This is for my ex-boyfriend.

Video for my ex.

For my ex.

(ex)

I finished editing the descriptions of my videos pertaining to Sunny. It made me feel awful. Like driving the last nail into the coffin. It created such an air of finality it was sickening. I had given so much to him and he threw it all away. He tossed me aside like I was a Play Station and he just got a shiny new Play Station 3.

I needed to get away everything seemed to remind me of him. Even my backyard. Grabbing my keys, I got in the car and drove off to Starbucks. I was so upset I had to try parking three times before I actually got it right. It seemed like I waited in line to order for hours, but eventually it was my turn. I had been too busy trying to distract myself to realize what a mistake it was to be there, in that line, at that particular moment in time.

"Hello, what can I get you?" the cashier asked. A seemingly harmless question.

But he wasn't entirely harmless. He was tall, dark, and handsome. And I felt like such a girl for describing him that way, but it was true. And don't even get me started on his voice. It was amazing. He had a voice that could charm a nun out of her dress.

He immediately drew me in and all he had done was ask me for my order. He hadn't even winked at me or really done anything to make him seem interested, but for some reason I was. And I didn't want to be. Wasn't ready to be.

"Umm, a cappuccino," I said after a while of mentally dissecting the situation. I made it sound like I couldn't decide and that was why I took an abnormally long time to give my order.

"Anything else?" he asked cocking his head, his hair falling into his face a little. It was f****** adorable. But I couldn't think that. It was too soon.

"No, that'd do it." Unless you're buying. I'd normally say something witty, but that wouldn't do in this situation. It would seem like flirting and I did not want to flirt with this boy.

"That will be 3.79," he said in that voice of his.

I didn't reply I just gave a swift nod and paid, stepping to the side. A few minutes later he called my order at the other end of the counter. An amused smile played at his lips.

"Thank you, come again," he said with a double meaning.

Picking up my drink I nodded at him, acknowledging one of the meanings of his words, and walked to the back of the room to find an empty booth. Slowly, my butt hit the padded cushion and some part of me automatically leaned my head back on the seat. My fingers found their way to my face and pinched the bridge of my nose before taking a drink. It warmed my body and made me feel slightly better. My sugary Cappuccino was enough to make me feel less bitter. And a little guilty for being so rude.

The track changed and it was a song I knew well. Dark Blue by Jack's Mannequin. It seemed slightly out of place, but was welcomed. My lips were moving along with the song without my conscious permission. I was tapping the side of my cup with my fingers and really sort of getting into the song. The song was half way through, my fingers still tapping along; when I noticed that there were unfamiliar ten digits and the name Alex on the side of the cup. I took a drink thinking about what him giving his number to me meant.

He could have meant it for someone else, a girl maybe, but as my eyes swept across the room and saw that the only other people in here were middle aged women, I knew that I was just making up excuses to hide from the truth. The kid was flirting with me and I liked it.

I was lost in my own little world tracing patterns on a napkin, when I heard the air leaving the cushion across from me and the small thud of a coffee cup. I looked up and saw that it was the cashier, Alex. "Mind if I sit here? It's my break."

"Umm, sure, why not," I said trying not to let surprise show on my face. I had after all been avoiding the gorgeous fellow.

"So," he said looking down at his coffee cup. He turned his eyes back to me, "what's your name, mysterious cappuccino drinker?"

I bit down the urge to smile. To melt.

"My name is Jarrod."

"So, Jarrod, what's got you so down?" he asked looking up from under his dark lashes. His nose ring caught the light and was brought to my attention for the first time.

Of course he had to ask about my feelings. Why not? I mean he was the trifecta already why wouldn't he be caring too?

"I'm newly single," I said staring down at my hands which were resting on my coffee cup. There were suddenly more interesting than the boy's probing dark eyes.

"Ouch, I'm sorry sweetie. She doesn't know what she's missing," he said carefully, gaging my reaction.

"He," I said strumming my fingers against the near empty cup.

His expression changed and in a flash he was in my seat pulling me into a hug. I didn't know if I was weirded out or if I liked it. He was warm and comforting. Someone I could just melt into, but be that as it may he was a complete stranger who was behaving a little stalker-y.

"How about I make it up to you?" Alex asked inches away from my ear. He moved quickly back to his side of the booth before giving me a chance to answer.

"How?" I asked arching my brow. This boy was a strange fellow. Offering to make something up to a complete stranger. For all he knew I was a deranged serial rapist who liked boys with more piercings than me. Which of course I was not, but how would he know that?

"My shift ends in an hour; stay and I'll take you out on a forget-about-your-ex evening," he said excitedly, standing up, practically vibrating.

"Okay," I said humoring him and finishing my drink.

"Great! My breaks about over, but I'll see you in an hour," he said picking up what little trash we had accumulated and threw it away on his way back to the counter.

