Unsteady

Clara Hazburn

Zacky Baker

Matt sighed heavily as he walked into the new bar that had just opened, needing a change of scenery. He didn't care if it was only just past noon. He needed a drink. He'd been going through a nasty breakup with someone he thought he'd loved for what felt like forever. And now that he was alone, everything just felt so empty. And the only thing that filled that emptiness was alcohol. At one in the afternoon. On a Sunday. He walked up to the bar and sat down, not surprised that he seemed to be the only one in here aside from a couple other lonely assholes. Most people were probably just leaving church or something, but not him. He was sitting in a bar, drinking away his misery. He thought the single life would be amazing. Not having to put the toilet lid down, girls all over him, he could eat whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. But even with all of that, it just didn't fill the void he felt in his chest every day. He guessed he'd gotten so used to having someone that being by himself really had no meaning anymore.

---

Clara sighed as she paced back and forth, chewing on her bottom lip anxiously. She'd been debating for over twenty minutes now on whether or not she should call Zacky or not. Her older brother, Mike, had told her not to, that it wasn't worth it, but he was wrong. Everyone knew Clara had a crush on Zacky. It wasn't like she hid it. Well, she tried to, but she did an awful job at it. But he never relayed the same feelings, so she never went for it. She'd always went after other guys and ended up leaving them after a few months or a few weeks because she could never feel anything for them. Her heart belonged to Zacky whether he wanted it or not. God, she was pathetic. She shook her head. Regardless, she hadn't talked to him in almost a year, and she really wanted to speak to him again. She missed him. She'd gotten a job out of state and they'd kind of gone their separate ways, but now that she'd managed to transfer back to California, she figured why not hang out with him again? She finally picked up her phone and dialed his number, hoping it was the same as when she'd left.

Zacky's head slowly bobbed back and forth as he fought the urge to sleep, listening to his fiancee blab on and on about the colors she wanted for their wedding. It's not like he didn't care or anything about it... Well, he really didn't. He could care less if he could. This wedding stuff just really wasn't all that appealing to him, he didn't understand why it had to be done anyways. It was just an exchange of names and something on a piece of paper that girls freaked out over so much. Zacky let out a loud snore and jumped a little in his seat when his phone began to go off in his pocket, earning a glare from Piper, his fiancee. "Sorry, baby," he murmured, pulling his phone out of his pocket to see who was calling him. His eyes widened slightly when he saw the name that was flashing up on his screen, a lump forming in his throat. There was no way that was actually who he thought it was. "I'll be right back, business call," he murmured, getting up and going outside on the back deck, closing the door behind him so she couldn't hear what he had to say. "Howdy, stranger. Long time, no talk," he answered the phone, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. Zacky had always had feelings for Clara. All of the guys new it, they teased him about it constantly. Zacky always thought that they'd end up together one day, but he was way too much of a chicken to finally admit his feelings for her before she got relocated for her job and things just never ended up working out. He wondered if everything was okay and why she was calling him now.

---

Kalli dried off some glasses and set them behind the bar, sighing softly. They had just opened up the place not too long ago, so they were just building up their clientele. They had their regulars on a Saturday and Friday night, but every other day of the week was pretty dull right now for the most part. At the moment this was Kalli's full time paying job besides her occasional free lance work with her art if she was lucky. As good as she thought she was with her art no one would give her a chance. The owner of the bar let her paint his walls with murals since he wanted something lively, so she got paid for that at least. Kalli desperately needed a miracle to happen and soon so she could get out of her slummy apartment and move to someplace nicer, more clean. Her lease was almost up and it wasn't a place she wanted to be anymore, especially since some weird guys moved in across the hall and always tried to go after her whenever she left or got home. Kalli looked up when someone came into the bar, watching as the man sat down. She grinned, walking over to him and placing her hands on the bar. "What can i get for you, handsome?" he asked, looking over his face. He was rather attractive, she had to admit. THough he would be even more attractive if he would smile and wipe that glum look off of his face.

