“Fine. If it is that big of a deal to you sweetheart I will call an Uber when I am ready to leave. It will not be for a while, but I promise” she insisted. Raising her eyebrows she nodded to him before taking her drink. “Oh yeah? Well if you wanted a you night you’re doing it wrong. You must rush home right now and put on a chick flick that will make you cry then put on a face mask and drink a whole bottle of wine, color is up to you. If I remember correctly more of a red type of guy” she continued to talk. She wasn’t sure how to respond and she knew whatever she said would not come out as expected, “That’s interesting” interesting was probably not the right word, but no word seemed right. “Well, that is good for you I guess” she shrugged ordering another round, at this point she was going to be wasted out before the hour was up.

Theo felt accomplished. Plus, he would never let someone he knew walk home alone, unless it was his brother. Then he didnt really care much. He nodded his head. “Good.” For some reason, whenever he was around Gwendolyn, eye rolling seemed to be somewhat of second nature. “Sadly, I didn’t have any of those charcoal face masks. You know, the ones that rip your skin off?” He joked, before nodding his head. “Oh, yeah. That hasn’t changed. I’m still a red guy.” Theo tapped the bar with his finger. “Yeah. She’s great.” Theo didn’t really say much else. He wanted to elaborate, but he could feel how tense Gwen had gotten. 

Waving her hand and him, “Yeah, yeah. I’ll make sure to call on right away” she said shaking her head, “Riggs, we are in Peaches, I think thee worst thing to happen to me is someone coming up to me to ask if I want some muffins” she joked. She knew things were happening in the town, but none that she has experienced yet, so everything she sees is tulips and sunshine. “Well it seems you need better friends, ones that are more fun and won’t have to get home by eight pm” she smirked. Lifting up the glass it clicked with his then took the shot, “So” she started, “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend” she finally said. Trying to keep it in she knew she wouldn’t be able to.

He shook his head. “Oh no. there’s more out there.” Theo wasn’t sure if he should scare her or not, but the whole thing with his step-brother and maggie. that was scary. “Just be careful. If anything, when you’re ready to go. I’ll call you an uber.” He said, not really wanting her to walk especially if she was drunk. “I have plenty of friends. What if I just kinda wanted a me night? Cause a guy have a ‘me’ night?” He clinked the glass with hers before throwing back the shot of tequila. Theo remembered what happened the last time they had drank together, about a year and a half ago before he left. He wasn’t going to make that mistake again. “Ah.” He leaned back in the chair. This was what he was waiting for. “Fairly recently actually. But i’ve known her for a while.” 

“Not starting one” she informed him, she did not have enough energy to argue to be honest. “That was my plan, unless you have a hover car that can drive itself and take me home, then that would be my plan of getting home” she joked. Nodding along with his explanation her hearing seemed to cut off once she heard him say girlfriend, he had a girlfriend? She didn’t know he had a girlfriend, let alone seeing anyone else, but of course she wasn’t going to make it a big deal, but on the inside she was screaming. “Oh yeah? Seems like no one wanted to hang with you, wonder why” she said as she elbowed him lightly. Once the shots got put in front of her she slid one in front of Theo.

he rolled his eyes at her. “walking is not really safe at night.” pausing, he thought he would offer to drive her, but with all the alcohol in his system already, it would not be a good idea. “you could order an uber?” he proposed. He shook his head and let out a small laugh. “yeah, well. I am fun to hang out with, you do know that. I guess, nobody wanted to really go out on a sunday night.” he shrugged, before bumping her shoulder with his. Watching the shot get placed in front of him, he raised an eyebrow at her as his fingers wrapped around the glass. “cheers.” 

Letting out a loud huff she looked over at him, “Listen, it has been how long now, I’m sure there are tons of things we could talk about, but sadly I am not following you around. I’ve had to deal with drunk men for hours so all I wanted was a stiff drink” she said raising an eyebrow. “I didn’t drive to work, I couldn’t because of other substances, so luckily I won’t have to drive home. What about you? Too bored with your life?” she asked watching the tequila get put in front of her. Taking them both back to back before ordering another round.

