before anything else...
i deleted the previous ninth chapter
bcos i wasn't happy with what happened
in that chapter. it was confusing
on duke's part when i read it. so
here's the new ninth chapter :>
~°˙˙°~
n i n e
Duke was sitting on the leather sofa in Zero's unit. He was left alone there while his two friends were buying drinks and snacks on a convinient store nearby.
It was a Sunday night when Titus just barged into Zero's condo then calling him so that they could hang out for the night. He could even hear Zero whining from the call.
The moment he arrived, both of his friends suddenly informed him that they were going out to buy the booze and here he was: alone.
It wasn't a surprise that those two men just went out and left him behind. He was relieved, in fact, that he could think clearly without the noise from either Zero or Titus inside the space.
Few minutes later, judging from the high pitched voice coming from the other side of the door yelling 'I will buy you that chocolate next time, okay!' he knew that both of his friends were back.
The door flew open and Titus walked in first. Duke could see that he was carrying beer cans in those plastic bags in both of his hands while a pouting Zero followed holding the same plastic bag, only this time, it was filled with food.
Both laid the plastic bags down on the coffee table surrounded by the leather sofas. Titus plopped down on the couch opposite to Duke's already exhausted from the trip.
"You looked so tired," Duke pointed out, grinning. He pulled out one can of beer and popped the top open.
Titus leaned on the coffee table, too and grabbed one as well. "I never thought Zero would be a baby just for a chocolate."
"It wasn't just a chocolate!" Zero butted in slumping on the space beside Titus who just rolled his eyes and sipped the beer, "It was Ferrero and I want it!"
Duke just shook his head when he heard the reason Zero was beig whiny at Titus. He rested his back on the couch and drank his beer, quietly thanking both of his friends that he didn't have to suffer from his friend's whining.
The three of them continued to drink from the can of beer that they had. Duke and Titus would hear occassional whispers from Zero, still mumbling about the chocolate that he didn't have.
"Duke," Titus called him while munching some chips in his mouth, "Just want you to know that maybe, Madelein was in our area."
"I saw the pictures you sent," he said settling the can on the coffee table, picking up a potato chip from inside the pack, "and yes, I'm positive she's in your area."
Zero glanced at Titus while biting a chip in between his lips. He nudged his elbow on Titus' when Duke stared off into space. Titus just glared at him and shook him off.
"Be honest with me," Duke sighed and brought the can of the booze against his lips once again and chugged the rest of the contents in one go.
The two males on the opposite seat looked up at him, both of their hearts thumping, waiting for Duke to continue his sentence.
"Will she able to forgive me when we see each other again?" he continued before opening another can and gulping almost half of the contents.
Zero and Titus breathed out at the same time when they heard the rest of what Duke had to say. They just watched as their friend gulped down his second can of beer.
"I know she will forgive you, I mean," Zero answered while Titus just nodded on his side, "We may have met her just one time but we could tell that she is a kind person, bro."
Duke didn't answer both of them and just stared into space while the alcohol engulfed his system. He had a low alcohol tolerance but he didn't care. All he wanted tonight was to forget. Forget the fact that Madelein might already be around but she would just push him away.
The assurance from Zero didn't help him. It was his opinion. It was what he thinks. That she would still forgive him but he was no Madelein. He isn't Madelein.
He tipped the can up, taking in the yellow bubbly liquid in his mouth, down his throat until it was empty once again. He grabbed another one, opened it and gulped it once again.
Titus contained the cough he felt coming and grimaces. Just by watching Duke's actions tonight, he bet that he will be drunk in just a few minutes.
"You told him that she was near your area?" Zero faced him, his eyes bigger than it's normal state and lips, as the usual, was in a pout.
He closed his eyes before nodding and gulping down his drink. "But I'm not sure if she truly lives there," he whispered, opening his eyes and watched Duke as he picked on the pack of chips completely lost in thought.
His sober friend moved closer to him, still with the same expression, "Then why did you tell him?"
Titus was anxious before answering, twitching his nose and was making sure that Duke didn't hear a thing or that he wasn't listening to their conversation.
Duke continued to drink and forget that he had his two friends in front of him, just looking at him and was oblivious that Titus and Zero were talking about his dilemma already.
He just continued to drink the liquor and was mindless about everything else around him. He lost count of the cans he drank, already. Now, his vision was spinning, his body felt hot and his mouth felt dry.
"I told him because I promised him that I would help him," Titus answered after observing Duke's actions. "How about you? You knew where she is."
