CHAPTER TWENTY: DRUNK AND ANGRY
June 27th, 2020
"Gemma, what the fuck are you doing!" It took a moment for Gemma to register what was happening, considering she was heavily intoxicated. She was confused for a moment -- wondering why Rowan was standing in front of her yelling, while Wes stood beside her looking as if he was not phased at all.
"What - " she started to say, but was cut off by an angry Rowan.
"You know he has a girlfriend, right?"
"Rowan, shut up," Wesley laughed with an eye roll. "It's like, barely a relationship. Why are you so worked up anyways?"
"You're really gonna let Gemma fucking kiss you?" Rowan yelled, his words slightly slurred. Gemma realized, as she looked him up and down, that he was definitely drunk as well.
"Dude," Wes rolled his eyes again. "She's drunk. She doesn't even know what she's doing."
"I - " Gemma started speaking, but again, was cut off by a drunk and angry Rowan.
"So you were just gonna let her do it? Even though she's drunk?"
"She isn't even going to remember any of this tomorrow!"
Figuring that speaking was no use because she was just going to get interrupted again, Gemma looked around the crowded dance floor in search for Marcie. To her disappointment, her best friend was no where to be found. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't seen Marcie in quite some time -- she had to be either ordering more drinks, or she likely found some random guy to dance with.
"That doesn't make it okay!" Rowan screamed so loud, Gemma could feel the people around them staring.
"Why do you fucking care, Rowan?" Wes yelled, matching his brother's tone. "This has nothing to do with you!"
"This has everything to do with me," he inched closer to his brother, as if he was going to hit him. Gemma's eyes widened. She tried stepping in between them, but Rowan wouldn't budge. For being drunk, he was holding himself up well.
"Gemma can kiss who she fucking wants," Wes angrily said while shoving Rowan back. His eyes widened, his fist rising. Gemma felt her breath stop in her throat; her voice was weak as she tried to speak, though no words came out. She tried to yell stop, but her voice was overpowered by the loud music in the bar.
Just as Rowan was about to punch Wes right in the face, Gemma somehow managed to force her body in between the two. She quickly held her hand up, catching Rowan's fist. Her voice finally came back to her as a gasp escaped her lips.
"Rowan," she felt her eyes tearing up. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"He - " Rowan started, though stopped speaking as he could not take his eyes off of Gemma's grip around his fist. "Gems, I could have hurt you. Why would you - "
"But you were going to hurt him!" Gemma screamed, shocked at how loud her voice was becoming. The drunk bystanders near them were definitely staring. "Why the fuck do you care that I almost kissed him? I am drunk, but I know what I'm doing! I don't know what came over me, but why the fuck does it matter to you?"
"I don't - " Rowan gulped. He lowered his fist, his heart beating fast. He couldn't explain why it bothered him, watching Gemma throw herself onto his brother. He didn't know how to explain the sinking feeling in his chest as he sat next to Avery who was not paying attention, and drunkenly watched Gemma inch closer to Wes like she was about to kiss him. Something about it just did not sit right with him. But he did not know how to explain it, because he could not even understand it himself.
"This is why I regret getting involved with all this stupid, fucking wedding stuff," Gemma threw her arms up in frustration, nearly hitting the person dancing next to her.
"What do you mean?" Rowan asked, his heartbeat quickening.
"None of this is right. I shouldn't be apart of this. I hate the way all this has been making me feel." At this point, the tears welled up in Gemma's eyes were gliding down her cheeks. She could feel her makeup running but in that moment, she did not care.
Rowan wanted to reach his hand up and wipe the fresh tears from Gemma's face. He knew that wasn't the best idea, though.
"What?" he asked in confusion. He started thinking back on all the interactions he'd had with Gemma since the wedding planning started, only a month ago. Never once did she seem like she regretted being there, so he was confused about any bad feeling she'd had throughout the process. He did figure that it was likely weird for her to see her ex boyfriend and ex best friend getting married -- but Gemma was over him. She broke up with him, so she had to be over their two year long relationship. That's what Rowan kept telling himself, anyways.
