RULES WE BREAK

Dissing her ex

Jasper's POV;

The bar’s neon lights flicker as Thea makes her way to the stage, her steps a little unsteady from the drinks. I watch her, a smirk tugging at my lips. She is already at the mic stand before I can even process it.

"Alright, let's hear it for the assholes who think they can get away with everything!" she yells into the mic, her voice half-laughing, half-dazed.

I raise an eyebrow. I don't even need to ask if she is serious - I know the answer. But still, I lean back in my chair, taking a swig of my drink, a grin on my face. "This is gonna be fun," I mutter to no one in particular, clearly entertained by her fearless display.

She clicks through the karaoke machine, muttering to herself as she searches for the perfect song. "No...too slow. No...too sad. Ah! This one!" she grins mischievously as the opening notes blare through the speakers.

"Alright, this one goes out to the bastard who thought he could cheat on me," she says loudly, her finger pointing to some random guy in the audience.

They all laugh.

I don't flinch, my fingers tapping lazily on the edge of my glass. "Someone's got some issues with their ex."

"I thought I booked a New Year's Cruise for love, not a clown,

Turns out you're the biggest joke in town.

Three years I kept my promise, my belief,

And you threw it away for five minutes of pleasure"

She hits the first note terribly off-key, but her energy is electric. It doesn't matter that she is off-beat or drunk, the whole bar cheers her on as if she is a hero. I watch the scene unfold with a smirk, shaking my head.

"This is what she's doing now?" I say to myself, amused but a little impressed by how she is owning the chaos.

"So cheers to the boy who couldn't keep it in his pants,

Couldn't even last through the first slow dance,

Here's to the lies, to the mess you've made,

To the dollar-store love that's already frayed,

I'm not crying, just laughing out loud,

Congrats on being the loser of the crowd. "

I take yet another sip and eye her up and down, but this time, I can't help but chuckle. There is something wildly attractive about her sheer unpredictability. "I swear, she's got no filter. Can't even finish a chorus without causing a scene."

Thea is completely lost in the performance now, shaking a tambourine as if it's a weapon and twirling around the stage in a drunken frenzy. "Come on, everyone! Sing with me!" she yells, trying to get the crowd involved.

I raise an eyebrow again. "She's insane. I swear." I'm not sure whether I should feel embarrassed for her or entertained by her utter lack of care. Either way, I can't take my eyes off her.

"This song's for you, the king of regret,

Hope you enjoy your low-budget Juliet.

I'm walking away with my pride intact,

While you're stuck with your "what's-her-name" act "

I snort at the line, finally cracking. I can clearly see why people are loving this. There is something undeniably charming about her unapologetic messiness. Even in her chaos, she somehow manages to steal the spotlight.

As the final note fades, she drops the mic - not on purpose but because it slipped out of her hand. "Oops!" she giggles, holding up her hands in mock surrender.

The crowd gives her a standing ovation, clapping and cheering as she stumbles off the stage. Luckily, I'm there to catch her before she falls, my hands firm on her shoulders.

"You're a disaster," I say, my voice half-impressed, half-mocking.

She grins up at me, her cheeks flushed from the alcohol and the adrenaline. "I think they loved it," she says, completely out of breath but exhilarated.

"You're lucky they're drunk," I shoot back, my eyes glinting with amusement. "Otherwise, they'd probably boo you off the stage."

She sticks her tongue out at me, barely registering my sarcasm. "No one boos me. I'm amazing."

I smirk, offering her a steadying hand. "You're definitely something. I'll give you that."

She hesitates, her face suddenly losing all of its color. The grin she was wearing few seconds ago has disappeared and is now replaced by a tight-lipped expression that can only mean one thing.

I frown, my smirk fading as concern creeps into my voice. "What's -"

Before I can finish, her cheeks puff out, and her body lurches forward.

"Oh, hell-" is all I manage to say before it happens.

A mortified groan escapes her lips as she doubles over and empties her stomach...right onto my expensive black shirt.

For a second, the entire bar seems to freeze. Then, a collective gasp ripples through the on lookers, followed by muffled laughter and a few disgusted groans.

I stand there, rigid, my arms half-raised from the mess - an impossible feat considering the damage that has already been done.

She clutches her stomach, swaying slightly, and her face burning with embarrassment as she tries to steady herself. "Sorry. I...i didn't mean to -"

I hold up a hand to silence her, my lips twitching between amusement and exasperation. "Of course, you didn't," I say dryly, glancing down at my now-ruined shirt. "Because why wouldn't this night end with me covered in...well, you?"

She winces, swaying a little more, and mumbles, "You dared me to drink..."

I pinch the bridge of my nose and mutter something under my breath before I let out a resigned laugh. "Alright, come on, party queen. Let's get you cleaned up before you make me regret bringing you here,"

I slip an arm around her waist, careful to keep some distance from her incase of another "incident" She leans into me, groaning softly.

"I owe you a new shirt," she murmurs, her voice muffled by the crook of her arm.

"Damn right, you do," I reply, my voice laced with mock irritation. But the small smile tugging at the corner of my lips betrays my amusement. "And probably an apology to the bar staff...though they'll survive. Barely."

As we stumble toward the exit, she let's out a weak laugh. "You're not going to let me live this down, are you?"

I chuckle, glancing at her sideways. "Not a chance. This is going in my personal hall of fame."

Despite the humiliation, Thea finds herself laughing too, because for some unknown reasons, with Jasper, even puking in public doesn't feel like it's the end of the world.