The night out with friends started out quietly but relaxing. I needed to let out the steam of the week, or the month more likely, and I luckily had the supportive friends perfect for this.
Stephen was gathering opinions to pick a pub for the night.
"Samantha?" he inquired.
"Me? I like our regular pub, you know it, it has the best beer."
"Right, you wanna drink tonight huh?" he grinned, always being the one to push for some out-of-the-rules fun.
I laughed. "No, not really, I gotta drive, just a quick drink."
"Jenny and Joey can take you home, you girls live close." He pushed.
"Nah... I can't live the car here Stephen, and I gotta study tomorrow." I gestured him to let it go and he did, knowing I would gladly drink if I could.
That's when my phone rang, and I looked at the screen to find my boyfriend's brother's caller ID coming up. Weird, he never called me.
"Hey guys wait up." I called as I stopped walking and answered the call.
"Harry? What's up?" I asked worriedly, thinking something had happened.
"Samantha... I'm really sorry. I had to call you, I can't watch this anymore."
"What? What's happening Harry?"
"It's Dave." My boyfriend. My heart shrunk. It's true we haven't been talking much in the last weeks, maybe we were falling apart, but if something happened to him I would still be crushed, we had been together more than two years.
"What is it? Just tell me already!" I almost screamed in the speaker, my friend looking worriedly at me.
"He's... here with me at this pub and... he's got his hands all over this girl and... I'm really sorry Samantha, I should have told you earlier, but this is not the first time I see her around him, she's been coming at the house recently, but I didn't think..."
I couldn't speak. I was mortified. Dave? Cheating? He wouldn't... he would first tell me we weren't going well, he would.
"You're not fooling me Harry are you?" I almost hoped it was a cruel joke of his.
"No Sam, I'm really sorry... I... I took a picture if you want, I thought you needed proof to believe me, but maybe you shouldn't see it."
"Send it."
"Sam maybe..."
"I said send it Harry." I realized my tone was harsh and I should have been kinder to him who took the bother to tell on his own brother, but I was just so angry...
"Sent."
I turned the phone to see the screen and made the picture pop up.
It shattered my heart.
There he was, my Dave, his arms sneaking under the waist of some girl dressed in such a way... there was no mistake, it was him, and it was tonight, I knew the pub, I knew the band playing in the background was there tonight. And I knew Dave, if he got to this, there was no chance for us to ever get back together, it meant he didn't love me anymore, he would have never done this if he did. And I was angry, more than I was hurt. Maybe my love was fading as well, the picture sure helped.
"Sam? You still there?"
I picked up the call. "Yes. Make me a favor Harry, don't tell Dave, I'll do this."
"Sure. I... I'm sorry Sam, you guys were so good together..."
"Bye Harry, Thanks." I closed the call.
"Sammy?" My friend Joey came close. "What's going on."
I showed her, Jenny and Marie the picture and they all gasped and swore and told me I should send him to fuck off.
But I felt nothing, I only felt hurt, and angry, and fucked over.
We hadn't had sex for a month, I knew something was up given how he usually wanted to fuck every moment possible, but I never thought it was this bad. I was obviously wrong.
Angrily, I got hold of my phone again, and as the guys of the group came closer and were filled in by the girls, I did what gave me most satisfaction in the last month.
I posted the picture on face-book, tagged him, his closest friends and relatives. They should all know what a bastard he was, what a son of a bitch I had the luck to stay with for two years. No that wasn't fair, his mother was lovely. I untagged her and promised myself I'd call her later, or tomorrow.
Philipp was now holding my phone, as Leo and Mark avoided my eyes. The girls kept insulting Dave thinking to make me feel better. And maybe it would have, but not right away. I still couldn't think badly of him. I had loved him for a long time, even if not so much recently.
Only Fred and Stephen wrapped the arms around my shoulders and waist, and I appreciated that the most. Their silence, and their presence.
"Stephen?"
"Yes?"
"I think I'm going to drink now, a lot."
His face was worried, but he nodded. "I'll take you home if you want or need me to."
"Yeah, or Philipp and I could." Said Fred. "You'll get home somehow, don't worry about a thing okay?"
It was kind of them, I really appreciated it, but I couldn't bring myself to smile sincerely. I shrugged, and let them guide me to my favorite pub.
It was hours later, and an undefined number of beers later. I was on a stool at the pub's counter, downing my third shot of tequila. I can hold my alcohol, but I was more than just tipsy by now.
As the music thumped in my ears, I got the urge to dance, as I usually did when drunk.
Without thinking, I dragged the closest one of my friends on the dance floor. Mark followed without resistance, and pretty soon all of us were dancing and laughing at my stumbling as I was too drunk to keep on the heels and kept falling over Stephen or Mark, who promptly held me up. I really ought to thank the, for all they were doing for me. And drunk me even tried, but they didn't take me seriously, my words were a bit sloshed.
Jenny and Mary took me back to the counter when I couldn't stand on my hurting feet anymore. I was at the point where I had to make a choice. Keep drinking to avoid feeling the tiredness and the pain, both in my feet and in my heart, or stop, go home, and cry myself to sleep.
I picked the first, I always did.
I downed a couple more shots, rested my feet, talked with Mary and Jenny of all the times Dave had been a jerk and tried to laugh my pain off.