The Break Up: Chapter 1

“Ugh, this is so fucking typical!” Kelsey shouted in a frustrated tone, poking and prodding at her food with her fork before letting it drop to the plate as it sent out a loud, echoing crash. “Why is it so difficult to just send it back!?”

Danny stared down at his own pasta as he stirred it around with his fork. He felt hopeless and completely unsure of himself as his eyes darted around the various points on his plate. He’d thought dinner had been going well up to this point, but like most things it seemed he was wrong. “Can’t you just eat around them?” He asked stupidly as he tried to get her to lower her voice, not wanting to have to wave a waiter down and demand that the restaurant remake the dish.

“No, Danny. I’m not just going to eat around them. The entire dish is disgusting!” Kelsey shouted, clearly catching the attention of everyone around her. “It's not that damn hard!”

Danny felt himself tensing up, feeling the eyes of those around them all looking in their direction as the waiter slowly dragged his feet in their general direction, obviously trying to avoid Kelsey himself.

“Is uh- there anything I can do to make this meal more enjoyable, folks?” The waiter asked awkwardly, not sure how this was going to go as he stood off to the side, practically ready to dart at a moment's notice.

Kelsey stared at Danny, widening her eyes as she waited for him to respond which only worsened the anxiety he had been feeling up until now.

“Err- '' Danny started. “I- Is it possible too,” He started, feeling too nervous to ask for a replacement dish. Afterall, Kelsey had specifically ordered this dish, why was that the restaurant's fault? “Do you want to trade dishes?” He suddenly interjected, having thought of what he figured was the perfect compromise but Kelsey’s face made it very clear she wasn’t having it.

She scoffed as she rolled her eyes. “Can you show me to the door?” She asked the waiter, suddenly getting up from the table as she grabbed her purse and followed after the waiter towards the exit.

“Kelsey?” Danny sheepishly called out, now completely overwhelmed as his mind flooded with dark thoughts as his heart grew heavy in his chest.

“We’re done, Danny. Find your own ride home,” She shouted back, not even gracing him with a look as she walked towards the door, the waiter awkwardly standing to the side as she passed, unsure if she actually needed someone to show her the way out.

Danny’s heart sank further as he watched her walk away. He could feel all of the eyes in the restaurant on him as he heard murmurs and whispers that he could only assume were about what had just happened. Tears swelled in his eyes as he tried to hold them back, quickly losing as he reached for his napkin to wipe them away before anyone could see.

5 months gone, just like that. Not only was she his ride, she was his home, his roommate and if anything he’d at least thought she was his friend. They’d moved in together just over 2 months ago in an attempt to save money and now he was left sitting at a restaurant with no way home, or even a home to return to.

“Is there- anything I can do for you, sir?” The waiter asked as he tried to hold his own composure.

“Just a- check and a box, please,” Danny muttered as he avoided any form of eye contact, holding back more tears as he felt completely humiliated.

The waiter nodded, quickling returning with a box and the check as asked before quickly helping pack up Kelsey’s meal as he could tell Danny wanted out of there. Danny awkwardly shuffled out of the booth and made his way out of the restaurant only to be met with a bitterly cold breeze at the front door as he stepped outside. The dimly lit, empty strip mall parking lot did little to boost his mood as he felt himself begin to shiver as he reached for his phone, delicately balancing the boxes of food in his other hand as he scrolled through his contacts in a desperate state of uncertainty.

Hesitantly, he clicked on one as the phone started to ring. His anxiety numbed by the bitter cold as the rings echoed in his ear.

“Hello?” A woman's voice said over the phone.

“Uh- Hi…Mommy,” Danny said quietly, hearing his ex-girlfriend pick up on the other line.

“Danny, sweetie,” Crystal asked. “What's going on?” She asked in a worrying tone.

“I uh- was wondering if you could give me a ride,” Danny asked as he crossed his arms in an attempt to hold in some body heat.

“Of course, why? Are you okay?” Crystal asked, sounding slightly panicked.

“Yea…just… got dumped and left at the restaurant…” Danny said awkwardly.

