So I've not written in ages but I had this idea that I couldn't get out of my head so thought I'd share. Let me know what you think and if you guys want me to carry on.

Sara was not stupid. She knew alcohol was not going to solve anything. In fact, she was well aware that quite often it only made things worse. And she certainly knew that drinking alone was, at least for her, more than a little self-destructive. But right now, midway through her third bottle of beer, she didn't care. She slowly turned the bottle around and around between her fingers leaving a trail of condensation along the bar. She watched as it formed a puddle and eventually was soaked up by a beer mat. She had no idea how long she had been sitting there.

"Penny for your thoughts?" The bar tenders voice made her jump a little. She looked up and gave him a polite smile.

"Thanks but I'd rather not." She mumbled. He nodded, squinting at the obviously troubled woman who sat before him.

"You sure seem to be concentrating pretty hard on that bottle." He tried again.

"It's a particularly good beer."

"And there's nothing more to it?" She bit bottom lip, considering this.

"No," She lied. "That's it. I just really like Budweiser."

"Ok if you insist."

"I do." She smiled. "Thanks though." The bar man nodded. He knew when he wasn't going to win someone over but she had seemed like the kind of woman worth trying to help out. He wandered back to the other end of the bar leaving her along with her thoughts again. She sighed and took another large mouthful from the now near empty bottle.

She felt the phone vibrating in her pocket before she heard it ring. She was tempted to ignore it and not even check who was calling but then thought better of it.

NICK S

She tightened her grip on the hand set, hesitating again before answering.

"Hey." She said quietly. Honestly Nick was the last person she was in the mood to talk to right now. He was one of her best friends and while she normally loved his southern charm and constant attempts to keep her head above the ever more grey and murky waters of Vegas, right now, she just wanted to be alone.

"Hey Sar, I was beginning to think you weren't going to answer." She didn't reply, just shifted uncomfortably on her stool. "But hey, I'll be with you in 5."

"With me?" She asked, confused.

"Yeah, to pick you up for Catherines party." He explained, flicking on his indicator and turning onto Saras road.

"Oh God Nick, I'm sorry." She dropped her head onto the bar quietly cursing herself. "I'm actually not home right now." She said vaguely.

"Don't tell me you forgot."

"Well sort of." She admitted slowly. There was no point in lying now. Nick rolled his eyes as he pulled over to the side of the road. It wasn't like Sara to forget something like this but then she had been acting oddly all week. He tried to hide his annoyance.

"Well where are you? I'll come and pick you up."

"No Nicky that's ok. I'm not sure I'm up to much tonight anyway." She admitted.

"No argument Sara." He said before she had a chance to make any further excuses. "We've not all been off together in so long, you can't flake out on us."

"Nicky…"

"I said no argument Sara." He insisted quickly. When she didn't answer he spoke again. "At least tell me where you are." She sighed and told him. He was right, they hadn't been off together in months and all she needed to do was make an appearance for an hour or so and then she could leave. She downed the last of her drink and shuffled into the bathrooms. She washed her hands and splashed some water onto her cheeks. She looked tired and she knew it. She pulled a lip balm form her bag and slowly drew it across her lips but it did little to help. She tugged the tie from her hair and ran her fingers through the dark strands. She shrugged, fairly sure that this hadn't helped either but residing to the fact that there wasn't much else she could do in the toilets of her slightly run down local bar. By the time she came out Nick was already waiting for her.

"Hey there gorgeous, fancy seeing you here." He smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Been getting a head start on the rest of us huh?"

"Yeah something like that." She smiled but didn't really make eye contact. "Shall we go?" They walked out to the car in silence. It was still hot outside and the air conditioning was a welcome break. It made Sara realise just how stuffy the bar had been.

"So do you drink there often?" Nick asked eventually. Sara shrugged.

"Not often. The place is kind of a dive really."

"Yeah I could see that." There was a long pause. "So… were you there alone?" He asked.

"There were a few other people around." She said.

"That's not what I meant." She had known that anyway, was just hoping to avoid the inevitable questions which would follow her answer.

"Yes, I was alone." She replied, staring out of the window ahead.

"Oh." Was all he said, not entirely surprised that she didn't volunteer up any further information on the subject. They sat quietly for a couple of minutes before Nick spoke again. "Want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"Whatever had you out drinking alone." She shrugged. "And now has you sat in silence." He pushed.

"What makes you think there's a reason?"

"Because I know you Sara and I can tell your mind is working overtime on something."

