Everything Is Alright
So Much For Apologies
Justin's POV
I heard a noise at the door. I got up from the couch to see, stumbling over myself a little. The door opened. Liz was leading a guy inside by the hand. They were laughing for some unknown reason. She stopped when she saw me.
“Justin,” she said. “I thought you were out,” she added.
“Who’s this, Betty?” I asked, about the guy. My head was buzzing and I put the bottle back on the table. But I was sober enough to control what I was saying.
“This is-” she began after a few seconds of awkward silence.
“Actually, I should get going,” the guy said, interrupting.
“Maybe you should,” I said, impolitely. I crossed my arms.
“You don’t have to,” she was saying. “Really.”
“I think I should,” he said, walking out the door after glancing at me one last time. He closed it sharply. I crossed my arms again.
“You're being an ass, Justin,” she muttered, shaking her head. It stung a little.
“Me?” I demanded. “You're the one who’s bringing random guys home to sleep with!” Her jaw dropped as she stared at me, speechless for a few seconds.
“You thought-I can’t believe…” she sputtered, shaking her head. “You thought I was going to sleep with him?!?” she asked incredulously. I just shrugged and didn’t answer. “You-what do you think I am? A fucking whore?” she demanded loudly. I still didn’t answer. “I can’t believe you’d say…ugh!” she exclaimed. Her eyes were shining. “You-you're an ass, Justin. An ass!” I saw a tear run down her cheek. I blinked. I didn’t mean to make her cry. Now I really felt like an ass.
“Betty…” I began. She stormed down the hall towards her bedroom, throwing her stuff forcefully on the floor. I heard her slam the door loudly and a picture frame fall off the wall. I started to follow her, then stopped.
What would I say?
I was terrible at apologies.
************************************************************************
Liz’s POV
I slammed my door loudly and locked it. Not that it helped the situation. I flopped onto my bed, breathing quickly. I stared at the ceiling angrily. What was his problem, anyway? If I want to bring someone home, that’s my choice, right? And I couldn’t believe he’d accuse me of something like that. I barely even knew the guy. Justin knew me better than that.
After all, I’d never accuse him of something like that, even if I thought it was true. I had been his best friend since we were 18. Where does he get off saying things like that to me? I had always been there for him. I had been there when that stupid girl he really liked called him an accident. And when the other ones called him worse. And for all of his and Josh’s first shows. Before they even had a name for the band. I was always there.
Except for when you moved away, a voice in my head reminded me.
He could have called. Or visited. Just once, I argued.
You could have, too, it said.
I told that voice in my head to shut up.
It was getting on my nerves.
I heard a noise at the door. I got up from the couch to see, stumbling over myself a little. The door opened. Liz was leading a guy inside by the hand. They were laughing for some unknown reason. She stopped when she saw me.
“Justin,” she said. “I thought you were out,” she added.
“Who’s this, Betty?” I asked, about the guy. My head was buzzing and I put the bottle back on the table. But I was sober enough to control what I was saying.
“This is-” she began after a few seconds of awkward silence.
“Actually, I should get going,” the guy said, interrupting.
“Maybe you should,” I said, impolitely. I crossed my arms.
“You don’t have to,” she was saying. “Really.”
“I think I should,” he said, walking out the door after glancing at me one last time. He closed it sharply. I crossed my arms again.
“You're being an ass, Justin,” she muttered, shaking her head. It stung a little.
“Me?” I demanded. “You're the one who’s bringing random guys home to sleep with!” Her jaw dropped as she stared at me, speechless for a few seconds.
“You thought-I can’t believe…” she sputtered, shaking her head. “You thought I was going to sleep with him?!?” she asked incredulously. I just shrugged and didn’t answer. “You-what do you think I am? A fucking whore?” she demanded loudly. I still didn’t answer. “I can’t believe you’d say…ugh!” she exclaimed. Her eyes were shining. “You-you're an ass, Justin. An ass!” I saw a tear run down her cheek. I blinked. I didn’t mean to make her cry. Now I really felt like an ass.
“Betty…” I began. She stormed down the hall towards her bedroom, throwing her stuff forcefully on the floor. I heard her slam the door loudly and a picture frame fall off the wall. I started to follow her, then stopped.
What would I say?
I was terrible at apologies.
************************************************************************
Liz’s POV
I slammed my door loudly and locked it. Not that it helped the situation. I flopped onto my bed, breathing quickly. I stared at the ceiling angrily. What was his problem, anyway? If I want to bring someone home, that’s my choice, right? And I couldn’t believe he’d accuse me of something like that. I barely even knew the guy. Justin knew me better than that.
After all, I’d never accuse him of something like that, even if I thought it was true. I had been his best friend since we were 18. Where does he get off saying things like that to me? I had always been there for him. I had been there when that stupid girl he really liked called him an accident. And when the other ones called him worse. And for all of his and Josh’s first shows. Before they even had a name for the band. I was always there.
Except for when you moved away, a voice in my head reminded me.
He could have called. Or visited. Just once, I argued.
You could have, too, it said.
I told that voice in my head to shut up.
It was getting on my nerves.