It was Zero's turn to look at Duke and make sure he wasn't listening. He leaned back on the couch and patted Titus' shoulder, "The same reason as yours, she begged not to tell him."
Titus nodded and just drank his can empty. He wouldn't dare to touch another can or he would be as drunk as Duke with, now, five bottles of empty beer.
He watched as his friend take off his flannel and leave Duke in his black shirt. Titus guessed that the alcohol was kicking into his system.
Zero and him continued a small talk, avoiding the topic of Duke's search for the girl. It was good few minutes of small chuckles and catching up together until they just heard aluminum cans crashing against Zero's white marble-tiled floor.
Both turned their heads to Duke who was chuckling by himself. He was holding another can of beer, the content spilling from the rim, down to his fingers and now dripping on the tiles.
Titus just slapped his forehead. He foresaw what's going to happen and was glad he stayed sober. He tapped Zero's legs and the friend sat up properly when Duke turned his head towards the two.
His eyes were half-lidded, already. His vision blurry but he knew that two of his friends were there. He chuckled once again and held up the can, with his pinky finger raised.
Both friends were waiting on what Duke might do next and they weren't wrong. The drunk one smirked and said the words "Could you bring me some water?" in his failed British accent.
Titus patted Zero's legs once again, now harder. Zero grimaced in pain and was about to smack his friend when Duke shouted "I am what I am, man!" then followed by a chuckle.
"Go get the water!" Titus demanded and Zero stood up immediately. Before he left to go to the kitchen, he caught the glimpse of Titus calming the chuckling Duke and raising his legs on the couch.
He just stood there by the counter in the kitchen, where he could view the struggling Titus against Duke. Zero chuckled to himself and knew that Titus wasn't going to win that battle.
He brought a glass of water and placed it onto the coffee table and sat back on the place where was seated before. "Oh, nice side-shave, by the way. You look tougher."
He heard Titus groan before shouting, "Can't you just help me here?!"
There was a stuffy feeling consuming Duke's chest. The room was now full of people, students rather. They were all familiar to him. He's positive he saw those faces back in Colton.
He shuffled between the bodies crowding the space. He wants to get out, he wants to breathe but a face stopped him from doing so.
She was there. Madelein was there, with her black face mask making her stand out for him in the crowd.
Instead of going straight to the door, he turned and squeezed himself between the sweaty students who were bopping to the beat of the music. He was out of breath when he finally made in front of her.
He saw her jaw move and he knew she was saying something but the blast of music makes it impossible for him to hear her. He grabbed her wrist and found the stairs to the second floor of the house.
They entered an empty room and both of them were out of breath. It was rather a dark room and Duke could still make out her face but not all of the details.
His hands immediately went to the band of her face mask and unhooked it from her ear. She stepped back and he heard a soft voice saying "no"...
Maybe it was the alcohol that he drank earlier at the party but he had the courage to admit to Madelein all of his feelings towards her. He will push away all doubts and confess his love for her.
The darkness covered almost all of her face but the moon light seeping through the curtains in the room made her eyes visible in the dark. He cupped her cheeks and it was soft against his palms.
"L-Law..." he heard Madelein whisper as his face inched closer to her. His eyes closed as his lips met hers.
It was a simple kiss at the start but Duke decided to take it a bit further moving his lips against hers. He was surprised when she answered and even answered his kisses.
His hands went from her cheeks down to her sides until it found her waist. He pulled her closer and her arms wrapped around her nape, tip-toeing to reach his height.
They were both running out of breath. Madelein pulled away first but their foreheads remained touching. Both of them were breathing heavily, a smile etched on Duke's face.
He leaned it once more but before he could kiss her once again, a slam on the door made him jerk and open his eyes.
"You little! You poured vinegar instead of oil in the pan!"
The headache suddenly came to him as he looked at his surroundings. He was on Zero's couch, a blanket over his body, a medicine and a juice on the coffee table.
It was free of the beer cans and the chips from last night. Titus must've cleaned it when they were finished last night.
He held his head and massaged it slightly. His friends bickering at the kitchen weren't helping his situation.
"But the labels were similar!" that was Zero.
"The vinegar is clear and the oil is slightly yellow! Look! Aish, just let me cook here!" that was Titus.
He drank the pain releaver and pushed it down with the water also prepared. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed.
That was the night before Madelein disapeared and it's all coming back to him.
Duke's fingers automatically touched his lips. It was like they kissed once again even if it was only a dream...