"So what'll it be tonight?" the bartender asked Paige
"The usual."
"Coming right up."
He went to the back and grabbed a Budweiser. He slid it down the bar and Paige caught it. She took a long swig, she wasn't too particular in what type of beer she drank, unlike some of her friends. She drank because it made her happy, no other reason. It washed away all her sorrow and made her relax, even if just for a little while. She could still remember the first time she walked into this bar, any bar for that matter.
She had been seeing Greg for a long time, they were high school sweethearts, but when he went off to college it was hard for Paige. He went to NYU, while she stayed in San Francisco, going to community college. She would have gone somewhere else, somewhere better, but she never tried in school, she just didn't care. Well a year later Greg came back, he was taller, skinnier and smarter. Much too smart for Paige and so that winter, on New Years Eve, to be exact, he dumped her. That night she drank so much champagne, she barely remembers what she did at that party, but she knows it was enough to land her with a new boyfriend and a strong punishment from Grams.
Her new guy was Tyler. Tyler wasn't what Paige had always dreamed of, but he loved her and cared about her, which she found to be enough. Tyler would spend endless nights at the Manor, just hanging out with Paige. Sometimes he'd even be there once she got home from school or work. He was always there and never left, but Paige never minded much, she grew to love him after all. Grams quickly grew angry and told Paige it was either dump Tyler or move out of the Manor. So of course she moved. She lived with Tyler and his family for a while, but soon even that got a bit annoying and so they moved into an apartment a few blocks down from the Manor. She hadn't talked to her sisters or Grams for months and then finally one day she called. Phoebe picked up the phone, had a short and quick conversation with her and then passed Grams the phone. Paige will never forget what she heard over on the other end of the receiver. The nice, old Grams that she had loved for so long was now angry and mean. She told Paige a thing or two and then hung up, apparently too furious to continue. That night, Paige went to the bar and from that day on she never left. Soon the rent got higher for the apartment and they had to stop using the phone or the cable, Paige lost her job and began working part time at Burger King and Tyler was a lazy bum who never helped with anything. Today she had planned to talk to him about getting a job, but when she found him with Carol.
Paige called the bartender over and asked for another Budweiser.
"The usual."
"Coming right up."
He went to the back and grabbed a Budweiser. He slid it down the bar and Paige caught it. She took a long swig, she wasn't too particular in what type of beer she drank, unlike some of her friends. She drank because it made her happy, no other reason. It washed away all her sorrow and made her relax, even if just for a little while. She could still remember the first time she walked into this bar, any bar for that matter.
She had been seeing Greg for a long time, they were high school sweethearts, but when he went off to college it was hard for Paige. He went to NYU, while she stayed in San Francisco, going to community college. She would have gone somewhere else, somewhere better, but she never tried in school, she just didn't care. Well a year later Greg came back, he was taller, skinnier and smarter. Much too smart for Paige and so that winter, on New Years Eve, to be exact, he dumped her. That night she drank so much champagne, she barely remembers what she did at that party, but she knows it was enough to land her with a new boyfriend and a strong punishment from Grams.
Her new guy was Tyler. Tyler wasn't what Paige had always dreamed of, but he loved her and cared about her, which she found to be enough. Tyler would spend endless nights at the Manor, just hanging out with Paige. Sometimes he'd even be there once she got home from school or work. He was always there and never left, but Paige never minded much, she grew to love him after all. Grams quickly grew angry and told Paige it was either dump Tyler or move out of the Manor. So of course she moved. She lived with Tyler and his family for a while, but soon even that got a bit annoying and so they moved into an apartment a few blocks down from the Manor. She hadn't talked to her sisters or Grams for months and then finally one day she called. Phoebe picked up the phone, had a short and quick conversation with her and then passed Grams the phone. Paige will never forget what she heard over on the other end of the receiver. The nice, old Grams that she had loved for so long was now angry and mean. She told Paige a thing or two and then hung up, apparently too furious to continue. That night, Paige went to the bar and from that day on she never left. Soon the rent got higher for the apartment and they had to stop using the phone or the cable, Paige lost her job and began working part time at Burger King and Tyler was a lazy bum who never helped with anything. Today she had planned to talk to him about getting a job, but when she found him with Carol.
Paige called the bartender over and asked for another Budweiser.
