The Last Five Years

Poppy

   Drew and I sat at our usual booth in Max's Taphouse just like we did every Friday after he got off work. I had had about three drinks already, and I was ready for a fourth.

"Don't you think it's time to stop?" Drew asked, raising an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes. "Please. I handle my liquor fairly well, thank you." I gave him a grin before sliding out of the booth and walking up to the bar. I ordered a drink, and sat down in a barstool while I waited.

A hand snaked around my waist. I looked over at the man next to me. He looked a little bit like Peter, and my heart squeezed.

"I see you here all the time." He said, smiling. "Is that your boyfriend?" He nodded to Drew. I looked over at him, and his eyes were narrowed.

"My roommate." I said as the bartender set my drink down. "What's your name?"

"Chase." He reached up to play with a strand of my hair. "Yours?"

"Poppy."

"Like the seed?"

I tilted my head back, and let out a laugh. "Exactly!" We talked for a few more minutes, joking back and forth. 

 "You know, Poppy-like-the-seed," I laughed at him. "I really wanna kiss you."

I leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Who's stopping you?"

Chase rested his head against my shoulder, grinning into the side of my neck. "Your roommate has been shooting daggers at me this whole time."

"Who cares?" I muttered, pulling Chase's face to me. Chase wasn't the first person I had kissed since I moved here. However, Drew never got mad before.

"That's enough." I was yanked away from Chase. Drew angrily threw money on the counter, paying the tab we racked up. "Let's go Poppy." He grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the bar. I blew a kiss to Chase, who was smirking as he waved.

The ride back to our apartment was tense. He had one hand resting in his lap, the other one tight around the steering wheel. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes were angry. I chewed on my bottom lip.

As soon as he pulled into his spot, I stumbled out of the car. Just as I was about to fall down, he was there to hold me up. I could tell he was angry, but he helped me into the apartment.

"What was that shit back there?" He said as he slammed the door. "You go around kissing strangers now?"

"That isn't the first one I've kissed, you know." I was slurring my words, and I wasn't sure he could understand me. I went to repeat myself but he held up a hand.

"I heard you Poppy, I just think you're being ignorant." He left me to go to his room, but I couldn't resist myself. I followed him in there, and made him face me.

"Why do you care so much?"

"Why were you throwing him in my face?" He yelled at me, talking dramatically with his hands.

"He looked like Peter." I said quietly.

Drew groaned. "So, are you gonna kiss and sleep with every guy that looks like Peter? You're infuriating."

"Is the only emotion you can process in your thick skull anger?"

"When it comes to you, yes!" He was starting to pace, his fists clenched at his sides.

"Are you jealous, Andrew?" I smiled, taking a step closer to him. "Are you jealous because it isn't you I'm kissing and sleeping with? Was that guy in the bar your final straw?" He stopped me by gripping my wrists. He was breathing heavy, a wild fire dancing in his eyes.

Before I knew it, our legs were entangled and his hands were in my hair as we fell on top of the bed. All of our clothes were off in a matter of minutes, but his lips never left mine.

My skin was tingling wherever his skin touched mine. I finally felt safe and secure in his arms. His hair tickled my forehead and I let out a giggle. Drew pulled back a minute, and started laughing with me. It wasn't long before his mouth was on mine again.