3. The hot stranger

  XIMENA 

“I love you, now, tomorrow and forever Xi.”

It’s been a week and those words kept ringing in my head. I haven’t heard from Jake and it hurts with every day passing by and him not reaching out to me. 

It was Friday evening and it happened to be my day off. I lay on the bed, staring at the same episode of the series I had been watching for the last two hours and still couldn't process a thing when the door swung open and Mallory stepped in.

“What the fuck is that?” Her face twitched with disgust the second she peeped to see what I was watching.

It was a sad series. Almost all the characters are battling a terminal illness and just watching it makes me want to cry.

“Is this what you have been watching?” She scoffed in disbelief. “No wonder your roommate said you look like you're battling depression.”

“Hannah said that?” I looked up from my tablet and she shrugged.

“Can you blame her though?”

Hannah and I barely talk unless it is necessary and she didn't even act like she noticed anything when she saw me earlier hence why I was surprised to hear she said that.

Mallory walked to my closet and began to search for God knows what. I ignored her at first until she threw the dress Jake bought for me last month in my face.

“What did you do that for?” I hissed.

“Get your ass up,” Mallory said, already dragging me out of bed.

“What are you doing?!”

“No one died, okay? Jake is probably having the best moment of his life and didn't miss you one tiny bit so here is what is going to happen,” she placed both hands on her hips as she gave me a stern look.

“You'll go into the bathroom, freshen up and get dressed because we're having fun tonight.”

“No…”

“Yes. And it's not up for an argument.”

Mallory pushed me into the bathroom and locked the door from behind. I wished I had just kept quiet about the whole Jake thing but after noticing my mood swings she wouldn't stop poking me until I spilled out the truth.

Once I freshen up, I slipped into the pink dress she picked earlier and Jake's words flashed in my head from the first time he saw me in the dress.

“You look absolutely stunning,” he complimented. “I want to always be the first person to see you in every outfit you wear,” he whined.

Too bad that was before he concluded that I was too much for him to handle.

“Xi!” Mallory snapped her fingers in my face, snapping me out of my trance. “The fuck are you thinking about?”

I shot her a look because she knows exactly what was on my mind. 

“This is what happens when you date a man for too long,” she clicked her tongue. “What you need is to fuck a better dick and you'll get all over him.”

“Mal!” I gasped at her words. 

It didn't matter how long we have been friends. She still managed to shock me every time she opened her mouth.

Mallory is the only one who knows about Jake and me because we attended the same high school and we've been friends ever since.

“Why are you acting like you don't fuck all the time?” She narrowed her eyes and my cheeks reddened.

“Can you stop using the F word?” I mentally covered my face in embarrassment and she chuckled.

“Hm,” she nodded and just when I thought she was finally going to drop it, she spoke again. “Then I'll need to get you a competent man who would fuck you senseless until you're not ashamed to speak about it all week.”

“God! You're hopeless.”

Mallory laughed at my expression as she got dressed too. She did my makeup and styled my hair before we finally left my apartment. 

The loud bass of music was the first thing that welcomed us the second we stepped into the club. We pushed our way through the sweaty bodies on the dance floor and heaven knows this wasn't my type of setting.

Everywhere reeked of alcohol and I just wanted to get out of here or rather, I miss Jake and I want to be in his arms.

If it wasn’t for what’s going on, I should be in his arms right now while he drives in and out of me, sending me to a world of euphoria. 

“Mallory…” I called, tears welled up in my eyes.  

“Nope!” She yelled over the loud music, popping out the ‘P’

“I haven't even said anything!” I yelled back.

“Good thing because we're having fun tonight!”

I wiped the drop of tears that slipped down my cheek as I settled down in one of the seats at the bar. 

“Can I have a shot of tequila?” I said to the bartender.

One shot of tequila turned two and three and four and five until Mallory interrupted. 

“No, we aren’t going that, Xi! We're here to have fun, not mourn. Now come with me.” 

She dragged me to the dance floor and before I could leave, the DJ switched the sound and I found myself screaming to the lyrics while jumping.

