The building filled with music and drunk dancers made my heart thumping loudly with the beats. I could feel the vibration reaching my skin. The crowd had gathered around its entrance to reach inside as if they were ants scattered around sweets except it was booze and hookups they were after.
I took out my phone and tried to call my best friend, Emily, who was also my colleague from my office.
The rings went to voicemail instead.
She was late...
I had been waiting for her for at least one hour and twenty-seven minutes. Now my feet hurt as I was not accustomed to heels. Yes, I did like heels but as I was fairly tall, I would look like a bamboo tree in those so, most of the time, I wore flats.
I released a breath. I never liked to wait but for my friend, I could at least do that.
Taking my phone out, I searched through the contacts in my phone book to reach my other friends, and I reminded myself, other than Emily, I had no one. I sighed.
Yes, if you are thinking, I am that lonely person without anyone else besides me, you are absolutely right. I had been into studies throughout my school and college and made sure to acquire a good score so I can lead a good, sophisticated life and stay away from melodramatic family dramas.
My fingers stopped at Fred. There was a little ache in my heart. Yesterday, we had a fight and I didn't call him as for the past few days, he had been avoiding me like a Plague. Whenever I called, he rejected and whenever I messaged him, he didn't even reply. That was weird since he liked to stick to his phone all the time even when he went to his office or bathroom.
He had always complained I was a bit of a workaholic. Well, I was in a way however, if I wasn't, I wouldn't have a roof nor would I have the plates full of food. I had struggled to reach where I was now, but he had always complained.
My thumb lingered on his name for a moment as my thought lingered in my mind. Should I call him or not? Well, I had always been the first to call him and maybe, Fred was right I needed to give him time.
Being a secretary had a lot of responsibilities. But for the past week, I had a project to complete.
I released another sigh as today was the worst because from my laptop the important documents had vanished, mysteriously if I may add. It was the project I had been doing and I had even gotten a warning from my boss that if I won't be able to submit it by Monday, I may take my leave. That also meant the apartment I had been living in for the past year, I would have to say goodbye to. That also meant, forget about the mango smoothie I bought everyday.
I called again and the phone connected. However, there was no 'Hello' instead moans and the sacred word that starts with 'F' and ends with 'K', came. It was a female whose moans were coming and I thought Emily was having her pleasure.
Great! At least she could have told me if she were going to ditch me. And here I thought, today was Cheer-Carson-day!
"Hello?" I asked.
"Shit!" Came as an answer from a male voice and the call disconnected immediately.
As I saw the screen, my mind went numb.
It wasn't Emily's number, instead it was Fred. My belly tied into a knot.
I called again. Was he...
No, he could never do that. But my heartbeat increased as he rejected my call.
My phone vibrated and it was a message from Emily.
I opened it and the ground beneath my feet evaporated. A dull ache settled in my heart.
The photo was of Fred with Emily in a sheet covering their bodies. Well, bare bodies if you zoom in the picture and follow the curves in the sheet. They were indeed bare.
Tears came out of the corners of my eyes but I bit my tongue. I would not cry because my mascara wasn't waterproof. Also, I had done a good job at doing my deep blue eyeshadow that matched my dress. I didn't want to smudge those because of some dirt heads.
My lips quivered. Cold sweat covered my hands as the first drop of tears spilt out. I sniffed.
They betrayed me...
Wow! How could my friend do that to me? Was that why Fred was avoiding me?
I called Emily and on a third ring, she picked up.
"What the fudging hell was that?" I growled as I tried to hold back my quivering voice.
"Carson! I—I am sorry. Please try to understand. I wanted to tell you but..." It was Fred who replied with a voice that portrayed guilt. Well, I would have given him an Oscar if I had the money to buy it as he tried his best to feign guilt.
"So, because I could not give you enough time, you cheated?" I asked, my voice getting low and breathy. Now it was almost hard to hold the sniffs that were threatening to come out.
"No! That wasn't it. It was my fault. You were an excellent girlfriend but," he sighed, "I am sorry."
I nodded as if he was seeing me nodding. Then I cut the call as my tears ran down on my nude foundation, creating a translucent path on it.
I bought expensive products just for Fred, so he could see my beauty. I even watched youtube videos all night after work. How could he do this to me? I sniffed more and I was sure I looked like an idiot standing near the club crying as if I wanted a lollipop. Well, lollipop aside, I did want Fred.
We had been in a relationship for two years and I had told my parents, my cousins, my teachers. Well, practically everyone in my hometown. I even told the security guard of our office that we were going to get married!
I sniffed some more as a few pedestrians gave me weird looks while crossing me.
He didn't waste a time to shatter my future with him. Did he?
A dry chuckle left from my mouth as my heart ached with a dull pain. So, he never loved me. Two years of dating could not make him love me.
I looked at the nightclub, it was dazzling with golden lights and its tall tower touched the dark sky. I wanted to enter the night club but as I said, today was the worst because the VIP pass was with Emily. She always had passes of clubs, night clubs and I didn't know why. I never asked.
