The Beginning of the End

The bar I entered was nearly empty. Then again, it wasn't even close to midnight yet. People would arrive later on. I shouldn't even want to complain, this meant I could have a first class seat in front of the bartender.

I cracked my neck and sat down in one of the stools. A burly man walked up to me, placing an empty glass on the table. "What you want?" he asked, hands placed down on the table.

"Grey Goose," I said simply.

He nodded and took out a half empty bottle, pouring some of the contents into my glass. I watched anxiously until he filled the liquid to almost the brim. He isn't stingy, thank God.

I took the glass first chance I got and swallowed down most of it. The bitter taste struck my taste buds but dulled down a little later. I don't usually drink to think, and I'm not much of one either, but today seemed fitting.

My girlfriend finds her old best friend, they hit it off, he distracted her while I sang her a song I had been working on for years, and...I just feel lost and a stranger in the mix. Everything's happening at once and I can't deal with it the right way.

"What's shaking?" I knew that voice. I turned my head to see Bert there with his shades on. Who wears shades inside a building?

I shook the thought away, and answered, "Ugh."

"Tell me about it," he mumbled.

I highly doubt his life is as confusing and stressful as mine right now. He's all laughs and drinks whenever I see him, during and after performing. He doesn't have a care in the world.

"Seriously, tell me about it," he egged on.

"My girlfriend found her long lost "best friend" and all of a sudden I'm outta the picture," I said honestly.

He nodded and drank from his glass. "Don't know what to tell ya man. I don't hold onto to girls for that long. It's all a game with them so I play back. How long you've been with her?"

"Give or take, four years."

"Damn son. Four! That's a lot. I don't know how you deal with all the nagging and bitch fits."

My hold on my glass tightened. "She's not a bitch and she doesn't nag," I said through gritted teeth.

"Whoa, calm down," he said, raising an eyebrow at me. "I'm just saying. A lot of girls are like that."

"Okay, and? Lilly isn't one of those girls."

"Okay, okay, don't bite my head off. I don't give advice since I never have any. So...If you want, I'm always at the closest bar. If you wanna take a drink with me, I don't mind."

"Thanks," I mumbled.

I don't know why I talked to him. He didn't help with a single damned thing. I'm still here, confused and stressed as ever with alcohol in my system.