“Awww, you poor baby,” Crystal cooed with a condescending tone that Danny pretended not to pick up on. “Where are you at?”

“Terry’s…”

“Oh, I love Terry’s Bistro!” Crystal said ecstatically. “Tell you what, if you’re buying dinner, I’ll come give you a ride,” Crystal happily explained.

“Oh uh- I already ate?” Danny said stupidly, not sure how else to avoid the complete humiliation of having to reenter that restaurant.

“No worries, you can just share a drink with- well what does that make me?” Crystal asked teasingly.

“Uh- sorry?” Danny asked, having been caught completely off guard.

“Well, you left me because you wanted to play big kid with your new girlfriend, but now you’re calling me Mommy again?”

Danny blushed quietly as he stayed silent, unsure of what to say.

Crystal let the silence echo on for a few seconds before chiming in again. “Well you stay right there, sweetie. I’m coming and we can talk over dinner,” She said, promptly hanging up the phone before Danny could interject anymore.

A cold gust of wind swept through the parking lot as Danny felt the little warmth left in his body be washed away. He stood trembling for a minute as he weighed his options. On one hand there was the option of braving it in the cold until one of his fingers ultimately started to purple, or there was the inevitable walk back into the restaurant where everyone could see him in his current disheartened, and trembling state. Though the decision was made rather quickly as another cold breeze swept through the parking lot, taking what little warmth he had left as he took a deep breath in before opening the doors to the restaurant as he graciously stepped back inside to accept the warmth.

He stood sheepishly as the hostess pretended to fumble with some menus behind her stand before acknowledging his return.

“I know I just left, but uh- can I get a table for two?” Danny said awkwardly, getting a confused look from the hostess who obviously was fully clued in to all that had just happened.

“Of course,” She said without skipping a beat. “Right this way,”

Danny anxiously spun his glass of water around as he watched the condensation fall to the table, pooling at the base as he tried not to think about the fact that everyone must be talking about him. Tables slowly emptied out as the waiter occasionally passed by to check on him as he waited for Crystal to arrive. Would it be a positive thing when another woman showed up, or would that only make them judge him more?

20 long minutes passed before the door chime went off as Crystal walked into the restaurant, glancing around before locking eyes with Danny as he let out a sigh of relief. She made her way over, taking a seat opposite of Danny with a smile. “Danny, sweetie. How are you?”

Danny forced a smile back, still fighting back the occasional tear as he relived the night in his head as he wondered if there was anything he could have done differently. “I’ve been better,” He admitted, twirling the water cup around in circles.

“Oh, you poor thing,” Crystal said, reaching her hand out to put on his.

Danny stopped twirling his glass as he looked up at her. She was older than him and she always had a way to just make him melt. They had been together for years prior before Danny had made the stupid decision to branch out and meet new people. Though, in his defense it was partially encouraged by Crystal who didn’t think it was right that she was the only woman he had ever dated, but Danny had loved their time together. She was warm and compassionate and never struggled to cheer him up. She often knew him better than he knew himself and he’d always thought of her as his rock.

Danny stared into her eyes for a second, giving Crystal the glimmer of tears he had been holding back before he reached for a napkin to wipe them away again. Crystal said nothing as he wiped them dry just as the waiter from early approached.

“Hi!” He said, obviously shocked that a second person had actually showed up. “Can I start you off with a drink or anything?”

“Well hello handsome,” Crystal said playfully, giving the waiter a quick glance over as he fought back a blush. “I’m going to have the prime rib. Mashed potatoes and green beans as the side, and a glass of red. Whatever you would recommend,” She said in a firm yet soft tone, all while giving him a rather wide smile.

“Anything else,” He asked, feeling a little blushed in the face himself as he frantically wrote down the order.

“Something strong for this kiddo,” She said, turning her attention back to Danny who was purposefully avoiding eye contact as he spun his water glass around. “Better make that a double,” She said before the waiter walked away.

“So, tell me what happened,” Crystal asked.

Danny shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it.

“Come on,” Crystal said. “You didn’t make me drive all the way out here for nothing, did you?”

