Jay sat at the bar, the music pulsing through the floor and into his bones. The club was packed, bodies moving under the flashing lights, the air thick with sweat, perfume, and the faint sweetness of spilled drinks. He had been drinking more than usual, the alcohol dulling the edges of the long day, the weight of the office, the constant pressure that had been building for weeks. He wasn't drunk yet, but he was letting go, the kind of letting go that came from exhaustion and the need to stop thinking for one night.
Michael stood beside him at the bar, knocking his shoulder lightly. "You're not even pacing yourself, bro. At this rate, I'm dragging you out of here before midnight."
Jay gave a small scoff and lifted his glass. "Relax. I'm fine."
Michael stared at him for a second longer than necessary. "You always say that right before you do something stupid."
