Chapter 3 · My Crush Paid To Curse Me

I ran a towel through my hair when my phone buzzed again.

This time, it was an unknown number. I stared at the string of numbers for a few seconds, then hit accept. "Hello?"

"Is this Zane Baldwin?" It was a woman's voice, but not Georgia's.

"Yeah, that's me. Who's this?" I said.

"This is Margaret Grant, Georgia's best friend," she said quickly. "We met in college. Remember?"

I remembered her. Georgia's roommate, short hair, glasses, always rolling her eyes at me whenever I came to see Georgia.

"Yeah, I remember," I replied. "What's up?"

"Georgia's had too much to drink," Margaret said. "She's at Old Times. I can't get her out of here by myself. Can you... come help me?"

I laughed. "Miss Grant, I think you've got the wrong number. Georgia and I don't really know each other."

"Zane!" Margaret sounded desperate. "She's seriously wasted and keeps saying your name over and over. Help us out and come over, please?"

I fell silent. Old Times was the bar we used to hang out at back in college.

It was cheap, and they always had student discounts.

The first time I ever bought Georgia a drink was there. She ordered a cup of wine, took a couple of sips, and scrunched up her face, saying it was too bitter.

I handed her my mojito, and she sipped it slowly, her cheeks turning rosy.

Back then, I really thought I stood a chance with her.

*****

"Zane?" Margaret called out, urging me from the other end.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, looking like a mess. "Just tell me the address," I answered.

The place was the same as ever. The lights were dim, and the walls were plastered with faded Polaroids and scrawled messages from students.

I scanned the room and spotted them in a corner booth.

Georgia was slumped over the table, her long hair falling down and covering half her face.

Margaret was sitting beside her, trying to force some water into her mouth.

"How much did she drink?" I asked.

Margaret looked up, finally breathing out in relief. "Half a bottle of whiskey, mixed with beer. She wouldn't listen, totally out of control."

I sat down across from them.

Chapter 3

I ran a towel through my hair when my phone buzzed again.

This time, it was an unknown number. I stared at the string of numbers for a few seconds, then hit accept. "Hello?"

"Is this Zane Baldwin?" It was a woman's voice, but not Georgia's.

"Yeah, that's me. Who's this?" I said.

"This is Margaret Grant, Georgia's best friend," she said quickly. "We met in college. Remember?"

I remembered her. Georgia's roommate, short hair, glasses, always rolling her eyes at me whenever I came to see Georgia.

"Yeah, I remember," I replied. "What's up?"

"Georgia's had too much to drink," Margaret said. "She's at Old Times. I can't get her out of here by myself. Can you... come help me?"

I laughed. "Miss Grant, I think you've got the wrong number. Georgia and I don't really know each other."

"Zane!" Margaret sounded desperate. "She's seriously wasted and keeps saying your name over and over. Help us out and come over, please?"

I fell silent. Old Times was the bar we used to hang out at back in college.

It was cheap, and they always had student discounts.

The first time I ever bought Georgia a drink was there. She ordered a cup of wine, took a couple of sips, and scrunched up her face, saying it was too bitter.

I handed her my mojito, and she sipped it slowly, her cheeks turning rosy.

Back then, I really thought I stood a chance with her.

*****

"Zane?" Margaret called out, urging me from the other end.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, looking like a mess. "Just tell me the address," I answered.

The place was the same as ever. The lights were dim, and the walls were plastered with faded Polaroids and scrawled messages from students.

I scanned the room and spotted them in a corner booth.

Georgia was slumped over the table, her long hair falling down and covering half her face.

Margaret was sitting beside her, trying to force some water into her mouth.

"How much did she drink?" I asked.

Margaret looked up, finally breathing out in relief. "Half a bottle of whiskey, mixed with beer. She wouldn't listen, totally out of control."

I sat down across from them.