Matt looked up from the bar when he heard a voice, seeing the girl in front of him. He looked her over briefly before putting a smile on his face. He figured he could just start off with a beer before he got really deep into his shit and started ordering the heavier stuff. "Beer," he said, sitting up straight and sighing softly. He watched as the girl began to pour his drink, taking this opportunity to observe her closer while she wasn't looking at him. All he could really see was from her stomach upwards, so he started there, letting his eyes travel up over her body. She seemed to have a nice body, especially in the chest area, but you never knew these days. Push up bras were the devil. Only when you took them off. But she was also pretty beautiful too, and he could get used to staring at her face. Because he knew he'd be here a while.

---

Clara felt her heart flutter when she heard Zacky's voice and she squeezed her eyes shut, cursing at herself. "Hey," she murmured. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry I kind of just fell off the face of the earth for a long time. I had a lot going on with work, and then some family stuff came up. But I'm back in California now. And I just wanted to call and see how you'd been. I missed talking to you." She bit her lip hard to shut herself up, mentally scolding herself for rambling like an idiot. She just hoped that he still wanted to hang out with her. Hang out? What was this, high school? They were adults now, not teenagers. But they could still hang out, right? She, a girl, could still be friends with him, a guy, like normal people. It wouldn't mean anything. Besides, he probably had some super beautiful girlfriend like he always did. Or maybe he was still with that Piper chick. The other girl had never liked Clara much and had made a point of showing it whenever the blonde had come around.

"That's understandable. I've been busy as hell lately too with this whole wedding planning business and working on the new album. Its a mess," he said with a sigh. "I miss you too. We're buds, Clar. We need to hang out soon." Zacky desperately wanted to see her. Even if Piper never did really like Clara, eventually she was just going to have to deal with it because she was always going to be Zacky's friend. But truth be told, if he ever admitted it to himself, he really was only marrying Piper because he thought he'd never have a shot with Clara and it didn't help the fact that they drifted apart when he was trying to make his decision. "Are you busy a little later, maybe? We could meet up somewhere. I need some time out before I go insane," Zacky said, glancing through the glass of the sliding door to make sure Piper wasn't around anywhere. As far as she knew this was a business call and as far as she would be concerned he would be going out on business later. Not even married and he was starting with that shit already.

---

Kalli grinned and nodded her head, grabbing him a bear and setting it in front of him. She looked him over, fiddling with a towel in her hands as she licked over her lips. "You look pretty down in the dumps today," she said, leaning against the bar. "I sense woman troubles." Kalli was usually pretty good at reading people. Everyone had a different look on their face and this guy definitely had the woman blues. She always felt sorry for the guys that came in here and drank their life away because of some sorry bitch, especially after she heard the story of what they did to them. Now, she never knew if their side was the correct side, but it still made her feel bad. Women were ruthless sometimes. "If you need someone to talk to, baby doll, I'm at your service," she told him with a wink before pushing off the bar and going to refill someones drink.

Matt watched her walk away, sighing heavily. Was he really that obvious? Maybe she was a psychic or something. Well, it was only one in the afternoon. On a Sunday. Quit reminding me. He shook his head and eagerly picked up his beer, taking a swig of it and sighing as he sat the glass down on the bar. He glanced over his shoulder, taking a look around at the bar. It was a pretty nice place, almost as nice as Johnny's but not exactly homey yet. But he was sure that would change after the place got some regulars and more customers. He looked back over at the girl, watching her refill another customer's glass. He raised his own glass and practically chugged the whole thing so he could call her back over, needing a distraction. And since she had offered, why not take her up on it? If she was willing to talk to him, then he wasn't going to waste an opportunity. Maybe he could even get her number. What, so you can have another night of meaningless sex and wake up feeling even emptier than before? He huffed, shaking his head. Fuck, this shit was annoying. He needed to get out of this funk.

