The Good Life

*Alex*

It was Friday night and I was on my way to a bar to have a drink with Rian, Oli, and one of Rian’s co-workers, Alan. Rian had been feeling down lately since Cassadee had been acting weird around him all week so I thought having a guy’s night out might help him out a little bit. Once again I was running late and was the last person to show up to the bar.

“Sorry I’m late, I couldn’t decide on what to wear.” I said as I walked to the table they were sitting at. I sat next to Oli and across from Rian who was next to Alan.

“No problems I know you just want to look your best for us.” Rian teased at me. I rolled my eyes and introduced myself to Alan. He seemed like a pretty chill guy, he had red hair, and tattoos down his arms. He kept looking over at me as if he was checking me out, but I was probably just imaging things.

“I’ll go grab us a round” Oli said getting up and walking over to the bar. I looked over to Rian who had his elbows on the table and his head in his hands. I only asked him about what was going on with him and Cassadee once and all he told me was that she seemed depressed and she would barely talk. I noticed the same things about her, she would come home and go straight to the room sometimes I would even hear her cry. I tried asking if she was okay, but she would nod and walk away. When I talked to Jack about it, he would say ‘she just needs time to herself’ I thought he knew what was bothering her, but he would have told me by now.

“Alex, Rian told me you were going to the Ravens vs. Chargers game this Sunday. How in the hell did you score seats to that game?” Alan asked.

“My uh boyfriend brought them for me.” I still felt weird saying the word ‘boyfriend’ I never knew how people would react to it.

Alan looked at me for a second, I guess trying to see if he had heard me right and the said “Well you’re a really lucky guy to have someone who spoils you. And he’s a really lucky guy to have someone as good looking as you.” Alan turned his head to look away when he finished talking. I looked at Rian who raised his head looking as shocked as I did and shrugged at me, I guess he didn’t know Alan was gay.

I looked down at my phone and saw Jack text me an hour ago telling me to come over his house later on tonight, I text him saying okay. Thank god Oli was walking back over with our beers, he always knew how to break awkward silence.

“Alright I hope everyone likes Bud light cause that’s what I got.” He handed everyone a bottle. “So how was everyone’s day?”

“Eh, stressful like every day.” Rian muttered and Alan nodded his head in agreement.

“My classes were actually pretty easy to deal with this week. I think it’s because the semesters about to end next month in December so they’re trying to raise their grades.” I smiled to myself thinking of how nice my students have been to me all this week. “What about your new job, Oli?”

“I don’t start ‘til January, but Hannah and I found a house it’s about twenty minutes from the studio. I’m going back home a week before Thanksgiving and were going to start moving our stuff here after Christmas.”

“Are you and Cassadee still going to her parents for Thanksgiving?” I asked Rian without really thinking.

“I don’t fucking know anymore!” Rian snapped at me causing all of us to jump. “…I’m sorry for that I just been under a lot of stress lately with work and Cassadee being upset with me isn’t really helping either.”

“I’m sorry. Well you’re welcome to join my dad and me if you’d like.” I invited Rian, and he smiled at me. Usually it was just my dad and I going out to eat some where since we were both terrible cooks. So it got a little lonely after a while. I wanted to invite Jack, but he was flying back home to spend Thanksgiving with his family.

“Oh shit!” Alan looked down and tried to shield his face with his hands. We looked in the direction he was just staring and I saw the asshole that opened Jack’s door the day when I went to apologize to him.

“That’s my ex John. He can’t see me or he’ll come over and start harassing me.” Alan sighed, but it was too late I saw John smirk and make his way over to our table. I kept replaying what he said in my head about Jack being his and not needing me and I felt myself become angry all over again.

“Hey Alan why haven’t you been returning my calls? I gave you some space like you asked for, but I think you’ve had enough. Let’s go talk alone for a while.” He didn’t see me because he was so focused on Alan, and it was taking everything I had not to get up and hit him again.

“John I said it was over, not that I needed space. I’m done with you, so please go the fuck away.” Alan looked annoyed with the fact that this probably wasn’t his first time telling John that.

