Chapter 153
Lake:
Bar De Royale. Yes, a very strange name for a bar of any sort, but it gave me the serenity and privacy I needed to drink all my sorrows away. I texted Kenji the address and shared the location with him. He texted me, saying he would be there in twenty minutes, but it only took him twelve minutes. Remind me why I loved my best friend again. Yes! This was the reason.
He walked into the bar when I was already two shots into the bottle of Smirnoff vodka that stood in front of me. When his eyes met me, he looked around the empty room – besides the bartenders, three other men, him and I, there was no one else in the bar – and walked into the cold room. All air conditionesrs planted at every corner of the room seemed to do their job very well. Exactly why am I thinking about air conditioners?
Maybe it was because everything was starting to look a lot bigger and sharper to me, and I was only two shots deep! By the time I get to ten shorts, I am certain I would find myself in heaven with the goddess. I could use that opportunity to ask her the fastest way to win Jojo’s heart back.
“Not already drunk, are we?” He asked me. Kenji pulled out the stood beside me and settled into it. I continued to twirl the cup in my left hand, before I emptied it, drowing the content in my throat with one swift gulp. My face squeezed on its own accord, the vodka was harsh.
“Drunk?” I scoffed.
“I’m only three shots deep.” I continued. He stretched his right hand to the bottle and stole my glass from me too.
My frown returned to my face.
“Find your own glass for goddess sake.” I drawled.
Kenji’s eyes rose from the glass to meet mine. I took note of the concern and pity etched in his soft gaze, both of his expressions annoyed me.
He looked away from me and focused his gaze on his cup as he poured himself some of my delicious vodka.
“I take it the meeting with Jojo did not go well.” He started.
Why would he think that? Did I not seem as happy as ever? Did I have to put my full dentition on display for him to know that I had gotten what I wanted?
I chuckled, before I stole my bottle and glass from him. I gulped the one he had poured and poured myself a new glass. If he wanted a drink, he had to order one and not rip me off. Bloody cheat.
“Do you know something, Ken? Today was the first day I had a civil conversation with Jojo. I mean…” A hiccup escaped my throat.
“Isn’t it crazy? Despite how attracted I was to her, all I ever did was try to rip he clothes off and have sex with her. I never… I never even tried to get to know her. It was strange today. I never saw a day where we would have to stand and talk about something, talk more of something as serious as a child that we now share.”
I watched the bartender push a glass of pink colored liquid to him with a slice of Kiwi fruit hanging from the edge of the glass. Ice cubes danced in his drink and the straw stuck out from his glass.
He sipped it slowly, closed his eyes and opened it, before looking directly at me.
“Did she try to keep the child away from you?” He asked.
I shook my head, pouring myself another glass. Yes! I was almost close to heaven.
“No, she didn’t. But, she made it very clear that she wanted nothing to do with me.” I barked, like a hungry and sad dog.
He nodded in agreement.
“Makes sense.”
My left brow corked in slight annoyance.
“What?”
“If you were in her shoes, Lake, would you want anything to do with yourself? Infact, you would abhor the very air you breathes, the ground you walk on. You would tell the child you are dead.” He replied bluntly, making no effort to mask the harsh meaning of his words.
He was right, but was I that bad?
It didn’t matter.
I threw my head back in laughter, before fixing my gaze on him again.
“Well, maybe you are right about that. But, it doesn’t change anything. I am not going to stop chasing her, I am not going to allow myself lose her for the second time. I know it is because of the grey eyed snake we saw that day. But, I do not give two fucks! The son of a bitch does not stand a chance against me. I would woo her and win her heart, you’ll see.” I snapped my fingers at him, determined. But he stared at me with plain eyes, he was not a bit moved by my heartfelt speech.
“Infact, I would call her now.” I continued, reaching for my phone in my pocket.
I felt him stare at me as I brought out the phone and started to scroll through it, searching for her number.
I had already gone through my contact list three times before it occured to me that I did not have Jojo’s number. Another heavy slap on my face.
I dropped my phone on the table. Amused by my reckless and stupidity, there was nothing I could do besides laugh at myself.
“I am one stupid motherfucker, am I not? Look what I did to her, man! Even when I knew she did not deserve it. When I… when I saw her today, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever set my eyes on. Her red hair danced to the rhythm of my heartbeat, her eyes were the colour of pure emerald stones. I wish… I wish our son had her eyes and her hair. But, it doesn’t matter. When we have a daughter, she would have ginger red hair and green eyes like Jojo’s and…”
I stopped when Kenji started to choke on his drink. He tapped his chest repeatedly and coughed gently. He sucked in a deep breath and raised his head up, before his gaze rested on mine.
“Woah! Slow down! Your speed had me choking on my drink. You’re already dreaming too far.” He reprimanded.
I heaved a sigh.
“Aim for great heights, my friend. By the way, what are your plans for Ashley?”
He dropped his glass and corked his right brow, he shook his head, as if saying “no”.
“Today is about you, my friend. I take it that you were rejected, for the first time.”
My eyes widened in realization. The truth hit me like a fucking stray bullet. I really did not see that coming.
“Yes! This is the first time I am being rejected, can you imagine it?! It is…” I stopped, thoughful for a while.
“It is also the first time I am not scared, you know. When I saw her today, I was not afraid that I’ll hurt her, or that we would end up like my parents. I was convinced and bold enough to admit to myself that I would always love her, Kenji. I want her, I need her and the family that we can build together. And I would work for it, I am determined to get back all the time we have lost, and win me a future with her.”
I stopped and poured myself my tenth glass, my ticket to heaven.
“You’ll see.” I said to him, before lifting the glass up and gulping the shot.NôvelDrama.Org owns all © content.