I vaguely wondered if I was making some Earthshattering mistake by going out with a complete stranger, but with the week I had been having going out with this boy was a welcomed change of pace. How bad could it possibly be?

Just because he was pierced, dark, and handsome doesn't necessarily mean that he's a bad guy. Not everyone with piercings are bad people. I have my lip pierced and my septum done, ya know. I wasn't some shady rapist. So why should he be?

XxXx

"Done!" Alex chirped, throwing down his apron and bounding out from behind the counter. His long legs carrying him as fast as they could without bursting into a full on run.

"This was the longest hour of my life; this better be one amazing evening," I said sounding bored, but giving him a small smile.

"It is going to be spectacular. I promise."

He led me out to the parking lot and I guessed that his car was the silver Subaru in the employee parking. And I was right. I thought momentarily again that this could be a bad idea, but I shook the feeling off and opened his car door. I was greeted by an annoying ding ding that wouldn't stop until I shut the door. The car was immaculate. I was impressed, there wasn't as much as a straw wrapper from McDonalds or finger prints on the dash. The only thing that seemed out of place was the infant car seat strapped in the backseat.

"What's that for?" I asked absentmindedly.

He looked at me from the passenger seat. "I have a little brother. I've got to be able to drive him around somehow."

"Ah," I said my attention quickly transferring to his voice.

I could listen to him talk forever, but unfortunately he shut up like a clam after I asked about that stupid car seat.

"So, where are we going to go anyway?" I asked after a few minutes of driving in silence. I've never been known for my patience, but I just wanted to break the awkward silence.

"It's a secret," he said snapping out of his quiet and smiling deviously.

"C'mon tell me," I whined, trying to be cute.

"And ruin the surprise? No way," he said making a turn.

I narrowed my eyes thinking up a new tactic. "Where's your favorite place to go?"

"Mexico," he said with a put on accent.

I gave him a dirty luck turning my best little girl pout on.

"Can I at least have a hint?" I asked in a flat tone.

"That sounds Simple Enough," he said strumming his fingers on the steering wheel, smirking.

I looked up at the red light waiting for him to continue. When he did not I got a little snappy.

"Are you going to tell me?" I asked impatiently.

"I already did," he said grinning before parking.

I just glowered at him. He did no such thing.

He got out of the car motioning for me to follow him and begrudgingly I did. We entered the shabby looking building. It looked pretty sketchy to me. I think it used to be an old Theatre, but I could be wrong. Either way apparently this was the destination he chose for my 'forget-about-my-ex evening.'

He led me down a narrow hall that opening into a large room. I was right about it being an old Theatre. The seats had been ripped out and the floor was redone, about thirty years ago. The walls were painted a dark color and the paint was chipping slightly. The ceiling was high. It was your basic run down Theatre.

There were about fifteen people already there, sitting on fold out chairs, in a large circle. Only then did it don on me. He had brought me to one of the more intimate Never Shout Never concerts.

My eyes widened. "NSN?"

He nodded. "Mhmm."

"How did you know I liked NSN?" I asked in awe.

"Who doesn't?" he asked rhetorically and laughed.

He took me to the last two empty seats in the circle. There was of course a single stool in the middle of the circle which was reserved for Christofer drew.

I just shrugged and waited for Christofer to come out.

I didn't have to wait long. The tall tattooed musician walked out within minutes of our arrival. He was of course barefoot and sporting his guitar and his bear hat with war paint under his eyes. I wasn't sure about his attire, but it seemed to fit him well.

"How y'all doing tonight?" Christofer asked taking his seat on the little stool in the middle of the circle. He pulled the guitar off his back and began strumming a few chords to help him tune it.

There were a chorus of "goods" and then Alex was gone. He bounded up, confidently, to Christofer, whispered something in his ear, and then came back to sit beside me. He crossed his legs looking rather pleased with himself, smirking like nobody's business.

"Alright, requested by a good friend. Jane Doe, for Jarrod who's going through a tough break up," Christofer announced and then launched into one of my favorite songs by the one man band.

I beamed from ear to ear. Even though I wasn't happy about him mentioning my breakup I overlooked it because Alex's hand found mine and squeezed.

I whispered to the strange boy, "Thanks Alex, you've definitely held your bargain."

Then he pulled me into a kiss. My lips moved against his without my conscious permission, but I didn't mind. His lips were soft and experienced. They made me feel better, better than anything had all day.

When we pull away the other members in the crowd began cheering for us and not the song that Christofer had just finished. Any sensible person would have been embarrassed and I guess I was, but not so much so that I regretted the kiss.

xXxXxXx

After the concert I came home bouncing off the walls. My parents were already in bed so I didn't bother telling them about my evening. I knew who I wanted to tell. I logged into YouTube and turned on my Web Cam. I made a cover of Jane Doe and announced that I had a new boyfriend.

I rewrote this in hopes to make it more enjoyable. So enjoy. xoxo -ickesgirl