jack's pov

i felt quite relieved when we came into the club, although the air become extremely humid as the music vibrated the floor beneath us.

i could feel my adrenaline rushing the closer, we came to the one thing that will get my mind off all the crazy shit that's been happening lately. alcohol.

a tall bartender stood behind the bar with his shirt sleeves rolled up, and rubbed his stubbly chin as he came towards us, "what can i get you guys?".

sammy reached into his back pocket to pull out his wallet and answered, "four rum and cokes, please".

"uh, actually, i'll have a couple of vodka shots instead" i interrupted, and could instantly see the proud looks on the guys' faces.

"four rum and cokes and a couple of vodka shots, got it," the bartender repeated one last time, before going to get the drinks.

"woah, check out gilinsky letting loose tonight" nate proudly announced over the music.

i shrugged, "you were right. fuck, moping around. these nights don't come often, so i might as well make the most of it".

"good on you, bro. now, come on, once we get our drinks, we're gonna go talk to those girls, who keep checking us out," nate fixed himself up, before turning around to nod at three girls, who were wearing very little clothing, and were sitting near the far back.

"um, i don't think that's a very good idea" johnson quickly mentioned.

i stared at him questionably, "why not?".

"because savannah and dylan are over there" he added, and the rest of us looking in that direction and saw exactly, savannah, dylan, lauren and some other guy, that i heard is lauren's new boyfriend or something.

"bro, we can go some place else if you like" sammy told me, as our drinks finally arrived.

"no, no, it's fine" i assured him. "you guys go over to those girls, and get talking. i'm just gonna finish these shots and i'll meet you there," i explained and placed myself down on one of the stools, next to the bar.

the guys left, and i grabbed one out of the four shot glasses lined up in front of me, and instantly downed the whole thing. i swivelled around on the chair and watched the large crowd moving around before me.

the toxins from the drink began to burn against my throat and a sudden rush ran through me, but i had to get used to it, because this was just the beginning.

***

i had enough of the shots by the end my sixth one, and resulted into buying myself a martini after all. i looked over at the back, and saw sammy making out with one the girls, johnson had one of them on his lap, and nate had disappeared, but then again, so did the other girl.

my attention soon focused on the seats that were a few away from the guys - savannah was sitting really close to dylan, as he whispered things into her ear and she giggled every time he did so. she was happy, she was smiling, she was doing all those things, without me.

i kept my eyes on them as i took a swing at the last drop of my drink, and loudly placed the glass back on the table. "hey! bartender! a-another one please?" i waved my arm at him, while my vision began to blur.

"i think you've had enough for tonight, man" he said, and i angrily glared back at him.

i rotated back in my seat, to torture myself at the sight of savannah and dylan. she was now sat on his lap, and she moved her long hair to the right side of her shoulder, allowing him kiss her neck and whisper more shit into her ear.

savannah was laughing at something again, but right after, her eyes glanced up and met mine for a split second. she quickly looked away, then put her arm around dylan's shoulder - completely ignoring my presence.

since the bartender was refusing to serve me again, i stood from the bar stool and lazily wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. i clumsily made my way through the crowd, and motioned towards the near back.

"oh, hey! savannah, lauren, what a surprise to see you here!" i loudly slurred. "and of course, the one and only, dylan!".

"jack, are you drunk?" lauren asked me.

"no," i sniggered, as savannah moved off dylan's lap and sat back on the seat beside him. "what's the problem, savs? am i making you uncomfortable?".

"hey dude, stop, you're wasted" johnson suddenly appeared and held me back. "let's go, before you say something stupid".

i helplessly laughed at him and patted the top of his head, "no, i'm good, ok. you here that, savs? i'm doing great, just like you are with your new little boyfriend".

"jack," lauren said.

"no, no, i'm just getting started" i spoke. "so dylan, what was your technique to getting savs back?" i asked, but he stayed quiet.

"is it just a nerd thing, or did you come up with some "technical" strategy to get back in her pants?" i chuckled and mockingly nudged the glasses that sat on his face, before he swatted my hand away.

"and you, little miss savannah," i began and she looked up at me. "new boyfriend, already? well, i think we all know what type of women move on that quick".

i laughed at my own joke, but as soon as the words escaped my mouth, savannah stood from her seat and barged past me to leave.

lauren followed her, and dylan quickly shot up from his chair, "dude, what the hell is wrong with you? look at what you just did! just get out of here!" he yelled and forcefully grabbed onto my shirt to shove me away.

"get the fuck off me!" i retaliated, and harshly pushed him off, until we both ended up physically attacking the other, in front of the entire club.

our friends, and even people that we didn't know, tried to break up the fight before any pure blood was shown. but the only thing that i was focused on was beating the shit out of this idiot.

"jack, stop!" i could hear sammy saying. "come on, stop!" he yelled one last time, before dylan and i were hastily broken apart.

