It Should've Been Me Instead Of Him

Julie.

“I actually made it for you, wanna impress you.”
I remembered how he smiled sweetly at me and told me those romantic words. How his eyes focused at me did really make me insane but I couldn’t even stand it. John.. He was unstable. I couldn’t even think of what he was thinking. He was hard to be guessed and it always made me being tortured. I knew I was wrong when I realized that I had been falling for him while I was with Zack already.

“I know you’re not okay! Don’t you ever say if you’re okay in this condition! Even I’ve said you’d better be home!”
His harsh tone kinda hurt me. It really did. I remembered how he tightened his grip on my wrist and frowned at me. I saw a disappointment in his eyes but I couldn’t stand it. Did he feel sad for letting me back to Zack? I guessed. I just felt like a dumb when I was around him and Zack was coming. It made me sick. I would feel uneasy when I was around both of them at the same time.

“Let’s just leave this happy couple all alone.”
I also remembered how he was sarcastic at me. I did really know that he behaved different because of me. I wasn’t that confident but his eyes told me the truth. His blank stare was just straight to the table while his words kinda made me sick inside. What did he mean by ‘happy couple’? I was indeed happy being with Zack but it might be happier if I was with him.

Deep breathe. Closed eyes. John Cornelius O’Callaghan the fifth. I shouldn’t be thinking of him. I shouldn’t while my boyfriend was around. Zack was beside me right now. He had drove us around Manhattan and Brooklyn aimlessly for about an hour. My lovely boyfriend was innocent and if he knew about what I had done with John while he was far away, he would.. I couldn’t think of it.

I lifted my head up from the window and opened my eyes right after I heard Zack cleared his throat. It blurred my thoughts about John. Within a tired look, I turned to face him and found him smiling sweetly at me. He squeezed my hand gently and made me realize that we were in a driveway already but it wasn’t either mine or his driveway.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, still smiling but making me kinda flinch. "I called your name several times but-"

“I-I’m-” I stuttered, kinda confused about what I should reply him so I just shook my head. I distracted the question. “So where are we now?”

Zack just rolled his eyes but chuckling and ruffling my hair. “We're at.. Well, this is Stella's."

"Stella?"

"Yeah, she's Halvo's stepsister." He replied quickly and I just mouthed 'o' in response. I was sorta confused knowing we were gonna see Halvo's stepsister but I already said it was Zack's rule so? I didn't question it. Soon Zack was out of the car and went to my side before opening the door for me. He held out his hand to help me out of the car. "Come on baby, they're waiting already."

I just nodded my head before eventually took his hands. We linked our arms and Zack guided me to the foyer where there were Halvo and Belle already. Belle walked towards me before hugging me friendly. "Nice to see you guys here." I said.

"Nice to see you too." Halvo replied before placing an arm around Belle's shouders while she just nodded and smiled.

"Well, I haven't seen Celine this past 2 months. Will she be here too?" I suddenly asked. I had never seen or heard from her though ever since Alex went to London. I didn't even know if they were still together, too.

Belle shook her head. "She won't. She didn't show up lately. I'm worried if she's not in a good condition. We all know she's such a diseased person." She said with a frown on her forehead.

As I was about to reply her again, suddenly Zack nudged me on the arm so I looked up at him. "It's Stella." He told me quietly and my eyes looked at where he looked at. There was a brunette girl with pretty face. She looked like a model with her height.

"Hey," She greeted me with a beautiful smile on her lips. She then looked at Zack who still stood beside me. "So this is your new girl, huh?"

"Yeah." Zack smiled widely before introduced us to each other. "This is Julie my girlfriend. And Julie, this is Stella. She's my old friend." It kinda weird when I heard an 'old friend' thing but I tried to let it slide. I wasn't the jealousy type of a girlfriend. "Anyway it's her birthday, honey."

"Aw, then happy birthday Stella." I said smiling and gave her a friendly hug afterward. She whispered me a 'thank you' before asking us to get into the bar of her house.

"You're lucky to have him." Stella told me, glancing at Zack. Stella was walking beside me while Zack was with Halvo and Belle, talking about some stuffs which I didn't know.

"I know." Suddenly John was inside my brain. I'll be luckier if I had John. Soon I shook my head, hoping there was no John again while Zack around.

“So who’s your lucky boyfriend now, Stells?” After some light conversations and it showed 8 pm already, Zack eventually asked Stella and laughed once he had sat on the bar stool while she was taking some drinks for us from the bar. I didn’t know what he meant by laughing but by the look Stella made, it was like Zack teased her. He then pulled me to sit on his lap.

Stella practically rolled her eyes as she placed the glasses of tequilla at the bar table. As she was about to say something over Zack’s face, Halvo interrupted with a big grin on his face. “We all always know that her lucky boyfriend is only David, don’t we?” Halvo laughed and did Zack, even harder. Belle just shook her head but added and chuckling slightly. “We all always know that he’ll be her last one.”

I didn’t really know what they were talking about so I was just quiet. And noticed Stella’s facial expression, she looked annoyed but cracking a smile slightly. “Fuck you guys!” she cursed playfully before raising her glass of tequilla with her hand. “Cheers! For my birthday.”

“For our anniversary!” Zack announced and did the same as Stella did before kissing my cheek.

“For Stella, Zack, and Julie!” Belle summarized. She and Halvo raised their glasses too and they all waited for me but I kept remaining. I had never drunk alcohol.

“Come on, Julie.” Stella demanded, smiling. “It’s for us.”

I shook my head no, “I had never-”

“Come on, dear.” Zack cut me off before attaching our lips, kissing me lovingly. “You won’t be drunk, I promise. Just for tonight, okay?”

I nodded my head slowly before smiling sheepishly and raising my glass. “Cheers! For all of us!”