Alice

I open the car door, sit and pull my seatbelt. I try to relax by taking deep breaths as I wait on Brice. He opens his door and plants himself in the driver’s seat.

“So, where too now, weren’t you going to carry me to some bar downtown?”

“Yea.. just drive, I’ll give you directions.”

We start down the winding Miami streets, everything’s more beautiful at night to me, Especially the sea. We’re far from it right now but its always there when I need it.

   I stare out my windows at miami's glory, this place really is a Gem. There are people singing, dancing, I can even see people kissing. I'm always swallowed whole when I drive here at these hours but tonight I can’t let it… tonight I have to hurt someone.

“Take a right, there it’s next to that flower patch.”

We pull up and I step out of the car. We enter the small, laid back lounge and grab two seats near the bar. I order a vodka and tonic, I need one for this. The place is beautiful for a lounge, the floor is varnished wood and the lights are a soft orange with highlights of pink. The bar has a blue light over it so I’m half soaked in blue and half in orange as I sit on a tall stool next to Brice. There aren’t many people and the music is low. I chose here because they don’t really ask how old you are once you’re bold enough to order drinks like its something you do regularly, guess they aren’t afraid of lawsuits. I also chose it because its close to home and its quiet.
 
“So, babe… what did you wanna talk about?”

I take a deep drink of my vodka and rest it back down on the table. I pause for a moment to sum up the strength and I take a deep breath. The words don't seem to want to come out. I swallow hard as I try to sleak up.
"Well?" He asks.

I find the strength.

“ Brice… this isn’t working out…”

He pauses for a second.

“What’s that, you don’t like this place or you mean being back in Florida is hard?”

Either he missed the point completely or he's just in denial.

“No… I mean, us… me and you… we aren’t working out.”

He looks confused.

“But… babe… everything’s okay, I mean, you just got back from Europe and our anniversary is soon and…”

It had totally slipped my mind that our anniversary was in a week.

“Babe, you're not making much sense, um, is this a joke?"
"No brice, its not a joke..."

He doesn't seem to be getting it

"But, I don't understand."

"Let me be clear then...we're breaking up, this is over."

"What? maybe you just need time or something… maybe ur just confused...”

“I don’t need time Brice, I need this to end, I need to move on, I need us to be apart…”

His confusion turns to shock and then anger.

“You can’t do this to me, I’ve been with you for almost four years now, I’ve been through so much for you, what the hell Alice, you have to be joking or something, if its that, Just stop.”

“Its not Brice… I need to go my way, please accept that.”

His eyes open wide and his jaw tenses.

“You cannot fucking do this to me Alice!” He shouts. The entire bar hears.

“Brice calm down everyone’s watching…”

“I don’t fucking care… what’s the real reason huh, what's going on?”

The bartender comes over to us, “Sir, mam, could you please take it down or take it outside.”

Brice turns to him, “Don’t fucking tell me what to do, do you know who I am?”

The stocky man watches him dead in his eyes and orders the bouncer to take him and I out. My heart starts to race... I don't know whats going to happen but I know I have to get out of here… I quickly grab my phone and call Jack, he’s the only person I can think of who would come at this hour, hopefully he isn't busy.
  The phone buzzes, “Hello, jack, this is Alice, I need you to come get me at Pulitzer bar in down town… its important…” before Jack can respond, we reach outside and Brice grabs my phone and walks toward the car. “Who the fuck are you calling Alice?”
“Its just Jack, I need him to come get me.. Give me back my phone!"

“Why would you need that though… you’re going home with me.”

“Brice, we’re not fucking together anymore, Did you not hear me?”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP ALICE!”
I’ve never seen this side of Brice before… something is wrong… I’m really scared now.

“Okay whatever Brice, umm.. I’m going back over there to the club…”

“You’re not fucking going anywhere…”

He grabs me by my shoulder and twists my arm with his other hand, then he pulls me toward the car. He opens the car door and tries to shove me in. I try to scream but he has me bent over and he shoves my face in to the car seat which blocks my mouth. I feel helpless and afraid, I don’t know what he’s going to do to me, Brice, my boyfriend for almost four years, I trusted him, what the hell is even going on right now, I realize that I can barely tell… because I’m drunk… I didn’t see it before but I feel numb and I can’t coordinate myself. I can’t fight back, with every push I go more and more in to the car… what will he do to me if he gets me in the car? Why is no one around to see or help. I try to struggle but its useless, maybe if I just let it happen, I wont get hurt. Just then, I hear a familiar voice shout “Get the fuck off her…”
Its Jack's voice.