Chapter 2

Sofia's POV

Behold His Deceit 

The walk to the bedroom door takes longer than normal. I'm literally walking on the balls of my feet, trying to listen to the thoughts in my head. Trying to figure out what the hell is going on behind the closed door. 

I put my head against the paneled door and the sounds are clearer this time. Two male voices, breathing heavily in unison. 

What the hell is happening in my bedroom? 

I put my hand to the knob and realized that I've got a shiver. My left hand comes to clutch my right wrist, in the hope of steadying it. My palm covers the knob and I push the door open. 

There is no one on the bed but the sheets are nowhere on it. My ears follow the sounds and just by the window, I see two men covered in the bed sheets, in what seems to be an intimate embrace. The windows are wide open and the sun rays shine on their faces. It takes me a moment to realize that I know the two men. 

One is Edward, my boyfriend. And the other is my gay best friend, Timothy. Now I know why he couldn't pick my call earlier. 

***********

My mouth is in my palms when I say, "Oh my god."

The two of them break the embrace but they remain covered in the sheets, as if covering their nakedness is the most important thing to them right now. 

"Sofia?" Edward says, his face morphing into a world of confusion. 

"Sofia?" adds Timothy, as if he cannot believe that it's me and needs to repeat the name. 

I avert my eyes. "I can't believe this!" 

"Sofia, you have to calm down.. okay?" 

I turn to see who says this because at the moment, my head is ricocheting with thoughts that I cannot differentiate the voices. 

I scoff. "Why? Because it's a normal thing?"

Edward makes a sorry face but I don't fall for it. "I.. I.. didn't know.. th-that you'd be coming.." 

"Oh, so that you could reschedule and finish off with your bed partner before my arrival, is that it?" 

No one says a thing. No defense there. I shake my head. The silence makes it even more painful because I am right. If I had told him beforehand, it was exactly what he would have done. Tears fell freely from my eyes. My throat begins to claw at itself. And my heart beats faster than normal. All symptoms of heart break. 

"Sofia?" Timothy calls.

"Don't," I caution. "I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear what either of you has to say that will make this seem sensible. Because it doesn't. It makes no sense."

"I'm sorry, baby.." 

"You lied to me, Ed."

He comes out of the sheets and the body that used to mesmerize me and puts enough wetness in between my legs to handle two hard dicks in me at the same time now looks like a bag of nails. Less attractive and laced with pain. 

"What?" asks Edward.

"You never told me you did the other gender too."

"Just because I did not tell you doesn't mean I lied."

"It is the same thing," I persist. "Do you think anything you say here justifies your act? How long have we been together, Ed? A year? And you kept this from me. For a whole year. Oh my god, I've been a fool this whole time."

"I'm sorry..." 

I don't wait to hear the next words. I leave out the door, down the stairs and right back into the tasty air of New Jersey. I hail down a cab immediately in case one of them comes running out to explain things. 

"Where to, miss?" asks the driver. 

"Loophole."

**********

I'm in my hotel room crying my eyes out. I think this is the worst day of my life. My lover, betraying me to sleep with another man who happens to be my best friend. 

I have never been so ashamed of myself till now. This moment. What would people say? Yes. Well, it's the first thing that comes to mind when things of this nature happens. Always cognizant of what the society thinks. If there is anywhere I'd rather be now, it won't be in this world.

I take some cash and head out to the reception. The guy at the other end of the table is dressed smartly. It's the only thing I notice about him since I don't want to meet his eyes. "Do you have something strong here to drink?" 

"Uh, you mean beer?" 

"I mean liquor."

"In that case you should check The Subway."

"What's that?" 

"It's a club," he says, and consults his watch. "Five fifteen now. Should be up and running already. It's just down this street. Walk out and turn right. Can't miss it if you keep your eyes straight."

I nod. "Thank you." 

"Is everything alright, miss? You look like you've been through a lot."

"I just need to clear my head."

He nods too. "Alright. I'll be right here if you need anything."

As I walk out the hotel door, I think about calling him to my room later and telling him to give me a good fuck. One that would make me cry and forget everything about Edward Chase. And, he can do it however he likes too. Pills of Vega. Alcohol.

Just so hard to make me forget. 

*********

The Subway isn't grand. There is a lot of air out here to dampen the liquor smells wafting outside. The Subway has a bouncer who looks like three Edward Chases standing beside the door. I wonder exactly the kind of people he's looking for to keep out. 

"Hi," I say. 

He just looks at me. 

"Can I go in?" 

His eyes walk from the top of my head to my feet and back up. "Missed your way?" 

"Sorry about my clothing. I've just been treated to a bad breakfast and I really need something to drink and someone to clutch. Guy at the hotel tells me this is the right place to be. You want to tell me otherwise?" 

He looks up and down the street like checking to see if I'm being followed. "Mike?" 

I flow with it. "Yeah. Mike."

He inclines his head towards the door. "Get in. And try to get that coat of yours off if you need anyone to pay you attention."

"Roger that, captain."

Blue lights and dancing bodies and liquor. I head over to the bar and belly up. 

"I need to keep this somewhere," I yell at the bartender above the music. 

He takes it from me without a word and hangs it on a hook behind the bar. "I'll hold you accountable for that," I say.

"If you're still standing on your feet at the end of the night," replies the bartender, grinning at me like a retard. 

"What liquor do you have?" I ask. 

"First time here?" 

"Yeah. Got chased here by someone I used to call my boyfriend."

The bartender laughs. 

"You find it funny?" I demand. 

"When you say used to," he says and adds. "Just a minute." He goes to pour something for a man and returns back to me.

"He cheated on me," I have my answer ready for him. "With my best friend. Caught them this afternoon in my apartment when I arrived from Australia." 

"Life's a bitch. Made another girl of it."

"My best friend is a he."

"Oh."

"Yeah. So I need something to drink. Something to wash away my sorrows. Something that'll make me forget."

"Hell. It's not like you're in mourning, lady. Take it easy. He ain't worth collapsing for. Right?" 

"I need bottles."

He gets me something called Flying Eagle. "Three," I tell the bartender and he triples it. 

I slap a wad of cash on the table. He takes it and counts. "It's more than required."

"Is it? Great. So you can fetch me another when I ask for it. Right?" 

He says nothing, pushes a glass cup and opener towards me and walks off. I pop the canter off one bottle, fill the cup and drown myself in liquor.