Six weeks had passed since Lacey hung up on Brooke after finding out she kissed Reuben. It resembled a lifetime, given how inseparable they were before this happened. Lacey felt lost without her safe person by her side. The two had spent every moment together, and one fight had demolished their pair. It was her first serious relationship, so the fight seemed world-ending. What would she do without her beloved? How would she navigate New York without her sister or girlfriend? Perceived abandonment sank her motivation and mood like a rock in the ocean. Her surroundings seemed dimmer. The city lights no longer shone.

“You can’t mope forever,” the manager said with a huff. The blonde stood at her post, lost in thought. Lacey snapped out of her daze, hearing her superior’s voice.

“I know,” she said with an exaggerated sigh. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she tried to get a hold of herself. The night’s slow pace and her fear of encountering Brooke or Reuben overwhelmed her. What would she say if she ran into them? Once the manager got word of their split, he made every concession to keep them apart. There would be no dramatics during work hours when priorities needed to be profit.

Several customers interrupted the reprimand. The aspiring dancer capitalized on the shift in focus and scurried away from her grouchy manager. All she wanted was to do her job and go home as soon as possible. Money kept food in her home and clothes on her back. Her depressed state reduced her to operating on the bare essentials of life. Nothing else seemed enjoyable outside of her relationship. She exchanged pleasantries with customers to sustain their drinking. Choosing financial comfort over unhappiness suited her just fine.

The steady pace of patrons starved off any staggered moments. When interacting with them, she used her social skills to get exactly what she needed from a shift. She was tallying the cash register when an unwelcome voice appeared. Lacey looked up to see her ex waiting to speak with her. The French native bounced on the balls of her feet and waited for her response.

“Hi.” The only word Lacey said stifling herself from crying or making a scene. She placed the drawer back in its holder before she gave her full attention to Brooke.

“Can we talk?” Brooke asked. Her tone was almost begging.

Lacey nodded and ushered them to a nearby booth out of earshot. The conversation required privacy, away from the bar and the remaining patrons.

Brooke took a deep breath before she spoke. She kept her gaze fixed on the table. The shame and embarrassment were clear as day on her beautiful features. “I’m sorry for hurting you. You didn’t deserve that,” she said. Her knee bounced up and down as she continued.

“He’s a huge part of my past,” she explained. “Our relationship wasn’t ready to be over. We’ve had time to think, and a lot has happened,” she added with an exasperated sigh.

“We’re not meant to be, Lacey,” she said after a drawn-out pause. “There’s too much unfinished stuff with Reuben, and I need to see it through,” she concluded. Brooke never looked up at Lacey. She didn’t have the nerve to.

A searing pain shot through her as if a blade had pierced her. This is what she came to the bar to say? The mere two months apart conveyed that message. “I’m quitting tonight. You can have the space, and I’ll be a server elsewhere,” Brooke informed her. The blonde sat stunned. This wasn’t how they were supposed to end. With forever impossible, Lacey was crushed. Once the interaction was processed in her mind, she stood up and steadied herself before leaving the bar.

“Where are you going?!” her boss called after her. The closing routine hadn’t finished, but Lacey didn’t care. She wanted to put as much distance between her and the things that reminded her of her ex. The weight of the reality of the break-up was too much to bear. Her intentions no longer needed to be good, and her will to do anything else was gone. The snap of the night air sent a shiver down her back as she found the nearest liquor store. Solo drinking wasn’t her thing, but she’d make an exception tonight.

Editor: Lucy Cafiero