[Duke]
I’m wearing my smile while driving towards the condominium where my fiancée is currently living. She didn’t answer my calls since last night and I’m starting to feel worried what is the reason. I admit that I’d been busy this past few days and the last time I saw her was last week. That’s why I bought her favorite tulips and the Earl Grey chocolate that my company producing. After three years of the car accident of my parents, I start managing the Earl Grey and it’s never been easy from the start but I already getting used in controlling the company.
I stop the car as I got here in the parking lot. I am now heading inside the building, holding the bouquet and chocolate I bought for her. I know she miss me too like how I miss her so much. She will probably get surprise if he saw me. When I got in front of her unit, I took my duplicate key and open the door without pressing the doorbell. It seems she is still sleeping at this moment because the lights are still off.
“Babe,” I called her while I’m opening the lights.
“Ahh. Faster Greg! I’m almost there”
My heart stop for a second as I heard my fiancée’s voice inside her room. I galp and blink my eyes before I slowly walk towards where I heard her in curiosity. The door was slightly opened and I can hear clearly, loudly how she beg for pleasure. I opened the door and seems a cold water rained on me.
“Ahh. Greg, you’re so good. Ahh. Ahh,” she keeps on moaning and didn’t notice my presence.
I tightened my fist in the bouquet and chocolate that it was for her before I forcedly call her name. “L-lysias.” My voice was crack how my heart torn apart.
They suddenly stopped on what they are doing and finally she noticed me. The man on her top was looking at me who is obviously confuse in my presence.
“Who are—”
“Get off, Greg!” Lysias push him away on her top and immediately come to me, stark-naked. “B-babe, let me explain.”
I chuckled, “There’s nothing to explain, Lysias. What I saw is enough for me to know that you are cheating on me. We’re done.” I turned my back on her and walk out to her unit broken.
“Duke!” she called my name several times but I didn’t look back.
We had been together for almost seven years and we already settled things for our wedding that is supposedly next month. The time that I propose on her, I was sure she is the girl for me. But after on what I just saw, she is now my greatest sorrow.
“Argh!” I hit my head on the steering wheel of my car as I got inside here, shouting in pain. I want to cry but is she really worth of my tears? As what I saw recently, she isn’t worth it. She is cheating on me the whole time! I drive my car heading towards at Bar Louie where I always drink whenever I have a problem. I stop going there because she told me not to. But now, I need hard drinks for the feeling she puts on me.
As I arrived here in the Bar Louie, I park my car together with the other cars. I start walking inside together with others and the sound of the electronic dance music is deafening. It’s already 7:30 p.m. and the bar is already half full by different customers.
“Oh, Duke, what brought you here?” Zenrey asked as I sat here in the counter bar. He is working as a bartender and we are already friends since first grade.
“The Bar Louie is for everyone. Why I wouldn’t be here?” I throwed a question as well to him.
“You know what I mean, Duke. It’s been years since the last time you step here because Lys—”
“We’re over. Give me an Everclear. I need a hardcore tonight,” I cut him off before he could continue to say the name of the girl who cheated on me.
I never heard him say anything again and give me what I asked. He is the one who fill my glass and I made a quick drink before I ask for more. I really badly need to forget what I see even just tonight. I don’t think the bottle of Everclear will do it for me.
“What happened, Duke? What do you mean, we’re over? Next month is your wedding—”
“There is no wedding anymore. Fuck it!” I cut him off for the second time.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Nah. She isn’t worth it to talk about. This drink is enough,” I said and rise my glass before I made a quick drink again.
“Okay if it is what you want,” he said and didn’t bother me anymore here in my seat.
This isn’t what I want, I said in my mind, smiling bitterly at my glass. I can see all the memories and our plans we had in my glass that shuttered because on what I saw earlier. I didn’t see this coming. I don’t remember a single thing I did that will make her cheat on me or I really never been enough for her? This is unfair! I heaved a sigh before I stood up and place my payment in the counter then walk out without telling Zenrey. I already feel my tipsiness and I’m going to get my clothes first before I headed home to take a rest. Tomorrow is going to be different.
[Christmas]The shop is already closed but Duke isn't yet coming back. I am here outside, standing with my bike together his laundry basket. It's already 10:00 p.m. and I'm already thinking he forgot to get his clothes or he is on his way? I don't know which of the two but I'm still going to wait him till 11:00. I'm already tired and I want to take a rest."Oh, Christmas, why are you still here?" asked of the old lady who always clean her clothes here in the laundry shop. She owns a Flower Shop that is two blocks away from here and we are living in the same apartment. Our room is just facing each other in the third floor. She told me to call her granny since I am like a granddaughter to her. Granny doesn't have her family here in Florida because they are all living in California."I am waiting someone to get this laundry basket, Granny then I'm going home later," I answered to her question.She nodded. "I see.
