“And then she just left me!  Can you believe it?” a loud, slightly familiar voice slurred across the bar, interrupting Alice’s thoughts.  Alice was perched on a stool at a little out of the way place she’d found, hoping to have some time alone to think and not run into anyone she knew.  The voice was familiar, but Alice couldn’t quite place it yet.

Alice took another sip of her water and cocked her head, listening.  Normally she’d be drinking something a lot heavier, but due to the recent turmoil in her life she’d been prescribed anti-depressants, and she figured that mixing them with alcohol wouldn’t be the best idea. 

Her eyes scanned the crowded, smoky bar, and she nearly fell off her stool as her eyes located the loud mystery woman, who was now about two feet away and approaching the bar.  Her eyes widened and she whipped her head back around, trying to avoid eye contact.

Unfortunately she was too late.  Tonya pushed her way through several people and plopped herself down on the vacant stool to Alice’s right in a very unladylike manner.  “Alice!  Fancy meeting you here,” Tonya said, pushing her eruption of curly hair away from her cheeks and tucking it behind her ears.

“Um, hi, Tonya,” Alice replied grudgingly, resisting the urge to groan and bury her face in her hands.  “Yeah, what a coincidence.”

Tonya, who’d obviously already had several drinks, slammed a fist down on the bar and motioned to the bartender.  She then turned back to Alice, swaying drunkenly on her stool.  Alice was surprised, as she’d never seen Tonya anything but perfectly composed.  “So, where’s Dana?”

Alice looked away uncomfortably.  “We’re not really together anymore,” she said softly, forcing Tonya to have to lean in closer to hear.

“What happened?” Tonya demanded, receiving her drink and finishing half of it with one gulp.

Alice cleared her throat and looked down, fidgeting with her fingers.  “She broke up with me.  Said I got too clingy.  Now she’s back with her ex Lara.”  Why am I even telling her this?

“You poor thing,” Tonya said, laying a hand on Alice’s arm.  “Isn’t it funny how it all works out?  She went from Lara to me to you, and now she’s left you to go back to Lara.”