Unhinged

Chapter Four

You got ready for work in a daze and even when you got to the bar, it felt like you were in a trance, just going through the motions.

You've slept with plenty of people of all types, if you vibe with someone and there's an attraction, yeah, it sometimes goes there. There's no shame in the random hookup game, but you never sleep with the same person because this is one of your fears – maybe letting him stay the night was where you went wrong. He just seemed so pissed. And hurt. The look that he gave you made your heart clench, and you regretted it immediately. But it was too late and if you went back – if you tried to get to know him any more than you had? No. You can't do this and you sure as hell weren't going to get involved with someone when you have so much shit following you around.

"Best friend!" Alex's voice snapped you from your thoughts, nearly spilling over the tap, and you lit up with a grin, handing the beer over to who asked for it before you ran around the bar to hug your friend.

"Hey! When did you get back?"

"Hey, Alex," Carl called from the door where they had blown past to get to you, "How're the folks?"

"They're great, thanks!" They cheered back and he smiled with a small nod, happy to hear it, before they turned to you again, "I just got to the apartment a little while ago, but some guy was outside? Said you took his phone and he got yours."

You furrowed your eyebrows before they held out your cell and you fished into your pocket, pulling out a black one when yours was purple.

"Fuck, didn't even notice." You mumbled, taking the phone from them, and they cocked an eyebrow.

"So, I asked why he didn't come find you himself, since you know, your one nighters usually come from the bar – really shouldn't eat where you shit, but whatever, and guess what he said."

"Um," You cringed at the possibility, offering weakly, "He was running late?"

"He said you're a dick and he didn't want to see you again – asked me to bring him his phone," They kept their hand out for it, "Paid me twenty bucks too."

You went to give it back, but it kept lighting up with text messages, your eyes drawn to it.

"Who's Sam?" Alex mumbled and someone shouted behind you both, needing a drink.

"His...best friend," You told them absentmindedly and then realized, "Wait, he's outside?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I'll give you fifty bucks if you tell him he has to come get it himself and I accidentally sent nudes to Sam."

"You're a little evil," They squinted with a smirk, and you shrugged, at a loss, because you honestly didn't know why you wanted to see him, but you knew this would work, "And I'll do it because then it's like the train back here was free – he's cute by the way, are you going to keep this one?"

"Too clingy." You looked away.

"Says the distant one." They hummed before leaving and you rushed behind the bar to serve the people impatiently waiting.

"Thanks for the assist, Leo!" You yelled back into the kitchen sarcastically as Alex high fived Carl for something on their way out, "Real big help!"

"Cranberry vodka on the rocks."

"Can I get a gin and tonic with a twist?"

"Diet Pepsi with just like a dozen cherries?"

That order made you look up and you squinted at the younger boy asking for it, completely avoiding eye contact.

"How old are you?" You asked with a small smile, eyeing him curiously as you made the other drinks, and not noticing the scruffy guy storming down the stairs into the bar.