"g, just go outside and get some fresh air," sammy ordered. "we'll be out in a minute".

i fixed up my shirt and glared at the nerd before me, "i don't need fucking fresh air".

"just go!" he demanded and pushed me into the crowd, so i would do as he told.

finding your way through an overfilled club, while you're partially drunk isn't the most easy task, but i eventually reached the exit and pushed down on the door's metal bar to leave.

i frustratedly kicked an empty can across the sidewalk, and then stumbled to the brick wall, to lean against it. i pulled my hands down my face and exhaled heavily, as i could still feel the alcohol travelling through my system, like i'd just taken five shots at this very second.

the night traffic continued to pass me while i looked ahead, then i heard the metal bar of the door being pushed down, and the door opened immediately after.

savannah.

she left the door to shut behind her, and her heels rhythmically stepped against the concrete, as she came and stood before me.

"...you know, i've always loved you in that dress" i complimented.

"save it, jack. what the fuck is your problem?!" she angrily began, but i rolled my eyes, because i knew that i was in for a lecture.

"in what way, did you think that getting pissed and completely embarrassing me in front of my friends would make any of this better?!" she added.

i stood up straight, "seriously savs, i'm not in the mood for this" i told her, and started to walk away, even though i could barely control my balance.

"well i am," savannah called out, as i had my back to her. "even after you and me, you still decided to choose madison, and now i'm trying to move on and be happy. why won't you let me?".

i shook my head at her lack of understanding, then turned back around, "why? because, i can't stand to see you with someone else, that's why. i mean, i love you savannah, and it's killing me that i can't do anything about it".

she folded her arms across her chest, "well, now you know how i felt while you were still with madison" she spoke, but i immediately scoffed at her response.

"so, is all of this supposed to be payback?".

"i never said that, jack. it's just that-...i'm with dylan, now. what do you expect me to do?" she stated.

i came closer, "...i want you to try and admit it".

"admit what?".

"that it's over, because every time i look at you, i forget that i'm not supposed to feel this way" i dropped my hands by my side, and savannah glanced down at her hands, then to the ongoing cars beside us - refusing to give me eye contact.

i used my hand to gently move her cheek to face me - my thumb glided softly against it, as the other hand rubbed against her bare arm.

"can't we just rewind and pretend that it's been just you and me all along? no madison, no dylan, just us. okay, i'm sorry for realising what i wanted so late, i just don't know how long i can keep fighting".

she didn't move back, but instead stared straight into my eyes, with developing tears in her's. our breathing was quite heavy, until her eyes darted away like she'd suddenly taken in how close we were.

i stroked my fingers down the side of her face, as her eye lids gently closed and i gestured closer to her lips.

our lips brushed against one another - it was barely a kiss, but i could still feel the softness on her's, that i missed so much.

before i could manage to make another move, i heard the metal bar of the door being pushed down, and savannah immediately twisted around at the sound.

dylan walked out, and gave us both a questioning look, while savannah casually ran her fingers through her hair.

"what's he still doing here?" he sternly asked, but i couldn't help, but snigger at his words because i wasn't bothered for a round two.

"dylan, please" savannah tamed him.

"i thought you went to bathroom, any ways" he said to her.

"i did, but i just needed some fresh air".

dylan nodded his head, "well, lauren just ordered another round. you coming?".

"mmhm, i'll be there in a minute" she smiled at him, and he gave me one last look, before going back inside the club.

savannah exhaled deeply, and i went back to leaning against the wall, since i knew that she'd have nothing else to say to me now.

but to my surprise, she walked back up to where i was standing.

"listen, jack. even after everything, i still care about you a lot, and that's never going to change. but," she paused and a smile helplessly grew on her lips. "dylan makes me feel so safe, and happy, and i like how i know where i stand with him at all times. not just when we're alone" she explained and i tried to refrain from giving her any sort of eye contact.

the sound of her heels slowly started to fade away, so i looked up, "then, i'm done fighting for something that i only want, savs".

she paused in her tracks; she was still facing away from me, but it was as if she was contemplating my words. i expected her to turn around, and say that she actually wanted this too. in fact, i wanted her to turn around and admit that i'm all she wants.

but then she pulled the handle of the door open, and went straight through, without any hesitation, or any other subtle movement.

i squeezed my eyes shut and leant my head back onto the wall - the guys soon, followed one another outside, like they'd been standing by the door, waiting for savannah and i to finish talking.

"hey bro, feeling any better?" nate asked me.

i came off the wall and bluntly answered him, "no".

"well, we should probably start going" sammy suggested, as he took his phone out of his back pocket to call an uber.

"...so, what did savannah say to you?" johnson whispered, a little away from sammy and nate.

i sighed and shook my head, "almost everything that i didn't want to hear".

-

loved writing this chapter!

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- anita xo