Beer, Spaghetti, and Pharmaceuticals ||COMPLETED||

Twenty Five

"Alice, please." Isaac croaked as he took a single step towards Alice, making the wide gap between them slightly smaller. "I really need to talk to you."

"No," Alice said and folded her arms, pivoting her feet to stare at the door rather than face Isaac's deep blue eyes piercing through her. "I'm cold."

A low rattling sigh came from Isaac followed by the shuffling of fabric.

"Here," he said, and her eyes rolled in her head as she squared her shoulders with Isaac's, to find him holding his suit jacket out at arm's length. Once again, she faced the door and turned her nose up in the air.

"I don't want to you wear your coat."

"Alright," Isaac said in a tone that sounded like he was struggling to remain patient as he slowly pulled the jacket back over his shoulders. "I guess that confirms that you're mad at me."

Without pausing for a second, Alice dropped her arms like they were deadweight and glared at Isaac through squinted eyes as if he told her the sky was purple.

"No, Isaac," she said in a monotone voice. "Why in God's name would I be mad at you?"

"Because I was a huge jackass last night?"

"Wow," Alice said. "You really know how to put two and two together."

Isaac stayed silent with his hands in his pockets, lowering his head as if trying to handpick the perfect arrangement of words that would suddenly void him of any wrongdoings. Impatience ran through Alice; she had watched Isaac with his mouth clamped shut enough that night, and as her foot began to reflexively tap the ground, she told herself Isaac had ten seconds before she walked away.

With one second to spare, he raised his head.

"You...you look really nice tonight," he said. "You always look good in green."

"Alright," she said and turned on her heel. "Have a good night, Isaac."

As she made her way to exit the massive balcony and find Mark, Isaac rushed behind her with a sense of urgency. "No, Alice – come on – "

"Sorry, Isaac," Alice said, reaching into her bra for her phone to call a taxi so she wouldn't have to waste an extra second at that party. "Your little compliments aren't going to make everything better this time."

"Alice, please," Isaac said in desperation as he trailed behind her. "Just give me a minute to explain - "

"No offence," Alice said, raising her voice as she looked over her shoulder, not slowing her pace. "But I'm not really in the mood to hear you explain why you don't like me."

"Alic – "

"I get it, Isaac. It's fine."

"Come o – "

"I'm going hom – "

"Alice, I like you so fucking much."

Alice froze in her steps so fast, it felt like her brain smashed against the sides of her skull, making her blink the stars away. She looked down at her hand, which was already extended to grasp the doorknob, and lowered it before slowly turning her body to face Isaac.

"What?"

Isaac's chest heaved with every deep breath he took, looking at her with the same indescribable expression she recognized from earlier at the party when he stood next to Fiona. However, in that moment, she had no trouble describing it.

Weariness.

Except this time, the weariness wasn't concealed by the need to remain stoic and professional in front of his many guests. Instead, it was this unadulterated weariness that was sad, tired, and pure.