An Anthology Of Me

Last Call

It was a Friday night, I had just gotten home, I was beat from work and even though I hadn't ate anything I couldn't wait to just lie down in bed and pass out.

My phone rang, I had a message.

It was Matt.

"Hey, you guys wanna grab some drinks tonight? My treat."

Matt is one if my best friends but I don't think I could handle one of the insane nights we usually have together right now. I just want to sleep.

"Sorry man, Long day. Maybe on the weekend?"

Before I could even put my phone back in my pocket, I got a reply.

"Sure, prepare your liver."

I chuckle then put my phone in my pocket. I look at my watch, it's only 7pm... And I'm not particularly hungry...

"Screw it."

I grab a bag of chips from the kitchen and a glass of water, head to my room and open my laptop.

I played a series I had been previously watching before. A few minutes later I already could feel myself drifting off, so I got comfortable put my laptop and and phone on the table and slowly nodded off to sleep with my laptop playing the series in the background.

My phone started ringing.

Without even lifting my face from my bed, I try to reach for my phone on the table, and while trying to do so I smashed the keyboard of my laptop, making it turn on and I was blinded by the light.

Now being partially woken up by the flash of light and the ringing of my phone, I get up and sit on the side of my bed. I look at my phone and grab it, it's Matt.

"What is it?"

"Hey man, can you meet me at Sean's?"

"The bar? I told you we could go on the weekend man. I'm kinda tired."

"There's just something I need to talk about."

Wow, he sounds really serious.

"Umm... sure."

"Cool, meet me there in thirty."

What was that all about?

Well... thirty minutes... what time is it? I'd get there at around midnight, I hope everything's alright with Matt, and also that Sean's isn't too crowded.

I put my phone in my pocket, checked if i had my keys and my wallet, and also looked in the mirror to know if I looked decent enough to go outside. Then I locked up and got a cab.

When I got Sean's it was crowded, as expected. Well it was a Friday night and relatively near some colleges. I saw Matt sitting alone at a table. He looked like he was in deep thought.

I approached his table and caught his attention.

"Hey, man!"

"Hey, matt. So why'd you call me out here all of a sudden?"

"That can wait, you just got here, why don't you get a drink? You know what, I'll get you one stay right here."

Matt got up and walked over to the bar to get me a beer, something felt off. I've known Matt for years, he's acting strange.

He came back holding four beers, two in each hand. Greeting me with a big smile.

"Thanks matt."

"No problem."

I take a swig of my beer. As usual tastes like shit but beer usually does. I decide to break the silence.

"So, how have you been?"

"Me? I'm fine, job's still a pain, but it pays pretty well."

"Boss still a prick?"

He lets out a little laugh.

"Yeah, But most bosses are."

We take a sip of our beer.

"So how are you and Jean? You guys were gonna move in together right?"

He smile quickly faded, and he looked down and stared at the bottle he was holding for a while.

I continued drinking my beer because I didn't really know what to do or say, I obviously touched a touchy subject.

"Jean and I... I just don't know..."

"What do you mean?"

"I love her and all but... can we make it work?"

"You guys have been dating for 2 years now, I think you guys have got this."

"Well yeah but... she's been in europe for 3 months."

"Yeah but she's coming back next week right? You must be pretty excited."

"I was until she told me they just got a big project so her boss told her to stay there for another year."

"Oh..."

"I mean, I'm happy for her. I really am but can our relationship survive this?"

"Well... there's phones and the internet, so you can video call each other and such like those cute couples on shows that make me want to vomit."

"I guess so... but what if we don't?"

I take a chug down the beer I was holding and then took a deep breath.

"Then you don't. You can never really tell, but you can at least try. You love her right?"

"I do."

"Then, you just gotta have a little faith."

"Thanks man."

"No, problem"

I pick up my second bottle, and bring it closer to matt.

"Cheers. To one more year of playing the drum solo."

"You prick."

We both laugh and then drink our beer. Talking about random things and sharing stories. It started out a bit rough, but it was good night.