INTRICATE - Brian Quinn.

20

"Fair play that we're both in relationships, but really, tonight of all nights?" I crossed my arms before him, angered by the fact that as soon as I had left the table, he had sneaked off to call his girlfriend.

"She called me. What was I supposed to do?" He pulled me away from the entrance to the side of the building, out of sight and ear shot from anyone else.

"I don't know, ignore it, perhaps? It's what I'm doing."

"It's different."

"What do you mean 'it's different'?" I asked.

"Because she's a woman. It'll draw more attention to this situation if I were to ignore her. She'll start digging to see where I am or what I'm up to."

"You're just being dramatic" I rolled my eyes.

"You used to do it to me all the time!" He raised his voice slightly.

"Because you were fucking someone else every time we had a tiny fight! That was the only way to find out!" I yelled back, not letting him have the upper hand in this argument. When the guy you're seeing does that type of thing, it's bound to make you insecure, so he shouldn't have blamed me for checking up on him every now and then. "How do I even know if this is different? That I'm not just one of those silly little girls that you lead on whilst you're in a relationship with someone else?"

"Ha!" Brian yelled, I couldn't tell if it was in an aggressive tone or more of a sarcastic one. Although it appeared to be a mixture of both. "Do you really think that I'd keep coming back to this for fun?" He said, putting emphasis on the word fun. "You drive me fucking insane! What fun do I get out of that?"

"Wow, thanks for that, Brian" I said, trying to make my way past him. He had had a few drinks, and a much nastier side of him seemed to be coming out.

He walked behind me, grabbing my arm to stop me from walking around the front of the bar.

"You either want me or you don't. How am I the bad guy when you're playing me around wanting something different one day and then something else the next? So tell me, how am I the bad guy when all I'm doing is waiting around for you?"

"Because you don't make it easy for me when you do stuff like this!" I said, pulling my arm from his grip. "How am I supposed to know if you won't be doing this with someone else when you're away from me?"

"And how am I with you? You've done a lot of lying too, from day fucking one. Even to the closest people in your life just to see me. We're both as bad as each other when it comes to this, Jess. But I know if you just give me a chance I can prove your doubts wrong." His voice now a lot calmer and more sincere. "I never messed up once when we were actually together. Just remember that" he said, before walking away and back into the bar. I decided to wait a few minutes before heading back myself to draw less suspicion.

When I had got back to the table, I noticed that Brian and Sal had swapped seats. Whether that was done on purpose or not, I didn't know. All I knew is that I had had enough of tonight and wanted to leave. I was soon struck out of my bubble when I heard the mention of Nicole being used at the table, however.

"Yeah, she bailed on coming out here yesterday morning because of that party" Murray said to Joe, as they noticed a picture online of Nicole at one of their friends party.

My eyes instantly met with Brian's, and he in that moment knew that he had messed up. It was the same day - yet in the afternoon - that he had asked me to come. Perhaps when his own girlfriend decided she didn't want to come instead? I couldn't stand to be in his presence anymore, it was time to go.

"I'm gonna call it a night" I announced to the table, before getting up, throwing a yawn into the mix to make it more believeable.

"I'll call you a ca.."

"Nope, I'm good, thanks" I smiled, interrupting Brian's attempt at getting us alone once more. I needed to calm down, before I said something that I didn't want to say in front of the entire table.

As I stood outside awaiting my cab, I pulled my phone out of my purse, looking down at the texts I had received from Tyler. How could I have done this again? Especially over a guy like Brian?

Getting back to Brian's parents house, I curled up into the soft, freshly made bed, hoping to soon rid myself of this anger so I could easily drift off to sleep. That was until I heard a car pull up outside, and someone unlocking the door to the house. At that point in time, I knew exactly who it was, and prepared myself to not get completely irate by the thought of him coming to try and defend himself.

As he entered the room, I didn't get up, instead I continued laying in the same spot under the covers. I heard him remove his shoes, before I felt the bed dip next to me. He laid on top of the covers, still in his jacket, facing my back. I heard him sigh, before a hand snaked around my waist lightly.

"Jess?" He whispered.

"What?" I replied, at the same volume.

"I'm sorry." He said, before the silence continued. "Turn around?" he pulled gently at my hip, trying his best to get more out of me than complete silence.

As I turned to face him, I sighed myself, taking in as much of his face as I could see in the darkness of the room.

"I can't keep doing this Brian.." I said, upset beginning to take over me.

"I know" he replied, running his hand along my side. "I'm sorry for doing this to you again. You deserve better, you really do." The sincerity clear in his words. "Tomorrow when you leave.. I'll leave you be. I don't want to be that person that does this to you. Not again."

I didn't reply. I didn't feel like I needed to. Ever since we had been involved again, everything in my life had been turned upside down once more. I was back to lying, cheating and turning my emotions into a complete mess. It was best for Brian and I to just end it now before it got even deeper.