Masterpiece Theater

Balls clattered as I broke the triangle. I didn’t sink any, but they scattered about nicely. I passed the turn off to Matt and downed a shot. He sunk a solid green ball and took another turn, his cigarette pinched between his fingers while he gripped his stick.

“I just don’t get it man, what is it about this girl?” He asked for the millionth time. I’d been having the same conversation with him all week. I sensed more tension than usual between him and Laurel, but no one was talking.

“I don’t know, dude. She’s just…” I sighed and lined up the cue ball. “She gets me, yeah? She’s there, she’s real. She cares about other people.”

“And that’s so different from Michelle?”

I jumped the cue ball over a solid, splitting two striped ones and sinking both. As I walked around the table to get another position, I pushed him out of the way. “Nah, dude. It’s different. Laurel doesn’t expect things. She isn’t on my case all the time. She isn’t jealous.”

“Yet.”

“Whatever man. Everyone else is happy for me. Why can’t you be?” Talking about Michelle distracted me. As far as I knew, she was out of Matt’s house, on her own, but I guess Matt was still getting grief from Val about it.

Consequences of dating siblings.

Apparently, I still hadn’t fucking learned.

“I just don’t trust her. I think she’s hiding something.” After his turn, he leaned against the table, propping his stick up next to him. The waitress came by with beer and more shots. I took a mug and stared him down over the rim of my glass.

“Like what? Dude, I’ve known her for two months now. Of course she has secrets. She hasn’t been in a relationship in a year, and from what little I’ve gathered, it wasn’t the greatest.”

I slugged back my Guinness and picked up the game, knocking in another one of my balls.

I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Either he would get on board or he wouldn’t. When we were all together-the guys, me, Laurel and Jason-everything was cool. Matt and Laurel were the only ones who couldn’t find a cohesive rhythm. I didn’t push the issue.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Matt’s turn, so I tossed back another shot of Jack and answered with a smile. “Hey baby, you on your way?”

“I’m sorry, Bri. I know I told you I’d be off early tonight, and I was supposed to be, but Danny called out and there’s no one else who can cover the bar on their own.” It was Friday night. Of course they would be busy. To her credit, she did sound sincere, and pissed. She was worth more than that shitty job, but she loved doing it, and I didn’t want to argue with her by asking her to quit.

I sighed. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. We had plans.”

“You’re off tomorrow. All day, you, me, the beach.”

“Mm. The beach, the house, I don’t care. I just miss you.”

“Me too.” I answered, taking a heavy drag off my cigarette. Between my recording, her working extra shifts, and trying to keep Jason in the loop-and sober-we’d barely had any time together this week. We both just had too much to do.

I took another drag. “Where’s Jason tonight?” I had to ask, because I wouldn’t be the boyfriend she wanted me to be if I didn’t, although frankly, I didn’t want to know.

Ever since I picked him up from the Hills, the tension between us only grew, instead of dissipated. We fucked-there was no other way to put it-and it only left me wanting more.

I hadn’t really given much thought to needing to be topped before, but now it was always on my mind. Jason knew what I needed without me having to say a word.

This time, it wasn’t just a one and done deal. Although Laurel and I didn’t have time to spend together, Jason had managed to find some. We hooked up two more times since then.

“I called Jason on my break and he said he was going to an Addicts Anonymous meeting and then he and his sponsor are going for pizza. He’s gonna pick me up when I get off and then we’ll be at the house.”

Addicts Anonymous? That was new. I knew he was having trouble staying sober, but I hadn’t noticed anything off in the last week. He hadn’t said anything to me about it. I didn’t really figure him as a ‘meetings’ type of guy.

“Alright. I’ll see you at home. Be careful, okay?”

“Always. Gotta go. Bye love.”

“Bye.”

I hung up, confused and disappointed, and turned my attention back to the game. Matt was scowling. He took two shots in a row and chased it with his beer. I just rolled my eyes and took up my spot at the table.

“You believe her?”

“Why shouldn’t I?”

The game wasn’t going to get finished. When the waitress came by with another round, I paid her enough to bring us the bottle. I sat, dealt out cigarettes like a hand of poker, and gestured for Matt to sit. He sat, with a huge sigh, but took the offering.

“How much do you know about this Danny guy?”

I shrugged. “They were sleeping together. Now they’re not.”

“You sure?”

“Jesus Christ, Matt. What’s your deal? Why are you pushing the issue?”

“I just don’t want you to get hurt, man. You’re so hung up on this chick. I wanna make sure you know what you’re doing.”

“Just...drop it, okay?” I lit a cigarette and leaned back in my chair. I wanted to trust Laurel, but Matt’s questions started needling at my brain. He was my best friend, but he refused to even try and get to know Laurel.

My phone buzzed again.

U game? It was a message from Jason. I needed to answer him, but I didn’t want to bail on Matt, although Matt was making it pretty easy to not want to be around him.

At Johnny’s with Matt. I’ll LYK.

“You gonna eat?” The waitress asked as she set the bottle on the table. I raised an eyebrow at Matt and leaned forward to flick my ashes. He was still scowling, staring at a spot on the floor. His cigarette had gone out.

I had a pretty good buzz going, despite Matt trying to kill it. If I was gonna keep it up, I needed food. “Matt?” I asked, trying to ease the tension.

He seemed to snap out of whatever had caught his focus. “Nah. I’m out. I’ll catch you later.” He pressed a cigarette between his lips and walked out of the bar.

I waved the waitress away. “Fuck.” I growled before taking a pull from the bottle.

Jason brushed by Matt as he came in. I watched them talk for a minute and Matt left, shaking his head. Jason sat down in his vacated seat and smiled.

“Need some company?”

“You offering?”

“Someone’s in a bad mood.”

I tipped the bottle back again, taking in a generous amount. I wasn’t in the mood for games. Jason was grinning, baiting me, and I wanted nothing more than to deck him.

Well, almost nothing.

After another long pull, I set the bottle down and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. For someone trying to get sober, he spent a lot of time around people who drank.

“Can we go somewhere?” I mumbled. I stabbed out my cigarette.

“Somewhere like…?”

“Don’t fuck with me Jason. You told your sister you were going to a meeting. Obviously, you’re not, because you’re here. If you’re not gonna help me, then fuck off.”

He chuckled. “Easy, Gates. Matt told me you were on edge. I didn’t realize how serious it was.”

“Get to your point.”

“I know a place. I just don’t know if you’re ready for that.”

“Let’s go.” I stood and started walking away from the table. When I didn’t feel Jason behind me, I turned. He was still sitting, staring after me. “What?”

“We go this deep, Brian, there’s no getting out. If my sister finds out, what are you gonna do?”

“She won’t find out.”

“Do you love her?”

Realizing we weren’t getting out of this anytime soon, I sat back down and lit another cigarette. “Fuck, I don’t know. I feel for her. I don’t wanna be with anyone else. I just can’t ask her to do this. You offered.”

“And if I hadn’t?”

I couldn’t answer him. I wasn’t sure how to. I probably wouldn’t have had to worry about it if he hadn’t offered. The world was a conundrum.

“Fine. Let’s go. And bring that bottle. You’re gonna need it.”

I did as he said. I grabbed the bottle and followed him out of the bar, holding the cigarette between my lips.

“Keys.” He held out his hand. I gave them to him without question. From here on out, he was in charge.