Oh, Calamity!

“Get over here,” Luna said when I answered the phone. “We’re all hanging out at me and Alex’s place and we want you to join us.”
“Well hello to you too, best friend,” I mentioned. “Why are you having a sudden get together?”
“Listen to you, calling it a get together. It’s so weird to hear you acting so professional all the time,” she commented. “Anyway, it’s just for fun so all of us can get back together and get drunk and shit.”
Part of me considered staying home and watching movies or reading book, but something else told me to go. After all, Will was busy so I might as well go out with friends. “Alright. I’ll head out now. See you soon.”
There was something familiar about all this that made my heart yearn for the past. In high school, these hangouts were like a schedule with our group. Though, our group had expanded considerably with the editions of Cassadee, Robin, and Zack’s girlfriend. Hell, I was going to be the only one there tonight without their significant other around. Could I cope with that?
I arrived soon enough, figuring there was no turning back at this point. I knocked on their door, trying to be hopeful that this night would go well. Luna swung the door open and ushered me inside to where everybody else already was. Jack and Robin weren’t there yet, but the party had clearly already started judging by the open container of booze.
My best friend handed me a bottle of whiskey. “Drink up.”
I shook my head. “Uh, no way. Alcohol tastes like shit anyway.”
Alex smiled. “Ah, but not all of it. Follow me, dear Nora.”
I trailed after him as he went to the kitchen, rummaging through a few cabinets before pulling out two wine glasses and a tall bottle of wine. “I’m impressed, Alex. I didn’t know you kept such a fancy drink in your home.”
“You know me. I’m all about the class,” he winked, filling a glass and sliding it across the counter to me. “Luna doesn’t like it, but I do. I usually save it for nights when she’s out or something. Though, if you end up liking it, you and I can chill and have wine parties one of these days.”
I grinned at him. “I’d like that. It’s not often we get to hang out.”
We heard the front door open again and Jack and Robin wandered in, hand in hand like always. What felt like jealousy rose in the pit of my stomach, so I tried to drown it in wine. “Welcome Robin,” I said, trying to be polite. “Can I get you something to drink?”
She smiled sweetly at me. “Oh, no thanks. I’m going to have to scoot out of here soon anyways. I’ve got work tonight.”
Part of me was excited, and I cursed myself in my head. “Oh, that’s a shame.”
“Alex and Nora have cracked out the wine? Seems a little over the top for just hanging out,” Jack commented.
“Nora’s a grown up. She can’t be drinking Jack Daniels with us children,” Luna joked.
“Not my fault. I had no choice,” I mentioned.
“What do you mean?” Zack piped in.
“Well, you guys left me here to go on tour. I had to grow up and live on my own without you,” I explained.
“So you just...moved on without us?” Jack questioned, a hurt tone to his voice.
“Not really, but I had to. What was I supposed to do? Just wait around and be your party slave when you guys got back?” I said.
A silence fell over the group at my honesty. Where had that even come from? Was I really that bitter over them leaving, even after all this time? “Nora...I never even thought about how all this affected you. I’m so sorry,” Alex cut in.
“I’m sorry too. You shouldn’t have to have such a shitty best friend that just ups and leaves you all the time,” Luna stated.
I shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. You’re all doing what you love to do, and that’s the important thing. Plus, I’ve got a good life too...it’s just slightly different.”
“You should come out for a show sometime!” Rian suggested. “I mean, we always do hometown shows.”
I found myself shaking my head. “That’s a very sweet offer, but I don’t think I’m cut out for that. Punk shows were kick ass when we were young, but I’ve kind of diverged from the whole scene a little. I don’t fit in anymore.”
“Nora, may I speak to you in the kitchen for a moment?” Jack all of a sudden cut in. All eyes turned to him immediately, especially mine.
“Yeah...sure,” I said.
We wandered into the kitchen and he shut the door behind him. We could hear the familiar noise of ears pressing up against the door, trying to listen in on the conversation. “Nora, I get that you had to kinda live on your own when we all left for tour, but you completely growing up at 25 is ridiculous. You have the rest of your life to do that, so why start now?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve always been the mature one, haven’t you noticed. More so than Rian, even.”
“Still, you’re acting too serious to be normal Nora,” he mentioned.
Anger bubbled inside of me. “How would you know? It’s not like you’ve been around the past 7 years. People change, Jack.”
“I know you. There’s no way you changed that much,” he replied.
“You don’t know me anymore, Jack. It’s been so long that couldn’t possibly begin to,” I said.
He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. “It’s because of Will, isn’t it? This complete 360 personality of yours?”
I tilted my head in confusion. “Why would you think that it was Will’s fault?”
“He’s such a serious guy, y’know? I mean, from what I can tell at least. He’s all business and he’s even quieter than Zack. What do you guys even do together?” he wondered.
“We talk, go to dinner, stay over at each other’s places...all that regular couple stuff. Why does it matter?” I questioned.
“When you stay over, what do you watch?” He asked, his eyes pinning to mine with an intense look.
“We watch nature documentaries. Will loves them,” I said, trying to figure out what his plan was.
He sighed. “Nora, you love horror movies, and you’ve forced yourself into documentaries?”
“I still watch them, just by myself,” I murmured.
“But you hate watching them by yourself,” he added.
Damn, he still did know me. At least a little bit. “Look, we’re not having this conversation here, now, or pretty much ever. I’ve perfectly happy with Will, just like you are with Robin. Leave it alone, Jack.”
I pushed passed him and out the kitchen door where everyone was waiting. I didn’t look at them and instead moved to the wine glass I had left on the table, taking a long swig from it. It was going to be a long night.
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2 hours later, Robin had left and the party had really started, though that sounds mean to say. Alex and Luna got tired and just went to bed, but not before setting out blankets and pillows for us all to stay the night. I was the only one not to pass out drunk, tracing the curves of my glass with my fingers and staring off into space.
A hammered Jack took a spot next to me on the couch. “You should go on tour with us when we get back at it. Won’t be until after the wedding, but I think you should come.”
I sighed. “No, Jack. My place is here in Baltimore, always has been. Besides, you don’t mean that. You’re drunk.”
“Just cuz I’m drunk don’t mean I’m not serious,” he slurred.
I shook my head. “You told me to stay home all those years ago, and I did. You can’t just go changing your mind now.”
“Fair enough,” he said. “But I feel bad. That Will guy’s made you all boring.”
“Go to sleep, Jack,” I commented. “I’m not going to talk to you about Will.”
“Tuck me in,” he whined, puppy dog eyes and pouty lip in all.
“Are you fucking serious?” I questioned, and he nodded like a little kid. “Jesus fucking Christ. As long as you leave me alone.”
I picked up a folded blanket and a pillow, stretching it out for him. He laid down and I covered my drunk ex boyfriend up. He was out in almost seconds, and he looked adorable all curled up in the blanket. Without thinking, I placed a kiss to his forehead before getting ready for bed myself. After all that had happened with Jack, I needed the sleep to escape from all the thoughts. Thinking about it too much would only lead to trouble.

Notes