Constant Companions

::|Betty|::

I swear to god, if someone asks me one more time how I know the bride or groom I will start shooting my mouth off. I will stop saying I'm just an old friend of Justin's and I'll start spilling stories. I'll talk about Justin drinking so much he once passed out naked in the snow. I'll talk about the two of us smoking some meth and then going to dinner with his family and friends for his birthday. It is no one’s goddamn business why I’m here and how I know people.

Josh has been staring at me the entire time. His eyes boring into me as I hang by the bar. I want to laugh in his face. I'm a ticking time bomb at this reception and he knows it. He'll do what he can to stop me before I go off. He starts towards the bar with one of the girls he was talking to. I quickly finish my drink and head to the bathroom.

My hands shake as I fumble with the plastic bag. Thank god the room is empty. I dig out a small amount of powder with my finger and snort it. There once was a time when this was uncomfortable but now I barely feel anything as the drugs rush through my nostril into my system.

I sigh and lean against the wall, waiting for the coke to kick in.

"Screw this," I mutter. "I'm not going to wait around for him to talk to me. I'll go up to him."

With that I stride out of the bathroom and head straight for the dance floor. Justin is already dancing with someone but I don't care. I pause for a few seconds to dig around in my bag for a suitable bill I can pin on him. This is going to be one expensive fucking dance.

"-you didn't say a word to her about me?"

"I don't like to tell sob stories. And my sob stories are heavily biased."

"Do you mind if I cut in?" I ask tapping the shoulder of the girl he's dancing with.

She pulls away quickly and says, "He's all yours."

Justin's face instantly darkened when he first saw me. It turns even blacker now that it's just the two of us.

"I seem to remember all you used to tell were sob stories." I smirk and wave the bill in from of him. "You'll have to forgive me, all I have is a 20," I say as I pin it on his suit. Plan A: make him think I’ve changed, sobered up. Failing that, plan B: piss him off. I drape my arms around his neck.

"What are you doing here Betty?" he asks through clenched teeth.

"Everybody keeps asking me that. It's fucking annoying. I was invited. So you have your darling new wife to thank for my being here." He hasn't touched me and we've just been standing here. "You better start moving sweetie or people will think something's up. You don't want to cause a scene do you?"

How to make someone truly hate you so much you can physically feel it in less than 7 sentences. Grudgingly his puts his hands on my waist and we start to dance. Our bodies still a foot apart.

He's doing his best not to look at me.

"You gonna talk to me or should I just carry on this conversation by myself?"

His jaw muscle twitches and he purses his lips. “You haven’t changed at all,” he finally says in a low voice.

“Actually I’ve changed a lot thanks for asking,” I say brightly. “However my attitude is still the same bright ray of sunshine it’s always been.”

He looks at me surprised, then doubtful. “So you’ve tamed your vices?”

“Not all of them.” When he looked at me reproachfully, I quickly add, “I’m making progress! I still smoke but I’ve curbed the drinking quite a bit.”

Justin sighs. “Well at least that’s something.”

“You don’t believe me,” I say.

“I didn’t say that,” he starts.

“You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face.” Our dance slows to a crawl. Footsteps listlessly shuffling against an up-tempo beat. “I’m a bad memory. A part of you that you can just pretend was a nightmare.”

His gaze drops to the floor and his movements become even more ridged. We both know I’m right.

“How much of your past have you told your new wife?”

His eyes flash dangerously and he growls, “Enough.”

“I’m just curious as to what I should keep a lid on should I run into her.” I smile sweetly and clasp may hands behind his neck. The tips of my thumbs brushing his hair. He opens his mouth to say something but I cut him off. “Don’t worry I’m speaking hypothetically. Have you told her about all your near overdoses? Or the time I saved your life? That’s a good story. Does she know about Cambridge? Or Mary?” I can see the old and faded memories flash in his eyes. I wonder how long he’ll let me go on. “I think a nice girl like your wife deserves to know everything and what she’s getting into.” As I say this my left (or is it right?) foot drags and I stumble.

“Enough,” he repeats. He grabs my arms and pushes me away. He’s almost shaking with rage. I congratulate myself on a job well done and well worth $20. “You’re done. We’re done. It’s over. Go away.” He takes a few calming breaths then smiles and greets the next person in line for the dance.

You don’t win that easily, Pierre.

I look for the blushing bride as I rifle through my bag for cigarettes. I find both about the same time. Carton in hand, I cross the room and grab her shoulder.

“You’re sweet, “ I start. “ Or at least you seem sweet. But you don’t even know the half of that man. I hope you learn soon for your own sake.”

Without another word or glance I leave her standing there and head outside. After I light my cigarette I say, “I bet you didn’t approve of any of that.” My back against the wall I look over at the doorway.

“No I didn’t,” Josh says angrily, his arms crossed over his chest.

“After all these years you still haven’t removed that stick up your ass and loosened up.” I laugh and he looks even angrier. “Oh lighten up!”

“One of us needs to be serious.” My eyes narrow at his tone, the smirk still on my face. “What are you doing here?”

“Josh, I’m completely harmless.” He scoffs. “It was just a dance, I’m not plotting anything.” My lies come out effortlessly.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Didn’t say you had to, I’m just telling you the truth.” I take one final long drag of my cigarette before crushing it under my heel. “Anyway you might want to go check on him, if I’m such a bad influence he’ll be drowning himself in the bar by now. You must have great faith in him,” I add sarcastically.

He looks like he wants to go back inside and check on Justin, but he knows that if he does I’ll have won. I decide to throw him a bone. “So I’ve heard people so you got married? How’s that working out for you?” Not replying, Josh turns around and storms back inside.

People are so predictable.