The alcohol was starting to kick in and I felt… good for the first time since Jake walked out of my room. 

My head felt light but I kept drinking anyway. I swayed my hips to the music, flipping my hair back and forth. 

“I’m going to the restroom!” I shouted over my voice so that Mallory could hear me.

She nodded and staggering my way to the restroom. Once I did my business, I rinsed my hand and walked out of the restroom only to bump into someone.

“Careful little lady.” A deep voice said, chuckling afterwards.

I lifted my head up to see the face. I didn’t know him from anywhere and I wasn’t in the mood to speak so I apologized and decided to walk away but the big man refused to let me go.

He was tall and big, towering my small frame. I took a detour but the big man blocked me again, making me frown.

“I’ve been watching you all night. For someone as tiny, you sure did make my dick hard and now you’d have to do something about it, don’t you think?” He smirked. 

I looked back to see a man and immediately felt disgusted.

The man leaned closer to me, making my stomach churn, “So how do you plan on handling my hard dick?”

I attempted to walk off but he pulled me back, slamming my back against the wall but not enough to do a strong enough damage.

I groaned in pain. 

“Get… off… me…” I slurred.

“Come on,” he flashed me his yellow teeth that immediately made me want to puke. “I can make you feel good.”

“Trust me…” I snapped my fingers in the air, struggling to get my words together. “The… p-p-party… will… be a better space,” I pointed a finger to his face. “Without you… in… it.”

His expression hardened. His hands dropped to my lower back, pulling me closer. “Sharp tongue, huh? I'll teach you a lesson.”

He grabbed my hands and was dragging towards the exit when a man stepped in front of me and the big man.

“Ja…ke?” I called in surprise.

I shook my head, it couldn’t be Jake but he does look like Jake. 

“What are you doing with my girl?” He pulled me away from his grip, over to his side and I couldn't help but giggle.

“Are you fighting over me?” I laughed at my own voice, barely paying attention to what he was saying when he wrapped his arms around me protectively.

Ugh! And he smells good too.

“She didn't look like she's yours,” the creepy man from earlier uttered with a frown.

“Well, she's now so back off.”

“Alright man,” the big man chuckled, retreating and now leaving me with Jake.

“Are you alright?” 

I frowned when I saw the face of the person who had come to rescue me. It wasn’t Jake. I felt disappointed that it wasn’t Jake who had come for me and it wasn’t here and that made me want to cry. 

I turned to leave but was stopped. “What are you doing?” 

“Making sure you are safe,” the wannabe Jake retorted. 

“Or maybe… you…just want… a…chance,” I rolled my eyes.

“I won’t go…home with… you so why… don’t you… leave… me… alone.” I slurred those words while barely able to stand on my own. 

The wannabe Jake didn’t move an inch. He didn’t even come close to me but he was watching me.

“Why are… you… staring?” I pouted. 

He folded his arms across his chest, showing more of his biceps I couldn’t help but notice. He does look like my Jakey baby from behind but he’s not him. 

He looks handsome too, has pretty long hair seeing how he packed it in a man bun and his brows were thick. I took a step closer to him, stretching my hands as I attempted to touch his thick brows.

He took a step back and I almost fell but he caught me. “You.. meanie!” I whined.

He helped me stand back on my feet and I’m growing. “Jakey Wannabe.”

“What?” He sounded stunned but I couldn't care. 

“I’m leaving,” I said, walking towards wherever because I couldn’t remember where I came from.

“Let me…”

“Don’t touch me!” I uttered, pulling my arm from his hold. “I think… that’s the way.” I turned around to face him as I pointed in the other direction. 

I grinned widely. “Why are you spinning around?” 

“Am I now?” He chuckled.

Is he not? My vision blurred as everything doubled in my eyes. I staggered, barely walking straight as he kept me still. 

“Hey, calm down.”

“My head is…”

Before I could finish my words, acid burned in my throat as my stomach curled tightly. My hand flew to my mouth instinctively but before I could stop it, I puked on his shirt then everything went blank.