Floating at Night

15. Oh How The Turn Tables

Justin hadn't called in a few days.

We promised to try to make it work with him being in a different town, but I don't think I can.

I pressed the button on the remote, watching the tv come on. I flipped through the channels, not really interested in anything I've seen so far. It seemed pointless; checking my phone again. Nothing.

"Noelle! Get your ass in here!" Ali hadn't left her room since lunch time today.
"Yes?" I walked in slowly, ignoring the look of expectancy on her face.
"Please, please tell me this is a joke..." she throws her phone over to me and I read the message once, then twice.
It was a message from Baker. He sent it about five minutes after I barfed on the lawn in front of his bimbo and left.
"Ali, please tell Noelle I'm sorry about last night."
Then followed by another message.
"You know what? Fuck it. She's fucking what's his name so I don't feel bad."
I rolled my eyes, tossing her phone back to her.
"Whatever. Not like I give a fuck who he sleeps with."
It was a lie.
"Have you talked to-" I cut her off, "no."

It occurred to me when I woke up this morning- well, afternoon- that I really shouldn't be bothered by anything Baker does. We haven't been together for years. I'm with Justin, or I hope I am. He hasn't spoken to me since he called me when he arrived two nights ago. I know he's probably just getting settled in and into the work life but I can't help but wonder if it's something else.
Maybe he wanted him leaving to be a clean break for us.
It didn't matter any ways. I've spent most of my time thinking about Baker, it's eating at me. The guilt of being pissed that he was with that girl, the anger itself, it's like I can't make my mind up. Do I want to move on or not?

Ali dragged me to a local restaurant for dinner. It smelled amazing but my stomach was twisting in a way that had me doubting anything I ate would stay down. Partly because I finally talked to Justin, and partly because Baker's bimbo from the other night is our waitress.
"Is that all?" Ali and I nodded at her, Theresa, according to her name tag.
We sipped on our margaritas and gossiped about nothing in particular. Each time Theresa made her way to our table I could see her glance over her shoulder at her coworker who didn't try very hard at all to hide her giggle.
It was a terrible laugh too, very similar to a hyena.

"Have you talked to Justin since earlier?" I shook my head. There wasn't much to talk about in that department, she asked me every five minutes if I've talked to him.
"Anything else for you ladies?" Theresa's nosy ass peered down her nose at me and I could tell she had not so happy feelings for me.
"Another margarita and maybe a little less eavesdropping. That'd be great, bitch." She was taken aback by my response but just nodded her head and tan back off to the bar.
"You don't have to be a bitch to her just because she's fucking Baker," Ali mumbled.
"I'm not being a bitch for that. I'm being a bitch for her looking down at me and talking her shit over there with her little friend." I waved at the other waitress dramatically which earned a sideways glare but not a word said to me.
"Here's that margarita." Theresa mumbled, setting it down and going to walk away. I mumbled a quick thank you and began sipping.
"It's your fault, really. I haven't heard from Justin and I am grumpy and you decide to bring me out in public." She shrugged.
"I didn't feel like cooking tonight."

The night went on calmly. We finished eating and headed home only to find David there.
"Ali, can we talk?" He was half drunk and she was drunk so I'm pretty sure they didn't do much talking. With the liquid courage burning through my veins I decided to give Justin a call.
I wish I hadn't.
It rang for a minute, one time, two times. Then someone picked up.
"Justin's phone, can I take a message?" It was a female voice. The kind of voice where you could tell she was extremely dim witted.
"Who the fuck is this?" I asked. She took a sharp breath in before she responded.
"My name's Katelyn. Who the fuck is this?" Her tone was short. "This is Noelle, Justin's girlfriend. Can you put him on the phone."
Honestly, there's probably a good explanation as to why a woman answered his phone. He's probably just working late. He has assistants as this job so it's probably one of them. It's probably nothing.
"He's in the shower right now, could I take a message?"
Oh fuck no.
"Yeah. Tell him I'm done."
I hung up the phone and made my way to the kitchen to pour myself a shot. Then another. Then a few more. By the time Ali found me hanging over the sink at midnight letting the water hit me in the face, I was completely inebriated.
"Noelle, what the fuck? I left you alone for like, an hour."
"I called Justin."
She sucked in a breath and held it before asking the question I knew she wanted answered.
"And..."
I looked at her, the second one I saw not the third because the second one seemed so nice.
"Some bitch named Katelyn answered the phone. Said he was in the shower."
Then, for the second time in the past week, I threw up everything I'd put into my stomach and passed out on the kitchen floor.