Love Show by Audrey Bell

“Bullshit.”
    He tilted the neck of his beer
bottle towards me. “I bet you get that all the time.”
    I shook my head. “No. I never get
that.”
    He laughed. “Well, maybe everyone’s
too nervous to say anything.”
    I tried to think of something witty
to say back, but I was watching David downstairs at the bar, with his arms crossed
tightly over his stomach. He was alone, nobody was talking to him. It broke my
fucking heart.
    I could see how Ben glanced over,
occasionally, and how each time David looked briefly hopeful and how each time
Ben averted his eyes.
    “Seriously?” I muttered bitterly.
    “Sorry,” Jack said. “Is that not
allowed?”
    “I’m sorry. What were you saying?”
I asked him, not taking my eyes off of David. I needed to go down there.
    “Ah, your week? I asked if you had
a good week.”
    “Yeah, it was fine.”
    “Everything okay?”
    “Yeah,” I said. “My roommate is
being an idiot.”
    “You want to go find him?” he said.
    I nodded. I took a sip of the beer
and made a face.
    He laughed. “You don’t like beer.
Good to know.”
    “You’re not supposed to buy me
drinks.”
    “You’re right,” he said. “Give it
back.” He reached out his hand for it.
    I smiled, in spite of myself. “It
has my germs on it.”
    “So, what’s up with the roommate?”
he said.
    “It’s a long story.”
    I looked around for Ben and saw his
back retreating towards the door.
    Bastard.
    David was still cradling his phone.
When it lit up, so did his face. I leaned my arms on the railing to watch.
    Jack’s voice was quiet in my ear.
“That him?”
    “Yeah.”
    “You can tell me the story,” he
said. “Even if it’s long.”
    “I told him I wouldn’t,” I sighed.           
    “Well, go talk to him if you need
to. I’ll wait here,” Jack said.
    I nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, okay. Thanks.
Sorry.”
    “No worries,” he said. He looked
around. “I’ll guard your railing.”
    I smiled, wishing I could enjoy Jack
instead of worrying about David. I walked back downstairs past the crowd in
front of the bar and found him.
    I tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey.”
    David whirled. “Hadley! Hey.”
    I smiled. “You okay?”
    He nodded and beamed. “Ben just
texted me to meet him. So I’m going to go.”
    I nodded once. “Got it.”
    He met my eyes. “Sorry.” He looked
around. “Do you want me to stay with you? Is Jack here yet…” He bit his lip
apologetically. “I know I told you I’d introduce Justin to some people but
Ben’s—”
    “Don’t worry about it,” I said.  “I’ll
see you at home.”
    He nodded. “Have fun.” He hugged
me. He didn’t look back while I watched him leave.
    Jack was waiting for me, as
promised. He was the kind of person who didn’t look uncomfortable alone. He
took up a lot of room, leaning over the railing, one beer resting at his elbow,
nursing another one at his lips.
    “Everything cool?” he asked.
    No, it wasn’t, but I nodded. “Yeah.”
I smiled. “So, I saw you this week.”
    “You did. We made out in my car.”
He smiled. “You let me feel you up. Then you said I wasn’t allowed to date
you.”
    “I remember,” I said. “I meant in
Riley’s class.”
    “Ah.”
    “I think you called him Bobby.”
    He nodded. “I wouldn’t recommend
trying that.”
    “I wasn’t going to. He’s
terrifying.”
    “He’s harmless, really.”
    “How do you know him?
    “He’s my godfather,” Jack said. “We
go way back.”
    “Oh, okay,” I said. “How’d that end
up happening?”
    “Oh, you know,” Jack said. “I
insisted on it as soon as I was born.” He grinned. “Nah, my dad knew him.”
    I nodded. “Gotcha.”
    “He thinks I want to be a
photographer.”
    “Do you?”
    “No. I don’t want to be anything.”
He smiled. “But I like to humor him. It makes him feel like he’s doing a good
job as a godfather. You like the class?”
    “Yeah, I do. He’s amazing. I grew
up reading his books and his articles