Distance

chapter four

O'Malley's Pub
Saturday Night
Selena's POV

After the concert, I needed air and a few shots of tequila. I couldn't handle what had just happened, so I headed to my favorite spot near my apartment: O'Malley's. I planned on getting completely and utterly wasted, so I put on a pair of ripped black skinny jeans, an oversized tee from The Weeknd's Starboy tour, and walked across the street.

When I walked into the pub, I noticed that I was the only one there, apart from a guy in the back with a black hoodie on. I couldn't see his face, but he seemed harmless enough, so I strode over to my favorite bartender, Geoffrey.

"Hey, Geoff," I said to the man, offering him a small smile. I sat on one of the bar stools, setting my elbows on the bar and resting my head in my hands.

"Ye' look down, lass," Geoffrey stated, half of his mouth rolling into a smile. "So tha'll be... few shots of tequila, an' maybe a pep talk, ye'?"

I laughed, grabbing the shot of tequila he slid me and instantly downing it.

"You know me so well, Geoff. You know, I could say you're one of my best friends, and that'd be a little sad, no?" I inquired, laughing.

Geoffrey just shook his head, giving me a sad smile.

About four shots in, I walked over to the dartboard and started throwing. I could see hooded dude looking my way, but he didn't say hi or anything. I just ignored him.

When I was angry, my Latina came out. I was Mexican, and my accent was only there when I got really heated.

"Y'know, Geoff, tonight I was reunited with this guy. Used to be my best friend back home. Well he thinks he's something now just because he has, I don't know, 5 platinum records? Estúpido." I scoffed. My darts hit the board with a louder thud each time, my anger getting the best of me. Eventually I set the darts down. "Geoff, you'd think someone who was my friend for eight years would remember me immediately, no? Someone who, at one point, was so much more... But the pendejo didn't even know it was me until I was in front of him for 20 minutes."

The hooded guy walked out of the pub, and I saw him light up a cigarette through the window.

"What's up with Mr. Dark and Gloomy out there, Geoff?" I asked the barkeep, walking up to the bar.

"Don' know, lass. Came in here fer the firs' time ever tonigh'. Didn' give me a name er not'in," Geoff said with a shrug. I raised my eyebrows at him and followed the stranger outside.

He'd taken off his hood now, but his face was only illuminated by his cigarette and the green glow from the neon open sign in the window. That was enough to know who he was. As he switched between taking a swig of his beer and a puff of his cigarette, I crossed my arms.

"Since when are you a drunken, gloomy smoker, Montez?" I asked, my voice icy. "You'd think Hollywood's heartthrob wouldn't be seen in a run-down bar on the outskirts of the city."

Carter looked at me, his eyes filled with sadness. His unruly hair covered his forehead, and his cheeks looked sunken. He dropped his gaze as he took another puff.

"You know, the tabloids paint me out to be this conceited womanizer who doesn't have any friends, only connections. They're right," he said with a laugh, finishing his beer and looking over at me. I knew I had to look awful. My hair was in a half up bun and I didn't have any makeup on. I looked away, toward the street and my apartment building.

"Well then, I guess it's good we lost contact, huh?" I joked. I knew if I was sober I would not be having this conversation.

"It's not, though. The only reason I'm like this is because I don't have you to check me when I'm acting like a cabrón," he countered, smiling at me. "I really am sorry, Sel... I wish I could explain it to you. I wish you wanted me to explain it to you."

He ran his hand through his hair, looking up at the barren night sky. I missed seeing the stars at night. But New York gave me the opportunity to forget the countless nights, sitting on a beach with my head on Carter's chest.

"I do want an explanation, Carter," I snapped. "I just don't want a half-ass one from a drunken, inconsiderate version of my best friend who looks miserable." Silence followed my retort, and I looked down at my feet.

"Well, I should probably head back to the hotel," Carter said, no emotion in his voice. I knew that was the celebrity training kicking in, only revealing what he wanted to.

"And how far away is your hotel? I'm not letting you walk 30 minutes in a drunken state. These New York girls could take advantage of you," I argued, slightly joking. "C'mon, you can just stay with me for the night. I may be poor, but I do have a futon, you know."

Carter looked up at me, surprised. "A-Are you sure, Sel? I mean, I can call an Uber—"

"Definitely not. I can see it now. 'THIS JUST IN: Carter Montez takes Uber from poor neighborhood of New York, looking disheveled and tipsy!' No Carter, just come with me," I said as I waved for him to follow me across the street. As I got to my building, Carter seemed hesitant.

"You live... here?" He asked me, looking in my eyes.

"Not all of us can be platinum recording artists, Montez," I said with a sigh, not ashamed of my humble apartment building. It was cheap rent and I had extra money for shopping and keeping up to date with trends.

"N-No, that's not what I meant—I just can't believe I chose a bar this close to your home," Carter laughed, nervously running his hands through his hair. Carter seemed like a confident, cocky man—but I could tell that my kindness made him nervous. It kind of hurt that he had second thoughts about me being decent to him; at one point in our lives, we shared nearly everything.

I led him up the stairs, and twisted my key into the lock, walking into my one-room apartment.

I threw my keys on my kitchen counter and got us each a glass of water.

My apartment wasn't much. I had improvised and made a wall of curtains separating my "room" from the living room. On one side was my bed, dresser, desk, huge mirror and the bathroom and on the other was the couch, TV and kitchen. It wasn't huge, but it was pretty big for the price I paid each month.

"Drink," I ordered Carter, handing him one of the two glasses of water I'd poured. "We don't need a repeat of the morning after your 18th birthday."

Carter laughed, taking the water and drinking it. I could tell he was thinking about that weekend, where everything changed for us. He sat on my futon, taking off his hoodie to reveal his bare chest. I hadn't noticed before, since he was clothed, but Carter's arms were covered with tattoos. Random things were scattered here and there, but what I noticed most were the angel wings on his chest. I knew they were for his mom; she died when we were in high school.

When he'd left Anna Maria, he hadn't had a single one. But then again, he wasn't ripped and incredibly gorgeous then, either.

When Carter noticed me staring, his eyes widened. "Oh! Sorry," he said as a blush crept onto his cheeks. "I was just getting hot and if I was going to sleep—"

"It's fine, Carter," I said with a nervous laugh. "You've just... grown up. A lot."

Carter smiled and I went to grab him some blankets. When I returned with a pillow and an extra comforter, I pulled out the futon and set up his bed for him.

"Uh, bathroom door is by my bed, just past the curtains there, so if you need it at night don't be shy. Water pitcher is in the fridge, the glasses are in the cabinet closest to the stove. Oh, and if you wake up before me and wanna get out of here, there's cereal and pop tarts in the pantry. The bowls are with the glasses. Make yourself at home." I smiled and stepped through the curtains into my room.

Forgetting that the curtains were slightly see through, I slipped into my bra and underwear. When I felt Carter's eyes on me, I hesitated, but continued to take my bra off with my back turned to him and throw on an oversized T-shirt. I didn't mind the attention... especially from Carter. Not wanting to stir up old memories, I turned the lights off and crawled into bed. I heard the futon creaking, meaning Carter had laid down, too. Once I heard Carter's light snores, I finally relaxed.

"Goodnight, Carter," I said quietly into my apartment. Soon enough, I was in a deep sleep, memories of Carter's 18th birthday party playing in my mind.
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Anyone else dying to know what happened at Carter's 18th birthday? Same! Stay tuned...