Meeting Him Again

 001: Meeting Him Again

JORDAN POV

I glared at my reflection in the cracked bathroom mirror of Neon Pulse, fury and hurt etched across my face. My hands clenched into tight fists as I stared down at the damage the wine had done to my shirt.

The crimson stains spread across the fabric like a map of chaos, a constant reminder of my life here at this suffocating club.

A wave of loathing washed over me. I hated this city and its choking grip, draining the life out of me. My own existence felt like a sham—a never-ending cycle of disappointment. My family had become a constant source of frustration.

And this job… I hated every single minute spent at Neon Pulse: the pretentious boss, the backstabbing colleagues, the mind-numbing routine, and the damn horny bastards who patronized the place.

I hated how every client saw me as nothing more than entertainment. To them, I was just a distraction, a plaything for their amusement.

My role as a server had been reduced to eye candy. It wasn’t their fault, though—it was my family’s fault for abandoning me to these beasts. Or maybe it was all my fault. Maybe I shouldn’t have been born. Or maybe I shouldn’t have come out to them.

Perhaps if I’d stayed closeted, things would have been different.

"Get out of this house, Jordan. Don’t ever dare think of coming back into this family until you rid yourself of your homosexual tendencies and lead a morally upright life."

My father’s words from that night still twisted my stomach with anger and disgust.

"I hate them! I fucking hate them so much," I breathed out, my chest tightening with raw hurt.

My hands trembled, and my ankles buckled beneath me. I gripped the faucet for support. My breath hitched, eyes burning with unshed tears as the memory replayed in my head.

"Don’t touch me, Jordan."

"Leave and don’t contact me until you’ve become normal again."

"I refuse to accept you for who you’re not supposed to be. I don’t want a gay child."

My mother’s voice rang in my mind like a shard of glass piercing my chest. No matter how many years had passed, the memory stayed fresh. Each time I recalled how my family turned their backs on me, I couldn’t help wondering how things might have been different if they’d accepted me for who I am.

"Fuck!" I groaned, turning on the tap. I scooped water into my palms and splashed it over my face, gritting my teeth as the image of my twin brother, Ethan, flashed through my mind.

"Jordan, I’m sorry, but please just comply with their demands. You can try to be with girls. Maybe this is just a phase."

"This isn’t the brother I know. This can never be you."

"No." A deep grunt rumbled through my chest as I shook my head slowly. "No!" I barked, letting the water slip from my joined palms. I punched the wall.

"This is who I am! This is who I fucking am!"

I yelled angrily, shoulders jerking back as I clenched my hands tightly at my sides.

Staring at myself in the mirror, I could barely recognize the face looking back.

"This isn’t just a phase. This is who I am, and this is who I’ve always been." I yelled at my reflection, pretending it was my brother glaring back at me.

As identical twins, Ethan and I shared an uncanny resemblance. But that’s where the similarities ended. He embodied excellence—intelligence, compassion, dedication. I, on the other hand, had forged a reputation as the black sheep of the family: impulsive, flawed, perpetually disappointing.

"You’ve always been the favored one, basking in Mom and Dad’s unwavering love and approval," I spat, words laced with venom. "You’ve never had to sacrifice your identity to—"

A sudden bang on the door made me flinch, the thug’s fist crashing against it.

"Come out, sweet pea," he taunted in a low, menacing tone that sent shivers down my spine. "You think you can hide forever? Think again."

His voice dripped with sinister intent, making my heart race.

"Damn it," I muttered, voice barely audible. My hand trembled as I grasped the doorknob, hesitating. Should I open it or not?

I heard fading murmurs of voices and receding footsteps from the hallway. My ears perked up.

Huh? Had he already left?

Heart pounding, I gently cracked the door open—and froze.

There stood the last person I thought I’d ever see again. My eyes widened in stunned surprise. A fiery blush spread across my cheeks. I sank my teeth into my lower lip, gaze locking onto his piercing dark eyes.

The air thickened as our eyes met. I swallowed hard, throat constricting.

"Hi," I managed, the word barely a whisper.

His lips curled into a sly smirk, and my mouth went dry, leaving me breathless.