A week went by when I walked into the pub she performed in for her monthly visit. She was nowhere to be seen but David was. I made my way over to him.
"Hey man, how ya feeling?" He asked, pouring me a pint.
"Better. Sorry about the other night."
"All good. Siobhan was worried about ya though. Concerned because she thought you had drank a little too much."
"I did." I half-laughed. "But, I'm alive."
"And that's a good thing. She'll be on in just a few minutes."
"Cool."
"Yeah, she's written a few new songs. I think she's going to debut them tonight. Or at least a couple of them."
"Cool." David got called by another customer so he left me with my thoughts which mostly consisted of ways to get rid of him.
The rest of the night went fine. She sang two songs I hadn't heard before, both pretty good. She said she wasn't quite done with them but she liked sharing new pieces with people to gauge reactions. When she was done, she came out and talked with a few people and then came and sat down next to me. David brought her a drink and leaned across the bar to give her a quick kiss before getting called off. I wanted to slug him.
"I enjoyed your new songs tonight," I said, taking a sip of my beer.
"Yeah? I think they're awful."
"Why do you say that?"
"I don't know. My own worst enemy, I suppose."
"Yeah, you are." She gave me a playful punch before saying, "Sorry about the other night. David was initially not going to be here for the new year, but got back early. I promise, a you and me day can come soon." She gave me a small smile.
"You like him?" I asked, this time, genuinely.
She nodded, "Yeah, I think I do. That okay with you?"
"I guess it has to be, right?"
"It doesn't have to be, no." She looked me dead in the eyes when she said that, almost as if she wanted me to tell her how much it hurt to see her with him. But I couldn't.
"He seems like a nice guy." I said.
"He is. Treats me right."
"Good."
We finished our beers and I decided to head out. She decided to do the same, telling David to give her a call when he got off. We walked out and started walking in the same direction. "Don't you live around here?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"Am I ever going to see this place?"
"I don't know," she shrugged.
"Okay."
She stopped walking and looked around us, "I am sorry about the other night, Niall. I know that must've been a shock."
"It's okay. You're allowed to date. I'm allowed to date."
"Yeah, I know. I just, I don't know..." she trailed off. She looked around us again before looking at me. Once again, something in her eyes told me she wanted to kiss me, or wanted me to kiss her. But, I assumed it was the alcohol talking and I didn't want that to happen again. But I almost let it. I inched my way closer to her before I realized I was about to do something that would hurt someone, if not all three of us.
"Goddamnit," I said, as I backed away, "I gotta go. See you later, Siobhan." I said as I walked off. I heard her shout my name but I kept walking.
The entire way home I cursed myself for thinking I could be friends with her; for thinking that by being her friend, she would find her way back to me, where she belonged. But how many boyfriends do I have to suffer through before she realizes that?
YOU ARE READING
This Town
Fanfiction"I want to dance with you in the middle of this street." She laughed at me, "Why on earth would you do that?" "Because I said I would." I twirled her around and pulled her back to me as I began to sing softly into her ear, "If the whole world was w...
