Atty. Park,
Your recovery is in our prayers. Keep yourself safe and healthy.
George Miller
Sunset Air, CEO
Mr. Miller sent three buckets of flowers in my room that Michael received. They're combination of pale pink and blue roses. I don't know why he did but it's obviously to remind me that I need to get better quicklu to save his daughter from a complete disgrace. Of course, that's basically normal for parents to protect their precious child. My appa and umma loves me and protected me during the time I used to think that I should follow the American way of living. I believed that I should at least experience good parties with alcohol, loud music and sex.
Funny thing is when I experienced it, I hated the first hour and left immediately, ran like someone was chasing me. Something was actually chasing me; it was the fear of failure. I smelled failure in those parties and after a few years, I wasn't wrong. Most of them are rich but weren't able to get into good universities because they're too busy getting drunk than studying for SATs. They ended up with nothing much. One girl ended up becoming an amateur porn star, the other guy became a gas station boy, and the queen bee became a teen mom and still doesn't know who the father is since she slept around.
I got nothing against to those people 'cause it made me sad at some point that we didn't share the same passion. I was really passionate with my academics and extra curricular. I played tennis and excelled in women's singles. I was the perfect Asian girl at school that you can't bully.
I felt proud that very day, when I got a very good score on my SATs. I can enroll everywhere, especially Lindbergh University where the best Law school is. I was so happy that we went on a trip to celebrate. We went to Korea and travelled to Busan, Gangnam and especially Seoul. I felt that I deserved to be rewarded. I deserved it a lot more than anybody else. I worked hard for it like I'm dying. I sacrificed sleep, dating and friendship. That's the reason why i don't have friends, well i got two. I have Stacey and Margaret who are both living in New York (because they're twins).
I aced my tests when i was still a Political Science student, trying to pave my way to Law school because it's my dream. No one forced me to enter law school, my parents just pressured me to choose a job that matters. It's engraved in my head that i need to matter in this society. I should matter that people will respect me a lot. I should be titled but not necessarily a doctor. I am smart, but not that brave enough to handle cadavers.
Being a lawyer matters a lot because it can save the innocent and convict the sinners. I sound like a total hero, but this hero is sick, weak and tired. I don't know what's the catch in all this. I am so tired living this life. I am so tired.
"Michael,can you get rid of the flowers? I feel like I'm dead with these in here." He just giggled and check the dextrose then jotted something on his metal clipboard.
"No. Flowers have a good role in therapy. You need to relax your mind and stop being a whiny lady." I rolled my eyes and he just giggled. How I wish I love him like how I love Ethan. I just wish that all of me is his. My insides are slowly going downward spiral whenever I'm thinking about Ethan instead of him. He was here all along. He was there when I was badly hurt. He was there.
"You have to make sure they discharge me tomorrow. Christine will live at home for a week to make sure I'm okay while she's checking her internship here at the hospital. Is that okay?" He just smiled and kissed me on the cheek.
"Of course. I really want to bond with your sisters especially with her since we're on the same field." I smiled. Actually, Christine started out a little late at school. She's already 26 no one actually seem to think that she is. Well, our Asian genes have to do with that. She looks barely 18.
"Thank you. Christine is the stubborn one so I hope you can lengthen your patience. She can be a little obnoxious but she's very responsible because she had to take care of me before while I was in IC... oh. Well, that part is..."
He sighed. "Of course I know. I was the resident at that time." Then dead silence filled the air like it's suffocating me. I can't seem to breathe.
"So, take care of yourself and be alive. I need you alive." He smiled and kissed me again on the cheeks and he left.
I wish that's easy.
=-=-=-=-=-=
"I don't have good feeling about that party, Aria." My classmate Michelle told me. We eat together and we're friends. She's someone I can casually talk to but this time I think she's a best friend material.
"Same. Ethan is just too persuasive. I hate rich people and their filthy vat fights. That club is famous for all the bad things in the world." I said while i drink some cherry coke.
"I know. The famous celebrity twins, they had a fight there because of a guy. Imagine, their siblings! Maybe that club is full bad energy. The drinks are hella expensive and I don't think I wanna see people getting naked everywhere." She said while eating her greens. Her feisty personality matches her vivid auburn hair in a tight ponytail.
"Ethan is rich so he can afford. He's one of the rich boys in the exclusive membership there. We fought many times about it." Then she giggled.
"I just wish he would disassociate himself with that Andrew Fox. He's bad news." Then I started thinking about what he said to me. He's a filthy bastard who deserves to be castrated. He can't keep his dick in his expensive trousers. What the fck is wrong with that guy? I must avoid him or else hell will break loose once Ethan finds out.
"The name of the club itself speaks danger. Why would people wanna be in danger? I don't know what's wrong wit these rich bastards." I laughed at her remark.
