Chapter 02

I was driving to the bar where my friends' and my regular meeting place, when the city lights smeared outside the windows, familiar but doing nothing to soothe the knot curling in my stomach. My mind was a jumble, still replaying the awkward, stilted encounter with my so-called 'future in-laws.'

My phone had rung, the insistent ring cutting through the whine of the engine. It was Josh.

"Hello, bro!" his booming voice came over the speaker.

"Yeah?" I replied, my voice flat.

"We're at the bar, come on down?"

"I'm coming."

"Alright, we'll wait for you."

I floored the gas, the car speeding ahead. Luckily, there was light traffic, and I reached the bar in a minute. It was still early afternoon, but the early birds had already occupied the joint, the atmosphere humming. My group and I were virtually regulars, or at least a few of us were.

"Man, Here!" I heard a shout from across the way, and I spotted them, gesturing towards our regular booth.

"So, what's this all about? What's happening? Have you found your, ahem, future bride yet?" Sharply intertwined with sarcasm that peeved me.

"Shut your d*mn mouth," I hissed, as I held out my palm to pick up a beer sitting on the table and took a long angry swig out of it.

"I think something really did happen," continued Rick, his eyes flashing, with the faintest bit of fear creeping into his voice.

"Give me a break, men. I'm already worrying about how I'll tell this to Karen," I said, leaning against the booth, my brain weighed down with the problem.

Karen was the only person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. But who cared if I was being forced to marry another?

"Man, why can't you just introduce her to your parents?” Josh asked practically.

"Do you actually expect that to happen? What do you think they'll do when I introduce her to them? They'll definitely separate us up," I snapped back, my tone acidic.

"So, what are you going to do? Are you saying you're considering keeping her as your mistress?" Rick asked, his eyebrow rising in shock.

"Who in the world is this prospective bride of yours?" CJ demanded, his curiosity raised.

"Oh. her last name is Andal," I mumbled, realizing just how little I really did know. For goodness sake, who knew or cared what her name was?

They regarded one another, their faces twisted into confusion and burgeoning comprehension.

"Andal??! You mean MJ?!!" Rick screamed over the hubbub of the bar.

"Your new lady is MJ?" CJ asked, his eyes bulging.

"Trying to get yourself k*lled?" Rick replied curtly, then, turning to me, he said, "I've been there before, for their parents' anniversary."

"Really? Is she good-looking?" CJ asked, his eyes lighting up with his usual womanizing zest.

"Yeah, she's dazzling. But she looks like a tough chick!" Rick stated, a slight warning edge to his voice.

"Ayy! Damn, well then, good luck, bro," CJ said, clapping my shoulder, which I brushed off, and the other two laughed.

"Where's Josh? Did he get another girl?" I asked.

“Nope, he just went to the bathroom," Rick said.

I sighed, drinking another beer. My friends faded away one by one, lured by the allure of momentary romance, nothing changed. I sat on the sofa alone while amidst the sea of partying. I was after all, a "good boy," being faithful to Karen, the girl deserving of my complete devotion.

"Sh*t!" I cursed as a drink spilled on me, the sticky liquor penetrating my shirt.

"Sir, I'm so sorry! I was pushed by someone," the waiter apologized, pointing to a man who stood nearby.

I stood up, ready to ask for an apology. He was clearly intoxicated, his eyes bloodshot and his legs unsteady.

"What's your problem?" I snarled, my voice deep and menacing.

"M-my p-problem? HAHAHA! NO. NO PROBLEM AT ALL," he muttered, staggering on his feet.

"Babe!"

I stood stock still as I recognized the voice, a familiar sound that I wished every day of my life could hear.

I slowly turned, my heart racing in my chest. "K-Karen?" I asked softly, disbelief rushing over my senses.

"Lyron?" she exclaimed, her face pale with shock.

The inebriated man threw an arm around her, holding her close in a possessive hold.

"Babe, hehe. You're here," he spoke slurring his words viciously through me like a cutting knife.

"K-Karen? K-Karen, what's this? Cheating?" I shouted, shaking, fighting back the tears.

Tears welled in her eyes. "Ly. Let me explain," she pleaded.

‘F*ck! What the hell is this!?’

She reached to grab my hand, but I pulled it away, the pain too recent, too raw.

"Why are you doing this?" I yelled, the noise of the bar only partially covering my anguish. "You know how I love you! Why are you doing this to me?"

"Hon, I'm sorry," she cried, but the words were empty, insignificant.

"K-Karen, Stop doing this to me!" I screamed, my vision blurred by tears.

"Hon, I didn't mean to," she said.

"Who's stupid enough to think about what I saw?" I sneered, a bitter, cold laugh. "I gave you everything! What more did you want? WHAT MORE?"

I could scream till my throat was sore, but the pain wouldn't disappear. The woman I loved, the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, was in this bar, with another man.

"From now on, we're done!" I said to her with my cold voice, poking at her with my finger and then heading off.

I heard her yell out at me but I did not turn. I stumbled out of the bar, my vision blurred, my heart shattered. I had no destination in mind, the pain was too overwhelming. I didn't even notice the rain until it was soaking me, a cold, relentless flood. Was I numb? Or was it the pain? At least the sky was crying with me.

I wandered, lost through a labyrinth of my own emptiness. I was lost, drifting in an infinite expanse.

"Hey!" a voice barked, a woman's voice, harsh and brittle, like that of a street gangster.

"Sorry," I muttered, not taking the trouble to glance at her. My voice was hollow.

"You!" she said, her voice tinged with familiarity. Then the world began to spin. My eyes blurred and I don't know what else happened.