---

Clara's eyes widened slightly. "Wedding?" she muttered, completely caught off guard by that. He was getting married? To Piper? She cleared her throat and shook her head. "Uh, yeah. I mean, no, I'm not busy. Just tell me where and I'll meet you there. And, uh, congratulations." She bit back a sigh as she looked down. She knew Zacky had been with Piper for a while, but she had never even considered the fact that he'd ever propose to her. But now that he had, it was all so real and it was hitting her in the chest like a ton of bricks. But she would be happy for him regardless, because she really cared about him. And if Piper made him happy, then that was all she wanted for him. She wanted to see him happy. She had missed seeing his smile, it could brighten even her worst of days. She wondered briefly when the wedding was and if he'd invite her. And if he did invite her, who would she even go with? She couldn't show up alone. That would be embarrassing.

Zacky bit down on his bottom lip hard when Clara said wedding, clearing his throat. "I'm, yeah. I'm engaged to Piper. You don't have to act so happy, I know how much you hate her," he said with an awkward chuckle and a heavy sigh. "But uh, yeah, how about Johnny's bar? For old times sake." He, Clara, and the rest of the guys used to always go to Johnny's on Fridays. It was the best thing to look forward to during the week. But now all of that has changed unfortunately and Zacky wished he could just go back in time for a little while and enjoy that happiness. He winced a little when he heard Piper shrieking his name from inside, frowning. "I got to go, but I'll meet you there in about an hour. Bye Clara," he said before hanging up the phone, just in time for Piper to come out the back door. He listened to her rant and rave about something the wedding planner did and how they were now fired, just nodding his head. He told her that he needed to go out and work on the album for a while, not knowing when he'd be home. She usually never cared.

---

Kelli went around the bar and filled drinks, purposely leaving the hazel eyed man's for last. "You sure did chug that bad boy down pretty fast. Want another one sweetheart or are we moving on to something else?" She asked him with a smirk, eyeing him down. She couldn't help but notice how his gorgeous hazel eyes lacked any light or sparkle to them. They were just dull and sad and if mad her kind of sad also. Something so beautiful didn't deserve to look that way. She sighed and leaned against the bar, putting her head in her hand. "Tell me, baby doll. What did this little bitch do to you that left you with absolutely no life left in your pretty hazel eyes?" She asked, frowning. Kelli didn't care if she was being nosey, she had to know. If he didn't want to talk about it than he could just say so and she'd be on her way and not mention anything more. She wouldn't push it. But until then she was and she was giving that woman hell for whatever she did to this man.

Matt glanced up at the bartender, letting out a small, humorless laugh. “Where do I even start?” he asked. “You know, I thought everything was perfect. This was the girl I was going to marry, have kids with, spend the rest of my life with. I even bought a stupid ring. Which I have to return now.” He hadn’t had the balls to return the ring yet. He wanted to, to officially put an end to the relationship, to cap it off. But he just couldn’t find it in himself to do it yet. He was a sissy, he would admit it. He sighed, shaking his head. “I came home one night and found her in bed with someone else. You know, maybe it wouldn’t have hurt so much if it was just some random dick. But it wasn’t. It was a friend. Someone I never thought, in a million years, would do something like this to me. Boy, was I fucking wrong.”

---

Clara nodded. “Bye, Zack,” she murmured, sighing as she hung up. She knew Mike wouldn’t be happy with her for contacting Zacky again, but she didn’t care. She just had to. Forgetting everything else, putting her feelings aside, he was still her friend, and she still cared about him. And above all, she missed him. She sat her phone down on the coffee table, biting her lip as she thought. She should wear something nice, not the raggedy old jeans she was wearing now. She wanted to look nice for him. After all, it had been almost a year since she’d last seen him and she looked a little different now. She’d done her hair differently, but he probably wouldn’t even notice. She walked upstairs to her old room since she was staying with her parents for now, opening her suitcase and changing into a new outfit. Much better.

