Chapter 04

After a shower, I picked out a simple white shirt and black shorts. I looked into the mirror, studying myself, trying to decide if I looked fairly decent. Like I really cared how I looked, of course. I'm smilingly good-looking.

I caught myself glaring into my mirror, and frustration came sweeping back as memories of last night unfolded. I sighed and dropped down onto the side of the bed.

'Why in the world did she do that?' I hadn't done anything to make her doubt me.

She had even said to me that she believed in me, that I wouldn't cheat on her. And I believed her. I believed she would not go look for someone else. But, before we even were through, she was with someone else. A two-timing cheater.

'Is that how women are these days?'

Three rapid knocks sounded from the other side of my door. I sighed internally, dreading another round of questioning from my mom. But when I opened the door, it was not my womanizing buddies standing there.

"Hey!" CJ said, beaming at me.

"Lyron, my buddy!" Rick chimed in, earning a group cringe from the rest of us.

"If you're here to ask for money, you're out of luck," I said coldly.

"Man, I don't want your money. I've got my own," he snapped back, flipping his hair for dramatic effect.

"So, why are you guys here?" I asked, moving off the subject, opening my room door and coming out.

"Well, your mom called us!" Josh informed me.

I facepalmed, recalling her vow to call them. We walked towards the garden, while CJ and Josh continued to harass Rick, their favorite victim, particularly when he had a new girlfriend.

"Now. let's discuss why you left us last night!" Josh exclaimed, his voice suddenly serious.

I took a deep breath, knowing they already knew the situation. The ensuing silence proved it.

"We saw her too." Josh confessed suddenly. "Days ago. We wanted to tell you, but we knew you wouldn't listen. We thought it was better for you to see it for yourself."

"It just. hurts," I admitted, raking my hand through my hair. "Did I do something wrong? Because if I didn't. why did she do that? Bullsh*t!"

We were alright. We barely had any real fights, just petty arguments that we squabbled over and got over in a flash. So, why? The question reverberated in my brain, not making sense.

"You know, man, don't worry about it. It's over with," Rick said, attempting to be a good friend. "Maybe she wasn't meant for you. Maybe it's the woman you're." he cleared his throat, "meant to marry," he concluded with a flourish.

"If you were not so stupid, you would not say that," I shot back, swatting him on the head.

"Ow!"

"But seriously," Josh started, his voice serious.

"Seriously?" CJ cut in, his eyebrows furrowed.

Josh scowled at him. "I'm serious, dude."

"Okay, okay, go on," I said.

"Who's your best man?" he asked, surprising us all.

"What?! Of course, it's me!" Rick declared, puffing his chest out.

"Are you nuts? I'm his best man," CJ protested.

"You're both crazy. I'm Lyron's best man!" Josh persisted.

"Me!" - Rick.

"Me!" - CJ.

"It's me!" - Josh.

"Quit fighting, you two are silly. Just marry each other and have it out," I interjected, which made them fall quiet.

"See? I said so, Josh," Rick said, jabbing at Josh.

"No, it's you," CJ shot back, jabbing at Rick.

"Yeah, it's you," Josh concurred, jabbing at Rick too.

"Oh, now you're blaming one another? You two are hopeless," I said, shaking my head.

"Wait—we should be asking." Rick started.

"When's the wedding?!" they all chimed in together.

"I don't know?!" I shrugged.

"Ah! You're a useless groom," Rick dismissed with a wave of his hand.

"Hey, look, it's your mom!" CJ said, and we all turned around.

"Hi, Mom!"

"Hello, Aunt Synthia!"

"Good morning, Aunt!"

"Good morning, boys!" my mom smiled back.

"Aunt, when is Lyron's wedding?" Rick asked at once.

"Yeah, so we can decide who's going to be the best man," CJ chimed in.

"Ahmm. actually, I'm here because of that. A while ago, Mrs. Andal called me and told me that MJ doesn't want a wedding," my mom explained, making them quiet down.

"W-what? No wedding? That means." Rick stopped mid-sentence, covering his mouth.

"No best man!" I completed for him.

"Dude, why'd you have to say that? I was trying not to say it," Rick said, shaking his head.

"You're crazy!" CJ said, punching him.

"Ow! You're insane!" Rick replied.

"So, Mom, what's going to happen? Did they cancel the arranged marriage?" I asked, a glimmer of hope in my voice.

"Hmm. No, she said they'll just go ahead with the fixed marriage."

What?

"Why is that?" I demanded, my tone a blend of confusion and a sense of creeping dread. The atmosphere in the living room grew heavy, the silence making the unvoiced fears suspended between us feel more pronounced.

Mom's smile wavered, one sadness-filled shadow gripping the creases around her eyes instead. "I still don't know," she replied softly, as if to apologize. "We'll talk about it when your dad comes home." She hesitated and glanced slowly at the sweeping staircase as if looking for a way out of the painful conversation. "Anyway, I have to take off. I have things to do. Bye, boys!" she declared, the artificial brightness in her voice failing to conceal the hidden sorrow. She turned and went up the stairs, vanishing into the sanctum of her and Dad's room, leaving us in a thick silence.

The sound of her footsteps had hardly dissipated when Josh, the eternal opportunist, made his move. "Fixed marriage? Man, you're seriously getting the bad end of the deal. Your marriage is like a subscription package, you understand? Limited-time offer," he said, attempting a joke, which fell on deaf ears amidst the charged air. He caught a sharp backhand from me, the blow making him jump.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head, his eyes widening in mock outrage.

"You’re being an idiot," I retorted, the tension snapping in my voice. "Can you not be insensitive for one moment?"

CJ, feeling the tension rising, intervened, trying to cool things down. "Come on, bro, I understand. This entire thing is screwed up. But we're not going to fix anything by sitting around here, brooding. Let's leave. Let's go somewhere, anywhere, just to get our heads clear." He flashed a weak smile, a plea in silence.

The thought of being trapped in this house, with the looming shadow of arranged marriage, was claustrophobic. I needed to go out, breathe, and act like everything was normal for a few hours, even if everything seemed to be collapsing around me.

"Let's go," said a voice I had not recognized as mine. I was already standing up, this standing being the clearest manifestation of the sense of hellish air I had just felt. "Anywhere but here."

I took my jacket, the leather chill against my skin, a small solace in the escalating turmoil. CJ and Josh shared a fleeting look, a wordless understanding between them. They knew I required this, this flight from the reality that sought to engulf me.