Theo threw his hands up in defense as she attacked him. “Wasn’t looking for a fight.” He said, lowering his hands onto the bar. “So, what, you’re gonna walk?” Theo wasn’t really sure why he was here, he just wanted a drink. “I got off of work. Asked my buddies, no one wanted to.” He shrugged. “I knew my girlfriend wouldn’t want to go out. She’s with her dad for the night.” He didn’t really elaborate, just kinda tapped the side of the empty shot glass before raising a finger to the bartender. 

The girl had spent her day smoking until she ran out of bud, then spent the night working, the only good thing is that she was the first one in, so she was also the first one out. Walking into the graveyard she slid into the first seat she saw, almost avoiding eye contact of everyone in there. As she went to order a shot and jumped as she heard the familiar voice, “Shit!” she squeaked before looking over at Theo. Rolling her eyes, “I’ll move. It seems you mean so little to me I didn’t even notice you” she said as her sarcasm went through her words. Looking around she tried to find an empty seat, while doing that she ordered two shots of tequila. 

He rolled his eyes and let out a small chuckle. “Yeah, okay. Or you just happen to be following me around, and wanted to converse a little more than the other day.” To be honest, he kinda wanted that. “Tequila? You looking to not be able to drive home tonight?” Tequila was one of those drinks that would get both of them significantly drunk. 

Letting out a little laugh at his joking comeback. Looking at the door as he did, “Yeah, I’ll let you, talk, talk to him… Yeah…” she said tripping over her own words. She didn’t want to walk away for some reason, but she knew she shouldn’t talk to him anymore. “Bye Cal” she said softly as she turned on her heels once more. 

Nodding, he dropped his gaze towards the floor. The nickname she had given him with his middle name slipped out of her mouth as he looked up at her to make eye contact before she turned. Seeing her brought a different light to him, but he knew that light would fade out eventually. And that’s exactly what it was going to do.

“Oh we are?” she asked sarcastically, “I thought all these years we were still together and just waiting to be with you once more” she rolled her eyes. Taking in a deep breath, she was sure he moved on by now regardless, she never moved on fully after him, probably because she spent every night partying. “Sounds great” she nodded along, still looking around. Gwen felt stupid right now, she couldn’t even look at him, she was too scared to look at him. 

Theo rolled his eyes at her sarcastic comment. “In your dreams probably.” He teased back, before looking at the door that lead into the managers office. “Well. Thanks.” He said, gesturing towards the door. It was uncomfortable to be around her.  There were a lot of unspoken words that still floated around in his head that he wanted to tell her but he bit his tongue and never did. 

She just nodded to his sorry, there wasn’t much to say to that. Hearing him call her by the famous nickname she had grown to love her heart started to beat a bit faster. “I know it’s my life. I’m asking you” she said again, this time a bit stronger, “Listen I don’t want to live my life hiding at home or in this terrible club, making sure I don’t see you. I’m asking you what I should do” she asked again. Theo was never one to not give her a straight answer. 

The way she stared at him so intently. He remembered how much they had shared. How many nights they had stayed up looking at the stars. How many fights they had that would end up with them both in bed cuddling the next morning. “You don’t have to hide.” He said, softly. “Just know that we’re over.” Both of them knew this, but saying it out loud instead of over a text message or the phone was different. “We both have different lives. You live yours, I’ll live mine. If we see each other, we see each other.”

As she walked away she thought it would be the end of their conversation, but of course it wasn’t that easy. Nothing for them has ever been that easy. “She died” that was all she said, “It was what she left me and I didn’t want to sell it. I didn’t want to go back to Palm Beach and no where else felt like home or safe. So I came here” biting her bottom lip. It seemed dark in there, just them two, somehow the loud music seemed mute. “Do you want me to leave?” she asked. Gwen knew it was a weird question, but she felt she had to ask.