“Okay. I’ll just call you later so we can talk about this after you’ve calmed down.” He turned to walk away, but our eyes met and he stopped. “Hey aren’t you that bitch whose boyfriend I fucked. Well I guess I should say ex-boyfriend now shouldn’t I?” I jumped up about to tackle him, but Oli grabbed me trying to hold me down. I tried my best to break away from him, but he was stronger than me.

“If you ever I see you again I’ll fuck you up!!” I yelled and grabbed the attention of everyone in the bar. I was still struggling to break away from Oli, but he wasn’t letting up. I could hear Rian in the background trying to calm me down, but nothing he said would work.

“Look I advise you to get the hell out of here before I let him go.” Oli shouted struggling to keep me down.

John grinned at me and said in a smug voice “Come at me when your little friends aren’t here to hold you back” and he turned to walk out of the bar. Oli released me and I thought about running after John, but I knew the guys would stop me before I got to him.

“The shows over, everyone can go back to minding their own fucking business.” Oli yelled out and everyone who was still staring at us turned around.

“Sooo…What the hell was that all about?” Rian questioned me as Oli and Alan nodded.

I sighed and decided I might as well tell them. “The night I went out with Oli, Hannah, and Lisa, Jack saw us and thought I started dating Lisa again. So he had a one night stand with that dick to make himself feel better. When I came over to Jack’s house the next day John answered the door and started going off on me about how Jack was with him and I how I was nothing to him, so I punched him…twice and left.” When I finished they were all looking at me sympathetically.

“So let me get this straight. You date Jack who slept with John, who turned out to be Alan’s ex?” Oli asked.

“Yeah” I laughed at how crazy this whole situation was.

“I’m sorry about that, John is really crazy. That’s why I broke up with him…well that and because he sucks in bed.” Alan apologized.

“No dude it’s fine, it’s not your fault.” I reassured him. I looked at my phone and saw it was ten- thirty. I thought about Jack and decided I should make my way over to his house now. “Alright guys I should get going now. Jack wanted me to come over.”

“Oh someone is about to get lucky” Rian snickered causing Alan and Oli to laugh along with him while I flipped them all off. We all started moving from our table, everyone saying they were ready to go home. I didn’t want Rian to go home and be alone with Cass, but I didn’t have a choice. I decided I would talk to them both about it tomorrow.

***

I was at Jack’s house in his bed cuddling with him. He still didn’t tell me why he asked me to come over. We were watching Home Alone, his favorite movie, so he hadn’t said anything but instead he was quoting the movie. I didn’t tell him about the whole John situation because I didn’t think it was important enough for me to tell him. After an hour I decided to ask him why he wanted me to come over.

“Jack?” He shushed me and went back to his movie. I tried again, “Jack, I’m talking to you.” He shushed me again and I tried one last time. “JACK!! Listen to meeee.” I whined, but once again he shushed me. So I reached between us, grabbed the remote and turned the TV off. Jack gasped and looked at me in shock until he saw the remote in my hand and his shock turned into to anger.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!?” He yelled at me trying to get the remote out of my hand, but I kept moving my hand so he couldn’t reach it.

“Oooh now I have your attention, tell me what did you wanted to talk about!!” I exclaimed.

“Oh I forgot. So I was going to ask you what you thought about coming to Baltimore with me for Thanksgiving.” He asked me nervously. I really, really wanted to say yes, but I couldn’t leave my dad here alone for the break.

“I would love to Jack, but I can’t leave my dad here alone. I’m all he has.” I looked at Jack who was looking down. I kissed him and said sorry over and over again.

“It’s fine Alex, I understand he’s you’re family. We can still spend time together when I get back.” He looked at me and smiled, but I could tell he was still disappointed.

“Okay. Here I’ll turn Home Alone back on for you, babes.” I clicked the power button and turned the TV back on.

“Thank you.” He whispered. He cuddled into my side and turned to face the TV. I started to drift to sleep, but he poked my side. “Stay up and finish watching this with me!” he whined and of course I did.

Notes

Next chapter will tell you what's wrong with Cassadee!!