Rather Be Lonely
My phone buzzed on the bar. I knew who it was without even looking at it. I glanced up at the crooked analog clock hanging over the door. 1:45. Right on time. My gaze shifted down to my phone's screen. What are you doing tonight? the message read.
My laugh was hoarse. Tonight? It's already tomorrow. This had become somewhat of a regular occurrence. It was hilarious to me, in a completely non-hilarious way that Joy had been the one to break things off and yet, here she was, texting me at two in the morning, trying to get back together. Was it for one more night? One more week? I rolled my eyes and flipped the phone over, pushing it as far away from me as possible.
I looked around. This close to closing time, the bar was practically empty. Just like the rocks glass in my hands. Ice cubes clinked against each other in the glass as I raised it to my lips, trying to get the last drops of watered down whiskey. Patsy Cline was falling to pieces on the jukebox.
I snorted. That was Austin's doing.
Austin had been my friend for years. We met in a bar in college and were still meeting in bars all these years later. The only difference now was he owned this one, and I was just a patron. But he had control of the music, and a dumb sense of humor.
"Very funny!" I called. I guessed he couldn't be far away and that proved correct. He was chuckling as he came around the corner. "Sorry man, I couldn't help it." His smile was genuine, and infectious.
I stared back at him, willing myself not to laugh. Instead, I shook my empty glass. "What kind of place are you running here? Can I get a refill or what?"
"What? Where's my bar wench? I don't pour drinks!"
That did it. I cracked a smile. "I'm sure Amanda is already home. I watched you cut her lose thirty minutes ago."
"Aw, shit. That's right." He grabbed the Jack out of the well and poured me a healthy shot. "Is Joy still bothering you?" he nodded toward my phone.
"Well, 'bothering' implies that I care," I shrugged. "And I just don't."
"Why don't you just block her and be done with it?"
I shrugged. I didn't know. I liked her, but I didn't like her games. And I didn't want to play anymore.
Sensing the direction of my thoughts, Austin leaned into the bar. "Do you want her back?"
"No." It just kind of slipped out. I didn't even think about it. I didn't need to think about it.
Austin chuckled. "There he is! Gimme that thing." He reached for my phone and pulled up the messages, then the contacts.
I took a long sip. "I don't even want to know how you know my password."
He shot me look over the screen. "It's your birthday. Very original."
I laughed. He had me there.
"Here," he slid my phone back to me. "Your phone is now Joy-less and hopefully now you can be more joy-ful."
I rolled my eyes. Where did he come up with this stuff?