Zacky went up to his bedroom to quickly freshen up, spritzing on some of his cologne that he knew was Clara's favorite on him. He checked and made sure he looked okay in the mirror, even though he couldn't change out of his plaid short sleeve button down, dark wash jeans and vans. He did grab a bow tie and shove it in his pocket before saying bye to Piper and slipping out the door. He got in his car, starting it and letting it warm up before heading to the bar. He was nervous and it was obvious. But he couldn't help himself. He hadn't seen or talked to this girl in over a year now. It wasn't really either of their faults. It just kind of happened. He wished that it hadn't though. Zacky put on his bow tie after he parked at the bar, getting out of the car once he was done and locking it. He walked inside, sitting at his and Clara's usual booth in the back corner after ordering himself and her their usual drinks. He remembered everything very well. He just hoped she still drank the same thing.

---

Kalli nodded as she listened, frowning. It was a typical thing that happened with this guy, something she heard often. "You know what? I have just the perfect drink for you," she said, turning away and beginning to mix a bunch of things behind the bar. When she was done she set the drink in front of him, smirking. "For all your girl and friend troubles. May you find a new girl and a new friend," she said with a big smile. This guy seemed like a total sweetheart and she felt so bad for him. He didn't deserve what he got handed to him, that's for sure. "He wasn't like... an extremely good friend, was he?" She asked, biting her lower lip. That would be ten times worse and he would need another one of her special drinks.

Matt sighed, knowing he probably sounded like some cliché to her. And truth was, he was a cliché. He’d turned into one, at least. And he fucking hated it. He raised an eyebrow at the drink she sat in front of him, hoping it had something strong in it, because he definitely needed it. He took a sip and squinted slightly, chuckling. “That’s not bad, actually,” he said. It was actually pretty good, and it was strong too. He took another swig before he looked at her. “Well, it was someone that was important to me. Close to my heart. I really cared about him. He’s been my friend for ages. So yeah, I guess he was a good friend. I’m just glad it wasn’t one of my band mates, because that would have just shattered my, uh . . . you know, that would have really fucked me up good.” He cleared his throat, looking down at the drink. He didn’t know why he was opening up to this stranger, but it felt good. It felt good to talk to someone who wasn’t biased or didn’t fully know him or the situation.

---

Clara finished getting ready and smiled as she grabbed the keys to her car, heading out and climbing in. She drove to Johnny’s, her heart fluttering when she saw that Zacky was already there, waiting for her. She had butterflies in her stomach, and she felt like she was going to vomit, but she kept it to herself. She walked in and headed for the back booth, grinning when she saw Zacky. She walked over to him, biting her lip. “Hey,” she murmured, siting down across from him in the booth. She wished she could hug him, and hold onto him just for a little while, but that would be inappropriate. “It feels so good to be back here. I was afraid I’d never be able to come back, but I’m so glad I got the opportunity to.” She looked up when the waitress set two drinks in front of them, her brows furrowing. She pulled her glass towards herself and smiled, looking up at him. “You remembered?”

Not too long after Zacky had ordered the drinks, he caught a wiff of a familiar perfume and then a familiar blonde sat in front of him. Zacky smiled big at her, sitting up straight in his seat. He took in her appearance, catching every detail that might've changed. There wasn't much, just subtle changes that she probably thought no one would've noticed. But he did. Especially the way she styled her hair differently and the slight color difference. She'd always had that natural sun kissed blonde look going for her since she lived in California, but now it just wasn't as sun kissed as it used to be. Nonetheless Zacky still wanted to pull her into his arms and give her a bone crushing hug. "Hey there. I'm glad you're back, too. I didn't think I'd ever see you again, honestly," he said with a small sigh, picking at some dirt under his fingernails. The waitress came shortly after and sat two drinks in front of him, causing Zacky to bite his bottom lip nervously. He smiled in relief when she smeemed to still drink the same thing, nodding. "Of course I remembered. You don't think I would forget, do you?" he asked, taking a sip of his jack and coke.

