Chapter 6
2423 Words
Music blasted when Marie and I entered the club. She smiled at the bouncers and the bouncers just nodded at her without even asking for anything—like ID—from her.
I gave the bouncer a look and he just winked at me.
I frowned and looked away before Marie pulled me inside. To be honest, I wanted to punch the man straight to the nose that’s why I looked away. If I continued to stare at him, it would have annoyed me to death.
“Let’s party!” Marie squealed as we immediately walked to the center of the dancefloor without further ado.
A remix and tuned up of a famous ballad song was playing and is making the crowd go wild. Cheering and laughing, I can hear everything. But most of all, I can smell the mix of cigar and alcohol on almost all the directions.
A hand suddenly went to my shoulder and I saw a man smiling down at me meaningfully. I narrowed my eyes at him while he continued to jive with the music. He leaned closer to my ear.
“What’s your name?” he asked before eyeing my body.
I am wearing a cropped halter black sleeveless top, a mustard jean shorts and a pair of gold pumps. My hair is in a French braid while I have slight make up on my face.
I narrowed my eyes at him and started to walk away. I’m not here to look for a man. I’m here to have fun and unwind.
I felt grateful that the man didn’t follow me. I guess that’s how it goes in clubs. When a lady rejects you, you go on to another woman until someone agrees to dance with you.
I sighed and walked to the door, unable to find Marie anymore. She’s in the middle of the sea of people so I just texted her.
Me:
I’m at the bar. I’ll just stay here until we’re finished.
I kept my phone inside my pocket before looking at the menu of the drinks. I don’t really drink and I don’t really don’t go clubs so I have no idea of these drinks.
I stared stupidly at the menu when someone spoke.
“Women shouldn’t drink those,” a low baritone came to my ears.
I looked at the direction of the voice and saw a man beside me. He’s only looking at the glass of whisky in front of him.
He’s wearing a long-sleeved button down shirt with its first three buttons undone. His hair is disheveled and is pointing at all directions and he doesn’t care about it.
His eyes mirror sadness even with only looking at a glass of liquor.
His sharp jawline is clenched and is eyes are also a bit red. Was he crying?
My eyes widened when he suddenly looked at me with narrowed eyes.
“I’m sorry!” I looked away immediately.
I heard him chuckle lowly. “It’s okay,” he said. “Why are you here?” he asked.
“Huh?” I asked, confused.
He pursed his lips. “Any problem why you’re here and not dancing there?” he rephrased his question.
I looked back at the dancefloor and saw how crowded it was. I’m not interested in dancing with intoxicated people. Only God knows what a drunk person could be. I don’t want to risk my safety.
I pursed my lips and shook my head. “Not in the mood,” I replied and shrugged.
He chuckled. “I didn’t know dancing has to be a mood,” he uttered before sipping on his glass.
I looked at him and watched his face change expression when he swallowed the liquor. It must have burned down his throat.
“What about you? You only came here to drink?” I asked him curiously.
I don’t really expect him to answer but I don’t want a dead air between us. He’s the only one I could talk to right now. But of course, if he doesn’t want to answer my question, then it’s fine with me. I’m not going to force him to talk to me.
And besides, I’m not here to talk to him.
He was silent for a while so I just busied myself with the menu. I was about to call the bartender to order when the man beside me suddenly spoke.
“I came here to forget,” he said softly. “Or maybe to sleep? I have been sleepless for days.”
I turned to him, tipping my head to the side as I eyed him curiously. “To sleep?” I asked and then looked at the empty glass in front of him.
He nodded and smiled weakly. “The girl I love left…” he’s laughing but his voice didn’t show any humor. “…without a word.”
I shifted on my seat and looked at him with a disappointed heart. I don’t know if I’m disappointed at the girl who left him or at him. He must love the girl but then, her leaving would mean he did something grave to her.
And that she couldn’t stay anymore.
“I don’t know. It’s my fault, I think…” he continued even without me encouraging him. He chuckled weakly and shook his head. “I am a jerk. I was the jerk in her life. And now she’s left me.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to understand his situation.
I know how it’s like to be left. My parents left me behind when I was a kid. My mother died of cancer and my father died of depression. I was sent to the orphanage and was taken cared of my nuns. My life has been a mess without my parents. And I hate the thoughts I have every night.
They are dead. They are not coming back no matter how many prayers I pray. They’re gone. But I’m sure that both of them want me to live my life to the best way I can. I know that they want me to live my dreams.
And that’s the push I give myself every day.
“You’ll find someone better…” I told him.
He slowly looked at me before shaking his head. “Nah, she’s the best I could ever have.” Sadness and bitterness couldn’t escape my hearing. His voice sounded so lonely.
I stared at him, wondering who that girl would be. How she would look like. Because this man is handsome. His eyes are deep, his eyebrows are thick but not too much, his nose is so tall, his jawline is so sharp that he could pass as a model or an actor.
And damn. Now that I am staring at him, even when he’s in anguish, he looked so dangerous. Even with sadness in his eyes, he still gets a lot of attention from the girls in here. It couldn’t escape my sight that the girls around are giving him glances.
He suddenly smiled at me. “What’s your name?” he asked.
I blinked several times, not expecting him to ask me that. “Q-Quessandra…” I replied, still shocked.
He narrowed his eyes at me and looked at me curiously. “Quessandra?” he asked. Now, he looked so curious.
I blinked at him—trying to equal his curious stare.
He shook his head and smiled. “I’m Porter, by the way. Porter Dunn…” he introduced himself.
Porter. That’s a good name.
I nodded and smiled. “Nice to meet you, Porter.”
He chuckled and shook his head. I can see that he was about to tell me something when he looked behind me before smirking.
“Miller,” he uttered.
