Chapter 87 - Letting Go.

Patrick.

We get to the club and Jack leaves me all by myself.

He isn't even acting like a wingman right now. Not that I want him to be in the first place. The only reason why I even agreed to this is that I want to spend time with him and get to know him. 

I can meet someone on my own but he seems to think that I need him. I look around the crowd from the stool I am seated on by the bar. Finally, I find him in the crowd, he is talking to a girl and she is dressed in the shortest dress I have ever seen. Her hair is black and styled in a short bob. I can't see her face from where I am seated but she looks pretty from the back. Jack slides his hand on her shoulder softly. I feel a twinge in my chest. Just from seeing him flirting with someone else. 

I really don't know how I feel about him. I don't even know how this even started. I had all my eyes set out on Lance. I didn't even see Jack in that light but now, staring at him, I feel jealousy at the fact that he is interested in that girl. I don't know what his preference is but I know it is not straight-lined. With everything that happened with us that night, he can't tell me that he didn't feel anything. Even if it was just mere attraction.

Jack whispers something into the girl's ear, I take a sip from my glass; not really in the drinking mood. He looks up at me suddenly and a wide smile spreads on his face. I manage to give him back a faint smile, even though I am suddenly having regrets. I shouldn't have come here, we both want different things. He wants to meet someone new, while I want to get to know him. 

This sucks. 

I watch him, like a creep. ''Are you here alone?'' a guy next to me questions totally distracting me from my creepy act. 

I turn around to see him and he has a smile on his face. His eyes are a dark brown shade, I don't bother to analyze the rest of him because I don't have any interest in him. 

''No, I came with my friend,'' I take another sip of my drink. 

My eyes dart back to jack, now his arms are around this girl and I haven't even seen her face yet. The jealousy crawls deeper within me, now I just want to leave. 

''I'm Francis,'' he stretches his hand out for a handshake. 

It takes me a couple of seconds to understand what he wants from me but from the look in his eyes, it seems like he is interested in me. This confuses me, I mean, this is not a gay bar. So he can't just assume that I swing the same way with him. Is there something that tells him I could be interested?

''I am not interested,'' I blurt it out, not wanting to lead him on any further.

He raises a brow and then settles on a hearty laugh ''I wasn't making a pass,'' he denies, even though we both know that he was. You don't just randomly make a conversation with a stranger unless you want something. What I don't know is what exactly he wants from me. 

''Seems like you were,'' I retort with an eye roll. 

The smile remains on his face as he shifts his attention away from me and to the crowd ''I saw you watching that guy,'' he points to Jack ''you have been watching him all night,'' he adds. 

I frown. He just made talking to me seem creepy. The fact that he has been watching me since I came, makes me want to just get up and leave. I know I am doing the same thing that he did but I like to think mine is justifiable. I came here with Jack—we are friends or at least I like to think we are even though we are still debating about it. 

''He is the friend I came with,'' I reply feeling the need to correct him. 

He smiles ''you know you don't want to be just friends with him,'' I don't like this guy. He thinks he knows everything. I am okay with being just friends. I look at Jack again and this time he is making out with the girl. They are now in a corner of the club, their faces fused together, making out heavily. 

The fact that Francis said that at the same time as I noticed them makes it even more painful to watch. Do I like the fact that he has completely moved on from me? No I don't. I know you might argue that we weren't even anything in the first place. 

''You want to make him jealous?" 

I look at him and he has a gleam in his eyes. ''I am not interested, thank you.'' 

''You know sometimes in life, you have to take a step forward. How will he know how you feel if you don't show it?''

This guy doesn't know me, he doesn't know anything about me and Jack. So what gives him the right to act as if he does? 

''This is not your concern. Can you just mind your business?'' I scold him because this is all getting to me. The fact that it is so easy for Jack to find someone to distract himself from all thoughts of me. 

Jack takes the moment to walk over to us. There is a smile on his face as he slings his arm over my shoulder ''Hey,'' he grabs my glass from the table and takes it all in one gulp. I turn to face him, trying to hide the anger in me. He just finished kissing some random girl. 

He bends until he is so close to me, through the loud music, I hear him as he whispers into my ear ''you seem to be hitting off with him,'' he nudges me, probably talking about Francis. 

The guy I just yelled at. 

''Not really. I am getting tired. What time do you want to call it a night?'' I ask him, already wanting to escape from this awkward situation. No matter how much I try to pretend. I don't want to watch him be with other people. I feel something—something that I don't understand yet, but it is still there and the fact that he doesn't even feel the same way, fucking sucks. 

I can't be his party buddy. 

I can't be his wingman. 

I want to just go home and wallow in self-pity. 

''We just got here,'' he groans. 

''I had a stressful day at work. I can't just party like you.'' 

He laughs ''Okay, how about I look for someone for you. I mean that is the whole point of this outing. What's your poison?'' he looks at the crowd and my eyes follow his. 

There is no one here that seems interesting. The only person I want to get to know is only interested in setting me up with someone else. 

''There are so many girls or guys to pick from. I will start the conversation for you.'' 

I frown ''I am not interested in picking up anyone. I just want to go home.'' I jump up from the stool. He shakes his head ''what is wrong. I thought we were going to hang out tonight?'' 

I don't even know why I am being extra sensitive but I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to be friends with him, I don't want to think about that night. I just want to be left the fuck alone. 

I can't tell him all that because I don't want to hurt his feelings. What can I do to make him leave me alone right now and go back to his girl? 

''How about that drink now?'' I hear Francis. His masculine voice sounds like a saving grace. I didn't want to lead him on but I don't want Jack to be suspicious. He can't know how I feel right now. How angry I am with everything that is happening. 

This is the only way he won't push for me if I act like I am fine. If I pretend to be interested in Francis, he might think we are cool. This is what I have to do. I can't linger around them anymore. It is getting really hard for me to handle everything

Francis stands up from the stool just at the same time Jack lets go. He smiles at me warmly. He just confirmed all of his assumptions. He was right, I am jealous. I have been jealous all night and apparently, everyone can see it. The only way I can hide this from Jack is if I pretend to be moving on from that night, even though deep down, I know that I can't. Every thought pulls me back to that night. 

Maybe Francis will help. 

''Sure,'' I smile back at him.