THE GAMBLE
Kyros looks more scared than confused and shocked. The relationship had barely survived for three months and now it was about to end?
No! He wasn’t willing to let that happen. He looked deep into her eyes that held no remorse for the heavy words she had just spurred out. He was trying to find something, just anything that could point out that she didn’t mean any of what she had just said but there was none. Not a single sign of repentance.
“Listen, Maria. I don’t know what your accusation is about but you could be held accountable for defamation of character, do you know?” he finally said after several attempts to reach up to her high barricades. He rested his left hand on his waist and his left hand was stuck out in an attempt that signifies that he needed an answer.
“I wouldn’t defame you if they weren’t true. As a matter of fact, I am done talking here! There is no ‘us’ anymore,” she insisted and as she turned to walk out on him, Kyros pulled her to his chest aggressively.
She fought hard to free herself from his hold but it was futile as it appeared like he had never missed any day at the gym.
“Get your filthy hands off me!” she yelled as she finally freed herself, stumbling backwards.
“You will tell me the reason for that accusation right now!” he gritted his teeth, trying to stifle the anger that was piercing his chest.
“I have not a single word to say to a murderer!”
“Do not call me that if you have no evidence to back you up! I wouldn’t have you blame me for a felony with just mere words!” he yelled in all masculinity that was enough to make her tremble but she remained unmoved even though his eyes were bloodshot like that of a murderer.
“You are a murderer! A killer and I regret ever opening my mouth to say the words ‘I love you’ to a person like you!” she raised her voice to the maximum level they could reach with her index finger pointing directly at him.
“Do not repeat those words, Maria!”
“You are a mur-” she couldn’t end her words when she felt a heavy slap on her cheeks.
Her eyes were shut with her hand placed on her cheek. Her cheek was red and her mouth was wide open, making several movements that couldn’t be conjoined.
He fucking slapped her!
He looked at her and back at his hands as realization dawned on him. What has he done?! He thought.
“Maria. I’m… I didn’t know what… I just,” he stuttered and then did Maria flicked her eyes open.
She rubbed her cheeks continuously before closing her mouth. She wanted to walk away from him but she decided against it as he patiently waited for her next action and then, with not many thoughts put into it, she landed her hand heavily on his cheek as well.
Even though such an action seems to have no effect on him, she was glad to have at least retaliated.
He stared at her with not a single bit of remorse that he had on his face earlier present anymore. She wasn’t certain what look he had on his face but he was definitely not shocked.
“Now, get the hell out of my house!” she screamed at the top of her voice as though she was going nuts.
He looked at her for a few minutes with thoughts of what exactly had he done or what she had seen to make her refer to him as a murderer. He wanted to say some words but the look on her face made him decide against it.
“I’ll be gone!” he said before rubbing on his cheeks and smirking. He walked out of her apartment with the smirk still painted on his blushed face.
She sank onto the sofa as hot tears were struggling to spill but she fought them back as she rested her head, blinking multiple times. She held her chest as she sniffed without interruptions.
She shut her eyes for a few seconds before opening them. She stood up from the sofa, carrying the groceries and arranging them all in their places.
She felt more than exhausted as she walked to her room, dragging her feet on the floor. She lay on the bed and before she could stop herself, her tears were streaming down her cheeks as if they had a mind of their own.
She sobbed loudly as she tried to muffle her noises in between her tears but she failed. She cried for as long as her eyes were willing to bring tears and soon, she welcomed the unsummoned sleep that consumed her whole.
Reid checked the time non-stop to keep up. Even though he had said he wasn’t going to hang out with his friends, he still didn’t think sitting back at home while Maria and Kyros were having the best time together was a good idea so he decided to grace the bar with his presence.
He dressed casually in a T-shirt and black pants that complimented his butt more seductively. He completed the look with a choker gold chain and a cologne. He brushed his backwards and left some strands to stand straight on his head, though a few strands fell to his forehead.
He checked the mirror and stretched his mouth into a smile line and adjusted it back to its normal form before walking out.
Just as he stepped out, he saw Kyros’ car zoom off. He looked at it and thought for a minute to probably go on to Maria since she was alone now but his egoistical self wouldn’t let him.
He walked to his car instead, calling Des to make sure the other friends were present there and not to waste his time and soon, he drove off.
The bar remained in its usual form, quiet. Not necessarily a term to be used for a so-called ‘bar’ but it was more like a bar made for just them than for the majority.
It had very few people in there who were obviously the quiet type. They were either just drinking and weirdly staring at each other or they were chatting and looking around respectfully.
He walked up the stairs to their usual spot where they always sat and there he could sight his friends who were already engrossed in their talks with drinks on the table.
He walked closer to them and smiled before speaking.
“It had been 100 years or more since I saw you. Or, was it more,” he teased Damien as they shook hands with a bro-hug, causing Damien to laugh out loud before sitting.
“It was during the regency era if I’m correct,” Tristan answered instead as he did the greeting with him and Reid laughed at his humour.
“Tell me, Des is either in the rest room or hiding somewhere,” Reid said.
“Man’s not here yet,” Tristan answered before taking a sip of his drink.
“I told the motherfucker before now,”
“Sheesh. You know he’s never on time. You look so fresh though,” Damien commented with a smile and Reid rubbed his beards.
“You think so?”
“Man, we’re sure so,” Tristan retorted.
“Tell us, you got the game?” Tristan inquired with all enthusiasm.
“What game? Believe me, I forgot it all!”
“What?” Damien looked over at Tristan.
“He’s pulling the same shit he pulled when we were in college. You need to man up to your game, for real!” Tristan said. He seems a little upset.
“You think I’d be wasting my time if I knew? I really don’t have much time for that!” he said as he took Damien’s drink, gulping it down without minding how strong its content was.
“The gamble,” Des said behind them as he walked up closer to where they were sitting.
“We needed a little more suspense before telling him, Des!” Damien said, looking at him as he sat.
“He clearly does not have time for that,” he answered, smiling at Reid who looked just as confused as anyone who was in his situation would be.
“I thought we were ranchers, not gamblers!”
“You lack the smallest sense of humour, Reid. Don’t force it!” Tristan said, a little more irritated than before.
“Listen, guys. You just have to tell me whatever the fuck you’re talking about.
“I’ll take it on myself to explain to him, guys. Do give up yet,” Damien chipped in.
“Thank you!” Reid muttered.
“A few months ago, you weren’t so drunk, I guess when you spoke about a lady to us and how much you’d like to have her. I think her name was Mary or Margret. What we did was make a bet on the ranch house to be either yours or ours if you won her as yours in less than, I think two months or something,”
“Yeah, yeah. Two months and you promised to never fuck this up like Amanda’s. We never fucked ours up. So, fill us in,” Tristan added.
Reid looked stunned and confused. He couldn’t vividly place when this happened but he had just known for a fact that he had made a bet on Maria. A lady he believes to love so much.