---

Kalli listened to him, shaking her head a bit. He was going to be pounding them down eventually, she just knew it. She was going to keep an eye on this one though, she didn't need him getting in his car shitfaced or doing anything he might possibly regret. Kalli always made sure that the people she served were okay throughout the night. But this one- this one in particular just kind of struck a chord with her. "He wasn't much of a friend to begin with if the thought of doing that to you even crossed his mind," she said, pulling a few pieces of gum out of her pocket and popping them into her mouth. She'd offer him some, but she'd learned from experience that drinkers didn't want gum. "And that ex of yours? Baby, you're going to find someone way better than that little bitch. I promise you. Hell, you're mighty fine, so far you seem like such a sweetie, and from what i've gathered you're in a band. I don't think it'll be hard to find that lucky one," she said with a wink before going to assist someone waving for her attention.

Matt couldn't help but chuckle at her words, watching her walk off again. He smiled slightly, looking down at his glass. He guessed he was pretty glad he'd chosen this bar, because she was a real sweetheart. Bartenders usually minded their own businesses or were assholes, but she was taking the time to carry a conversation with him and he appreciated it, because he needed the distraction. But now that they'd talked so much about him, he wanted to know more about her. Before she could come back over, he grabbed a napkin and asked the lady next to him if she had a pen he could borrow. She pulled one out of her purse and he wrote down his number on the napkin, handing her back the pen before he folded the napkin. He waited for the girl to come back over and he smiled, sliding the napkin, along with a tip across the bar to her. "That's my number," he said. "My name is Matt. I'd like to talk when you're not busy, so call me after you get off?"

---

Clara smiled softly at him. "Of course not," she said. "You always had the better memory of the two of us." She picked up her glass and took a sip, sighing contently. She set her drink aside and looked him over, biting her lip gently. "You look really good, you know. You always change up your style so much, I wasn't sure how you'd look since it's been so long. But you look really good." You look fucking amazing. She cleared her throat and reached up, grabbing a strand of her hair and twirling it around her finger. It was a nervous habit of hers, that she really hoped he'd forgotten about. She didn't want to give him the impression that she was anxious. Because she was really anxious at the moment. But she was sure as time passed, she'd get used to being around him again. "So, how have you been? You're getting married. Holy shit. I never thought that would happen," she teased.

"Well of course. I've got the beauty and the brains," he teased, flicking his wrist. He smirked when she said that he looked good, letting out a small chuckle. He did change his appearance a lot, he just couldn't help himself. "Thanks, babe. I'm glad you like this current style choice, sometimes you're just all hell no about it," he laughed, shaking his head. "You look amazing, by the way. Very radiant and happy. Being away did you some good apparently. Though you leaving alone obviously got me in some trouble," he said as he took a sip of his drink, glaring playfully at her when she said she'd never thought he'd get married. Honestly he never thought he would either, not unless it was to her. "Well I am. I figured I hadn't broken up with her within 3 months she must be a keeper," he said with a small shrug, scrunching his nose up. Piper more or less proposed to him than he did to her. It was an odd situation and the next day he had to go out and buy a ring. "What about you? Got any lovers at the moment?"

---

Kalli gave everyone a refill, laughing at some drunk who was trying his hardest to flirt with her but it just wasn't happening. She wasn't interested. She went back over to dimples, looking down at the napkin he pushed her way. She couldn't help the small blush that creeped up on her cheeks when she saw his number scribbled down on it, looking up at him. She smiled big, folding up the napkin and putting it in her bra. "Of course I will, babydoll," she said, taking the tip and putting it in her jar. "Thanks for the tip, and for the nice conversation. Does this mean you're leaving me already?" She asked with a small pout as she leaned against the bar, resting her chin in her hand. She glanced up at the clock on the wall, seeing that she only had maybe an hour left of her shift.

