Running Into You

"Oh hell," I muttered to myself as Alex sat there, sputtering.

"Come on. We don't have all day," Ali said.

"I'd kiss...JACK!" he screamed.

Zack looked at Alex.

"You're lying," he said.

"WHAT? No, I'm not!" Alex defended.

"Yes you are. Your eyes kept darting around. You lied," Zack said simply.

"We give you one chance to tell the truth, or you drink the vodka," Maddie said, producing the jumbo bottle of vodka from behind her back.

"Fine. Okay. The person I would kiss...Is Audrey," Alex muttered.

Time seemed to stop. Everyone was silent.

"What the fuck do you mean, you'd kiss Audrey?" Zack asked, jumping up, breaking the spell.

"I mean just that. I have feelings for her. I have ever since we first met at the store," Alex replied simply.

"You little fucker!" Zack yelled, punching Alex in the face and storming off.

Rian excused himself to follow Zack, and Jack followed after Rian.

"Thanks a lot, Alex. You might have just ruined my relationship. Fuck you." And with that, I turned on my heel and stalked away, leaving him on the ground, holding his nose.

---

I stepped into Matt's hotel room and saw Jack and Rian standing outside the locked bathroom door.

"Is he...Saying anything?" I asked them.

"Does calling Alex every cuss word imaginable count?" Rian asked.

"Crap," I muttered. "Move away," I gestured the guys out of my way.

After they moved, I pulled a bobby pin out of my hair and jimmied it around in the lock on the doorknob.

Finally, the door came unlocked and I stepped in, closing the door behind me.

"Zack?" i whispered, walking closer to him.

"What?" he asked.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Oh, SURE!" he said, sarcasm radiating off his words in palpable waves. "Why wouldn't I be? One of my BEST FUCKING FRIENDS just admitted he has feelings for my girlfriend. What could be better?" he screamed.

I shrank away.

"I'm...I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Whatever. It won't change my feelings though," he answered.

"And what are your feelings?" I asked.

"We're over," he told me.

"Zack--" I began, tears in my eyes.

"Over," he replied, turning away.

I opened and closed my mouth multiple times, tears cascading down my face before I turned away, walking out of the bathroom and closing the door.

Jack and Rian looked on as I slid down to sit on the floor, my back to the door on which the other side was Zack.

"What...Uhh, what happened?" Rian asked.

"We're over. All because of your dickshiter of a friend, Alex," I replied, bursting out into sobs.

"It'll be okay, maybe things will work out," Jack said optimistically.

"No. It won't work, I'm sure. I'll just...I'm just gonna go home. Rent a car or something," I told them.

"But it's late. Don't you want to wait until tomorrow?" Rian asked.

Oh yeah, it was dark. I don't drive well in the dark.

"Yeah...I'll wait until tomorrow, but it's gonna be really early, so...I'll just say bye to y'all now," I replied, getting up to hug both of them.

"Take care of my friends, okay?" I said.

They nodded solemnly as I walked out the door, intent on finding Alex.

When I walked into Zack's hotel room, I saw Alex had been moved to a bed, a bag of ice held to his nose.

"I want you to know how much I dislike you right now," I began. "You ruined my relationship with Zack, and now, I'm gonna have to leave. Thanks so much, I appreciate it," I told him, tears still falling down my face.

"Audrey," he said, sitting up.

"NO. I don't want to hear it. I just...Damn it, it's your fault my heart is broken. Thanks so fucking much," I said, turning to walk out the door.