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By the time ten o'clock rolls around, signaling the end of my first training shift as a waitress, I'm utterly exhausted. The arches of my feet ache from being on them all day, and I'm pretty sure the new shoes I'm wearing have rubbed my heels raw, but I also feel a sense of accomplishment. The burning muscles in my cheeks from smiling so much, the little droplets of blood I find in my socks when I get home, everything just seems worth it. I know my body will get used to the change, and that I'll eventually wear in my shoes enough that they won't bother me, but I don't think I'll ever feel this high again from a first days work.

Hazel gushes over how well I did as we change into our outfits, her tone both encouraging and proud. I shed off my uniform and trade it for a pair of jeans, a tank top, and a dark blue hoodie. After fluffing our my hair and slipping my feet into a pair of vans, I'm ready to go. Hazel on the other hand, takes about twenty more minutes as she fusses over different dresses before deciding on a black loose-fitting, mid-thigh dress that shows off the majority of her back. She adds a pair of sleek black pumps to the mix, and I gawk at her ability to wear such high heels after running around the diner all day.

Much respect.

We pull up to the bar, climbing out of the cab together and walking up to the bouncer with our IDs in hand. My stomach churns with nerves as he looks them over, glancing up at the two of us and back down at the cards several times before he lets out a soft sigh and hands them back. The last time we had been here—and also my first time having to use a fake ID—had been so much simpler. The bouncer had hardly looked at them before letting us through.

"Thanks hun," Hazel says to the guy, touching his arm gently as we pass.

I arch an eyebrow at her in question, but she just rolled her eyes and waved me off.

"He was contemplating whether to let us in or not," she says once we're far enough away from the front doors.

I nod in understanding with a small smile and follow her up to the bar to order our drinks. I get a Long Island iced tea and take a long pull from the lime green colored jumbo straw as soon as it's in my hands. It's one of my favorite drinks; cheap enough and fruity enough that I don't taste the alcohol, but also enough to get me tipsy quickly.

We scan the booths together, searching for Alex and Tyler as we squeeze through the ever-growing crowd. I see Tyler's face and the back of Alex's head first, and then stop dead in my tracks, my beverage nearly slipping from my hands as my heart plummets into the pit of my stomach.

Alex, Luke, and Tyler sit in a large half-moon shaped booth with three giggling women. Alex has his arm draped behind a girl's back and he's grinning at whatever she's saying, his dimples flashing in his cheeks.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Hazel hisses lowly. I know she can't be talking about Tyler because although there's a woman next to him, he only nods politely and his body language is practically screaming "uncomfortable." His large arms are crossed over his chest and he's leaning away, but still returning small talk.

Luke seems to be thoroughly enjoying the attention a red headed woman is giving him as she runs her perfectly manicured fingers over his chest. The blonde sitting beside Alex reaches up to touch his face, and I see red.

I've never been an extraordinarily jealous or territorial person, but right now I feel that way. My blood boils beneath the surface of my skin, spreading an angry heat throughout my limbs.

I push past Hazel and head for the booth, ignoring the way she grapples for my wrist to keep me in place. I stop when my thighs touch the edge of the table and glare at both Alex and the blonde girl.

"Can I help you?" She asks in a nasally voice, her nose scrunching up as she gives me a once over.
Her dull brown eyes are judgmental and hold an air of arrogance that makes my skin crawl.

"What the hell?" I spit out, shifting my attention to Alex.

He drops the arm that was draped behind her into his lap. "It's not what it looks like, Mabes."

Blondie whirls around to face him. "Is this your girlfriend? You didn't tell me you had one." She doesn't seem entirely upset over Alex having a relationship, and is giving me the impression that she's more so annoyed that he's with someone like me.

Hazel finally catches up, latching onto my arm. "What the fuck, Ty?"

Tyler shoots his hands up in defense. "Don't look at me, I didn't do shit."

Luke leans down to whisper in the red haired girl's ear, and then they both slide out of the booth and leave. The girl next to Tyler mumbles something under her breath that I can't quite hear and then she scampers off too.

"Mabes..." Alex says softly.