She shook her head. "It's nothing." She lied.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"If you insist." She rolled her eyes. It was the barman all over again. Her phone rang again, she looked at the screen but this time didn't answer.

JAMES

She hung up.

"Who was that?"

"Nobody." She said, rather too shortly. It rang again and again she hung up.

"A pretty persistent nobody."

"Yeah well he can persist all he wants, I'm not picking up." She said bitterly.

"So it's a guy." Smirked Nick but Sara gave no response. "You know no guy is worth that frown." She just glared at him. "Come on Sara admit it, your mind's been elsewhere all week."

"And that automatically has to be down to some guy."

"Specifically the guy that has just called you twice…" Saras ringtone interrupted him before she quickly hung up. "Make that three times in the last five minutes."

"Well it's not." She said firmly.

"But you admit something is bothering you."

"That's not what I said." She found him intensely annoying sometimes and today she was really not in the mood.

"But that's the point, you didn't have to say it, I can tell."

"Because you know me so well?"

"Well yeah." He was a little hurt by the tone in which she had said that and he couldn't understand why she seemed to be picking a fight with him over this, he was only trying to help.

"Then you'll know when to leave me alone."

"Come on Sar, I'm only messing around."

"Well don't ok." She snapped. If her phone hadn't rang again at that exact moment, the day may have panned out quite differently but as it was, the phone did ring, and it pushed Sara over the edge. "Arrrrgh." She hung up and threw the phone at the wind screen.

"Alright Sara, no need to take it out on the iPhone." He joked. It was a bad move.

"But if its broken then he can't keep calling and everyone can just leave me alone." She said bitterly.

"It's really that bad huh?"

"Yes."

"So…. That's it? Its bad, life sucks but you don't want to talk about it?"

"Yes."

"So you do want to talk about it?"

"No." He was really pushing it now and Sara could feel the anger physically rising inside her.

"Ok, if you say so."

"Yes Nick I do say so, so will you just drop it!" Deep down she knew it wasn't really Nick she was mad at but he was there, trapped in a car with her, and he was an easy target.

"Ok Sara, calm down." He said, bringing the car to a stop as the lights turned red. He glanced sideways at his friend. He has rarely seen her so pissed. She drew her eyes from the road too and turned to look at Nick, whos face drew up into a smile.

"What?"

"Nothing." His smile grew wider.

"You think this is funny."

"No." He said, bringing his hands up defensively in front of him. "You just look curt when you're angry." Her face dropped and she stared at him blankly for a second before shaking her head and unfastening her seat belt.

"You know what, fine." She opened the door and started to climb out.

"What… where are you going."

"Home."

"Sara, come on."

"No Nick, I asked you to drop it and you… you just didn't."

"I know but…."

"You're so annoying!" She slammed the door and started to march down the road. Nick was shocked. True it was like Sara to avoid the problems in her life but not like this. He rolled down the window, waited the few short seconds it took for the lights to turn green again, and started to slowly follow her down the thankfully quiet street.

"Sara, what are you doing?" He called after her.

"Going home."

"Don't be ridiculous Sara, get in the car."

"So now I'm ridiculous?" She turned and glared at him, pausing for only a second before continuing on her way.

"No, but you are being a little childish." She just laughed bitterly but he didn't hear her. "It'll be a long walk." He tried. "It's pretty hot out." Still nothing. "And you've been drinking."

"It was three beers Nick, I'm hardly drunk." She still didn't look at him but did slow down just a little.

"Three beers, on probably no food. And on no sleep. I can tell you've not been sleeping you know."

"Leave me alone Nick." She said, feeling for the first time like the anger was lifting and her voice was cracking.

"You know I can't do that." She stopped and slowly turned to face him, tucking her hair behind her ear so he could see her face. "Besides," He said gently. "I have your house key in my car." She knew he was right. "So will you get in the car?"

"Dam it, fine." She opened the door and slumped down in the seat. "But no more questions."

"None."

"And promise you'll just let me wallow in my bad mood… and you'll be less annoying." She added.

"But…"

"Promise?" He sighed.

"Ok I promise." She gave him a small smile then turned to resume her previous position of staring out at the road ahead. He sat looking at her, genuinely worried about what it was that was troubling her but glad at least that she had gotten back into the car.

"Lights green Nick."

"Huh?"

"The lights." She gestured to the traffic signal. "Green for go. We have a barbeque to go to right?"

"You sure, I mean we don't have to…"

"Nick…" She warned.

"Ok, ok." He smiled and drove on.

To be continue soon if you all want it to be...?

Thanks for reading.