"I need to go," Gemma sobbed. "I can't be here. I shouldn't be here."
"Gemma - " Wes and Rowan said in unison.
"Let me walk you out," Wes sighed.
"No, I can." Rowan offered, and Gemma immediately shook her head.
"You should get back to your fiancée, Rowan." Gemma choked out, tears still falling from her eyes.
Rowan felt his heart sink once more as Gemma and Wesley walked away, leaving him alone in the middle of the packed dance floor. He just stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do with himself as he watched his brother and ex girlfriend walk away. Once they were no longer in sight, he started walking towards the packed bar, where he intended on getting even more drunk. He ignored the bridal party as they called his name and thankfully, a bartender was nearby. He ordered a few shots, and although he was already drunk, he downed the shots with the intention of forgetting everything that had happened. Avery, who was clueless, walked over to Rowan, without a single concern in the world. As Rowan took his last shot, he felt Avery's lips attach to his neck. Rowan closed his eyes, feeling the alcohol hit him -- fast. While he started feeling more intoxicated from mixing multiple types of alcohol, Rowan focused on his fast heart beat as Avery kissed him.
Thankfully, Gemma found Marcie at the end of the bar as she and Wesley made their way towards the door. She turned her head to see if Rowan was still standing where she left him, but he wasn't. She sighed, wondering why the hell he was so angry in the first place. They weren't together. He was over her -- he had to be. He claimed to be in love with Avery, so why did he care that she almost kissed Wes? Gemma did not intend on kissing him, but the alcohol in her veins cleared any judgement she normally would have. Her brain was telling her fuck it, let loose. She likely would have kissed any guy in the bar -- but Wesley just happened to be the one with her.
"Come on," Gemma put her hand on Marcie's shoulder once they finally reached her. "We're leaving."
Marcie was in the middle of chugging some fruity drink the bartender whipped up for her, when she noticed the fresh tear stains on Gemma's cheeks. She stopped drinking, though held the glass close to her face. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"It's a long story," Gemma sighed. "Rowan happened."
Marcie's face showed sudden confusion. "What - " she started to say, but was interrupted by no one other than the bride to be, who appeared out of nowhere.
"Gemma!" Avery's fake, drunk voice interrupted Marcie. "Leaving so soon? We haven't even gotten to talk or take any shots together!"
Gemma rolled her eyes. Avery could not keep up this façade for any longer, since she was already forming a baby bump. No amount of loose clothing could hide what Gemma and Marcie already knew.
"Not feeling good," Gemma lied, knowing that was all she could come up with on the spot. "I need to go home and lay down."
"Let's grab lunch tomorrow," Avery suggested. "Just me and you."
"Fine," Gemma agreed just to shut Avery up, so she could walk away from this shitty night and not look back.
"Yay!" Avery clapped, making Marcie almost spit out her drink in second hand embarrassment. "I'll text you the details tomorrow!"
Gemma just nodded, hoping that was enough the end the conversation. Thankfully, Miranda called Avery's name, giving Gemma, Wes, and Marcie the opportunity to leave. Once outside the building, Gemma breathed in the fresh, clean air, that was free from Avery, Rowan, and the rest of the bridal party.
"I'll order you an Uber," Wes offered.
"No, that's okay." Gemma turned down his offer with a sad smile. "My sister will pick us up."
"Okay, do you want me to wait with you?"
Gemma shook her head. "That's okay, you should get back in there."
Wes nodded. "You're probably right. Hopefully Rowan is calmed down by now."
Marcie looked between Gemma and Wesley in confusion. She did not question it, yet, as she was waiting for Wes to go back in the bar. As soon as he was gone from their sight, she started bombarding Gemma with questions, given the fresh tear stains on her best friend's cheeks.
"What the hell happened in there?" Marcie was dying to know, given her nosey tendencies.
Gemma sighed. And then she told her best friend everything.
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a/n: short chapter but idk what else to write lol
gemma and rowan both feeling weird types of ways ... wtf is up with THAT