"Yes. Finally someone agreed! The girls at class thinks I'm incredibly lucky just because I'm associated with Ethan's clique. I love Ethan but not his friends. I don't think I found someone worth his friendship. Ethan is far different than those guys." She smiled.
"Whenever you mention Ethan's name, you blush. You love him that much, Aria. The thing is, the more you fall in love, the more it's dangerous. I'm not being negative, but please guard your heart. Guard yourself. You are a good person and try your best to guard this love you both have." I don't know why but i felt chills when she said that. Maybe she's trying to knock some sense to me.
I reached for my coke and drank it straight. "You're right. We should be like good friends, you know?" I told her and she laughed.
"But you're too occupied with your job at the firm. How can you hangout?" I giggled and I'm starting to love the frankness in her. She feels like Annie. Annie is the outspoken one in the family. She'd say whatever she wanna say to let it all out of her chest. She hates secrets and dramas and she's just like Michelle.
Guard myself from what? From Ethan? He's not that kinda guy. We've been together ever since junior year in college because we took the same Bachelors degree. I know him very much. He can't hurt me because he loves me so much. He even wants to marry me so he's not gonna hurt me.
"We will!" I smiled.
"So back at this party, you said that you've never set foot of this club, right?" She asked.
"Yes." I replied.
"I heard about rumors that there's an exclusive gentlemen's club in there. They sell drugs." My eyebrows rose.
"Seriously?"
"Yep. Aria, my roommate Tara was a bartender in there and she was fired when she found a purse of cocaine in the ladies room. She was handed out a two thousand-dollar worth of cheque. That's the reason why I think you should stay away from that place." Cocaine? Gentlemen's club? Is Ethan part of that club? He's not an addict because he passed the random drug testing last weekend. Cocaine stays longer in the system and Ethan looks normal. I know how drug addicts look like. He's definitely not one of them.
"Ethan isn't one of them. He passed a drug test last week."
"I'm not saying he's part of it, maybe those who are associated with him. He better be careful. That club owner is one big motherfcker. He should be in jail for causing wrath here in Atlanta. His customers are nothing but scums of the earth." There's hate in her voice. Maybe just like me, she despises the people like Andrew Fox.
"I will definitely stay away from that club. Especially now i know there's drugs, I won't ever step inside." I said while finishing my casserole and mash.
After we had lunch at the cafeteria. I decided to drop by at the parking lot to put my books inside so i don't need to carry them all with me. My small frame isn't really built for sports. I'm not an athletic person that's why.
Then my phone rang.
It's Monica Sinclair. "Hello?"
"Aria? It's Monica. I just wanna tell you that I'm hoping to see you at my party in Andrew's club. It will be so much fun I swear." Then I felt something. She isn't as giddy as before she doesn't sound that pretentious dumb girl i know. Something is wrong.
I cleared my throat. "I have exams that week. I really can't."
"Ethan's gonna be there and his friends. Dan's girlfriend is gonna be there as well! You must have heard about Abigail Simmons. She's just like you and she's coming." Just like me? Just like what exactly? I don't know why she's so persistent.
"I really can't." I told her.
"Please... I'm begging you." Then her voice changed. She sounded terrified. She sounded desperate.
"What's with this, Monica? I am not a huge fun of booze and loud music. I'm not going. I'm sorry." I was about to drop the call when she spoke.
"You have to be there, Aria. You have to be there to watch over Ethan. I don't have the control with all the things that's gonna happen there. Control him, Aria. If you're not going then make him stay with you. If he's going, be with him." What? Is something bad gonna happen there? This is not good. She's panicking right now. I can hear anxiety on other line.
I dropped my bag on the ground, still unable to open the car door. I felt nervous and scared. I felt the same shiver the last time i spoke with her boyfriend. He's just like this. The moment I first saw him I know there's something wrong. There's something i can't understand. I tried to but I can't. Ethan told me one time that he's from a broken rich family. He's like the royal kinda rich. His grandmother is a baroness. So he had a crappy childhood and instead he infect people with his darkness.
"You have to tell me what's going on! This is not just some party, Monica. You have to tell me. I can't just be in this like I'm nothing. You are trying to convince me and why me? I don't usually hang out in your crowd." Then she swallowed hard. I can hear her tense body on the phone.
"You have to keep him with you. Stay away from Andrew. Stay away. He's not the kindest person on earth but i love him. Don't let him influence Ethan. He's usually on the dark side, Aria. I tried many times to keep him away but darkness is his last name. I love him so much I'm willing to drown with him, so it's either you both go or don't. " Then the line went dead.
So Monica knows something but she won't tell me what it is. Is it a drug deal? Why is she still with that worthless piece of sht? Love? She loves that guy? He doesn't love her. He just toys with her like some kinda rag doll he can toss if he's done with playtime. Guys like him should never be with someone like her. Monica deserves better.
Love. Sometimes there are things you can't understand once love is involved. You can't just tell yourself to comprehend everything because that's not how it works. It was made to be complicated and unfair.