The Black Swan

„I can’t believe you got your stupid ass sick on my bachelorette party...” Jenna was whining over the phone already for the fifth time through the night, her speech getting more slurry by each call. Surprising? Of course not. „You know I have to drink all the booze all by myself, cause these good for nothings are fucking good for nothings.”

„Easy there sailor, don’t quite hit the bottom of every bottle... you’re the bride... remember?” I fixed my phone between my shoulder and my ear as I blew out my nose. It was running like a goddamn tap the whole day. Maybe it was not such a good idea to go skinny dipping in the middle of the night, but Brian was being very persuasive. I mean, I had the chance to see his naked body. Who would be stupid enough to refuse the offer? Not me, clearly. And the cold sure as hell didn’t refuse me.

„What’s your point?” I could already imagine her squinting those intoxicated browns and barely holding herself on her feet. Gee, Matt will be glad to kiss a reeking mouth tomorrow.

„My point is...” I fixed my germ covered eiderdown over my shoulders, wishing she could just empty those last shots so she could pass out and let me do the same. „You’re getting married tomorrow. To get married you have to actually show up, you know...”

„Oh, don’t worry about that, Matt will pick me up...”

„Matt?” I curled against the back of my couch, noticing the electric clock spitting absolutely wonderful numbers in my face. 3:54 AM. „He can’t pick you up for your own wedding, J.”

„Sure he can,” I heard her downing a shot... or three. „He’s my honey... My strong teddy bear... He would do anything for me... He kicks some serious ass...” I couldn’t bare but smile. She never talked about guys in this manner, so I guess this asshole was a pretty special one. „He could even kick your Syn’s ass.”

„My Syn’s?” I laughed out even through the aching throat. To think about it... My own Synyster Gates, who was probably just as drunk as the bride at the moment.

„Well you know... Sonic the hedgehog... That Dragonball dude,”

„No, I know who you’re talking about,”

„Then what?”

„You just said my,” I couldn’t deny it sounded fucking marvelous.

„Well... Isn’t he? Sure he is. He’s been head over heels in love with you since Matty bear brought him to 25...” What? „Oops, shouldn’t have said that, should have not said that... fuck. Okay, I have to go-„

„Wait you can’t leave me hanging like this,” Yeah and before I cut her short, she cut me completely off. Only a beeping noise was left after the conversation.

Since Sanders brought him to the bar... That was a really long time ago and if I’m not mistaken, and I rarely am, we didn’t even speak for the next three months. What was there to make him fall for me?

The first time I ever saw him was on one of those rare Friday’s people decided to change Johnny’s into 25 degrees, because we served the best junk food in the whole universe. It was my shift... Well, it had to be. I was being late. Big time.

I was just another ten minutes from 25, although my shift had already started a good hour ago. I was not the person to be late for anything, but shit happens, right? And in the most inconvenient times of all. That’s what happened to me, I ended up at the other side of the town, realizing it’s already five minutes past the due and I’m more screwed than ever because I needed at least another forty minutes to drive across the town even tho I owned a bike. A magnificent vehicle driven by hundred and fifty horsepower. Yes, good ol’ Al didn’t own a car. I had something far more better. That’s right, I owned one thing that most people called a suicide machine. A Yamaha superbike.

I knew Jenna was going to be pissed. My phone started vibrating in my pocket as I stopped to the red light. I raised the windshield of my helmet to look at my cell. Scratch that, she already was pissed judging by the very polite text she just sent me. The phone was put back in my pocket in an instant after seeing the word ‘asshole’ blinking in my screen for a couple of times.

Green. Fucking great. I lowered the shield and released the clutch. I damn well knew she had planned a shot marathon throughout the bars with some guys I didn’t know and I believed I didn’t want to know. Jenna called them, I quote ‘some insane motherfuckers who doesn’t know any boundaries’. They were a bad influence on her, but who was I to judge?

It didn’t even take an eternity to get to the bar, just to see a couple of people having their most possibly hourly smokes outside. I turned off the engine, before taking off the helmet and getting off the bike. It was already starting to get dark and I very much regretted getting up at six am. I shoved the helmet in my armpit as I passed a group of guys.

„Nice bike,” I heard one of them say, but didn’t say anything in return, just barged in to see the place pushing it’s limits.

