Tell Me Ariel, Are You Mine?

Chapter 21 - Everything I Am

This whole night had been exhausting. I was half inclined to get a strong drink. I mean, I think I could be forgiven for wanting some form of relief from it all.

From this, aka; one of the longest nights of my life. Would it ever end? For the first time since my flat was broken into, I felt like I'd much rather be alone. A book maybe for comfort, one of those dirty books. That's if I could pay any attention to it, of course.

Ponderous, I sat there with my arms on the bar, hands gripping each other tight. It felt crowded in my head right now. All of a sudden the danger that was seemingly present in this club meant nothing to me. I did ask for a drink though, a double, and sat at the bar leaning my head into my propped up hand ready to take it down in one fell swoop.

But when it came, I took one look at it and passed the drink up. Being here, wanting a drink, watching the uninhibited people around me didn't do anything to keep my mind away from all the things threatening to implode in my head. I couldn't help but think about some of the things Nate said.

Some of his words were so strong, so full of heated anger, it felt as though the fire in his delivery was burning into my skull. If there was one thing I agreed with Nate on it was that emotions weighed you down and coloured your decisions. If I was honest I'd admit that love made me weak. Maybe blind. And I had come to realise that I'd just admitted love to myself about three times tonight. Fucking love. I swear it had been that many. That I indeed loved Dante.

I was screwed.

It was only after a long absent minded pause and a look at the seat beside me now filled by some random, did I remember I should have left ages ago, and that Malcolm should be with me.

Malcolm came soon afterwards and just stood next to me. Stood, I noticed. He didn't sit. I could see him at the corner of my eye, the familiar sleeve of his almost-black jacket, the ring I was noticing more and more on the third finger of his left hand.  He came into my line of vision and I cast the briefest of looks his way to be certain it was him before turning back to the bar.

"Are we off then, or what?" I said lazily, but as I glanced up at him, I looked twice almost immediately. What the...? I couldn't keep my eyes off his face. I wasn't expecting to see that. He had a look of worry about him. He was fidgety, anxious even. There was not a semblance of the Malcolm I'd seen all night so far.

I couldn't think of any reason why he would return like this unless of course it had something to do with Dante. As his side glance caught mine, he averted his eyes just as quickly.

He leaned away from the bar and harshly said "Let's go."

I watched him carefully, analysing his face. His eyes were looking anywhere but at me, he literally wouldn't even look at me. He lightly cast his closed fist repeatedly against the bar as if frustrated, and equally losing patience.

What was going on? There was only one thing I could think to ask in that moment.

"Where's Dante" I asked. His worry had transferred itself to my face now. That...

...and fear.

He said nothing.

I immediately thought back to any time tonight that could explain his change, my heart mirroring my angst as its beat kicked in at hell knows how many beats per minute. I looked again at him as I repeated my question, this time my voice slightly more shaken.

Malcolm simply said, "He's not coming."

I looked on perplexed. "What? What is that supposed to mean?" I twisted fully towards him.