One Shots

Happy For You

"Can you take me to the bar on 37th?" I asked the middle-aged man sitting in the taxi. "Yeah, kid. Wherever you want." I leaned my head against the window and sighed as I heard the familiar drum beats on the radio. "Hey, can you change the song, man?" He glanced at me briefly and shut the radio off. "Relationship problems?" I closed my eyes and noded slowly. "Yeah, actually.""Need to talk about her?" I looked at him briefly. "Well, she happened to be the drummer for that band on the radio.. Jess" I felt my heart drop at the mention of her name. She still lived in the same apartment across the hall. We hadn't bumped into each other yet. I thanked god every time I walked through that door and didn't see her face. Funny, how I thanked something I don't believe in. If she ever came back maybe I would. He let me talk and just listened. I thanked him when we got to the bar and began handing him cash. "Don't worry about it." He smiled at me apologetically. I nodded my thanks and headed in. "Hey, Alix!" Ashley yelled from the bar. I walked over and sat down in front of her. "One beer, please?" She raised an eyebrow, "Saturdays are your days off. Why are you at this hell hole?" I shrugged as she handed me the bottle. I took a swig and swallowed it, savoring the burning taste as it hit my throat. "Her, huh?" I nodded and swirled the bottle around. She clenched her jaw at something behind me and I began to turn my head. "Don't" I sighed and turned around on my seat. There she was. Jess Bowen. The girl I'd give everything for. All the money in the world. My heart. Soul. I gave my everything. The last day was a screaming mess. I haven't had to see her in so long. I knew for a fact that her band was on tour. The Summer Set was always my favorite. I've known the boy since high school. They invite me out and I bite my lip and shake my head. "Fuck love. Fuck her. Fuck everything." I stood up and Ashley grabbed my shoulder. "Can I bum a smoke?" I whispered. She laughed and cleared her throat when she saw my seriousness. "You don't smoke." I shrugged and she held out the carton, "What have I got left to lose?" I do smoke. No one knows that though. I patted my pants pocket to check for my lighter. She growled and I turned once again. A brunette had her arms wrapped around Jess as they swayed to the slower songs playing through the dimly lit bar. She was smiling. Laughed. "I'll be on the roof." I mumbled before making my way through the crowd of people. As I bumped into the couple I noticed they were parting from a kiss. "Alix?" Jess whispered and I darted my eyes to her direction. "Alix, wait" She tried to grab onto me, but I dashed through the crowd of strangers and up the stairs that led to the roof. I sat with my back against the brick enclosing the top of the building. I dangled the cigarette between my lips and lit it, letting the smoke form a cloud above me. "You said you didn't smoke."

"And you said you loved me. We both lied."

"That's... that's not fair.." She whispered and looked down. "Love's not fair.." I whispered just as quietly before taking a long drag. "So you saw me and my girlfriend."

"Yep." I looked at her. She was biting her lip as tears filled her eyes. I wanted to do nothing more than hold her in my arms and kiss the pain away. I stood up and put out the cigarette before looking up at the night sky. "Sure pretty.. I like how the blue is so dark it's almost black."

"Like your eyes." I raised an eyebrow at her and she blushed. "I.. have to.. go.. I'll see you around." I nodded and waited awhile before making my way back down the stairs. I sat at the bar drinking bottle after bottle until a girl approached me. She was pretty hot to say the least. From somewhere in England. She was flirting and I looked up at Ashley for her nod of approval. She smiled and I took the girls hand after her offer to get out of the bar. The last thing I remember seeing that night was Jess glaring at the girl under my arm as we left the bar. When  woke up the unfamiliar girl was laying beside and my head was throbbing. I hate hangovers. The girl awoke suddenly and looked at me. "I have to go.." She said as she pulled her clothes on quickly. I ran my fingers through my bed head. I walked her to the door and stood in the door frame. A sleepy Jess was making her way down the hallway with the small brunette's fingers interlocked with her own. "Bye.." The girl whispered. "I love you.." Jess smiled, "I love you too, babe." I sighed softly as the girl walked away. Almost shutting my door before Jess posed a question. "Are you.. okay with this?" I faked a smile at her and nodded. "I'm happy for you. She just better know that you deserve the world.. Maybe she's a better me.. or just better.. I just hope you know how amazing you are... and that she does too.." She nodded and walked over to me. She bit her lip as if thinking about her next mood. Then she wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my shoulder like she always used to. "Thanks, Alix..""Don't thank me.. " She nodded before walking into her own apartment. I shut my door and slid down the back of it. Why had I lied? Well, under this 'I don't give a fuck' exterior I still loved her. And always will. I let the tears run down my face and whispered, "I guess I'm happy for you...."