So, instead of hanging around him and sending herself into a bout of misery, she found Scarlett and the two passed the day by having a few drinks then heading to their favorite bar, Bottoms Up.
Taylor, worried and furious, waited up and only glared when Brook half stumbled into the house.
“Don’t gimme that look,” Brooklynn grinned sloppily. “I got you something…and I got something for Scott, too,” she tossed a small white envelope at her friend.
Taylor opened the envelope and pulled out two concert tickets for a band called Labyrinth. The show was that upcoming Friday at the Bottoms Up.
“I’ve heard of this band…why do you want me and Scott to go?” she asked confusedly.
“I’m going too…and so is Scarlett. And they’re so good, and nice. We’re friends with them, Scarlett and me, so they gave us a couple of tickets to give to our friends. I want Scott to see his replacement…how much better I’ve done than his lame ass…but don’t tell him that…” Brooklynn answered in a drunkenly vicious tone.
“Replacement?”
“Landon Turner. He’s the lead singer and this guy is in LOVE with me. He’s so hot…and British, on top of that…he’s got that sexy accent…Scotts got nothing on him. Landon and me, we shared a moment tonight…a real honest to goodness moment…”
“You’re seeing this Landon, then?”
“Well, not officially, no…but he wants me…”
Taylor sighed. “I’m going to bed. I suggest you do the same and we’ll discuss this in the morning…when you’re sober and not retarded.”
And with that, thoroughly disgusted with her best friend, Taylor went to her room.
A few hours later, Taylor was awakened by the sound of someone banging on her front door.
“What the hell…” she mumbled. Her alarm clock read 4:17 a.m. “I’m ignoring it….” she rolled back over.
After a few more minutes of the persistent pounding, Taylor got out of bed, stormed through the hall and flung open the door.
“It’s four a.m., asshole…what do you think you’re doing?!” she asked angrily before realizing it was Scott, and he wasn’t alone. Sprawled horizontally across his arms was Brooklynn’s passed out form.
“Returning your roommate,” he answered dully as Taylor moved out of the way to let him in.
Scott carried the girl into her room and set her on her bed. She stirred slightly and mumbled incoherently before falling silent and still again.
He returned to the kitchen to find Taylor yawning and looking tired, but still keenly awake.
“Why were you two together?” Taylor asked, a cigarette dangling from her lip.
“She shows up at my place at three fuckin thirty, holding a bottle of Tequila Rose in one hand, and ringing my doorbell with other. My father answered, then dragged my ass outta bed, telling me that my drunk ex girlfriend is outside, and I have to go and deal with her…it’s not his mess. So I go outside and I ask her if something’s wrong, does she need anything. It was about that point that she professes her undying and undivided love for me, and begs me to take her back. I tell her, very calmly, very nicely, that we already had this talk, she’d been drinking and ought to be at home. In fact I offered to drive her home and make sure she made it to her bed. She then made a very lewd and suggestive comment about me being in her bed, and when I gracefully declined, explaining that I didn’t think of her that way any longer, she threatened to kill herself. I told her she was overreacting, that it was the alcohol, that she’d feel differently when her head was clear. Well, that just pissed her off in a way I’d never seen her pissed off before. She proceeded to tell me everything that’s wrong with me, and why I suck at life—right down to my supposed tiny dick, which, may I add, she never even fucking saw! I told her she was outta line and she bursts into tears and passes out on my fucking porch swing. My dad, always the understanding one, says ‘why don’t you let her crash on the couch’, and I thought about it for a millisecond before realizing that if she slept at my house, I was gonna have to deal with her in the morning…so I said fuck it, she’s goin home on account of I’ll have to slap her being mental!”
“How did she get there?” Taylor, unable to come up with what she would consider an appropriate response, asked in return.
“Damned if I know. She didn’t drive over and I hardly think she could’ve walked from here in her state.”
“I’m sorry, Scott, and thank you…I don’t know what else I can really say. I can’t believe she threw herself at you like that…especially after what she told me earlier…I’m just shocked…”
“Why, what happened tonight?” he spun a chair backwards and sat down.
“She wants us to go to some concert on Friday night and meet this guy she met…apparently he’s your replacement and she can not wait to throw it in your face.”
“Let’s go then. And I’ll be bringing someone along too…who’s the band and where’s this show at?”
“The band is Labyrinth and the show’s at Bottoms Up. Apparently, from what I gathered from her drunken babble is that this guys the lead singer. Scott, do me a favor and don’t bring another girl…hang on, lemme explain,” she held up a hand as he opened his mouth to protest. “First off, you bring a date, I’m all alone, and secondly, it would be petty and childish and seriously make me question the maturity I give you so much credit for.”
“Why is this petty stuff okay for her and not me?”
“Did I say it was okay for her? No. I think she’s an idiot for trying to use a rebound to piss you off. However, she won’t listen to me and I know you will. Look, do this for me, okay? I’m asking you, as a friend, just…don’t go there. We all know it will only make things worse than they already are.”
“Whatever,” he grumbled, then let out a long yawn. “How’s your divorce coming?”
“My lawyer sent him the papers and all he has to do is sign them, which I don’t think he’ll object to. The only thing I’m asking him to do is give up all parental rights to Draco,” she sighed.
“You think he’ll do it?”
“If he truly loves his son, then yes. Draco doesn’t need him or his lifestyle around, and I’ve asked my lawyer to try and explain that to him. And everyone knows he didn’t want to be a father anyway.”
“Yeah, but he fell in love with that kid the minute he laid eyes on him. Don’t be surprised if he fights you on this.”
“Well, I don’t really for see him spending too much time with Draco anyway with all this jail time and drug issues. I dunno…I deal with all that garbage when the time comes.”
“I can’t believe he fell back into that again…you guys were doing so well, and he swore up and down that he was being faithful…”
“He was seeing Isabella for almost two months, and believe it or not, she got him into the drugs again. She’s had a problem for years, but we none knew it, she was always off at school,” Taylor explained quietly.
“How do you know all that? I thought you hadn’t spoken to her?” he asked.
“My dad told me the next day…said she broke down and confessed everything, but my mom won’t accept it…thinks she’s lying to protect me. She came on to Sam…she started the affair…”
“That’s insane. Who knew your sappy, perky, disgustingly perfect sister had it in her.”
Taylor laughed and crushed her Marlboro in the ashtray. “It’s late…you’re more than welcome to crash on the couch if you like.”
“Tempting, but the whole reason I’m even here was so that I wouldn’t be around Brook first thing in the morning. So, I’m gonna have to pass and head back home. I’ll call you later, though.”