The "I" In Lie

III. Mad At Nothing

"Why haven't you told me about this before?!"

"Because that night was a mistake!" I emphasize my anger without letting Victoria overhear. "I don't know what happened, but I regret it. We both do. Just... Drop it, okay? You wouldn't understand anyway." Joe looks like he wants to continue, but I flash him a glare of fair warning. He rolls his eyes.

"You know what, fine. Fine." He empties the entirety of his mug in one, long swig. It was almost full, so it was a lot to drink at once.

"I'm going home. To wife who trusts me. Unlike somebody's."

Ouch. That was harsh. Joe was never the one to be rude to his friends, even if drunk. He stumbles off his chair and proceeds to the door. Despite him shooting me when I was already shot down, I snap my fingers and get a bartender's attention.

"Jack," I point a thumb back toward Joe when he looked over to me. "Take him home, would ya?" Jack nods, quickly explaining the situation to Victoria, who looks concerned, and runs off after him. Victoria's heels click her way over to me.

"Hey, what happened?" I slide my glass to her, which she starts to refill.

"It's nothing."

"It's obviously something, Patrick."

"Well, it's none of your business, Victoria!" I yell without meaning to. She looks at me bitterly, adding the last touches to my daiquiri. I know I'm being mean, and am hurting her, but I can't stop myself. "I don't need to be sharing my life with you! You wouldn't care." The instant that last word comes out of my mouth, rum is being thrown into my face. I scrunch my features up on impact.

"Don't talk to me like that, Patrick.

Enjoy your drink along with your shitty life." I had that coming. I was being a dick. Victoria, out of everyone, didn't deserve it. I pick up a random rag from behind the counter and dry my face. I want to drink from the glass that she spent time making, but there's a different and unappealing vibe to it now, so I choose to walk around and eavesdrop on other bar goers. I linger as I walk past a boy, a few years younger than me, with light brown hair. He's complaining to someone on the phone.

"I'm telling you, that girl is SUCH a bitch! She's so damn cold, like, 20 below! She'll throw me out when it's freezing outside, which is basically everyday in Chicago! And for the STUPIDEST reasons." He's silent a moment. "Well... I love it actually." His laugh is semi-awkward. "She's beautiful and amazing. Ugh... I can't help myself." I move on before he notices me. In one of the few booths, I see two boys. The older looking one has hair that is black in the front, then blond in the back. The younger one, hair all black, had just sat down, and seems amazed by his hairstyle. He reaches over the table and behind his head to play with the blond section. The boy laughs upon his hair being toyed with. After a quick few seconds, he sits back down and smiles, saying some words I can't hear. They appear to be along the lines of, "It looks great!" The other one smiles again, and they both start conversing.

"What a cute couple." I mutter sarcastically as I stand near there booth. I catch the glimpse of the colored-hair boy from the corner of my eye. He looks back to his friend, quietly tells him what I said, and they both break out in laughter. The black haired one turns around to face me.

"We're not a couple." He informs me while slightly laughing. I remain serious. I can still joke, but I've lost all sense of cheeriness tonight.

"Oh, really?" I turn on my heels, walking past them as I continue my path. "You two should really give it a shot. You guys would be adorable." They wait a short moment, then laugh even more. I move forward. The next booth is empty, but the one after it has a face I know too well, and belongs to someone I am not the fondest of. He looks up from his phone and does his stupid smirk at me.