Falling Into The Unknown.

Chapter 3: A Night Out.

After he left Anna’s apartment, Michael slumped over the bar, laughing way too loud as music blasted through the crowded room. His friends were around, but it didn’t matter—he was just trying to forget how much this week sucked. A couple more drinks, and maybe he could finally stop thinking about everything.

“Another round!” he shouted, smacking the bar with a sloppy grin. Jake, his best friend, just shook his head like he’d seen this all before.

“Dude, you’ve had enough,” Jake said, raising an eyebrow. “You’re already wasted.”

“Nah, man, I’m just getting started!” Michael slurred, waving him off like it was no big deal.

Jake sighed. It was always like this with Michael lately. He glanced around the bar, where their friends were still laughing and having fun, but Michael’s wild behavior was starting to get awkward.

“Seriously, you’ve got that party tomorrow, and you’re gonna hate yourself if you don’t slow down,” Jake said, trying again.

“Party, shmarty,” Michael mumbled, almost falling off his stool as he leaned back too far. “I’ll be fine!”

Jake rolled his eyes, knowing Michael was way past reasoning. Pulling out his phone, he scrolled through his contacts until he landed on Anna’s name. She was probably the only one who could talk sense into him right now. He hit call and watched as Michael tried to balance his drink on his head.

“Hey, Jake! What’s up?” Anna’s voice was bright and cheery when she answered.

“Uh, hey, Anna. So, um, I’m with Michael at the bar, and, uh, he’s not doing great,” Jake said quietly, trying not to make it obvious to the rest of the group.

“What do you mean?” she asked, her tone shifting to concern. “Is he okay?”

“He’s drunk—like, really drunk. I don’t think he can drive, and I’m not sure he should stay here much longer,” Jake explained, keeping his voice low.

There was a pause. “I’ll be there in a few,” she finally said. “Thanks for letting me know.”

Jake hung up, relieved. He turned back to Michael, who had somehow managed to balance the drink on his head for a whole five seconds before it spilled all over the bar.

“Dude, you’re a mess,” Jake laughed, shaking his head.

“I’m a legend!” Michael yelled, raising his arms in triumph, nearly knocking over another glass.

A few minutes later, the door to the bar swung open, and there was Anna, scanning the crowd for Michael. Her eyes landed on him, and her face went from uncertain to determined in an instant. Michael noticed her too, a big goofy grin spreading across his face.

“Anna! You came!” he shouted, his voice louder than necessary.

She made her way over, pushing through the crowd until she reached him. “Hey, Michael. Let’s get you home,” she said firmly.

“What? No way, I’m just having fun!” Michael protested, leaning heavily on the bar for support.

“Fun?” Anna crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “You look like you can barely stand.”

Michael grinned up at her, clearly not catching the seriousness. “You worry too much. I’m totally fine!”

“Yeah, right.” She turned to Jake. “Help me get him out of here.”

Jake stepped forward, putting an arm around Michael. “Come on, man. Time to go.”

Michael stumbled as they tried to guide him out, leaning on both of them as they headed for the door. “I just wanna sit for a sec,” he muttered.

“Nope, you’re leaving,” Anna said, her tone making it clear she wasn’t messing around. “You need to go home and sleep this off.”

As they stepped outside, the cool night air hit them, making everything feel more real. Michael blinked against the brightness of the streetlights, and Anna helped him toward her car.

“You’ve really outdone yourself this time,” she said, trying to lighten the mood as she unlocked the door.

“Just trying to forget… stuff,” he muttered, sounding more serious now.

Anna glanced at him as she opened the passenger door. “I get it. But there’s gotta be a better way than getting trashed every weekend.”

He slumped into the seat, sighing. “I know. It’s just hard.”

She started the car, pulling out of the lot as they drove through the quiet streets. “Hey, Anna?” Michael’s voice was softer now, almost thoughtful.

“Yeah?” she replied, glancing at him.

“If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be?” he asked, turning his head to look at her with a lazy smile.

She thought about it for a second. “Probably a beach somewhere. Sun, sand, maybe a fancy drink in hand.”

Michael laughed, the sound lighter now. “Yeah? I can picture that. You’d look good, just relaxing.”

Anna raised an eyebrow, shooting him a playful look. “Oh yeah? You think so?”

“Definitely,” he said, his smile turning mischievous. “I wouldn’t mind the company.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “You’re drunk.”

“Maybe, but it’s still true,” he said with a smirk. “You’d be a good distraction.”

Anna’s cheeks flushed a little, but she kept her eyes on the road. “Nice try.”

Michael leaned back in his seat, looking out the window. “Where would you want to go if you didn’t have to think about… life, I guess?”

“Somewhere quiet. Somewhere I could just breathe,” she admitted, surprising herself with how honest she was being.

He nodded, his voice softer. “I’d take you with me. We could just… I don’t know. Forget everything for a while.”

Her heart skipped a beat, but she tried to play it off. “And what? Get us kicked out of wherever we go because you can’t behave?”

“Yeah, probably,” he said, chuckling. Then, more seriously, “But it’d be worth it.”

Anna smiled, but inside, she felt something shift between them. They were quiet for the rest of the drive, the playful flirting giving way to something deeper, something unspoken. By the time they pulled up to Michael’s apartment, she wasn’t sure what to think.

“You sure you’re good now?” she asked, turning to face him as they stopped in front of his place.

Michael leaned his head back against the seat, his eyes closed. “You should come in. Just to make sure I don’t do something dumb.”

Anna looked at him for a long moment before nodding. “Okay.”

Inside Michael’s apartment, Anna guided him to the couch, gently pushing him to sit down. His head lolled back slightly, the exhaustion of the night beginning to settle in.

“Here, drink this,” she said, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge and handing it to him. “You need to sober up a bit before bed.”

Michael took the bottle and sloppily drank half of it in one go, spilling a little on his shirt. “Thanks, Anna,” he murmured, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

She watched him for a moment, making sure he finished the water before helping him up. “Come on, let’s get you to bed,” she said, her tone soft but firm. He swayed a little as she led him to his room, his steps heavy.

When they reached the bedroom, Michael collapsed onto the bed with a dramatic sigh. “Finally,” he mumbled, looking up at her with a lazy grin.

Anna helped him pull off his shoes and tuck him under the blanket. She turned to leave, but just as she did, Michael patted the empty space beside him on the bed. “Stay with me, Anna. Just for tonight,” he said, his voice almost pleading.

She paused, shaking her head. “No, Michael. You need to rest.”

“Please?” he asked, his eyes softening, a hint of desperation in his voice. “Don’t leave me alone. I just… I don’t wanna be alone tonight.”

Anna’s heart ached hearing him like that, vulnerable and unsure. But she stood her ground, giving him a small, reassuring smile. “I’m not leaving, okay? I’ll stay, but I’m sleeping on the couch.”

Michael frowned, reaching for her hand. “Why not here? You’d be right next to me.”

“Because it’s better this way,” she said gently, pulling the blanket up higher over him. “You need to rest, and I need my space.”

Michael sighed, reluctantly letting go of her hand. “Fine. But… don’t go far, alright?”

“I won’t,” she promised, smoothing his hair back. “Goodnight, Michael.”

Before getting out, Michael said to Anna, his voice softer. “Thanks for being here. I don’t say it enough, but… it means a lot.”

She smiled, patting his hand. “Anytime. But next time, maybe we can skip the part where I have to drag you out of a bar?”

He grinned, a glimmer of his old self returning. “Deal.”

“Goodnight,” he mumbled, his eyes already fluttering shut as sleep began to take him.