Bad Decisions

It was odd, that was the best way for Vic to describe what it felt like to have an empty space next to him when he walked, sat on his couch, or laid in his bed. It was like there was an empty feeling following him wherever he went. Was it regret? No. Things were different now and Vic just needed some time to get used to them being his way.

Despite this ghost like space trailing behind him, Vic felt better than he had the last few weeks. He felt he could breathe easier, his chest was lighter without all these guilty feelings weighing him down. There was also a slight twist of humor underlying the situation, Kellin and himself were the ones taking the breakup the easiest. Their friends, however, weren't in the same boat when word started to get around, as it always does.

"What the fuck do you mean you guys broke up?" His own brother, Mike, half-shouted in a state of disbelief at the news the pair had split. He had called to invited Vic and Kellin to a family gathering that'd be taking place sometime next weekend. Of course, Vic had to explain the situation to the younger Fuentes.

"I mean we split, Mike. Kellin and I- we just weren't working out anymore, that's all." If Mike had the ability to see his brother, he would have seen the shrug that accompanied his brother's nonchalant tone. There was no sense in beating around the bush about it. "You can still invite Kellin if you want to though. I'm sure he'll come." The words flowed with ease, he wouldn't mind seeing Kellin there. The two were still on good terms, and Vic's family always liked seeing the fair skinned boy around.

His words only drew more questions out of his brother, it was fair though, most people wouldn't want to see a new ex of theirs show up at a family event. He took the time to explain the situation to Mike, telling how exactly things broke off between the two. Mike, who Vic always found to be a tad too pessimistic at times, merely snorted from the other line and stated that the arrangement between the two would never work out.

"You're just not supposed to be friends with an ex, Vic. It never works out, there's always going to be something there. Feelings of some kind, whether they're good or bad, they're there." Mike spoke, his voice seeming to put out the impression that Mike was reciting words of wisdom.

"You know how Kellin and I are, we've always been able to work together through things, which is what we're doing now. We both agreed that this was the right thing to do, and now we're going to work through this break up together, plain and simple." Vic explained, unable to accept his brother's negativity on the situation. Mike just didn't understand, Mike had never been in a relationship like Vic had with Kellin.

"Okay, so what happens when one of you starts dating again? Could you really be friends with Kellin if you saw him all over some other guy?" Vic could just picture that smart ass, know-it-all smirk that Mike would have if they were talking face to face. Though, Mike was making a valid point, he wasn't used to seeing anyone with Kellin except himself, could it really be something he could brush away.

"Of course I could, if he's happy then I don't see why there should be any reason for me to get upset about it. I'm a mature adult, I won't let something as stupid as jealousy ruin my friendship with Kellin." Vic's cool and relaxed demeanor was back, his brother wouldn't make him feel so doubtful about something that he knew was a good thing. He wouldn't let him.

"I give it a month." Mike said, ending their conversation about Vic and Kellin.

Vic had spent the last few days thinking about that conversation, of course, he had allowed his brother's words to get stuck inside of his head. It wasn't like he could just call Kellin and tell him how he changed his mind, his reasoning wasn't all that great. 'I'm worried something might happen, I want to stop it before something does.' That made him seem like an idiot, didn't it?

He was starting to give himself a headache from thinking about it too much. Bringing his hand up to his forehead, he hoped to soothe the throbbing ache, but to no avail. Deciding he needed to take a break from all his worrying and over-analyzing, he took a walk to a little bar near his house. It wasn't anything spectacular, it was just somewhere he could go for a break. You had to know where it is if you wanted to find it.

He figured it'd be a good way to clear his mind and get out of the house, it'd been a few days. Not that he'd been shutting himself away, he just needed time to sort things out, and a drink, possibly two, could do just that for him. He wasn't a heavy drinker, just on occasion really, normally it was only if he was out with the guys.

The place wasn't crowded so it was easy for him to find a stool to sit on, once he had he took a moment to study the scene around him. No familiar faces but none were all that strange to him either, seems just to be some people who needed a time out like himself.

"And what can I get for you?" The words of the bartender broke him from his fixated stare across the room. It took Vic a moment to understand the question, him merely staring at the bartender as he processed it. "You okay, man?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, sorry." Vic shook his head quickly, realizing how creepy he must have seemed to the other. "Whatever you recommend is fine by me" He wasn't in a picky mood at the moment, he just wanted something he could drink.

Taking the time that was left to him as the bartender mixed whatever it was that he would bring to Vic, he went back to his thoughts. Sitting alone in a bar didn't seem like a great way to try and get his life back in order. Then again, learning how to live a life without Kellin didn't seem to be as easy as Vic intended, he didn't like to feel lonely, he'd willingly admit to being slightly more needy in the relationship than Kellin was.

"Something on your mind?" The bartender was far too talented at making Vic just about jump out of his skin. Once again, he managed to regain the other's attention as the glass slid in front of him. What it was, he didn't know, but he didn't bother to ask as he raised to his lips.

"Nothing that'd be interesting to you, relationship stuff." Vic explained, shaking his head. He managed to down half his glass before he put it back down on the counter. It wasn't half bad, a little stronger than he would have preferred, but he wasn't about to start complaining.

"Well, you'd be surprised about how much relationship shit I hear, working here and what not. Every other body that walks through that door got a story about someone they can't seem to make things work with." As he spoke, he placed the rag he used to clean the glasses with, crossing his arms. It seems Vic had his full attention.

Vic wasn't much of a sob story guy, he'd tell you how it was, exactly how it happened. So here he found himself, for the second time that day, recounting the story of what had happened. It had been a few days, pushing a week, that they had split, but he could still remember everything that had happened.

"Seems like you guys did what was best, if you're not feeling it then there's no sense in dating. Why bother if you can't give it your all?" The male gave a shrug, leaning against the side of the bar as he spoke. "At least that guy was cool about ti, right? Be grateful, there's some pretty ugly stories to go around."

Vic nodded his head in agreement, glad that this guy could confirm what Vic thought to be true in the first place. " So, do you always take the time to talk to your customers like this?" He had talked about his past relationship enough for one day.

"No, but it's a slow night and you were looking troubled. I figured no harm could come of it, right?"

Despite never really finishing the first drink he had ordered, Vic spent another hour or two in the bar just talking to the man who worked behind the counter. The times he had to serve someone else were rare and few in between, so they managed to have a fairly in depth conversation before the night was over. So when Vic went to head out he had a clear mind and perhaps a new number entered into his phone's contacts.