Never Say You're Sorry

Disclaimer: Song credit goes to Brand New - Jesus

"So what's your favorite color?" I asked Jack. I had known Jack for a couple of weeks now and I barely knew anything about him it was starting to get to me. He looked at me raising one eyebrow. After the night at the bar Jack and I often hung out. Sometimes at the park or the Starbucks where we first sat down and talked (I never ordered anything) but mostly the record store where I worked.

"Come on just tell me!" I said when it was apparent that he didn't want to say what it was. "Is it something embarrassing like fuchsia or something?" He chuckled.

"No, I was thinking more along the lines of magenta," he shot back with a crooked grin on his face. "Why are you asking all of a sudden?" he said turning back to the records he had been looking through again.

"Why are you so hesitant to answer?" I remarked. "Its not like I'm asking for a criminal record." I turned back to the posters I was pricing.

"Why, did you wanna here it?" Jack said slamming his hands on the counter making me jump. His eyes were sparkling with amusement but his face was straight and serious.

"Why?" I challenged, "You got one?" He was always like this when I wanted to know anything about him.

"Yup its really long and abso-fucking-lutely terrible," he said his concrete expression breaking into a playful smirk, but I could hear the truth in his words. I know that Jack isn't really what people would call a "good guy" but he's good person, at least that's what he seems to be so far. He then hopped onto the counter and leaned towards me and whispered lowly into my ear, "Persimmon."

"Hey get your ass off the counter butt-head!!" I yelled. I really know how to ruin a moment Pushing him off the counter. (Shop Rule #24: Counters are not for asses nor for classes this a fucking music store!) He fell to the floor with a thud. Satisfied I went back to pricing.

"You wanna get outta here?" he said from the ground.

"I've got five minutes left before I close shop for the day," I said. It was Thursday. Laela closed the shop up at 12:35 exactly on Thursdays but she had some family issues so she left me in charge of closing this time. "Besides I have class in a couple hours."

"Well spend a couple hours with me," he said with that completely gorgeous smile. For a moment I felt all warm and maybe even a little light headed but don't forget people, I'm thick.

"I can't," I replied resting my chin in the palm of my hand. I wasn't trying to be coy. I really couldn't hang out with him. I needed to catch up with a couple projects and a few extra hours in the studio would make all the difference.

He sighed. "Well don't say I didn't tell you so," he replied.

"Tell me what?" I asked confused.

"That you're missing out." he replied curtly. Damn I hope he wasn't angry. I'm sure he would be alright, Jack was always alright, but the phone call that I got at 2:30 the following morning made me doubt that.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well Jesus Christ I'm alone again
So what did you do those three days you were dead?
Cuz this problem's gonna last
More than the weekend."

I grabbed the damned thing people called a cell phone and threw it across the room screaming, "Fuck you, you miniature beast of burden!!!" But quickly regretted it. It took me nearly three months pay to afford that little thing.

I jumped up from my bed and rushed to my phone now laying on the floor and whispered apologies the it, until i realized the ring tone was almost finished and flipped open the old raggedy thing.

"Hello?" I said.

"HELLOOOOOUUUUUU!" someone screamed into my ear. I heard laughing and music in the background. "Do you - pause - umm whose phone is this," the guy whispered to the side. "Oh right, do you know Jack?"

I was about to answer but I got cut off before I could.

"Because the little bastard needs someone to pick him up." He gave me slurred and messy directions too where I needed to go. I dressed and caught the bus, seeing as I didn't have a car and when I could no longer do that I walked the rest of the way.

The directions that the drunk caller had given led me to a house in a suburb outside of town. Loud music pulsed through the air it was a wonder that the neighbors didn't call the police yet. There were people outside with red cups in hand and some had passed out on the lawn. I prayed that Jack was alright.

I took a deep breath and started searching for Jack. I studied each face that I came across even the ones passed out on the floor in and outside of the house. I couldn't find him. The smoke and smell of alcohol was so thick that I had a hard time breathing. People bumped into me and pushed and shoved. The drinks in their hands sloshed over the rims of their cups and often got on me. I don't like alcohol.

I had no choice I had to find Jack and looking for him by myself just wasn't working.

"Do you know where Jack is?" I said trying to get my voice above the music but not so loud that too many took notice of me. I got the attention of one guy who had about 10 piercings, dark eyeliner and skinny jeans. He didn't say anything but nodded towards a door to the left of him. "Thank you," I said slightly bowing my head in gratefulness. He turned back to whatever he was doing and moved on like he had never even saw me.

I pushed my way through the crowd of people towards the door.

For a brief moment I remembered what Jack told me earlier that day, 'Don't say I didn't tell you so.' It echoed in my mind except it wasn't his voice anymore, it was a nagging, evil voice. The same one that told me that I was stupid for believing in Jon, the same one that told me that it was only a matter of time before my sister betrayed me. But like I said it was only a brief moment before I brushed off the thought.

Don't say I didn't tell you so...