A Love Like War

s i x t e e n

SONG OF THE CHAPTER:
The Party Song by Blink-182
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We finished the song and Alex is ecstatic. He's bubbling over with news about the song and proposes we go out to celebrate. Mostly I take that as an excuse to get drunk. Really, really drunk.

We leave the bus and head over to a local club. I think it's mostly for Zach though. We enter and the loud music pumps through the speakers with a heavy bass line. The four of us head straight for the bar before going anywhere else.

Alex orders a few rounds of shots before evenly distributing the glasses. I down these quickly before looking back at the bartender. "Strongest you've got." I challenge with a light grin. He nods and pours me a large glass of a clear liquid. I smile graciously before chugging the whole thing. Now I'm almost buzzed.

"Jack, be careful." Rian warns with a frown. I smile it off and dismiss him with a subtle wave.

"One more please." I ask the man behind the counter.

He gives me a skeptical look. "I think your friend wants you to slow down." He mumbkes quietly.

I shrug. "High alcohol tollerance. I do this too much." I add with a light laugh.

He glances at me every now and then as he pours the second glass. I sit patiently on the stool for the next drink.

This one I don't down in one swallow. I take a sip of the drink before looking back at Alex. Him and Rian are sitting off to the side chatting lightly about something. I offer them a small smile when they look over before turning back to the bar.

The man seems busy, he's twisting through the customers. Mixing and passing his drinks seamlessly.

So I sit by myself, not wanting to bother any ody with my company. Eventually the man comes back. He's wiping down the counters this time. "Rough day at work?" He asks.

I laugh, if only. "Nothing I'm not ussed to." I mumble before taking another sip from my glass.

"What do you do?"

"I'm in a band." I answer quickly.

"Ahh, and those would be your mates?" He asks, pointing over to Alex and Rian.

I nod. "There's one more, but he's probaby off getting laid or something."

The bartender laughs. "He sounds like he's having fun." I nod, much more fun than me. The man looks back at the people behind him before back at me. "I think that girl wants to talk to you." He mumbles.

I glanced over and caught the eyes of a girl. She was pretty, sure. Long blonde hair and green eyes, but I'd sworn off of any girl matching that description. Not because I didn't think they were attractive, but because I trusted Blink's reputaion of them. "Thanks-for the head sup." I mumble befire tossing a crumpled bill across the counter and heading towards the dance floor.

Empty stomach, plus stong amounts of alcohol have brought me through the tipsy threshold and almost into drunk territory. I sip at the drink clutched in my hand before grabbing Alex and dancing with him.

"Jack, how much have you had to drink?" He asks, laughing uneasily.

"Lots."

He laughs. "Okay, buddy. Why don't you just sit down for a while?"

I frown, he doesn't want me either. "But I wanna dance wif youu!" I whine before hugging him tightly.

"I know, Jack. I have to go to the bathroom."

I laugh. "We can go together. Girls do it!"

He smiles. "Not this time." He sits me down on a bench and gets me a cold glass of water. "Drink this, I'll be right back."

I nod before sipping from the straw he gave me.

Minutes later a blonde comes to sit beside me. Her leg brushes mine, but it feels weird. She isn't Stella. "Hey, what's someone like you doing sitting all by yourself?" She asks.

"I'm getting un-drunk." I mumble before continuing to sip on my water. This glass is almost empty and it starts making bubbly noises.

"That sounds like no fun." She pouts a little, her red lips pursing as she casts me a sad look.

"It's not, but Alex said I had to."

"Alex?" She asks quickly, a dangerous emotion flickering behind her green eyes.

"Yeah. He went to the bathroom."

She smiles, her white teeth sparkling in the dim lighting. "Wanna get out of here?" She asks.

I shake my head. Alex said he'd be back. "No, I'm waiting for Alex."

She shrugs. "Your loss." Then she stands up, her dress riding high on her long legs, before venturing off on another conquest.

Alex still isn't back. He doesn't want me. Neither did Stella. I don't think she ever really loved me. Not the way I loved her. I loved everything about her, and she loved the idea of me; Childish, but grown-up enough to remain in a serious relationship; Accomplished, but not arrogant about my line of work, and not so damaged that I couldn't be repaired. Until she left me.

I look down at my now opened phone. Then I do something dumb.

Something so utterly dumb it hurts.

To: Stells
I still love you
Delivered 2:15 AM

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
i don't love you like i loved you yesterday
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