A Way Out

I know I couldn’t ask father for much anymore. Not with the way things were. His company was bleeding out, slipping further toward bankruptcy with each day and even though he tried to hide it, but as the eldest and the only one my mom was persuading to push for Andrew’s hands.

I’ve seen the weight dragging his shoulder lower. I couldn’t bring myself to pile more burden onto him, not when he was already drowning.

So this morning, I made a choice. I gathered up some of my sketches and paintings, some pieces I’ve guarded like treasure and I sold them. The gallery owner smiled politely as he handed me the envelope of cash.

I had planned something grand, something my friends would talk about for weeks, but now everything had to shrink to fit into the small money I made from my paintings. Even though it wasn’t the party I dreamed of, I would not let the cracks in my family’s life show here and let my friends notice anything, not tonight. I would give my friend laughter, music , and something to hold onto, even if it drained everything I had.

Now, here we were. The lights dimmed, the music alive and the room humming with chatter. My friend surrounded me, their smiles easy, their joy infectious. For a while, I even let myself believe this was enough.

Jade stood awkwardly in front of me, tall but hopelessly uncoordinated, his attempts at following the rhythm making everyone laugh. I went to his side and grabbed his hands then pulled him closer, guiding his steps.

“No, not like that,” I teased, tapping his foot into the right position. “Here, just follow my lead.”

He grinned; embarrassed but willing. The warmth of his laughter loosened something inside me. For those minutes, I wasn’t the daughter of a collapsing empire. I wasn’t a girl suffocating beneath the expectation of pleasing Andrew to grant my father’s request over his dying business.

And then the air changed. I saw a hand pressing firmly against Jade’s shoulder and shoved him aside and it was Andrew.

His face was a wall of ice when my gaze landed on him. The lines of it are sharp and unyielding. No warmth, no hesitation, just that hard, frozen mark that made my stomach knot.

“What happened Andrew?” I asked with irritation over his hard push on Jade. The smiles on my face flew away without another glance.

“My woman can’t be staying solo with someone and expect me to stay down,” he snapped, each word flat, cutting like metal striking stone.

And before I could realize, those that recognize his figure are already stumbling out, making their way out immediately.

“Is it not normal? He is my friend and I decided to dance with him because today is my birthday and didn’t notice you were here, I wouldn’t have do that but I want to dance,” I muttered the frustration in my voice building up.

He chuckled. “You made an exception to dance with everyone.”

“Your round is too ridiculous,” I smirked, leaving his presence.

His hand lingered at my waist, his grip possessive, dragging me back to himself.

“You don't understand how many unfinished jobs I left, just so I can be here.”

His grip was hurting, I was feeling irritated in a moment. Some faces have started to notice what was going on because the tension between us is building already.

“Would you let me go Andrew?” I exclaimed, protecting against his grip.

“Do you see how much I care about you despite the fact that it is you who ought to make sure I'm satisfied?” he whispered.

“Please let me go, please,” I pleaded, trying to yank his hand off my waist.

Jade suddenly showed up again, probably must have seen my protest against him.

“What is happening Irene?” Jade questioned slipping the glass from his mouth.

In a moment, Andrew's face twisted with anger. “What's your problem?” he yelled, landing a blow across Jade's face, and then pushed him.

Jade stumbled on the ground, the glass he was holding shattered across the floor. The music cut out with silence spread like a ripple across the room. All eyes were on us. In that moment I felt that overwhelming embarrassment suffocating the hell out of me.

“What are you doing?!” I exclaimed.

Jade pushed himself up, his jaw tight, his fists curling. “Hey, what are you doing is wrong, you know that right?”

Andrew smiled, his smiles were cold, calculated. He leaned forward just enough for everyone to hear. “Disappear!”

Jade's face twisted with irritation. “What? If I didn't disappear then what would you do?”

Without another glance, three guys made their way inside, all attention was shifted to them. They head to our side and one of them landed a slap on Jade's face. The air was thick with the sound it made and some people started to make their way out.

The tension was electric, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. Anger swelled in my chest, but it tangued with fear but my friend's stiffness and the uneasiness in their face triggered me to speak.

“What is your problem?!” I yelled, swallowing the tears forming up already.

“Do I need to tell you that what you are doing is wrong?“ he smirked.

“You are selfish, arrogant, shameless, and completely batty,” I yelled in frustration as tears in my eyes were threatening to spill over.

I stormed out of the party and before I could reach for the door, his voice stopped me, it was sharp and cold.

“Did you know you will regret doing this?”

“forget it for the sake of God,” I smirked. “Charles, I'm going to the boat to breathe some fresh air.”

How can he come just to ashamed me and ruin my party? How I wish that I didn't invite him but It was all for the sake of my father.

As I reached for the boat trying to untie the knot of the rope. The temper over my body has built with the memory of what I went through before getting this party organized or wished that I've wished that it would be a topic my friend won't get tired of talking about. Tell me is this what they would keep talking about? That someone claimed and landed a blow on Jade and a group of bouncers came in?

Just look at what I lived through on my birthday, my day was ruined because of him or I should place every fault on my father’s business, or my mom that is pushing me towards her agenda because of the help they are seeking from him for my father's business?

I loosen the first rope and went to the other side to untie the next one until then I felt some eyes were on me. I straightened myself up and turned back. My body froze in a second as my eyes landed on two guys. They were tall and huge or let me say thick with a black mask on their face. They were both in complete black with a top round neck.

My rage vanished and it's been replaced with a hollow, animal fear. My lips were trembling. I could feel the sweat on my palms despite the chill wind. The tallest of the two lifted a gloved hand and spoke, his voice flat and oddly calm.

“Go get her!”