Matt watched her gaze shift to the clock on the wall and he followed it. He’d only been here for an hour, but it felt like it had been forever. “Ah, fuck it,” he mumbled, shaking his head. “I’ll have another drink, I guess. Make me something special.” He leaned back on the stool and reached into his pocket for his wallet, grabbing out a twenty and sliding it across the bar to her. He guessed he could stay a while longer. It wasn’t like he really had anything to do if he were to leave, and he enjoyed watching this girl interact with other people. And he enjoyed talking to her. He didn’t know why he was suddenly so interested in her. Maybe it was because she was so different from all the other girls around here. She was kind, and she was actually a decent person. And she was able to hold up her end of the conversation and still keep him interested. Granted, they hadn’t really had any deep conversation yet, but he planned to. Just, not here. Not at a bar. Somewhere else.

---

Clara snorted, shaking her head. “You’re an idiot,” she joked, rolling her eyes playfully at him. She bit her lip when he asked if she had any lovers, wondering if she should be honest or lie to him. She hated lying to him; it made her feel like the worst person in the world. But at the same time, she didn’t want to make it seem like she was all alone, which she was. And boy, did it suck. She hadn’t dated anyone in almost a year and a half now, and it had been the loneliest year and a half in her life. Especially for the year where she didn’t have Zacky to turn to. But she had a feeling that even if she had been here, she wouldn’t have gotten to see him much because of Piper. “Uh, I don’t know,” she mumbled. “I–I mean, there was this one guy back in Chicago, but obviously it didn’t work out since I had to leave. So I guess no, I don’t.” She frowned, scratching her head awkwardly. “And obviously you have Piper. How is she, by the way? She hasn’t posted any sarcastic comments on my Facebook lately. Is everything okay?”

Zacky furrowed his brow, nodding. There's always a possibility of long distance relationships if you really like the person and want to make it work. Apparently one just didn't want it to happen. Zacky sighed heavily at the mention of Piper, wishing they just didn't have to talk about her at all. She was the fucking queen of all bridezillas and he just didn't even want to think about her, especially while he was sitting here with Clara. "She's doing fine, she's just super busy wedding planning. Driving me fucking insane. I have to sit there and pretend like I care what color those little ribbon things on the back of the chairs are supposed to look like," he said, shaking his head. He didn't know the first thing about anything elegant. He was a rockstar, elegance wasn't in his vocabulary. "You're going to be there when I get married, right?" he asked, his eyes wide. "I was going to mail this to you, but since you were able to come back I figured I'd just go ahead and hand deliver it myself." Zacky pulled out the invitation from his pocket, handing it over to her. He wanted her to be there for him. She was his best friend after all. Even if it did break his heart that he had to marry Piper and not her.

---

Kalli smiled brightly when he decided to stay for a bit longer, nodding in approval. "Great, I get off in an hour," she said with a wink, walking off to make him one of her specialty drinks. Even if she could only talk to him for a few minutes at a time at the moment, she enjoyed him sitting there and giving her a decent conversation and not something completely inappropriate and repulsive. It was nice talking to him. She brought the drink back over to him, smirking as she sat the tall, bright blue drink in front of him. "Drink up," she said, giggling. It was such a feminine looking drink for a masculine man. "Hope you don't mind the color, but I promise you're going to love it." Kalli groaned when someone else needed her attention, putting on a smile and going to get them a drink. She'd be glad when her shift was over so she could spend some time talking to Mattt.

