Ruben or August

Chapter 9

Jace

'Here you go.' Said the bartender handing me over my beer. I nodded and quickly grabbed it drinking away. I wasn't really looking at the football game on the TV clearly not interested just wanting to forget about all of the drama unfolding in my life. I didn't need to have him wonder about my hospital with his new accountancy and I clearly didn't need her to come across us whilst we were having our lunch.

I thought about how annoying she'd been whilst passing the x-ray, needing to be hypnotised. I didn't believe in any of all that. Actually I didn't believe in anything. Father Christmas had never been my thing, the tooth fairy even less and I didn't believe in God either. I hadn't even believed in getting through med school, it was just some old prank with friends, but I'd been rather good at it all and passed through to the internship. I hated hospitals and sick people and dying people. Taking another sip of beer I decided I needed some fresh air, forget about my crappy life and my crappy job. I slammed a ten pound note on the table and rushed out pushing people as I didn't feel patient enough to kindly ask and wait.

I drove down to the beach. I thought about going for a swim. The water was cold at this time of the year but the fresh water might make me feel re-energized I thought. I needed to clear my mind out. As I walked passed a supermarket still open at this time of the night, I decided to park my car and just go and get another drink.

'Goodbye sir.' Said a man looking utterly bored behind the check-out. I ignored him not in the mood for any politeness and walked over to my favourite part of the supermarket, the liquors and alcohols. It didn't take me long to decide what to choose, I went for the classic vodka bottle needing something strong. '£17.99' asked the shop assistant. I quickly handed him a twenty pound note and walked off not wanting to fiddle about with small change. 'Thank you.' He said in a dull boring tone of voice. I ignored him again. I opened the bottle and not wanting to find a bin I chucked the plastic wrapping on the floor laughing at the thought of the person having to pick up my stuff. I swallowed maybe a quarter of the bottle, feeling the liquid burn my throat. I opened the car door and threw the bottle on the ground.

Sitting in the car for a moment, I decided to drive down to the beach, feeling too lazy to walk. I could feel the effects of the alcohol and deep down I knew I needed to drive carefully, but instead, I grabbed my packet of cigarettes and fielded about to find my lighter.

The walkway by the seashore was packed off people, families and lovers walking down towards the pier. I hadn't parked far away, just wanting to go for a swim. I took another sip of the strong liquid held in my hand feeling happy at last. I started to look out for the best area to swim but something caught my eye. His car. I slowly crossed over feeling myself walk anything but straight and stared at it. The car I had driven in more than a couple of times. 'Well, well, well.' I muttered to myself wondering why he was here. I wondered if maybe he was with his sister and brother for the evening, but then a detail caught my eye in the car on the back seat. A cardigan. And not any cardigan, it was the one I had seen a few nights ago. At the hospital, when he had bought his injured girlfriend or whatever she was in. I kicked the car feeling anger pour through my blood and took another sip of the bottle. It was almost empty now and I couldn't help but feel annoyed. Again.

I took out my phone feeling evil and texted him whilst walking over to the pier. 'I saw your car parked by the pier. Thought we could meet up. Xx' I needed him to think my attentions were good, and whilst writing the text, I tried and forced myself to ignore the alcohol thoughts.

I was standing in the middle of the busy pier not sure where he was and not standing straight. And then I saw her. She hadn't seen me at first to busy walking down but then she must have seen me because she looked in my direction and she started to hide behind people. Not wanting to speak to her and waiting for an answer from Ruben, I decided to look away. But she soon came up towards me and I couldn't help but sigh heavily wishing I had a bottle of alcohol to drink from.

'Hi.' She said as she walked up to me. I looked up at her bored stiff but pretending I hadn't seen her before. 'Oh. Hello.' I said. I looked behind her wondering if Ruben was following her but as I realised he wasn't, she confirmed my thoughts. 'Ruben...is on the games.' She said. 'I'm...alone.' She added and I nodded and carefully looked at her wondering what she wanted. 'Do you need anything Elie?' I asked wanting her to leave me alone.

'I...who are you?' she said stuttering but with confidence in her voice. 'I'm Jace. Jace Woods.' I answered handing out my hand for some unknown reason. She ignored my hand and started to get rather aggressive. 'You know I... didn't want...your name.' she said on the defensive. I took my hand back and huffed annoyed and feeling the alcohol get to my head. 'It's not my place to tell you. You need to ask Ruben.' I answered hoping she'd take that answer and just leave. 'But he won't.' she shouted back and with a last look towards her I walked away back to my car forgetting about Ruben.

'Wait!' I could hear her shout across the busy pier, but I ignore her and starting to run. I managed to get my car keys out, run down the walkway and get into my car without bumping into many people.

'Stop!' I heard her shout before I closed the car door and drove off. I drove off and deciding it was probably time for me to head back home for the night. But before I knew it, someone ran straight out of the roundabout and I hit them with my car making me suddenly feel sober. For a split of a second I considered driving off, but people were already looking my way, and the police would soon find me, so instead, I quickly got out completely panicked and then I saw who I had ran over. Elie fucking Elie.

'Oh my god!' shouted people from all over the place. They started to ignore the traffic and run over towards the person attracting all the attention. 'For goodness sakes what the hell?' I yelled at her feeling my blood boil. 'I...' she tried to speak but I didn't want to listen to her again. She then looked down at her hand and noticed blood on it. 'Come on get up, we don't want to cause a freaking scene!' I shouted at her yanking her up from the ground and dragging her towards the car. I quickly pushed her in, ignoring her quiet whimpers and the people staring at us not sure as to why I was being so rude to her. I slammed the door shut and pressed my foot onto the accelerator.

'You are so annoying aren't you?' I shouted in disbelief at what she had just done. I saw her flinch in the mirror but couldn't care less with the amount of alcohol I had drank. I could tell she was starting to be overwhelmed and was in shock due to the accident because she started to struggle breathing. 'Ru...Ruben.' She said. I could see her shiny eyes and I knew it was only a matter of seconds before she cried and gave me a head ache. 'I'll call. Don't you worry.' I said still pissed off but wanting to shut her up a bit.

After my little phone call with dear old Ruben, I thought she'd shut up. 'Where...are you taking me?' she said and I sighed sharply realising she'd never shut up. 'Don't threat, I'm not kidnapping you. You annoy me already.' I said before taking a sip out of an open can of beer sitting on the floor by the passenger seat. It tasted vile and was hot but the alcohol made me feel better.

At last she shut up and left me to drive in silence for the hours' drive. I had yet to think what to do with her whilst waiting for Ruben to turn up. From the mirror, I could see her with her eyes closed and tears rolling down her face. She looked tired and hurt and probably scared but I couldn't be done with it.

I finally drove off the main road into my old bumpy lane. 'We're nearly there.' I said breaking the silence and feeling a bit calmer. 'Ruben's not far behind.' I added feeling talkative all of a sudden. After another few minutes, I stopped the car and got out slamming the door behind me after grabbing the hot beer. I left her in there for a few minutes, not sure what to do of her and not wanting her to talk anymore. She'd done enough to annoy me for one night I thought.