„Wow,” I mouthed as I put my healmet and my bag under the counter and on the box of empty beer bottles. Jenna was handing the change to an elderly couple as she spotted me. Spotted with a glare, forcing me to roll my eyes. Yeah, like she never showed up late.

„I want to kill you,” She hissed, her eyes fixing on someone behind me. For a moment there I even thought she wasn’t talking to me, but nope. I wasn’t that lucky. „Do you even know how much’s the time?”

„I’m here, aren’t I?” I pushed her aside, so I could pour myself a glass of water.

„You had to be here an hour ago!” The same group of guys took their seats by the counter, continuing on their drinks. It was surprising, just as I came in, the row of people disappeared and everyone were happily chatting by their tables. Just the five guys were eying us.

„Get off my case, J.” I noticed one of the five guys pointing out to his empty glass, not wanting to disturb Jenna in her most famous rant.

„Get off your case?” I refilled his glass, receiving a dimpled smile in return. He mouthed a ‘thank you’. „I told you I had to leave precisely at eight.”

„You have a time bomb ticking in your trunk? Why this sudden preciseness?”

„They had to fucking wait for me!” She pointed out to the heavily tattooed guys.

„It seems like they’re not complaining, are you?” I looked over the dimpled guy, who was drinking some scotch, a slim guy with handcuffs on his neck and a goofy smile on his face, a light haired fellow talking to a guy with wonderful green eyes and the last but not least a seemingly arrogant dick with a hair that outdid even Sonic the Hedgehog. Why was he an arrogant dick? Cause he was the only bastard, who had turned his back on me and had already gotten a bimbo by his side. Or rather between his legs. It was needles to say I didn’t see his face.

„No, no... I’ve got my drink, I’m cool.” Dimples took a mouthful.

„If you make me a tequila boom, I’ll marry you right here and now,” The goofy smile made a hard bargain, but it was a deal. For those cute blues- I’ll walk even a couple of miles in high heels and everyone knew I didn’t wear heels. Not often at least.

„See? The guy even want’s to marry me...” I pointed out to the him, as I took the Patron off the shelve.

„He said the same shit when I made his first drink.” Jenna crossed her arms, leaning against the ice generator.

„Okay...” I sighed, taking the champagne out of the fridge. „Those two are doing fine by the looks of it.”

„They’re discussing Harry Potter.” She raised her eyebrow and I noticed her anger disappearing by seconds. I couldn’t smile. Not yet. Even tho I wanted to.

„Jesus... Then look at Sonic right here...” I pointed to the guy, who had turned his back on me, making both the slim guy and dimples to look at him. He was sitting right in between. „He’s got a little something going for him...”

„Fine,” I looked at Jenna after I heard dimples and the other guy falling into laughter, just to see her smiling at me. You would think she had calmed down, fuck no. I knew that smile. She had something in her mind. „If you get ‘Sonic’” she made an air quote with her fingers, „tell you he’s not a step away from going on a rampage cause we’re not at Johnny’s... Then... I... I’ll work the weekend. I swear to god I’ll do it.”

That was the most ridiculous and absurd thing I’ve heard throughout this whole week. Easy. But then again, I was quite the observer, and seeing how the guy with handcuffs on his neck started pulling on his collar, gesturing he was lacking on air, and dimples downed his scotch in one, made me kind of do a little think over. Yeah... No. I wanted the weekend off.

„Hey,” I poked Sonic in his leather jacket. He didn’t respond. „Yo, I’m poking you if you haven’t realized it.”

„Yeah, and I’m ignoring you.” He said, not bothering to turn around or even look at me. „If you haven’t realized it.”

„Rude much?”

His shoulders raised and dropped, making me think he just sighed deeply. „What is your-„ As soon as he looked over his shoulder he cut himself short. He just sat there, glaring at me. Man he was the politest human I’ve ever seen. Note the sarcasm. But seeing his face, I figured why the chick was not leaving his side. He was a looker.

„Problem?” I asked a bit amused. „You. Being rude to me.”He pushed the girl off his lap, leaving her slightly confused as he turned his body against me.

„Was I?” He regained remarkably fast. It was clear those browns were mocking me and the side smirk also gave him away. Oh and now we’re cocky. Perfect. Rude and cocky. What else could a girl wish for? The blondie behind him didn’t know what to do, until he pulled her on his thigh, between him and dimples. She leaned against his torso with a victory grin on her face as they both looked over me like I was the biggest looser on the planet. „So, you had something to say to me?”

