A Portfolio Of J. Kend

The Desperate Attempt over a Glass of Martini (Part 1)

It's Valentine's Day and here we are in Paris, the popular city of Love, where the perfect place for romance is celebrated once in a year. It's past seven of the evening, couples scattered at every place and every restaurant. And right here, in a bar where our story is taking place, two men-one in a dark gray suit and the other in a navy blue-sat glumly by the corner of the place, looking tired and dreadful.

The one in the gray suit, named Shaun Avery, was looking intently to a lady, since the moment she appeared through the door entrance, sitting alone at the bar counter. While the other one, Bradley Evans, the one in the navy blue, watched his friend with a scowl, not really delighted of it.

At first impression, you'd think the two men were sorting out a lovers' argument but this is not the right time to joke about it. Let's get to the real conflict here, anyway.

"How can you know she is the one?" we can hear Bradley asking this sternly to his friend, Shaun, while watching him drool over the pretty woman across them.

Shaun didn't respond right away, he was still enjoying his view of the lady from his seat. Then he sighs and said to Brad, "Just look at her."

"Yeah, I am looking at her already, and assessing at the same time. And also, I am discouraging you to do it."

"Bradley," Shaun says, prolonging the name, "it's not fairly your business."

"It is my business, Shaun. Your business is my business! This is our business!" Bradley exclaims demandingly and angry-both expression shown now on his wrinkled face, "I want you to go back to your old self. We need that book! We need your story! You said you just need an inspiration."

"Yes! Yes, of course," Shaun said this to his friend with a sly smile, completely ignoring what Brad said. "And there she is, exactly. The inspiration."

"Oh, god." Bradley groans and covers his face with his hands in defeat. "Shaun, seriously?! We went here in freaking Paris because you just wanted to get laid?!"

"No," Shaun replies to him, tearing his gaze away from the woman slowly as if he didn't really want to and looks at Brad with an innocent face. "We went here because I needed an inspiration."

"Well, apparently, that inspiration is sitting few meters across our table and you are staring at her like some wild hungry animal ready to catch his prey. You just wanted to get laid, Shaun. And you made Mark spent two first-class tickets to Paris for this shit." Bradley spoke in a matter-of-fact tone as he crosses his arms against his chest and sighs deeply.

"It's not just about getting laid, Brad." Shaun explains.

"Oh, really?"

"I want an inspiration."

"Oh, then get it done now, Shaun." Brad said as he waves his hand to his friend annoyingly, "I want this over so we can finally go back to New York tomorrow and start that damn story you're going to write," he continued.

"I want her with me."

Then get her-what?!" Brad said in surprise upon hearing his friend's request. He pauses for a second then frowned at Shaun, "Are you crazy?!"

"You heard me."

"Jesus, you've been drinking too much." Brad hastily steals Shaun's glass of brandy on the table and puts it away-the golden liquid splashing out of the container, "You won't be getting another again."

"No, Brad. I'm really miserable. I need to have that someone I could be with."

"Is this about Martha? Because she left you? If it is, Shaun-"

"No!" Shaun shook his head forcefully and grimaced, "No, I don't really like Martha. She's just one of those women who had come and gone out of my life. But her..."

"God." Brad mutters, ignoring Shaun.

"That woman is what I really wanted, Brad. The one I always dreamed off while all alone in my bed, cold and lonely. Brad, this is that once in a lifetime moment. The thing everyone is saying that I could have for the rest of my life-" Shaun says this dreamily and Brad winced.

"Shit, you're going nuts."

"-I want her and I want to marry her... Be with her forever." Shaun continued.

"How many glasses did you have?" Brad asks, still ignoring the dreamy remarks, Shaun was saying to himself.

"Brad, I don't care if this is too fast but I really want to talk to her right now..."

"Oh, please, Shaun. That's the brandy talking-"

"Wait for me here, please..." Shaun tells decidedly, cutting Brad, as he stands from his seat.

"Shaun..." Brad warns as he watched Shaun fixed his own tie and smirks at him.

"I'm going to take some action now." Shaun started and Brad suddenly felt nervous.

"Shaun!" Brad tries to stop his friend but he was already walking away. "No... Shaun!"

Oh, damn. This is bad, Brad said to himself, sighing heavily. He watches Shaun made his desperate attempt across the bar. Brad sat back to his seat and decided to just let Shaun do what he wants. He will just wait for him to return, he really can't do anything about it now.

Partly amused and partly worried about the upcoming failure his friend will going to be achieving this Valentine's night, Brad then decided to enjoy the evening instead. Out of all night. Brad sighed heavily in defeat and called the waiter for another drink. This might going to take too long.

And besides, he really also wanted a shot of brandy. To hell with Shaun. Brad chose to relax alone.

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To be Continued... (Stay tune for Part 2)

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