𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

6th Dimension

" But don't you dare get to the top and not know what to do..." Julian finished his set.

"Ah, Mr. Casablancas," I mused as the singer came over to the bar, "The usual?"

"You know me too well," he gleamed.

"Sweet stuff!" some obviously drunk guy at the other end of the bar yelled. I looked over. "Two house beers!" I muttered that it was coming right up.

"Anyone giving you problems tonight?" Julian asked, making conversation as I popped the top off of his ice cold beer and set it down on top of the napkin on the bar in front of him.

I sighed. "Bobby's been bothering me all night," I mentioned one of the usual customers who frequented the bar and hadn't stopped hitting on me since he started coming here. "And this asshole," I continued, motioning to the loud-mouth hooting and hollering at the other end of the bar, earning a chuckle from Julian. I thought that was it until my voice was caught in my throat when my eyes laid on the man who had just entered. "And trouble just walked in," I said staring at my ex-boyfriend, Ryan, Julian following my gaze to the muscle-clad man at the door whose eyes were scanning the crowd of club-goers. Julian turned back to me with a look of confusion to find that I was tending to the man at the end of the bar.

My name was called, demanding attention. I gave a small smile to the boisterous man at the end of the bar and took a deep breath, turning around with a forced friendly smile on my face. Ryan was standing next to Julian, slamming his hands down onto the bar for emphasis. "What can I get for you?" I asked as if he and I hadn't been in a relationship with him for the past two years.

"We need to talk," Ryan stated.

"We have beer — bottled, stout, house brews — mixed drinks, cocktails-"

"Enough with the crap," Ryan interrupted me, "You're taking your break now."

I groaned, Julian watching in awe and disgust at the man next to him at the bar. "Jeff!" I called out to the bar back, "Going on lunch!" I trailed after Ryan as he marched out of the bar.

"Everything okay?" Julian grabbed my arm to stop me as I passed him. His voice was hushed and his eyes full of worry.

I nodded apprehensively, "It's fine." Ryan and I were in an okay relationship while it lasted. He was always disappearing, and I was always getting hit on constantly at my job. We were kind of together yet almost didn't really know each other. After nearly two years of this strange back-and-forth jealousy, I caught the sight of a text on his phone to find out that he'd been cheating on me. But, strangely enough, it wasn't the fact that it was him that did it, but that I let myself be unavailable for someone who did that to me. I had mixed feelings about everything.

"I miss you, and I know you miss me, too," Ryan began.

I scoffed, "You miss cheating on me, Ryan."

"I never cheated on you," he lied lamely to which I replied that I wasn't stupid. "Just give me another chance," he begged. I told him we were done, which only angered him and caused him to grab my upper arm as if it was his only way of not having me walk away from our relationship. I told him to let me go as I tried to wrestle myself out of his grasp, but he was too strong.

The front door swung open, and Julian quickly pocketed his pack of cigarettes, rushing over.

"Get off of her," Julian growled, shoving the man off me.

"Who the hell are you?" Ryan spat as Julian stood firmly between us, the both of them now puffing their chests, balled fists at their sides.