And Now I'm Sleeping Alone

Alex and I were back on speaking terms. He had finally forgiven me, but he was still going out with Brittany later that night. I wished I could say something, ask him to stay, not leave me to worry all night. Before Alex left to pick up Brittany, he turned to me. “I won’t be home until morning, probably around six. I’m stay at the guy who’s hosting’s house.” I nodded, at least he was trying to be considerate. As he walked out the door, I sat down on the couch and pulled a blanket over myself. Some sixties movie was on Lifetime, and when I heard footsteps behind me, I fully expected it to be Zack. Instead, it was Rian standing at the end of the couch.

“Jack, I’m going on a double date with Cassadee tonight. Is it okay if I take Zack and try to hook him up with one of Cassadee’s girlfriends?” That would leave me alone for the night, which hadn’t happened in months. Ever since Alex and Brittany had started going out, Zack had taken to staying home with me most nights.

“No, Ri,” I chuckled. “I want to sleep with Cassadee’s hot friend. Of course it’s fine if you take Zack, have fun. I can hold the fort for the night.” If nobody was there to stay up with me, I might be asleep by midnight.

“Cool,” Zack said, appearing in the doorway to the kitchen in a Blink shirt and black jeans. “We’re out, then.” They walked through the living room quickly, but I had time to yell behind them to have fun.

Not an hour after they’d left, as my movie wound down, I heard an insistent knocking and a crying girl’s voice at the door. “Hello? Is anyone there? Please, is someone home?” I glanced down at my watch. It was past eleven o’clock, but I answered the door anyway.

As soon as I opened the door, Brittany fell forward into my arms. “Jacky,” she wailed, sniffling and hiccuping as her tears soaked into my shirt. She kept choking on her words, and she undeniably wouldn’t be legal to drive.

“I’m sorry, Brittany. It’s,” I began.

“Don’t even bother! It’s not okay, he said there wasn’t any spark.” She threw her arms around my neck and overtly pressed her boobs into my chest. “Why wouldn’t there be a spark? I’m pretty, and a good fuck, and we went out all the time.” She sniffed, and pulled the neckline of her tank top down even further. “We would have a spark, together, wouldn’t we?”

My eyes bugged out. “Brittany, no. Listen, let me make you some decaf, you can lie down, and tell me about it.” I led Brittany to lay on the couch, turned off the tv, and covered her with a blanket. Deciding to forego the coffee, I sat down on the floor next to the couch by her head.

“Alex told me he didn’t love me anymore. And I don’t think” hiccup “he ever really loved me, because he’d only sleep with me or kiss me when he was dru-unk.” Her head was beginning to lull, and Rian’s key was turning in the lock. I jumped up to tell Rian that Brittany was drunk off her ass and trying to sleep, but Brittany grabbed my hair and pulled me down to her lips. I heard Rian open the door and tried to push myself off of Brittany.

“Jack, what the fuck are you doing.” Alex’s voice, cold, angry, and sober. Fuck.