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[indent][color=d3d3d3][sub]She flinches. Nobody else calls her Jackie. Nobody has called her Jackie since CJ, and Jack flinches because she isn’t expecting it. She isn’t expecting any of this.

Her fingers twitch for a cigarette while she watches CJ disappear inside, left only with her final remark and the slowly-building chatter that pushes through the windows like a low hum. Sometimes, Jack would get the last word in, but it was mostly CJ. It’s always fucking CJ.

Another cigarette so soon would practically be chainsmoking, and Jack isn’t really in need of a smoke, but she needs [i]something[/i] to do. Something that isn’t being stuck in P.J’s all night with the worst reminder of high school the universe could throw at her, all while having nowhere else to go because her adult life isn’t faring much better.

Jack paws at her phone again, fumbling to flip it the right way up and stare at the missed call notification again until it burns into her retinas.

											[b]Jack:[/b]
						    [sub][sup] [/sup][/sub]   [color=4682b4][i]we can talk in the morning[/i][/color]

Fuck no. Erica would flay her alive if she sent that.

											[b]Jack:[/b]
											[color=4682b4][i]at pj’s[/i][/color]

Nope.

											[b]Jack:[/b]
								[color=4682b4][i]at pj’s. i can talk later[/i][/color]

No.
											[b]Jack:[/b]
										  [color=4682b4][i]i love you[/i][/color]

No, no, fucking no.

Jack switches her phone all the way off and runs a frustrated hand through her hair. Is this how people usually feel? Constantly fucked over with a thousand things to deal with? Fuck this. If Jack’s gonna commit to this, she’s gonna commit.

With one last look over at her bike to check everything’s secure, and a firm kick to CJ’s with the side of her foot, Jack tucks her hands in the pockets of her leather bomber and strides into P.J’s, warm air settling on her cheeks as she makes a direct line for the bar. Some shitty synth pop song plays over the speakers—[i]clearly Casey’s not in charge of the playlist tonight[/i] she thinks, watching him walk down the bar to her while the other bartender on shift deals with what can only be the Ritman group. She tries peering through the thin crowd to see who else is attending, but one glimpse of bleach blonde has her staring back down at the bartop.

[color=black][b]“Shit, dude, did it go that badly?”[/b][/color] Casey whispers as Jack’s attention remains fixed on the small gathering. Smoke guy from outside carries a drink and some food to the table, and that’s when Jack makes him—it’s Lucas fucking Watson. At least she won’t be the only one having a miserable time tonight. She tries to catch a look at the faces sitting at the table now there’s a clearer view, but misses her opportunity right as Lucas sits down.

Jack focuses back on Casey, who’s giving her a look that says she just completely ignored everything he just said.

[color=black][b]“Yeah, kinda having a shitty night,”[/b][/color] she supplies, trying so hard to look out the corner of her eye that it starts giving her a headache.

[color=black][b]“Okay, well, holy shit, Cyclops. I’ll get you a drink before your head explodes.”[/b][/color] Casey placates, palms spread. He disappears in a blur of his black P.J’s uniform and pastel orange undercut, digging about at the other end of the bar. Jack can probably guess what he’s fixing her up.

He returns post-haste, drink in one hand and card machine in the other.

[color=black][b]“Am I paying or drinking first?”[/b][/color] Jack queries, pulling out her wallet. It’s one of those fancy metal ones that every annoying tech bro with a Bitcoin account has, where the cards slide up for use. She got an off brand one at a [i]heavy[/i] discount, but she hasn’t lost a single card since she started using it, so she guesses it’s the kind of worthwhile investment you make as an adult.

[color=black][b]“You know customers don’t get to sample the product,”[/b][/color] Casey remarks. [color=black][b]“But since you kinda look like shit… it’s a shot of every rum we have, enough fruit juice to make your grandma shit herself, and a tipple of vodka.”[/b][/color] He grins, waving the card machine in Jack’s face. She squints at the total displayed and winces, begrudgingly tapping her card on the screen.

[color=black][b]“You’re lucky I like you,”[/b][/color] Jack sneers into her drink. Casey balls the receipt up and expertly tosses it into the trash, folding his arms against the bar.

[color=black][b]“You’re lucky [i]I[/i] like [i]you[/i],”[/b][/color] he playfully corrects. [color=black][b]“Speaking of: your type, 7 o’clock. You’re welcome.”[/b][/color]

Jack glances back and Casey pounces on the opportunity to disappear back down the other end of the bar. It’s more like 8 o’clock, not 7, but sure enough, CJ’s up from her seat and walking straight to the bar with a menu in hand. Jack silently curses and gulps down half her drink. There’s nowhere to run to unless she wants to walk right into the lion’s den and wait for the lion to get back, so she steels herself, elbow propped on the polished wood. She doesn’t know what kind of favor Casey thought he was doing her, but she mentally thanks him, shitty music ever-drumming in her ears as CJ closes the distance.

	[i][color=a9a9a9]If I was one of the good ones
	I don’t think you’d like me
	I’m one of the bad ones
	And that’s why you feel lucky[/color][/i]

If they only fucking knew.[/sub][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/824488408562794527/967592442486460476/unknown.png[/img][/center][sup][color=#2e2c2c]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/color][/sup][/cell][cell][img]https://txt.1001fonts.net/img/txt/dHRmLjI0LjAwMDAwMC5Ta0ZEU3lCWFNVeExSVkpUVDA0LjA/montserrat.regular.webp[/img][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/588109950006329429/1082165710219911300/image.png[/img]
[sub][sub][center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/824488408562794527/970154698390794250/jack_gif_2.gif[/img]
[/center][/sub][/sub]
[sup][color=black][b]█  [sup]   [/sup]#1.01 WAY DOWN WE GO[/b][/color]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6UsvLFIiLY][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/588109950006329429/1082586783436525618/image.png[/img][color=a9a9a9]bad ones — matthew dear[/color][/url][/sup]
[indent][sup][color=d3d3d3]p. johnson’s
interacting with: casey [npc][/color][/sup][/indent][center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/824488408562794527/970459343667494932/unknown.png[/img][/center][sub][color=#2e2c2c]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/color][/sub][/cell][/row][/table]