Wingman

Tres

"She was a total screamer. I had her purring the whole night." Benny bragged, biting his toast while I flipped him off. After Sandra left, he arrived with a stupid smile etched on his face that wouldn't go away.

He was boasting.

"Good for you." I seethed. Benny cooed at my scowl and continued describing his raunchy hookup.

"My back kinda hurts from her scratches. The good kinda pain though," Benny chuckled. He was like my brother, but sometimes I wanted to punch him so hard that his face would permanently concave.

"So, did you accidentally hook up with another ugly girl?" I clenched my jaw in response to his joke.

"No. She crashed on the couch by accident. Plus, I wasn't drunk enough to bag her. I would have to be to the brim even to want to have sex with her." I was exaggerating with my words; my ego needed it.

She hadn't hit on me once.

"Poor chick, she probably begged for it." I threw him a sly smirk and shrugged.

"Well, do you want to go out again tonight? So you can finally catch a break from the uglies?" Benny's proposal was enticing, but I declined.

"I need to rest day. If I have another shot today, I might die," I joked.

"You'd die a happy man." Benny insisted, wiggling his eyebrows. Maybe he was right-- if I went out tonight and remained sober, I could hook up with a hotty and cleanse myself from all the horror I had endured.

"Let's go out then. But, remember our deal." There was no way I'd let Benny finesse my ass again. We quickly finished our breakfast and headed to our separate rooms to recover from our hangovers. Before I passed out, I decided to shower. I was scrubbing my torso when an ugly bruise appeared from under the lather of soap.

I was confused for a couple of seconds, then remembered that Sandra the she-hulk had elbowed me. It hurt now, but I would never have imagined it turning into a bruise. So Benny gets sexy scratch marks from crazy sex, while I get a bruise from a fat girl that didn't want me to touch her?

My ego was not doing well.

---

I was thankful it was the weekend, and I had no classes to attend. For a college student, days like these couldn't be taken for granted. Since tonight was my night, Benny had promised to be my designated driver. He had to make sure whoever I hooked up with was hot, which meant he had to stay sober. He also had to make sure I didn't leave the bar.

I was not going to make that mistake again.

It was ten at night when we drove to our regular hangout. I had spent the day working out and finishing the English assignment Mr. Russell had burdened me with; unlike me, Benny spent the day playing video games and procrastinating.

He and I were very different in those aspects. I'm sure he'd be fat if it weren't for his fast metabolism. "We have to leave at midnight today, and I have to finish an essay due at eight in the morning," Benny exclaimed.

"Great, so I'm a fucking Disney princess now?" I grumbled as Benny parked his car.

"You sure act like it." He tried to be witty; I'd give him that.

Once we entered the building, the familiar smell of alcohol and regrets engulfed me. It was as if coming here was a punishment I had bestowed on myself since I entered college, and all I did was have mindless hookups and drink my nights away.

Nothing was meaningful.

"Don't just stand there, idiot. Choose your prey." Benny urged, pushing me towards the bar. Sometimes I wondered if he felt the same emptiness I felt. Was this fun for him?

"I need a drink first," I replied monotonously.

I planned to drink a shot or two and then find a girl to distract me. But all I could do was worthlessly stare off into the crowds of people and wonder if their life was as pathetic as mine. There was a girl in particular who caught my eye after some time. She looked delighted to be dancing with her friend, and the stupid smile wouldn't leave her face as time elapsed.

Why was she so fucking happy?

Before I knew it, she was making her way to me. I thought she would say something when her eyes shifted to my right, and I realized, in reality, she was heading towards the bartender. "Let me get two shots of vodka," she ordered. She sat on the stool beside me, so I took it upon myself to make small talk.

"You a student here?" I asked as she continued to wait for her drinks. Most of the younger people at the bar were from college.

"Yup, nursing major, you?" Her eyes drifted to her friend as she replied.

"Business."

"Cool, it's gonna be a breeze for you after graduation." I wanted to roll my eyes at her remark but turned on my charm.

"What year are you in?" I wanted to see how far the conversation with her got me. Even though she looked disinterested, I still believed I stood a chance. I was a cocky bastard that way.

"I'm a junior, and my girlfriend's a sophomore." A tall brunette walks towards her and looks at me curiously as if on cue.

"Maple this is-"

"Peter," I reply calmly. As they get their drinks, they both wave goodbye and go back to dancing.

So that's why she looked so damn happy. She was with the love of her life.

---

"What did I miss?" Benny asked, returning from the restroom. The idiot tried to play righteous, but the lipstick stain on his neck proved otherwise.

"I think I should be asking you that question." I retorted while he wiped his neck. I was too tired to start an argument, so I called for another shot instead. After some seconds, Benny sat beside me and let out a sigh.

"Come on, man, it's like you're not even trying." I didn't understand why he cared. He had already gotten what he wanted. I was going to get up and ask him to take me home when my eyes landed on a familiar pair of girls sitting at a table across from us. The crowd of people between us had parted just as my gaze lingered in their direction.

Since I was still silent, Benny rose from his seat and announced he was hungry. The club was a bar and grill, so Benny just needed to walk beside the bar and order. "Do you want anything?" He asked guiltily.

"I'm good," I replied as I continued to stare at Sandra and her friend.

I wondered what the hell they were doing back.