Accidental Night with the Wrong Bartender

Elara’s POV

"I never loved you... I only dated you so I could get to her."

"Who the hell do you think you are to get someone like me to fall for you?"

...

Those words ran over and over in my head.

The more they echoed in my head, the more glasses I took.

I didn’t plan to drink that much, I just wanted to numb the feeling of pain in my chest.

But, one glass turned into another, then another, until the noise in my head dulled enough for me to breathe.

The music throbbed through the bar, heavy and relentless, and I let it drown everything else out.

Just a few hours ago, I’d been standing in my apartment doorway, watching my boyfriend kiss my best friend like I wasn’t even there. Like I was invisible. Like the three years we’d spent together meant nothing more than a bad habit he was finally breaking.

I screamed, I yelled... I tried to separate them while asking him for an explanation... But he pushed me away.

He stared at me with disgust... Like he had been enduring all those years with me.

My best friend at least hid her face, but it wasn't because she felt ashamed... No. Ari was too bold and shameless to do that.

She just wanted him to hold her, to show me what he meant when he said he wanted her.

I had only just been a meant for him to get to her.

John pushed me away... Not only with his words but actions.

He also didn’t chase after me when I left.

That hurt more than the kiss.

I also heard what Polly said as I left.

"She's so naive and stupid... How did you bear being her for so long?" I repeated word for word drowning down another glass.

So here I was...  perched on a barstool I didn’t remember choosing, fingers wrapped loosely around a glass I hadn’t paid for, staring at nothing in particular while my chest burned with something between rage and grief.

My phone suddenly lit up and I turned to look at it... My eyes began suddenly red and I turned away.

She was still haunting me... Haven't I let them be!

“Another?” the bartender asked, already reaching for the bottle.

I nodded without thinking, blinking to stop my tears.

Shouldn't he stop me? I was drinking way too much.

But then again... Why would he care?

He only cared about money, the more I drank, the more money I would have to pay.

The alcohol went down too easily... The sour bitter taste changing the taste in my mouth as it moved to my throat.

It settled in my veins and loosened something inside me... the part that always overthought, always hesitated, always tried to be good.

Tonight, I didn’t want to be good...

Naive... That was what she called me.

John had always complained because I wanted to keep my virginity until my wedding