The Crystal Bracelet

Fat, Old and Balding

Sue was dragging Lily by her hand into the popular night club, it was simply named Sea Night club, while Lily was resisting.  The two girls never had to wait in line they were always allowed in since they were both beautiful.  Lily's two brothers had friends who worked as bouncers at clubs around the city.  They always let her in without question whenever she ventured out to one.  Her oldest brother, Yi Din, was scary to other people.  He protected her the most.  He had some dealings in the illegal circles but Lily wasn't aware of them.  She preferred the bliss of not knowing all the negative things that happened around her.  Sue had a crush on Yi Din when she and Lily were teens but that wore off quickly as they got older.  Although one day Yi Din should inherit the Yi Corporation he had no desire to.  Sue knew he was happy with his little circle and lost hope of him being a prestigious rich man one day. 

"Stop dragging me!" Lily exclaimed loudly hoping Sue would hear her over the insanely loud music.

Sue pulled Lily all the way to a table in the corner where a few college friends where already seated.  The other three girls were from Sue's art classes so Lily didn't know them well.

"Come on loosen up, you have rarely gone out and had fun and it's your last year of college." Sue yelled over the music.  Sue pulled some liquid eyeliner out of her mini-purse and lined Lily's eyes perfectly, making Lily appear more sultry than before.

"There now you are more club ready!" Sue exclaimed as she ran her fingers through Lily's hair and fanning it around her shoulders.  Sue couldn't help but to be a little jealous once again of Lily's natural beauty.  A little eyeliner and lipgloss and Lily looked like a celebrity. 

There were already a few bottles of wine on the table that the other girls had ordered.  They all took a glass and toasted to their senior year.  The music was so loud you could barely hold a conversation.  Lily never understood the draw of the night clubs.  She would much rather stay at home and read a book or walk on the beach at night.  She wasn't a loner she just preferred the quiet atmospheres.  Lily was sitting watching her best friend Sue dancing on the dance floor when she saw a familiar face.  Xave was there with his friends. Lily smiled and started to get up from her seat when she saw another woman was on Xave's arm.  She sat motionless for a moment and kept her eyes on the young girl.  She watched as Xave kissed the girl on the dance floor.  Obviously their faithfulness was a one way street.  She laughed and now understood all of Xave's possessiveness and jealousy.  They say that when someone is cheating they are often accusatory of the other person out of guilt.  Lily felt relieved in that moment.  She now had the perfect opportunity to let Xave go.  She quietly snapped a photo of the two of them on the dance floor and sent a text to Xave.  It simply said "Hope you have a good night."

She watched as Xave opened his phone and the look on his face changed.  He searched all around to find her but since she was at a table in the shadows he couldn't see her clearly.  He let go of the young girl in his arms and stormed over to his friends.  They all started looking around and then one of them pointed in her direction.  She quickly stood up and excused herself to go to the ladies room.  Sue had no idea what was going on but she saw Lily jump up and head down the corridor.  Sue followed after Lily and caught up to her in the lounge area of the bathroom.

"Hey! You ok?" Sue was concerned.

"Actually.  Yes.  I am."  Lily half laughed.  She turned her phone around and showed Lily the picture of Xave kissing the other girl on the dance floor.

"I'm going to kill him."  Sue was seething and headed out like she was going to literally beat Xave.  Lily grabbed her arm by her elbow and pulled her back.

"Easy Killer."  Lily was laughing.  "Let it go.  I needed to see this."

"You want to head home now?" Sue was sympathetic.

"No.  I think I want to have some fun now."  Lily had a gleam in her eye like she was about to do something reckless.

Both girls straightened their outfits and walked out of the restroom together.  Xave and his two friends were in the corridor and the young girl was standing there questioning Xave.  As Lily and Sue passed the young girl all Lily said was "He's all yours sweetheart."  And she kept walking.  Xave called to her several times but neither she nor Sue looked back.  Sue took Lily to the dance floor and they each did a shot.  As the warmth of the liquor started running through Lily's body she loosened up and started dancing with the guys all around her.  Some guy she didn't know put his hands on her hips and danced with her.  Suddenly Xave came up grabbing the guy and pulled him off Lily.

"Get your hands off my girl!"  He yelled. His two friends were right behind him.

"Back off man."  The unknown guy said. 

Lily kept dancing and didn't pay any attention to the masculine egos yelling at one another on the floor.  Xave then grabbed Lily by her wrist like he was going to drag her off.  Lily opened her eyes wide and tried to pull her hand back.  The people around them stopped dancing and three club bouncers came over to stop the scene. Xave pulled harder when Lily resisted and tweaked her wrist. Lily yelled "ouch!" 

"Miss is there a problem here?" The bouncer who let her in the door glared at Xave.  Lily recognized him and tried again to pull her wrist from Xave's hand.  The bouncer noticed this and his eyes darted at Xave.  "I suggest you let go of the young lady."  His words were harsh and venomous.  Xave didn't let go but instead explained "She is my girlfriend I need to take her home."  Sue came to Lily's rescue at this time and yelled "she is NOT your girlfriend." 

Xave glared at Sue but let go of Lily's wrist when the bouncer stepped closer to him.  Lily's wrist had gotten red and was starting to swell a little.  The bouncers led Xave and his friends out through the main door and kicked them out of the club.  The young girl with Xave had already moved onto some other guy at this point.  Sue wrapped her arm around Lily's shoulder and took her back to their table.

"You ok? Let me see your wrist."  Sue was looking at her wrist and it looked like it was swollen more now.

"Let's go have it looked at."  She said as they grabbed their mini-purses and cell phones.

Lily hadn't said anything because the alcohol had made her reactions so slow.  She never drank so one shot after a few glasses of wine and she was pretty tipsy.

As they walked toward the door the general manager of the club Mr. Young stopped them.  "Young Lady, the owner of the club would like me to take care of you."  He said kindly.

"Thank you Sir, but I will be fine." Lily slurred a little but she didn't like unnecessary attention and declined.

Mr. Young stepped again in their pathway looking up at the mirrors then back at her and again said. "Miss, please, the owner really wants me to take care of this."

Lily hadn't noticed the glance up to the mirrors so she once again declined and wanted to get away from this club quickly.

"Please Miss, we can have a car take you to the hospital."  He pleaded.

Sue nudged her a little as if to say she should accept it.

"Ok fine."  Lily relented.

The bouncers escorted her and Sue to a black Mercedes and told the driver to take them to BeiHai hospital.  Xave and his friends were waiting outside the club when they came out.  But because Sue and Lily were being escorted by the bouncers to a black car parked there they could only watch and sneer.  Sue didn't say anything until the door to the car was closed and it was just the two of them.  "What if the owner of the club is rich and handsome and desires you!" She giggled as she said it.

"You seriously read too many romance novels.  More than likely the owner is some fat, old balding man who just doesn't want me to sue him!"

As she finished speaking the driver smiled and held in his laughter by coughing.