I had. Until a second ago. He just left me squinting my eyes on him, thinking if he truly was the biggest asshole I’ve met in my entire life? You know what was the conclusion? He was. I turned to face Jenna, who seemed to be a bit dumbfounded. „You know, I think I’ll even take your shifts if you get that douchebag out of here.”

My front door closed with a loud thud, getting me back from my thoughts. To be completely honest? I had long forgotten why me and Brian didn’t talk or particularly like one another at the beginning.

„Al!” The familiar deep voice shouted from the hallway, cause who would think Ally would be sleeping at four in the morning? „Fuck...” He murmured as something or rather someone crashed into the wall, probably waking all the neighbors up.

„What the hell...” I kicked off my blanket, walking around the coffee table as I clicked the light switch to my tiny hallway. You can guess three times what I saw. Yeah, that’s right. Brian was shitface drunk, but at least he was more sober than the person who decided my shoes were very much appealing to take a power nap on them.

„Oh hey Ally...” Matt fucking Sanders greeted me from the floor of my hallway... and as for Brian? He was giggling his ass off.

„Fuck...” I brushed my fingers in my hair, noticing the black eye and the cut on Matt’s lip. „Can you just tell me what happened?”

„Come ‘ere baby...” Brian stepped over Matt, who tried to boost himself up and pulled me in a kiss. I could only say one thing- oh my god. Even tho my smell and taste was gone, I thought I was going to die if only he breathed on me.

„Eww... You reek...”

„Oh come on...” My hands were on his chest and I used all my strength to push him away, but even tho he was drunk, he was too strong for me. „Give daddy a kiss...”

„Brian get the fuck off...” His lips went for mine, but ended sliming all over my cheek. You would think he stopped, realizing he didn’t hit the jackpot? Fuck no, I wasn’t even sure he realized it. He just trailed down my jawline and to my neck, which was covered with a thick scarf and smelled of some disgusting drugs. It didn’t seem like he cared. Not even a tiny bit. He even licked it and I kind of wanted to throw up in my mouth a little bit, imagining how the ointment must’ve tasted.

Brian fell backwards against the wall, trying to drag me along, but luckily enough I was too sober to step back, feeling he was about to fall down, making him and Matt explode in laughter as he landed on the ground. „Man we need more shots...”

„Nah Gates... I’ve to get married tomorrow...” Oh now the realization hits you. At this point, I was glad to be sick, cause even with a cold, I’d be feeling a hell lot of better than 80 percent at the wedding. I took a couple steps back to take a seat on the coffee table, looking over the pretty view.

„Come on man...” I saw Matt picking a pump heel underneath him.

„Why is there a shoe in my bed?” I was left there, blinking. Not believing what my eyes showed me, cause Matt thought he was laying on his bed, when he in fact was sleeping on my shoes and Brian was hooked. He needed another gallon of tequila to ease his thirst, cause the factor that he was not standing on his feet didn’t quite hit the sense into him.

„Your sleeping on the ground dude...” They both fell into loud laughter, probably getting up even that crack head that lived at the end of the street. „Ally...” Brian murmured, searching for me, when I was just a couple of feet away from him. „Can you give me a hundred bucks?”

„What?”

„I’ve lost my wallet... somewhere...”

„Yeah right you lost it...” Matt giggled, turning on his back, probably breaking all the heels of my shoes, „You gave it to the chick to hold it...”

„Oh fuck... right... Did she give it back?”

„What do you need the money for?” I interrupted their deep and meaningful conversation, fighting the sleep off.

„We need to pay the cab driver...” Brian got on his fours and started crawling towards me, cause he was too hammered to walk.

„Hundred dollars for the cab?” As soon as he was closer, he put his head in my lap and nodded, wrapping his arms around my waist. „Where were you? Mexico?”

„Nah...” He was soon to be a complete knock out, „After Zack left, we just wanted to take a little spin...”

„The cab driver’s holding Jimmy as a guarantee... So you better pay him...” Matt murmured. I better pay him? I couldn’t care less if Jimbo’d be a hostage, cause Jimbo is insane. He’d find a way out of any kind of shit. I was starting to get really pissed and really tired.
„Is there something else I need to know?” Did I even want to know anything else? I surely didn’t.

„I think I’m going to throw up...”