[Christmas] I knew it! The thing happened to us remained only that night. Nothing more and nothing less. He left a payment for cleaning his clothes before he left at my apartment. It's been one week but I'm still hoping that he will step inside here in the shop. For what? To make clean of his clothes again or to talk about what happened to us?Smash!“Christmas!” I came back to my senses when Aunte Lorie smashed the counter that I supposedly to clean. I could see her fury eyes nearly because her face is just in front of me. I can even see her large pores. Gross!“What, Auntie?” I asked innocently.“You are not working!”“I am, Auntie," I replied and continue wiping the table with the cloth I am holding. “See? I'm working. Hehehe.”“Stop playing around!” She yelled and go back at her mini office.“Stop play
[CHRISTMAS]Duke brought me here at the Holy Grain Coffee Shop that is only nearby. He is now sitting in front of me and we are waiting for our order to arrive. I only order a Cappuccino while he order Dolce Latte.I'm a little bit uneasy at this moment, thinking what are we going to talk about. Is it about what happened between us that night? Oh crap! I hope it is not."Is there something troubling you, Christmas?" Duke asked in his forehead knotted."Can I go in the comfort room?" I asked permission instead of answering his question.He chuckled. "Of course, you can just don't make me wait too long."I didn't reply on him and immediately walk towards the comfort room. I face myself in the mirror and close my eyes for a second, thinking what I should do if it's that we are going to talk about."I think I can ditch and leave him here?" I said to myself in the mirror
[Christmas]It is 2:00 a.m. now and I'm still awake. My eyes are darted the whole time in the pregnancy test that I bought while I'm heading here at my apartment. I am scared on what might be the result if I use this. I am scared as well on how I will deal this alone if I really am. Just like what I had said, I'm really going to regret and I am now!"Damn it!" I get off my bed and head to the bathroom to use the pregnancy test to get rid of these thoughts of me.After a minute that I spent inside the bathroom, I am with the result now inside my hand. I go back first to bed and place my pillow into my lap. I close my eyes for a moment, praying for the negative result."Please, make it negative so I won't see anymore Duke," I whispered in the cold air and slowly open my hands to see what is really the result. I almost drop the pregnancy test as I saw it's positive.I woke up ear-no, no, no! I didn't e
[Christmas] The driver stopped me here in front of this huge building that precisely that the address in the card. I can't say anything but to feel amaze on how can he manage this Earl Grey. He still young at his features but already running a company. Duke is so damn lucky that he don't have to suffer in finding money.“Hey!” My attention was caught when the security guard standing at the entrance shouted. He is walking now towards me and I started to panic a little. What did I do?“This is not a waiting area,” he said.“Ah-ahm, actually, I ain't waiting.” I gripped my lower lip. “I am here to see Duke. Is he here?” I asked.His brow arched for a second like a damn woman. “Do you have an appointment to him?”“A-appointment?” I asked stupidly.“Yeah, appointment.”“I don't have an app–”
[Lorie] I am now here in the Parlor making my look elegant for our dinner tonight. I don't know but I feel like this is it. The love I'd been waiting all my life. I think that Carlos has a crush on me that's why he asked me for a dinner. My charm still working even I am already at my 30's, huh?“Lor, where are you going anyway?” asked of Denden who is the one fixing me here. He is my first friend since I made up my mind to moved here in Orlando.“A man asked me a dinner earlier,” I answered proudly at him.He suddenly turn around the swivel chair I am sitting in to him. “Hey, Lorie, don't lie to me. It is not funny!”I laughed at him. “Why? Don't you want to believe that someone is finally asked me a dinner?” I asked and turned back the swivel chair facing at the wall mirror. I am now wearing a black bodycon matching my black stilleto.“For real, Lorie?”
[Christmas] I left here alone in Duke's office because he have to answer an important call in the meeting room that is only at the next door. We just done eating our lunch and I'm still drinking the Espresso that his secretary bought. The way Cheena look at me as she gave my Espresso, seems she wants to kill me with her stares. It was pretty obvious she doesn't like me. I heaved a sign as I leaned my back in the couch, sipping the last drop of my Espresso. I waited Duke almost 15 minutes before he came back wearing his frown face. My forehead knotted as I watched him heading at his desk. He sat in his swivel chair, massaging his temple like I wasn't here.“Ahm, what's the problem?” I asked and if I didn't speak he wouldn't notice me.Duke immediately stood up at his seat and slapped his forehead. “I'm sorry, Christmas, I forgot that you were here.” He apologized and wa
[Christmas] We stay almost one hour and thirty minutes in my count before we arrived on a quite village. Yeah, it's quite because only trees I can see here and there are only few house I saw since we enter. We stop here in a huge gate that made if wood and it is suddenly opened.“How did the gate opened? Who opened it? I can see no one,” I asked while he is entering the car.“I have this remote control.” Duke showed me the small thing he used. “You close the gate.” He gave me the remote control.“Which here is the close?” I asked staring at the red and green button.“The red one.”I pressed the red button and look back if the gate is going to close. A smile formed on my face as I saw it closed. “This is amazing.” I said and give back the remote control but he didn't mind. “Ahm, are we not going out?” I asked because he is just staring at me that made me fee