33. “No one is perfect.” ❤️
33. “No one is perfect”
The Wild Pony was packed, the open mic night crowd different than the usual townies but they still wanted a drink. Alex thought the crowd would save him from the questioning coming his way. The line at the bar was three deep, but Maria had staffed the night with everyone she could. From his spot at the end, Alex could see Max smile as he opened another can of some microbrew that Alex refused to try and Michael called shit.
He cut that thought off quickly. It didn’t particularly matter what Michael thought of a beer, not on open mic night, the night reserved for him and his boyfriend to bond.
Alex felt the chair at his side move. He didn’t turn his head away from Max at the far side of the bar.
“You can pretend you don’t see me all you like,” Maria teased from his side, “but I know you know I’m here.” She gave him a soft elbow to the side. He didn’t try to hide his smile at that.
“Hey Maria,” he said as he leaned in to give her a little shoulder tap. He turned his head slightly, just enough to see the neon crown her head in light. “It’s packed in here,” he said. The ‘why aren’t you behind the bar?’ left unsaid.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want her here. Honestly, she was one of the few people he wanted near him when he was in a mood. It was more that he knew she wouldn’t leave him be to pick at his scabs, knew she’d ask him about them to try and let them heal a little more cleanly. Sometimes he just wanted to scratch until it bled and he could say he was doomed from the start.
Alex could feel Maria’s eyes on him, could imagine the little squint to her face that happens when she uses her powers. Still, all he could really see was the neon in her hair out of the corner of his eye.
“If you’re this miserable, why are you still with him?”
Alex stilled. He hadn’t expected the direct approach. Which, really, he should have. Maria was only indirect when she wanted to avoid something too.
“I’m not miserable—" Alex started before he cut himself off. What was the point of lying when you knew the truth and the other person was psychic? Psychic and your best friend? “Me being miserable is not his fault.” Alex tried again.
“Being with him isn’t helping your misery though,” Maria pointed out, hand stretched out to grab his. Alex moved his hand off the bar and to his lap.
“He’s a nice guy.”
“I never said he wasn’t. But he’s not right for you and pretending otherwise won’t change that.”
“He may not be right, but no one’s perfect. I’m not perfect either.”
Maria moved so that she faced him fully. Alex closed his eyes and moved so that he faced her too. He set his hands palm up on his knees. She grabbed them in a light hold.
“We’re not looking for perfect here Alex,” she said as gently as she could. “But there’s someone out there who you love and want to be with. And he loves you and want to be with him too. Pretending that you don’t want to be with him is just making things worse.”
Alex took a deep breath and held it. He closed his eyes for a moment before he squeezed Maria’s hands. “I’m scared that it won’t work out again. We’re doomed to fail.”
Maria kept her gaze sincere, but Alex could see a smile in the corner of her mouth.
“It will work out,” she said with confidence.
“Oh, did you foresee it?”
She full out laughed. Alex laughed too. It was nice. He hadn’t felt like laughing for a while.
“No dumbass, I promised you I’d never look. No, I know it will work out because both of you want it. And because both of you now know how to fight for it.” She smiled. “Neither of you give yourselves enough credit.”
Alex had to give her that. She wasn’t wrong. He took his left hand out of hers and reached for his beer. He took a sip.
“You’re right, as always,” he said as he rolled his eyes.
“I know I am.” She leaned in to kiss his cheek. “And no one is perfect, but I’d say maybe he’s perfect for you.” She stood up after that, winked, and ducked back under the bar.
Alex shook his head at her and moved to face the bar again. He felt a body at his back and tensed.
“Is this seat taken?” He relaxed. He turned and faced Michael.
“As a matter of fact,” he said as Forrest’s poetry echoed through the bar, “I was saving it for you.”
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