Alex took the drink when Kyle handed it to him and poured it down his throat like it was nothing, even if he grimaced a little at the burn. That would go away soon enough and all he would be left with was something numb. He couldn't even say pleasantly.

"This is daydrinking to forget that Michael chose Maria. And that she let him." And maybe they hadn't been having sex on the bar, but he knew what playing the guitar meant to Michael and he'd seen the smile on Maria's face. He didn't have to paint-by-numbers to figure out that Michael had made some decision that didn't include Alex.

He let Kyle decide whether how fast they were going to get drunk and rummaged around in the bags of takeout they'd gotten. He could have cooked and it might have busied his hands, but he was as likely to throw a plate against the wall. He just wanted to forget the outside world for a night.

"Oh, that reminds me," he said, "give me your phone. Unless you want to be reachable."