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Brandon before tonight.  She didn’t know him like I did.  She knew nothing about him.  She didn’t know how funny he was or how crazy he could be.  She knew nothing and I could feel myself growing more frustrated because I didn’t want to see him get hurt. 
    I took one final sip of my ginger ale and was about to ask for another when I looked across the bar.
    “Are you kidding me?” I mumbled to myself as my eyes settled on Derek Collins.  He was sitting next to some chick I didn’t know.  They were smiling and chatting and having a great time.  I hadn’t seen him since we broke up.  Seeing him now didn’t bother me because I was still into him.  I definitely was not into him.  I just didn’t want to see him because he was a jerk and seeing him made me wonder what the hell I’d been thinking ever going out with him in the first place.  I’d always been romantically challenged, but I should’ve had more respect for myself than to continue seeing Derek once I realized what an asshole he was.  He’d never hit me or anything like that, but he was intimidating and he just wasn’t a nice guy.  I guess I was so excited a guy was into me that I ignored the fact he didn’t make me feel good about myself.  I’d watched the way Jesse treated Riley.  He adored her.  She could do no wrong in his books when they were together and I wanted that for myself.  That didn’t happen.  I was an afterthought to him.  I wasn’t important to him and I could kill myself for finally sleeping with him.  Biggest mistake of my life.  After the first time, he was more attentive, probably to ensure I’d continue to sleep with him.  He even held the door open for me a few times, but it didn’t last and after a couple of months, I’d had it, especially when I found texts from another girl on his phone.  He didn’t even try and deny he was cheating on me and he had no shame about it either.  I walked out and hadn’t spoken to him since.  I figured I should actually consider myself lucky since I hadn’t run into him.  Carver wasn’t a place you could hide from anyone. 
    I didn’t want Derek to see me, so I left some money on the bar and stood up, turning to Brandon’s table, but was surprised to see Brandon sitting there alone.  I looked around, but didn’t see Dana anywhere and I decided it was safe to go back.
    “You okay?” he asked, looking at me with a raised eyebrow.
    “I’m fine,” I answered curtly.
    “You were in there forever.  I thought you’d fallen in or something.” He was chuckling, but I, obviously, didn’t find it funny.  It just solidified what I’d been thinking about him earlier.
    “Are you ever gonna grow up?” I snapped at him.
    “What’re you talking about?”
    “You’re never gonna change.  You’re exactly the same.  I thought you might’ve matured just a little bit considering everything that’s happened to you, but you haven’t,” I spat at him quickly and when I looked up into his blue eyes, his brows were furrowed, a confused look on his face. 
    “Where is all of this coming from?” he asked, leaning forward on the table towards me.
    “You thought I was in the bathroom this whole time?” I said and I could feel my lips pursed as I glared at him. “I wasn’t in the bathroom the whole time, you jerk.  I walked right past you and sat at the bar for like ten minutes, by myself, mind you, even though I was supposed to be here hanging out with you.”
    “I’m sorry I didn’t see you walk by, but to be fair, Mandy, you’re the one who sat over there.”
    “Yeah…because I didn’t want to see you drooling all over Dana.” He threw his head back and the deep, throaty laugh that came out only pissed me off more. “I seriously can’t believe you, Brandon.  I know all you care about is getting laid, but Dana, seriously?  Do your friends even matter to you?  Do you even care what her best friend did to Riley?  Do you care about what Alex did to