Matt raised an eyebrow as he eyed the drink she'd sat down in front of him. "It looks like you squeezed a smurf into a glass," he joked, biting his lip as he picked the glass up. He watched her walk away before he took a sip. It wasn't that bad, but it was definitely not something he'd ever order himself. He was more a fan of beer and whiskey, not colorful fruity drinks. But he wouldn't deny it tasted delicious. He set the glass back down and pulled his phone out, needing to find something to entertain him until she got off work. Because there was no way he was just going to sit here for an hour without at least having something to keep his mind off things. He thought about maybe texting one of the guys, seeing what they were up to, but decided against it. He thought about plugging his earbuds in and watching something on YouTube, but decided against it. He sighed as he went onto the internet, logging onto Facebook to stalk his ex's profile. He knew it was a childish thing to do, but he couldn't help himself. He just needed to know what she was doing.

---

Clara frowned slightly, but nodded her head. "Of course I'm going to be there," she said. "You're, like, my best friend." She smiled and took the invitation, looking it over. It was beautifully designed, which obviously meant Piper had designed them. "You should care about the colors and stuff, you know? This isn't just another celebration or another party you're going to. This is your future, Zack. This is the rest of your life." She put the invitation into her purse and looked back up at him. "When you go home, you should sit down with Piper and help her plan some things. I mean, I know she can be a bit demanding, trust me, I know. But you love her, and she loves you. And I know it would mean the world to her if you just helped her plan some aspects of the wedding too. I'm sure she would love to have your input on some things." She wished she was the one he was marrying, asking him to help pick out colors and flowers and other wedding things. She knew it was selfish of her to wish he wasn't getting married, but if she had to force herself to be happy for him, then she would do it. She wanted him to be happy, and she wanted to be happy for him.

Zacky made a face and stared down at his drink when she mentioned this being his future, not just some other party he was attending. She was absolutely right. But Zacky hadn't thought of it that way. This was just something that Piper wanted and Zacky had agreed to. "I guess I just never thought of it that way," he sighed heavily, downing the rest of his drink. Clara was making him have cold feet. Piper wasn't the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, it was Clara. She was the one that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Since he really had nothing to lose, Zacky felt like laying it all on the table right now. He wanted to tell her everything about his feelings. "You know I've always had a crush on you," he said, his eyes widening once he realized it actually came out of his mouth. He drummed his fingers against the table, clearing his throat as he looked for the waitress. "Can I get another drink please? Extra strong," he ordered, looking at everything but Clara. "So what do you plan on doing now that you're back?" He needed to change the subject. He was engaged and he confessed his feelings for his best fucking friend that he hadn't seen in over a year who more than likely didn't even remotely feel the same way about him.

---

Kalli kept assisting people, the night getting a bit busier as it went on. But thankfully her shift ended quickly. She counted her tips, smirking at the amount. She did pretty good for a pretty slow shift. She shoved her tips in bag, pulling on her leather jacket before climbing over the bar where Matt was sitting, sitting on the ledge. "Well, I'm all yours now, pumpkin. Whatcha lookin at?" She asked, deciding to be nosey and look down at his phone. She shook her head, seeing him looking at some girls facebook with pictures of him and her. She sighed, taking the phone from him and shoving it in her pocket. "Youre cut off, no phone for you," she said, sliding off he bar with a smirk. She ordered the both of them a round of drinks, getting rid of his blue smurf drink and getting them both a whiskey and coke along with a few shots. "C'mon, handsome. Let's go have a chat," she said with a wink, taking his hand in her free hand while she held their tray of drinks in the other. She let him to a small booth in the back of the club, which was dark and secluded. No one ever came back her. She slid in, setting the tray down and handing him his drink. Kalli winked at him before taking a shot, needing to catch up with him.

Matt's eyes widened when she snatched his phone from him. "Hey, wait!" he whined. "You can't do that, I need my phone!" He huffed as she dragged him towards the back of the bar, watching her sit down. "I need my phone. My parents or my friends might call, and I need to answer if they do." He had no idea why anyone would call him, but he just wanted to get his phone back. Living without his phone was like a nightmare. He'd be completely cut off from the world. Man, was he really that shallow? He would like to think not. He sat down, sighing softly. Maybe if he just sat and talked with her, she would eventually give him his phone back. "Okay, fine, let's talk. So, you know about my tragic relationship. Are you seeing anyone?"

