Just Come Running

It’s been two hours since I got to this party, and I still haven’t found Tyler. Johnny and I have drunk our way around the house so I’m feeling pretty buzzed right now, but I’m still not happy. I bet he didn’t he come in the end. I bet that’s what my niggling feeling was. What if he wanted to apologise and went to my apartment but then Beth told him I’d gone to the party anyway? That would only make him madder! Shit, I’d better call him. I don’t want him to hate me any more than he already does.

I dialled the familiar number and plugged my opposite ear, biting my lip until he answered.

“Drewwww you’re missing a great fucking party,” he slurred.

“I’ve been here the whole time,” I told him, rolling my eyes.

I bet he’s completely and utterly plastered.

“You’ve what?!” Oh great. Now he’s pissed at me.

“I’ve been trying to find you to talk to you, Ty. Where are you?” I asked desperately.

“In the fucking kitchen,” he growled. Then he hung up.

Fantastic. This confrontation will go well. Not.

“Was that Tyler? Did you find him?” Johnny asked, reappearing at my side with a drink for both of us.

The drinks are in ice-buckets in the living room, not the kitchen, which would explain why we didn’t find him already. I nodded and groaned, taking my drink from him and downing it all. Fuck, this shit burns! I coughed and spluttered, glaring at Johnny slightly.

“Tequila?” I exasperated.

“What? You took it before I could explain what it was!” Johnny defended.

I sighed as I felt my vision blur slightly, but started to head towards the kitchen anyway, Johnny following right behind me. Sure enough, Tyler was in there, surrounded by random people from his lectures. As soon as he saw me he narrowed his eyes and walked over.

“Oh, so you’ll come with Johnny but you won’t come with me? I see how it is,” Tyler scoffed.

Johnny held up his hands in defence and walked out of the room. Gee, thanks Johnny.

“He suggested I come here to talk through our argument earlier, actually. And I’m not the one that flirts with my housemate, Tyler,” I retorted.

Shit, why did I say that? Fucking tequila!

“Cut the shit, Drew, you’re such a fucking hypocrite! You’ve been so on my back about me and Lee, and yet you’re quite happy to go along with whatever Johnny suggests? You’re such a fucking hypocrite!” Tyler mocked.

“This is not the same,” I growled.

“Yes it fucking is. You just don’t want to admit it,” Tyler spat.

I don’t know what came over me, but before I knew it I’d swung my fist at him and hit him square in the jaw, making him yelp and stumble backwards. Shit. Oh shit. Fucking tequila!

“FIGHT!”

I looked around wildly to see whoever said it, but before I could find them Tyler had rushed at me and thrust his fist into my stomach, pushing all the wind from my body. I groaned and doubled over, only held up by his hand curled into the neck of my t-shirt.

“Maybe we had this coming. Maybe this was what our relationship was boiling down to,” Tyler snarled.

I growled and stamped on his foot before swinging my fist again, hitting his jaw in exactly the same place.

“What do you want me to say, Tyler? That our relationship was doomed from the start? That we were never right for each other? Because that’s bullshit! We could’ve made it work if you’d actually fucking tried!” I yelled.

The crowd of drunken people ‘oohed’, which only made Tyler madder. But I don’t care. If he’s going to start this, I’m going to finish it. The alcohol coursing through both our bloodstreams is clearly dissolving the rational parts of our brains. Fucking tequila.

“If I fucking tried? I’m not the one that’s too scared to try anything new incase the stress becomes too much that you try to kill yourself,” Tyler retorted.

Oh he did not just say that in public. I scowled and shoved him against the fridge, pinning him in place with my arm across his chest.

“At least I’m not a pathetic little rich boy who still puts no effort into anything in his life because he’s still trying to rebel against mommy and daddy,” I spat.

Tyler’s eyes darkened in a way that I haven’t seen since Senior year, and he sharply smashed his forehead down on my nose. I cried out as I felt something crack, warm liquid already gushing down my face. This is exactly the same as our first fight when we first met, only this time it’s much more serious. This time we could actually kill each other.

“Don’t you dare bring my parents into this,” Tyler said coldly.

I didn’t even have time to react before he drew his fist back and knocked me to the ground. Gasps sounded as he straddled my waist and started to repeatedly punch me in the face, his drunken anger taking over completely. I tried as best as I could to block his hits, writhing under him to get free. I’ve seen Tyler get angry like this before, and it didn’t end well for that guy. I don’t want the same results.

“Drew? DREW! Get the fuck off him, you psycho!”

I recognised Johnny’s voice, and that snapped me out of my funk. I am just as strong as Tyler. I can hit him just as hard as he can hit me. I’m not letting him overpower me this time. With a snarl I kicked Tyler off of me and sprung to my feet, my head spinning slightly from the blood loss of my broken nose.

“I’m guessing you’ve already realised this, Jenkins, but we’re over,” I said angrily, my speech so slurred I could barely understand what I was saying.

“Go fuck yourself,” Tyler spat back, leaning heavily against the counter.

I made a move to walk away, but spun round at the last minute and punched Tyler so hard that he fell to the floor unconscious. I didn’t smile as the crowd around us cheered and booed. I don’t give a shit about them. I need to get out of here. Now. I just… I just broke up with Tyler?

“Drew, Drew, are you okay?” Johnny asked frantically as he caught up with me in the hallway by the front door.

“No. No, I’m not. I don’t really know what just happened but I have to get out,” I whimpered.

“Shit, yeah, okay. Um, do you want me to take you to the hospital?” Johnny asked.

I just nodded miserably and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to straighten it as best as I could. Right now I’m numb. But tomorrow morning I know I won’t be. I dread to think what will happen then.