Danny sat quietly, mulling over the night in his head as he tried to piece together what happened for himself. “She uh, made a big scene at the table…said it was over…and then stormed out,” Danny said quietly, still spinning his water glass.

“That's it? There wasn’t anything you did, or said?” Crystal pestered, knowing it wasn’t the full story.

Danny shrugged again. “She just…” He started, trailing off as he felt ashamed.

“Hey, look at me,” Crystal said, reaching out her hand.

Danny instantly grabbed hold, slowly lifting his head to look at her as he forced himself to take a few deep breaths, already feeling overwhelmed.

“Had you told her?” Crystal asked.

Danny stared confused for a second, before putting the pieces together as he shook his head.

“So then the two of you just grew apart?”

Danny shrugged again.

“Dear,” Crystal said sternly. “This isn’t going to go anywhere if you just shrug it off,”

Danny let out a deep sigh. “It’s been…tense…for the last few weeks,”

“Few weeks? Didn’t you just move in together the other month?” Crystal asked, already starting to guess at what the problem was.

Danny nodded. “The first month seemed good. Then she started complaining that I wasn’t doing enough, and every little detail became this massive argument,”

Crystal leaned back in her booth as she just smirked at Danny. Part of her had hoped he would become a little more independent with another woman, but it was clear he really hadn’t learned anything. At least not yet.

The waiter returned with her wine, setting the glass down in front of her before sliding a double shot of whiskey to Danny who stared at it wide eyed. He hated most alcohols, but whiskey was especially the least of his favorites.

“Your food will be out in another couple of minutes,” The waiter said, giving a smile to Crystal before turning to leave.

“I think the kid is going to need a chaser too,” Crystal said with a smirk, giving the waiter's arm a soft touch as he turned to leave as she quickly remembered his hatred for anything that wasn’t sweet enough.

“Of course…” The waiter started, looking at Danny.

Crystal let out a laugh. His hopelessness was rather cute as Danny continued to twirl his cup, unaware the waiter was even waiting for a response.. “He’ll take a glass of apple juice,” Crystal said, watching the waiter's expression shift as he nodded and turned away.

Danny waited for the waiter to leave before awkwardly looking up as he looked at Crystal.

“Drink up,” Crystal said.

Danny looked back down at the drink. “It’s-” He started.

“Take a sip,” Crystal insisted.

Danny did as he was told, slowly taking a sip as his face turned to disgust as the liquid sent a strong burning taste throughout his mouth as he recoiled in disgust.

“Don’t be such a baby. Drink more,” Crystal insisted, swirling her glass of wine as she took a sip.

Stupidly, he tried to gulp a large amount of it back as the burning sensation filled his mouth, spreading down his throat as he forced it down, desperately reaching for the glass of water as he sought immediate relief.

Crystal let out a laugh that was soon followed by a chuckle from the waiter who had been unable to hold himself together after having watched everything Danny had gone through tonight. He slid the apple juice across the table, giving Danny a forced smile before chuckling to himself as he walked away.

Dinner dragged on as Crystal pried into every little detail about Danny’s life over the past 5 months since they had broken up as she learned just how little had changed.

“So, where am I taking you?” Crystal finally asked, breaking up the conversation.

Danny felt himself shrink again, having momentarily forgotten about his predicament. “Uh- just the closest hotel I guess,”

Crystal paused for a second, scraping the last of her mashed potatoes onto her fork. “Is that what you want?” She asked, cleaning her fork off before chasing down her last bite with the rest of the wine.

Danny shrugged, unsure of what his other options were.

“When you called me earlier, you said Mommy,” Crystal said, watching as his cheeks reddened. “Your old room is sitting empty if your interested,”

Danny looked up, locking eyes with Crystal as he felt himself practically ready to cry again.

“Rules would be the same, but if you want something a little more permanent than a hotel…”

Danny nodded, suddenly feeling the burden of having to figure out the next steps drop from his chest as he downed the last of his whiskey, chasing it with the meager sip of apple juice he had left himself.

“Well then,” Crystal said, wiping her mouth with a napkin as she scooted to the edge of her seat. “Mommy’s going to go use the bathroom,” She said quietly. “Take care of the bill and meet me outside,”