---

Clara's eyes widened at what Zacky said, staring at him. Did he really just say that? She was so caught off guard that all she could do was blink when he changed the subject. Should she question what he said? Should she just leave it alone? She bit her lip and blinked, clearing her throat. "Do . . . I . . . did . . ." She was having trouble finding her words, and she was sure she looked like an idiot in that moment. She looked down, letting out a small breath and closing her eyes for a moment. She should just come out with it, ask him if he actually meant it or not. She looked back up at him after a moment and her brows furrowed. "Are you just messing with me or do you actually mean what you said?" she finally asked, feeling a small weight lift off her shoulders, but an even bigger bundle of nerves form in her stomach.

Zacky furrowed his brow as he watched her, wondering if he probably should have kept his mouth shut. Sometimes he just let things slip without really thinking of the other persons feelings or how they could be effected by if. He could be so damn self centered sometimes. Zacky nodded at her question, rubbing the back of his neck. "Of course I meant it. I wouldn't play around with something like that," he said with a small sigh. He thanked the waiter for their drink refills, taking a sip of his before rubbing his hands against his thighs. A small nervous habit of his. "I'm sorry, I wish I had told you sooner. I just thought it was kind of now or never. It makes me seem like a total pussy waiting until now, before I get married and when you get back in town to actually tell you," he said with a small laugh, shaking his head.

---

Kalli raised a brow at the man, shaking her head. "You honestly can't just shut the world out for a few hours or maybe even less than that to have a chat and relax with the me?" She asked, shaking her head. "That's terrible. You definitely need a shot for that," she said with a smirk, sliding a shot his way before taking hers. "No, I'm not seeing anyone. I've been too busy trying to make ends meet and save up at the same time to even think about that," she said with a small laugh as she shook her head. It was a sad thing to admit but what else could she do. She had to focus on herself and get out of the slummy place she lived in and into something better. "Plus I've been focusing hard on my artwork too. I guess I just have a lot going on." Kalli picked up her drink, taking a sip of it and giving him a small smile. Her eyes widened as she felt his phone vibrate in her back pocket, which led to the whole booth vibrating. "Nope, you can't have it."

Matt pouted at her. "You're awful, you know that," he said. "I hope nobody's dying, because if they are, I'm blaming you." He sighed, taking the shot and licking over his lips. "Art, huh? I guess you do seem like the artsy type now that I think about it." He would have pegged her to be either into art or music, or some kind of weird form of creative dancing or something like that. She didn't seem like the professional or business type of girl. She was too nice for that, and too outgoing. Most business types he'd met always seemed to have a stick up their ass, whereas this girl seemed very down to earth and kind. He bit his lip. "So, uh, what kind of art do you do, then? Are you a painter or a drawer or do you do something different?"

---

Clara wasn't even sure what to think in that moment. She wanted to be happy that he felt the same way she did, to tell him that she felt that way too. But at the same time, she wanted to be angry at him, for betraying Piper like that. As much as she disliked the other woman, the poor girl didn't deserve this. But maybe for now, she could just be happy for herself for once, instead of worrying about other people. "I just can't believe you thought it would be a good idea to marry someone when you feel that way about someone else," she said, looking up at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "But I would be lying if I said I didn't feel the same way." She bit her lip nervously, not sure why she was still anxious when he'd already admitted his feelings. He reciprocated her feelings, she had nothing to worry about. Except the fact that he was with someone else. "I've liked you since we were in school, Zack. You never acted like you had feelings for me at all other than friendship, so I never said anything. I was too embarrassed and afraid I'd be rejected. That's why I went to prom with Matt." She made a face at the memory, shaking her head. That had been the most awkward night of her life still to this day. They had tried to date, but they had both been interested in different people at the same time, which had made things incredibly awkward. After prom was when they'd decided they were better off as friends.