Red Lips & Brown Eyes // Jack Barakat

Red Lips & Brown Eyes ~ Chapter Twenty-Two: Recovery

Song: Video Games by Lana Del Rey

Melissa's Pov~

As soon as we walked into the club, I recognized the song playing from the DJ's booth. I smiled, thinking to myself that maybe, just maybe, the night wouldn't turn out to be so bad. Dinner was a disaster, obviously, and all I wanted was to rid myself of these thoughts. I want to drink until I can't think anymore, just like I want to get so high I can't think straight. Getting drunk and high is my way out of all this shit.  

I was afraid. Jack's voice wouldn't leave my mind. I wanted to scream, angered at myself for not being able to leave the thoughts of him. So badly, I wish I could kiss him. So badly, I wish he could just take me and show me how much he regrets his rejection. But I can't. He humiliated me in the worst way possible. This morning, my plan was to make him feel how much pain he caused me, but now.... I don't want that anymore. All I really want is to just forget about it. To forget about him.  

Everyone headed to one of the empty booths, but I darted straight for the bar. The bartender asked me what I wanted and I replied with, "Strongest you got on the rocks." The bartender eyed me curiously, but hurried to get my drink. He handed me the shot shortly after and smiled. 

"Let me guess, your boyfriend or some guy broke your heart," he said, raising an eyebrow at me. I tilted my head back and down the entire shot. The burning in my throat oddly relaxed me, but I knew it wouldn't be enough.  

I rolled my eyes and requested another shot. "Does it matter? Guys are dicks." My words weren't true, I didn't mean them. Not all guys were dicks, just some of them. The same applies for women; most of them are terrible, but there are a few good ones out there. Ones who won't cheat or lie to you.  

The bartender laughed, his blue eyes lit at my response. "Not all of us are." He defended in a light tone. I liked him, he seemed cool. He did look a little too young to be a bartender though. "Seriously, whoever broke your heart missed out." I laughed at his cheesy compliment and downed my second shot. 

"Aren't you a little too young to be a bartender?" I finally asked what was on my mind.  

"I'm twenty." He grinned widely. "My dad owns the place, I need the money for college." He shrugged and wiped down the already clean surface of the bar. The music had changed to something else... Calvin Harris, I think. "Aren't you a little too well known to be in a crap club like this?" He asked. 

I quickly looked around the place, searching for Tyler. He was sitting at the booth with everyone else, laughing with Ayane. Honestly, they made a cute couple. Turning back to the bartender, I shrugged and requested my third shot. "You know who I am?" I cocked an eyebrow at him and he nodded.  

"You're Melissa Hoppus. Your band is playing in town so of course I know who you are. My dad's a big Blink fan and he's going to freak his shit once I tell him that Mark Hoppus and his little sister were here." He grinned widely again. I liked his smile, it was dazzling to say the least. "I'm Paul, by the way." 

"Well, Paul," I chuckled quietly, "you are a terrible bartender. I asked for your strongest drink and you gave me Jack." I pointed to the shot of Jack Daniels on ice. Paul was cute, I'm not going to lie. He had shaggy black hair, blue eyes and dimples. He sort of reminded me of Alex, but not as tall and Paul seemed to be mixed with American and Latino. I was putting to much thought to a stranger. 

Paul laughed and refilled my shot once I finished drinking it. "I'm new." 

"I can see that." I smirked and spun around on the stool. I looked to the booth, waving like an idiot to Tyler who was staring at me with cautious eyes. Mark was also looking at me, the 'I'm-Watching-Your-Stupid-Ass' look on his face. I knew that we would have another 'talk' the next morning.