One night was all it took: Season 3 "One second was all it took"

Night

As the tiredness falls over me, I scan the empty and mostly darkened bar.

"It is pretty damn late. Gentleman." I say and twirl my pointy finger at Jack and Bill. "We are closing...Finish those beers a little faster, please!"

I glance back at Jared. "Flip it, boyfriend!" I say, pointing toward the last light switch.

He smiles and flips the switches. "It's flipped girlfriend." He coughs. "Oh, and by the way. Since a few people are not around us now..." He glances around the bar. "I have to be honest. I think...and do not quote me because I could be wrong...but I think Gemma and Rya have a thing going on. Like...in the bed type of thing. One girl on another and they are just hiding it."

Natalia's eyes grew wide. The scrunch of her nose and forehead can mean either she's surprised or she's thinking 'Shut up Jared.'

"They are not!" She argues defending the two of them. "I thought they were too. I thought I had busted them. They are close friends. But Gemma is trying to help Rya get this guy she's been chasing for a while."

There is this bit of jealous rage inside of me. I am in love with Natalia, but Rya has always been with me through thick and thin. I have seen her having sex, but something about her and Gemma connecting just gets under my skin.

I scoff and look over at the TV screen as I hit the power button on the remote. "That shit will never happen. Rya is mostly into guys. She would have hooked up with a couple of different girls..." I pause after realizing I sound like a jealous ex. "Actually. It's not my damn business."

Natalia turns her attention to me with lowered eyelids and a questionable expression on her face.

"You sounded very irritable right there." She argues, looking me up and down. "You've been full of surprises this evening, let's not make Rya one of those surprises.

"Yeah!" Jared adds as he slides the bleach bucket underneath the sink.

"Lacey! Baby!" He says while reaching for the bar rag and wiping down the last spot on the bar. "Your girl is right here and you're making it sound like you're hiding something about you and Rya. I had shut up right now. And we all know how the two of you almost 'ice rink with the pink'."

"Number one..." I say and pause. What the fuck is 'Ice rink the pink'?"

"Sliding back and forth!" He interrupts with a smile while staring at his clean bar top. "A little 'scoot scoot' baby!"

"And number two." I argue, confused as fuck as to what the hell he's trying to say "you two are reading this wrong. Rya and I... are best friends and have been for a long time. There is nothing between us and I don't even have to defend my statements. Fuck all of you."

"Or just fuck Rya!" Jared quickly yells back as I walk away.

I throw my hands up as I walk toward the kitchen door. I am irritated, and Natalia is my everything and always will be, but everyone knows Rya and I may have had something if Natalia didn't exist.

"I love Natalia more than life itself!" I argue. "And I will always care for Rya as a best friend. We kissed one time, and I had one hell of a dream that I should have kept my mouth shut about."

"Yes, you should've!" Jared adds, interrupting me again.

Turning my attention back to Jack and the last bit of beer that he is pouring into his mouth, it's evident he's going to add to this conversation, and it better be in my damn defense.

"You all are arguing over the dumbest shit," Jack argues while Bill nods his head in agreement. "Natalia. I have known Lacey for an exceptionally long time and if there is one thing that I know. It is that she will never change for anyone. She has always been a strong-willed, 'takes-no-shit,' independent woman. You are the first person in history to change how she thinks, feels, acts...and even dates. So, let's just say she feels something for Rya inside her heart. You still have full control of her heart and that would be a tiny space for Rya, not even enough for a pin to enter."

Jack reaches for Bill's bottle of beer and slides it to Jared. "And no offense. But neither one of you ladies should be taking any advice from Jared. He cannot keep his pants on for the same guy for longer than a day. Shit, I'm old and ugly and I bet if I washed up and worked hard enough, he'd give it to me..." He pauses and looks Jared up and down with a slight look of disgust, quickly shivering.

"Not that I'd want it," Jack says and raises his hands in defense. "My door only swings one way...and the hinges are rusty as hell."

Jared whips his bar rag down. "No offense!" He says with anger radiating from his tone. "Old man, you just called me a slut!"

"That's because you are one," Jack says with a smile and stands up from his barstool, twisting around and reaching for his jacket. "Jared, son! I am not going to argue with you on the definition of a 'slut,' because...well...you are the definition."

Jared averts his eyes and shakes his head. His mouth is half open while he stares off into nothing with a look of shock on his face.

"Is he for real right now?" The pitch in Jared's voice is higher than usual. "Imma...Imma..." He releases a long and heavy breath.

Bill smirks and slides his other arm through his jacket. He knows he won this battle for now. "You're not going to do anything because we all know I am right. And the fact that you are even trying to fight this logic is exactly what is wrong with your generation. Take responsibility for your actions!"

Jared waves his hand with a nasty smirk drawn on his face. "B-bye gentlemen. See both of you wonderful bitches tomorrow."

Jared turns around, reaches for a bottle of scotch, and quickly grabs the glass he just cleaned.

"Jared! What the hell are you doing?" I asked in frustration. "We are leaving. We are all going home. Stop drinking!"

"I'm sorry! Bill...Jack..." He huffs through his nose. "They force this upon me. They suck! Besides! I live right the hell upstairs! I am home!"

I scoff. A small smile grows on my face due to my disbelief. "Because you sleep around a lot? That is not fair to the scotch you are drinking or the glass you just cleaned. Put it up and go upstairs to your apartment!"

"Yes, boss lady." He says dumping out the rest of what is in the glass. His head is down but his eyes are on me. "By the way. I know about you and Rya and what you two did last year."