SONG: additional cause for sorrow by deadman.

The lights of a bar downtown flickered dimly overhead, casting shadows across the bar. You swirled your margarita idly, the cold condensation slipping down your fingers as you stole another glance at Emily and JJ. They were laughing again, their heads bent close together, lost in conversation. You tried to remind yourself why you’d agreed to come here in the first place — to try and patch things up, to rekindle what had been slowly slipping away between you and Emily.

But sitting here now, you couldn’t help but feel like an outsider. Emily barely glanced your way, too caught up in her conversation with JJ, whose bright azure eyes sparkled every time Emily spoke. You bit your lip, your heart sinking as the laughter from their corner seemed to fill the entire bar, drowning out the small hope you had that tonight might be different.

You took a long sip of your margarita, the sharp tang of lime and salt burning slightly against your lips, but the sting in your chest hurt more. Every now and then, Emily would look over, but it wasn’t the same. There wasn’t that soft warmth in her gaze anymore, just a passing glance, almost like an afterthought. You wanted to say something, ask why JJ had even come, why you felt like you were third-wheeling your own date. But you couldn’t.

Instead, you smiled faintly when Emily met your eyes, masking the hurt that gnawed at you. You stirred your drink with the straw, letting the ice clink against the glass, wondering how long you’d have to sit through this before it became unbearable.

You had come here for Emily. But it felt like she had come for someone else.