Chapter 5: Choosing

I stare at Liam's name as my phone rings, and I decide to get back to him when my guilt has died down.

I get up and go straight to the living room, and I find a note from psychic or stalker or whatever his name is. After reading the note about him catching his flight early, I take a quick shower and head to the airport.

When I arrive in Seattle, I take a cab to THC club in Tacoma, the club that I hate the most for its high sales of limbicus, but it is the only club that is open during the day.

The club is midnight dark, and illuminated by neon lights. There are people dancing, there’s kissing and smoke that is enough to fill the entire city. The smoke makes me cough, and I look around for a place where there is a possibility of not being disturbed.

I head to the bar, the staring eyes making me feel like a lamb in a lion’s den.

“Hi baby girl. What do you drink?” A large man in a biker’s jacket sits on my right as soon as I sit down.

I sigh. I just wanted to be sad and alone, but here I am, with two lions already on the hunt.

“Baby girl?” He raises a single eyebrow.

“Long Island,” I snap.

“We also got weed for you. It’s the best you’ll ever find.” Another guy appears on my left. He is wearing a hoodie, and he has a piercing on his eyebrow.

“Dude, you heard the lady. Give her what she wants and put it on my tab.” The biker’s jacket says to the barman.

“Coming right up, sir.”

"I will pay for my drink," I give the barman the $20 bill.

“I will be your weed master.” The hoodie guy says, delicately holding a fancy wrapped weed between his index and middle finger.

I shake my head in response.

I ignore my two acquaintances who are staring at me, and I take small sips of my cocktail.

“Let’s go sit in a more comfortable place. I’m in a VIP section.” The hoody guy grins and points at the place that is separated from the normal club by glass doors.

"I'm fine here." I hiss, and he holds his hands up, showing his surrender. When they realize that I have no intention of entertaining them, they leave.

I continue drinking as my mom's and sister's words about my selfishness replay in my mind. I’ve always felt like the ugly duckling of the family, and I’ve watched my mom try but struggle to maintain a relationship with me.

My brother and sister were always her favourites, the most successful international models. She always said they were following in her footsteps, because she was once 'the beauty of the year' in high school.

The more I take sips of the drink, the happier and less anxious I become, until I feel different.

This time, I feel like my head is carrying the entire planet, and I struggle to move. I just close my eyes while sitting on the bar stool to regain my composure, but I feel more dizzy.

**************

My head feels like it weighs a thousand pounds as I try to raise it from the pillow. I notice the huge bed that I’m lying on, feeling like I'm back at the hotel. Was my trip back to Seattle a dream?

“You are finally awake." A voice that is a few feet away gets me startled.

“Finally?” I sit up to get a better look at him.

He looks up from his laptop. “It has been three days,” he continues typing.

“What? Oh! No, no, no. Have you seen my phone, by any chance?” I try to get up, but my body aches.

"Why are you looking for your phone?"

"I have to speak to Liam."

"That's what you are worried about? You are worried about Liam?" His eyes are still focused on his screen, but I notice his grimace.

"Why are you getting mad?"

“Don’t you want to eat first? Or take a shower?” He closes his laptop and looks in my direction.

“No, I’m fine really. Where am I anyway?"

"You are at the hospital."

"What happened to me? I can't afford this. Why didn't you take me to a normal hospital?"

"I paid for it already." He gets up and presses the call button next to me.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I'm a stalker who is in love with you," he says nonchalantly.

"That's very funny. If you were a stalker, you wouldn’t be in love with someone like me."

He opens his mouth, but then the nurse walks in.

"You are finally awake. Your boyfriend didn't ever want to leave your side," she smiles.

"No, no, no." We both say.

"Sibling?"

"No!" We repeat in unison.

"Friends?"

"Never. It's complicated. I don't even know his name." I reply to the nurse while glancing at him.

"With the way you disagree with each other, I will go along with sibling." The nurse grins and walks out, after telling me that she will call my doctor.

“What happened to me?” I ask when the nurse walks out.

“Your pulse was weak.”

"Thank you for keeping me alive.”

"You are welcome," he grins. "Complicated? I thought I was becoming something to you." He continues.

"Yes, we are getting married tomorrow." I roll my eyes.

"And now that I think about it, you don't know my name."

"See? You are a stalker. Was I really at that club? How did you find me?"

“Like you said, I am a psychic. You are not going back to that club. Do you hear me?” His jaw tightens.

A small part of my memory suddenly returns. “Oh! You are the brother?” I ignore his command. “There’s no need to pretend. There’s no one else in this room right now, or is there?” I look around for dramatic effect.

“There’s no one. I mean it. I don’t want to see you near any club ever again. If I do, I swear...”

“You swear what!?” I look up at his tall frame.

“Are you one of those stubborn people who puts themselves in danger in order to prove nothing at all? What you did was stupid!”

“How is it any of your business? I’m fine.” How dare is he? He speaks to me as if I’m a child.

“You almost left with two men last night.”

“I appreciate you and stuff, but you really need to leave me alone, and I only drank two glasses.”

A hint of worry flickers across his face, then he moves a few steps away from me.

The door is flung open and Liam throws himself inside the room.

"You are finally awake, babe. I have been worried sick. This dufus banned me from coming to your room." He glares at the stalker.

"Why?" I glance at the stalker.

"To protect you," the stalker protests.

"He is my boyfriend."

"He is married!"

"And you are a stranger."

"Why are you still here?" Liam looks in the stalker's direction.

"To be here for her," he shrugs.

"I need to speak to her alone. These days I can't have some time alone with my girlfriend. You are everywhere."

"Leave dude, you can talk to her when she is okay. You are not what she needs right now." He shows Liam the door.

"Willow, should I leave?" Liam folds his arms and raises his eyebrows.

I look from Liam to the stalker, and I desperately want to say Liam should leave. I must break up with him at some point.

"Stalker, get out, please. I need to speak to Liam."

"I'm trying to protect you." He murmurs while moving closer to the bed.

"From my boyfriend? Come on. I'm sorry, psychic stalker. Please leave, or I'll call the nurses."

"That won't be necessary." His face drops.

"I'll pay you back in installments for paying my medical bill. Thank you."

"I paid him already. I sent the money to his account. Finding the account wasn't easy." Liam interjects.

"Thank you babe," I smile at Liam.

"This is not over!" He glares at Liam, and glances at me before walking out.