I spun on my heels and started to walk on the street endlessly. I didn't want to go home. It would only remind me of Fred. We had spent time together there. I remembered when he made breakfast for me. He used to make Spanish sandwiches. My mind reminded me of him, his perfect smile, his electric blue eyes and the way he used to kiss me. More tears spilt out.
I wiped my tears as the back of my hand got a nasty stain of mascara. Well, it wasn't waterproof to begin with. My eyes would be looking like a panda.
Who cared...
I want to have some drinks and probably a boyfriend! A boyfriend who would care for me.
After walking for ten minutes, my feet ached. However, when I moved my eyes around, the place didn't appear to be familiar.
The lane was almost dark as if a mist of darkness had wrapped it. But a red neon sign glimpsed from a distance.
I looked at the digital watch on the phone. It was almost midnight. The neon light hadn't gone off, that only meant it was a bar or a nightclub. I needed a drink. Badly.
I walked straight following the light as a lead. The mist cleared a little as the light was now prominent and the sign was clear. 'Red Devils' with two horns on the letter 'R' and a wicked devil tail twisted around 'S'. As I came near, I noticed, after 'Red Devils' there was also a word 'Bar' but the light was off. Maybe it wasn't switched on or the light was broken.
If they didn't fix it, that meant the bar wasn't in good business.
The bar looked a bit darker than usual as if it had been painted black while the windows had curtains hiding the inside view. There wasn't any song playing, not even any chattering. It gave me an eerie feeling.
I bit my bottom lip. I just wanted to have a drink and probably some fun. Or, a boyfriend? But a red alert blared inside my mind.
No, I shouldn't go there.
As I turned back, I collided against a hard chest. I stumbled back and the person caught my shoulders.
"Are you alright?" A deep, breathy voice asked.
I tilted my head to reach his eyes as my heart throbbed in my ears. What if a bad person caught me? I should have never come here...
A man with jet black hair stood there with a small smile on his face. Because the street light was very dim his face had shadows just where it needed to be. With high cheekbones more prominent with the shadows and his hair long enough to touch his shoulders, I found it irresistible to avert my eyes from him.
"I—I am fine, thank you." I composed myself but he didn't let go of my shoulders. I was wearing heels but he was still a foot taller than me with a lean structure but had the right amount of muscles in the right places.
"Are you here for a drink?" He asked.
I opened my mouth to say yes but then decided against it.
"No. I wasn't."
He cocked a brow, the shadows shifted on his face then he asked, "Then why are you wandering around here?"
"Ah! Well," I gulped as my mind tried to find some excuses. I could not just tell him that the bar looked like a haunted house and why would anyone like to go for a drink in a ghostly-looking place?
"I—I was heading back home. Thank you for...um...the help?" I looked at his hands which were still on my shoulders and also sent electricity in my whole body and it felt really good—I mean, weird. Really, really weird.
Yes, that was the word!
He cast another smile and my heart fluttered. Really weird indeed.
"Why don't you have a drink? It's on me," he said as he took his hands away and stepped back. Now that the neon light fell on him, his facial features became more prominent. His eyes were dazzling shades of black as if there was something mysterious about him. Addictive yet very dangerous.
I looked at the bar and then at him.
"But there isn't anyone. I mean, no music and nothing."
My doubt must have been visible on my face as he studied it for a moment and his brows creased together.
"You can't hear the music..." He whispered as if he was saying to himself.
"Why? Was I supposed to hear the music?" The questions left from my mouth before I could think.
He chuckled as his deep voice vibrated and sent me some delicious thoughts, "You're funny."
And what I saw I wasn't supposed to see it. As he chuckled a dimple appeared on his left cheek and his canine teeth were a bit larger than the rest but oh boy! Did he look handsome?
That perfect smile made the butterflies flutter in my stomach. I gulped as my hormones were acting up.
Then his usual smile came back again, "Well, the bar is underground so that must be the reason you can not hear it."
I nodded.
"Shall we?" He motioned his left hand to the door of the bar and waited for my answer. The smile still lingered on his lips and I felt it was hard to refuse him.
"Okay? But one drink."
"As the lady wishes." He said in a husky voice. As he crossed me there was a minted scent that hit my nose and I bit my lip. My mind felt light as if I had almost forgotten about my worries and hurt.
He held the door for me and I entered. It was dark. More darker than the outside painting. My heart took a pace and a loud horn blared inside my head. Caution! Caution! Caution!
I halted and I felt the man behind me. I forgot to ask his name. Why the hell I didn't ask?
"Is something happening?" His voice came right beside my right ear. If he was that near that meant he bent forward to reach my ears. My cheeks heated and I held my breath. I could dare to move.
"N—no. I—" wanted to go home. That was what I wanted to say instead I said, "I didn't get your name."
He chuckled again and his breath hit my earlobe which sent shivers all over my skin.
"Callahan."
I nodded as he placed his big palms on my waist and tugged to go forward.
"Callahan what?" I asked as I stepped in the darkness. I didn't know if there were stairs or a plain surface but his hands, his voice was strangely enough to calm my nerves as if I knew, even though I stepped on the wrong place, he would guide me.
"Callahan Diavolus."