Theo licked his lips and sucked in his bottom lip as he nodded. It wasn’t like he forgot about all those times she had held him when he cried about his mother. “’m sorry.” He mumbled softly, looking down at his feet. He was not expecting this to happen on a call, and yet he knew the rest of the guys could handle it. “It’s your life, G.” He paused. “You can do whatever you want. I’m not going to tell you what to do.” That hadn’t stopped him in the past, but now it was different. 

“You know, I always imagined what it would be like if I ever saw you again, and this is exactly what I thought it would be, but I was hoping you would be even a little nicer” opening the door quickly, “I’m done” she strictly said. Leading him to the door of the manager she turned on her heels in the close quarters, “That’s it” she said. There were so many emotions she felt right now; mad, annoyed, embarrassed, but mainly upset. Gwen continued to look around, not being able to look like him. 

He sighed softly. Soft enough for her to not hear him. “Sorry to disappoint.” He said, shifting his weight in his feet. Really, she had done most of the talking and yet he was still considered the ‘bad guy’. Theo didn’t care. He definitely wasn’t expecting to see his ex in the town that he had considered home now. He watched her walk away and followed her. “Why did you come here? Because you had a house here? You could’ve easily bought a house anywhere else. You have the money.” He stated, his voice a little louder over the music. 

Gwendolyn was trying her hardest to be nice, but how he was talking to her did not sit well with me. “Excuse me” she barked back. “Listen prick. I didn’t know you lived here, honestly since you left me pretty much stranded years ago I don’t know anything about you, which is perfectly fine with me” she informed him. “But now, we both live here and I’d rather not hide around every corner until I make sure the coast is clear, and I know it is hard for you to be an adult or whatever, but how about try to grow up and not treat me like this ever again. Got it” she informed him. Rolling her eyes, “Fine, come on, I’ll take you to his office” she said quiter than her previous sentence.

Theo bit his tongue. He wasn’t going to get into a fight with the girl he had come to love back in high school. Her words did sting. He had thought he had grown up quite a bit since he had last spoken to the girl. Since she had left the summer after they broke up without a word. He didn’t care much about her life now. But the fact that she was in his town? it sucked. his old life being brought to the surface. His tongue rolled over his teeth as he listened to her speak. Rolling his eyes, he spoke. “Are you done?” He raised an eyebrow as he watched her hair fall into her face. 

She stood there with her arms crossed, listening to all this response, “great” she mumbled under her breath. Looking at his outfit she just nodded as an awkward laugh started coming out of her mouth, “You’ve got to be kidding me”. Gwen knew moving to this small town would be new to her, having to deal with seeing the same people constantly, but Theo she did not think was going to be one of them. “I live here. I just moved into my grandma’s old house” she muttered, not sure what to say. She knew exactly what she wanted to say, but she thought it would be better not to at this point. 

He gritted his teeth. He really didn’t need this right now. He just got into a relationship. His life was good at the moment. And seeing Gwen. His entire demeanor changed. “Fucking great.” He muttered. “Well. I’d say it was a pleasure and all, but it really wasn’t.” He said, shaking his head. “I need to get back to work. So if you could just--” He paused, shrugging his shoulders and letting his arms fall down at his side. “bring me to the manager or owner or some shit, that’d be great.”

Turning her head so fast her neck almost snapped. Seeing the male in front of her she lost her voice for her second, her heart almost stopped. That was until she hear him yell once more, “Keep your voice down!” she snapped back at him. Looking behind her at the other bartender she signalled she could leave. Grabbing the top of Theo’s arm she pulled him over to one of the private rooms so no one could hear their loud conversation she was sure they were about to have. “What are you doing here Theo! Like out of everywhere in the fucking world you are in Peaches!” she huffed in disbelief. 

Theo was taken aback. His eyes widened as she grabbed him. If Ren knew about this, he knew she’d be furious. The girl he had completely dropped in high school was standing in front of him and he wasn’t sure what to say at the moment. “What the fuck do you mean? I live here. I have for a past year.” He scoffed, and crossed his arms over his chest. “We got a call from 911 from this location.” As if his shirt that clearly said PHFD on his chest wasn’t clear enough.