Being the son of a businessman isn't easy, and Ji Nan knows that to well. So when he was forced to move he made sure to not let anyone know about his fathers income. He even made sure not to let anyone get to know him, but when he is tasked with tut...
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The night went by fast, and as we all walked out of the club, I was the only one that wasn't drunk. They weren't fall down drunk, but when they spoke their words were slurred.
Cai Long, Lin Cai, and Zuo Shi were using each other to keep themselves balanced, but Yaling as usual stuck to me. She held onto my arm tightly, and ever now and then she would almost fall and I'd have to catch her.
"Hey, are you coming with us Yaling," Lin Cai slurred out? Yaling looked up at me then back to Lin Cai and shook her head. "Suit yourself then."
Not soon after they exchanged those words a cab pulled up. I looked down at Yaling confused. Why would she not go with the group she came with? I would have to see her home now.
"Why didn't you go with them?"
"I wanted to stay with you." A smile spread across her flushed face as she said this.
"Next time we go out, let's not drink next time." I had no intention of going back out with her anytime soon, but just in case I wanted it to be clear that drinking was off the table.
Seeing her and her friends drunk didn't make them fun to be around. They were even more annoying. Yaling was more touchy, and she was even more bold. Through out our drinking session she would put her hand on my thigh, and I'd move it just for her to put it back a few minutes later.
The street was quiet since it was about midnight. We walked for a minute in complete silence. I stared straight forward thinking about nothing. Yaling would glance over at me from time to time but wouldn't say anything. I sighed and stopped walking.
"I'll call a cab." I pulled out my phone only to hear a whine come from beside me.
"Why do we have to go home so soon?"
"It isn't soon. It's very late," I answered as I finished calling for a cab. "The cab should be here soon."
"We barely hung out."
"We were at that club for about three or four hours. How is that barely hanging out?"
"We were with people."
"If it was only you, I wouldn't have came," I said truthfully. The arms that were around my arm fell.
"Do you really hate me that much?" I turned to her and then back to the street.
"I don't hate you by any means."
"Then why do you treat me like this?" Her voice quivered a bit as she said this. I turned my full attention to her.
"I treat you just as I treat everyone else."
"We both know that's a lie." Even though she said that, she knew I was telling the truth. I treated her just as I treated everyone else. She gets no special treatment from me.
"How so? I speak and treat you just like I treat everyone else I come across."
"You treat Zuo Shi different. You even went as far as to call her cute." Was she jealous? She had no reason to be if she was.
"So what if I do."
"So you admit it," she said raising her voice slightly. The cab pulled up just as she said this. I walked to it and opened the door.
"Get in," I commanded ignoring the other thing she said all together. With alcohol in her system, she probably was more sensitive. If I said the wrong thing, I'm sure she'd make a scene.
She climbed into the cab and scooted over slightly. I climbed in right after and shut the door.
"Tell him your address." To my surprise she didn't object, and did as I asked. The car ride to her home was quiet. When the cab stopped in front of her house she tugged my shirt.
"So you admit that you treat her differently." I was surprised that she remembered this after such an awkward car ride.
"This was my first time meeting her. Don't over think things." She didn't say another word and just got out. I didn't spare her another glance and told the cabbie to go ahead. I told him my address, and I got comfortable.
As we drove in silence I let my mind wander. I thought about random things, my father, school, and also Ba Wei. I couldn't tell you why I was thinking of him, but he still occupied my mind. He intrigued me, and not many people do that.
I sat up and pulled out my phone, and pulled up his contact. I stared at the number thinking of whether I should send him a text. In the end I did. I sent a simple greeting text. I didn't expect to hear back from him, but my phone dinged a minute later.
Me: hey
Ba Wei: hey?
Me: sorry for me texting you out of the blue.
Ba Wei: it's fine. Is there something you want to speak about?
In truth I had nothing to talk about, but I couldn't say that. I searched my mind for an excuse and finally one came to me.
Me: the clothes you wore, did you take them with you when you left?
Ba Wei: yeah, I was wearing them when I left. I plan to return them to you.
Me: there's no need
I stared at my phone for a few minutes only to get no reply. He had been replying instantly since we started texting. What changed now?
I arrived home not to long after. After paying the cabbie I started to make my way to my apartment. Just as I unlock my door, my phone dings.
I dug my phone out of my pocket and it was a message from Ba Wei. I was surprised since it had been over twenty minutes since I sent my last text.
Ba Wei: I have to
That message made me struck me as odd. What did he mean by he had to? Although I wanted to ask more questions I didn't push any, and just responded with a simple 'ok.'
———
After that brief conversation with Ba Wei, the night was as it usually was. Boring. The only thing that was different was my body. It felt as it usually does when I drink alcohol. Warm.
Although I have a high alcohol tolerance, I still get dizzy after a while. As I lay in bed my vision began to blur. I had forgotten how much I hate this feeling. Come to think about it, this was the first time I was drinking since I moved. If my father found out, he would surely crucify me.
He always tells me that alcohol won't make me feel better, and he's right. It doesn't, I just like to drink because I can. In our old town I use to go out and drink every other weekend with my 'friends.' Most people thought I was just a wild boy and for that reason I'd pretend to be drunk. Doing that made it easier to identify the people who wanted my money. Caught many women, but I also caught a lot of men trying to do that also.
I can't say that doing that didn't bring some pros. I slept with many women in that state. I wouldn't say they took advantage of me, but they always approached me when I began acting like that. I had a few theories on why. Some wanted to try to rob me and others just wanted a night with me.
If I'm being honest, I didn't care what their reason was. After we would have sex, it would be them waking up to an empty room. I didn't feel sorry for them either. It was always just sex for me, just as drinking was always just for the burn as the liquor went down.
I stared up at my ceiling wishing I could take it all back. Maybe my relationship with my father would be better. Soon I fell asleep feeling more guilty than I had in a long time.