My eyes widened and I froze on my seat. Suddenly, the message I sent him is flashing in front of my eyes. f**k! I just sent him a congratulatory message right before coming here! Damn it!
Porter smiled at me before raising his hands in surrender. “I’m out, cousin,” he told the man behind me. He looked at me. “Nice meeting you. Quessandra. I’ll go ahead now.”
My lips parted as I saw him stand up. He nodded at me before saluting. He ran his fingers through his already-disheveled hair. He started walking away and the man from behind me started to block my vision of Porter’s back.
I raised my brow at Miller who’s eyes are narrowed at me like he’s mad at me. “What?” I asked, tipping my head to the side. I wanted to add something else but I decided against it.
He pursed his lips in a thin line and narrowed his eyes at me. “What are you doing here?” he asked me in a controlled voice.
I frowned at him. “Am I not allowed?” I asked back.
He looks ravishing tonight. He’s only on his white V-neck shirt and faded jeans but he looked exceptional. I admit that. Actually, he looks more handsome when he’s wearing these clothes than when he’s wearing corporate attire.
He clenched his jaw. “What are you doing talking to Porter?” he hissed.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What is it to you?”
I actually think this conversation is pointless. He’s not answering me and I sure as hell am not answering him.
He pursed his lips and sighed. He called the bartender and ordered a shot of whisky. The bartender looked at me but Miller dismissed him. “She won’t drink.”
The bartender confusedly looked at me and then at Miller before nodding.
I narrowed my eyes at Miller who’s already staring at me. “I wanna drink,” I told him.
He sighed. “No. It’s not safe to drink in a bar, Quessandra.”
“So why are you drinking?” I asked, already pouting because he would give me what I want. And who is he to tell me if it’s okay to drink or not?
He licked his lower lip and I couldn’t help but stare at it. Damn. I immediately looked away to shoo away all the unnecessary thoughts in my head.
I heard his harsh breath. “How are you?” he asked, this time, softly.
His voice was so gentle that I had to look at him to see if he’s really the one who talked. And when I saw him staring at me with a gentle gaze, I shifted on my seat.
I pursed my lips. “I’m good,” I replied. I wanted to ask him too but I felt like I would not like his reply so I just answered his question.
He nodded. “I bet you’re happy with Evan,” he commented.
I swallowed, not knowing why I suddenly felt uncomfortable that he just spoke of Evan’s name. Maybe I wasn’t really used to him saying Evan’s name this…lightly. I’ve always thought that he thinks of Evan as his rival.
But well, he’s already in a relationship now. He wouldn’t want to do anything with me anymore.
I smiled and nodded. “I bet you’re happy, too, with your relationship.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “What relationship?” he asked, innocently.
I pouted at him. I wanted to elaborate but I don’t want him to think that I am stalking him. Hell, I didn’t stalk him! I just saw what Marie was watching.
And speaking of Marie…
I stood up and started to go to the direction of the dancefloor. I need to find Marie now. I don’t want her causing a scene.
But then, even before I could move farther away, I was stopped by Miller’s hand on my wrist. I looked at him sharply.
“Where are you going?” he asked me.
I gritted my teeth. “I’m gonna find Marie.”
I pursed his lips in a thin line. “You can’t find her in that sea of people,” he said like I don’t know it.
I yanked my hand away. “Doesn’t matter. I need to look for her so we could go home now.” I rolled my eyes.
I heard him sigh before pulling me towards him. “What’s with the sudden change of mood, Quessandra? I thought we’re in good terms?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Good terms?” I asked, already annoyed.
He inhaled a sharp breath. “Aren’t we?”
“Since when are we?”
His eyes narrowed and he looked at me curiously, like he’s trying to study me for a moment. “What’s the problem?” he asked, sounding so gentle that I hate him even more.
I stepped back and he stood up just so he could still hold me. “You have a girlfriend.”
He c****d his head to the side. “I don’t.”
I scoffed. “Don’t lie to me. I saw a photo of you kissing a Latina model in a vacation. You seem cozy.” I didn’t know but I feel like it was wrong of me to point that out. And I hate that I was blinded by my frustration that I had to blurt it out.
He looked at me curiously as I can see the rise of the side of his lips. He immediately bit his lip before a smile could break out. “Okay?”
“Okay?!” My voice is already rising.
Miller blinked at me. “The model is not my girlfriend,” he stated. “Is that why you sent me a congratulatory text?”
My whole system froze and my eyes widened. So he received it?
He pursed his lips tightly when he saw my reaction. “Did you think I have someone else?” he asked.
I looked away but he held my cheek and made me face him again. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t like you anyway.”
He stared at me, amused. “Really?” he asked in a husky voice. He leaned closer. “You don’t like me but why are you so mad right now? Is it because you thought I have a girlfriend?”
I swallowed hard, already feeling my whole system shaking with his stare. Damn it!
He caressed my cheek and leaned closer. “Baby, I still don’t do girlfriends.”
“I don’t care.” I was already gritting my teeth.
He chuckled lowly. “I miss your resistance.” He leaned his face closer. “I still remember the last time I held you. It still haunts me every night.”
My heart started to race. I wanted to push him away but I couldn’t move.
One of his hands went to my waist. “Baby, how do I move on from you?” he asked while his eyes pierced through my soul.
“Slap me now, please…” he said as he’s slowly leaning to kiss me. “Stop me.” His voice is already my weakness.
I wanted to. But I can’t move. I felt like my whole system is shutting down.
He leaned down, his lips only centimeters away from mine. “I have always imagined how it would feel to kiss you.” He caressed my waist. “Every f*****g night…”
I swallowed hard, still unable to move.
“I miss you…so much…” he said before our lips finally touched and all my sanity was gone.
- Writer