I shake my head and wave a finger at him. "No. This is messed up. I don't care if it isn't what it looks like. You can't just—"

"Oh relax," blondie chides in a demeaning tone. She curls in closer to Alex, and then had the audacity to place her hand on his thigh. "We were just talking."

"Sydney," Alex snaps, pushing her hand from his leg.

She turns back to him and wraps a strand of her hair around her finger coyly. "What? It seemed to me like you were enjoying our conversation."

"Okay, listen here, bitch," Hazel snarls, slamming her hands down on the table so hard that even I jump.

"Excuse me?" Annoyance flashes in Sydney's eyes.

"Are you fucking oblivious or something?" Hazel continues. "You just found out that this guy is seeing someone. Why the hell are you still here?"

"It's a free country, I can do whatever I please."

"Hazel, it's fine." I touch her shoulder gently, and she turns to face me with a concerned look. "I'll go."

"Don't be ridiculous, we came to celebrate."

I shake my head and set my cup down on the table with shaky hands. "I'm tired anyway. I'll just go home."

Maybe I'm being petty. I don't honestly think that Alex would cheat, but it fueled something inside me that I don't like knowing I'm capable of. I don't even know Sydney and I already feel animosity towards her. I wanted to hit her, and that's just not me. It can't be.

I peck Hazel on the cheek and make my escape before anyone can say anything further. Luke gives me a quizzical look as I pass him on my way to the doors, but I keep my head down and keep going.

When I reach the outside, I weave through a group of smokers and pull out my phone to call for a taxi. My thin zip-up hoodie is no match for the frosty winter air, and I hug myself around the waist as I lean up against the side of the bar while I wait for my cab.

"Mabes?" Alex's voice drifts from around the corner. "Mabel?"

With a sigh, I kick off from the wall and step out into the sidewalk. Alex rushes towards me with a look of relief on his face, a tan carhart beanie keeping his ears protected from the wind. He slows his pace once he gets closer, becoming more hesitant.

"Why did you leave...?" he trails off, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans.

"Seriously?" Is his head really that thick?

"You didn't have to go. I-I'm sorry, okay? Luke just wanted us to help so he could land a girl tonight, and I...shit that sounds piggish." He pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out a sigh. "I didn't do anything. I wasn't even flirting with her."

I suck my lower lip into my mouth, gnawing on it while I ponder his words. "It still hurt my feelings, Alex," I finally reply. "How would you feel if you saw me letting some guy hang all over me?"

His eyes widen and then he lowers his gaze to the ground between us. "I'd be fucking pissed."

"Exactly."

My cab pulls up to the curb and the driver gives me a nod of recognition.

Alex steps forward again, gently taking one of my hands in his while his dark eyes search my face. "You don't have to go, Mabes."

"It's fine. I'm tired and want to get some sleep."

"You sure you're not leaving because of me?" He reaches out to brush the calloused pad of his thumb across my cheek. 

"I won't lie, you're a little bit of the reason," I tell him honestly. "But I also just want to go to bed."

"Can I come with you?"

I want to say yes. I want Alex to come to the dorms with me and for us to fall asleep together, but with him so close I wouldn't be able to sort through my thoughts.

I stretch up on my toes and press my lips to the edge of his jaw. "No, but I'll text you, okay?"

Alex's mouth presses into a grim line. I can tel that he's thinking of some kind of way to either get me to stay, or let him tag along, but I can't let that happen so I carefully remove myself from him and back away to the idling car.

"I lo—" He begins to say, but I don't catch the rest of it due to the car door slamming shut.

When I glance back out the window at him, Alex continues to watch me with a somber, dejected expression.

"What did you say?" I ask after rolling down the back window. The taxi driver gives me a dirty look because of the season, but I don't care.

Alex hurries over to where I'm seated and ducks his head down so we're face to face. "Nothing, don't worry about it. Be safe, okay?" He places a lingering kiss on the corner of my mouth and then backs away, going back inside.

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Do you think Mabel was right to leave?

BT hit 5k reads this week so thank you guys soooo much. It makes my day to find new readers coming across this story ☺️☺️
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Also, if you didn't notice, the cover for BT has been changed again. You can view the full image in the first part of this story (the one titled: author's note)