of the afternoon we talked and got to know each other and I hadn't laughed that long in awhile.