I stormed out of the duplex with grief and another stinging feeling – anger.
What am I angry at? Why am I even angry?
His reaction to the discovery of my crazy love was understandable. After all, he was my father’s best friend, and he was far older than me.
But I couldn’t help but still feel this way.
Angry at him for rejecting me.
Angry at myself for being so careless. Maybe I forgot to lock the door to my room or misplaced my diary somewhere around the house and that’s how he found it.
I held back the tears in my eyes and ran out of the premises. I hailed a cab and slumped into the passenger’s seat, trying to calm down the daunting emotions clouding me, but it was difficult to compose myself.
Another tear escaped my eyes again, but I quickly wiped it off, burying the pain underneath me, and yet it continued to surface.
To distract myself, I dipped my hand into my purse and took out my phone to call Helen.
The time was eight fifty, the birthday party would be starting soon, and I hadn’t arrived yet. Helen might be thinking I was planning to skip her party.
I snivelled before placing the phone on my ear. “Hello, Helen…”
“Hey, I thought you forgot about my party, aren’t you coming? Where the heck are you?” Her boisterous voice echoed in my ears. I usually would be upset by the way she yelled on the phone, but this time around, my heart still felt the impact of his cruel rejection, not letting me be my typical self.
“I’m coming, Helen, are you at home or are you already at the club?”
“I’m at the Night club and almost everyone has arrived, are you close by?” The volume of her voice decreased a bit.
“Yes, I’m close,” I said, and she responded almost immediately. “Be quick, okay, I don’t want you missing out on any fun.”
I ended the call and shoved my phone into my purse. My eyes were still welled up, so I cleanly wiped them off with a handkerchief and straightened up on the seat.
A few distances from the Nightclub, I spotted Helen at the entrance, with her green spaghetti dress leaning on the wall, with Lucy seemingly waiting for my arrival.
Immediately, I stepped out of the cab, Helen grabbed me and hurriedly led me inside after instructing Lucy to help me pay for the ride.
“Walk faster.” she urged me, desperation evident in her voice, which made me wonder what she has in store for me at her party. Whatever it is, I don’t care; at the moment, I was too dejected to rack my brains to figure it out.
She took me upstairs and guided me out of the crowd to an uncongested area, more like a private suite for VIPs. She led me inside a room and closed the door behind us.
“Sarah, you don’t look excited, it’s so unlike you,” she said, her eyes wandering all over me.
I raised my shoulder in a careless shrug and sat on the king-size bed.
My hand aimlessly grazed on the bed sheet. Yeah, something is gonna happen tonight in the room. It looks like Vincent is planning on effing my best friend as a partying gift.
Unlucky me who got rejected without being given a chance to say ‘I love you.’
“Are you okay?” Helen’s face wrinkled with concern. “What’s going on in your mind?” She sat beside me, extending her hand to reach a silver dress lying on the sofa opposite us.
I sighed, composing myself. “I’m okay, just had a bad evening. I’m sure the party will elevate my mood, maybe.”
She stared at me for a while. I thought she wanted to press on with her questions, but instead, she snapped out of her gaze and tossed the sparkling dress in my face. “Come on, put this on quick, the party has started,” she said, clapping her hands with urgency.
I sluggishly stood and unzipped the jeans I was wearing and changed into the outfit. She dropped silver heels on the bed and walked towards the door. “Come out quickly, I’ll be waiting at the bar.”
I hummed a response and put on the heels. I looked at the mirror; my long hair was let loose, styling it myself might take a while. Not ready for the battle of taming it. I applied light make-up and bailed out of the room.
While I approached the heated area of the club, the piercing sound of the stereo banged into my ears, and what annoyed me most was the song the DJ was playing at the moment, ‘Crazy Love.’
Painfully, my crazy love was rejected, all right.
I huffed and rushed down the stairs trying to contain my anger.
As my feet plunked on the floor, a particularly dark brown-eyed man shot his gaze at me. “Can I accompany you, sexy? Your plump boob looks like it needs a massage.”
I rolled my eyes, turning to the dirty talker. “I didn’t bring a board with me stating I’m a hooker,” I spat rudely, attempting to walk to the bar ahead, but he grabbed my arm.
‘Fucking shit, someone wants to die today. If I’m merciful, he might go home with a swollen dick’.
“Come on, have fun with me, baby.” His grip tightened on my arm.
“Take your dirty hand off me, stinker.” I yelled, trying to pull away from his grasp.
He chuckled, amused by my sharp tongue, and if he gets me fucked up, my sharp teeth will sink into him.
A grin was plastered on his face as he drew me closer, licking his dry lips.
I glared at him and in response and he burst into an annoying laughter.
I was getting riled up. I felt like taking out my anger on this motherfucker.
Just as I was about to show the bastard the girl power, Vincent showed up out of nowhere and intervened.
“I’ll throw you out of here if you don’t let her go,” he warned, his face serious, shooting daggers at him.
“Hey, hey, don’t get upset over this. I was just taunting her,” he chuckled, letting go of my hand.
I hissed and walked away, leaving the both of them without thanking Vincent. Not that I care.
“Sarah, over here,” Helen’s voice made me realize I had walked past the bar going to the dance floor. I veered back to the counter and immediately ordered from the bartender.
“A cocktail, a very strong one.”
Lucy, who was standing beside me, widened her eyes. “Woah, Sarah, are you preparing for war tonight?”
Helen chuckled and peered at my face. “Don’t you want to tell me what got you all upset?”
I ignored the both of them, tapping my tinted nails vigorously on the counter.
“Sarah,” Helen called me, and I shot her a sharp gaze. “Just allow me space, okay? Isn’t that what you wanted? I want to have fun.”
Yeah, fun with my heartbreak… I scoffed at my own words and collected the glass of alcohol from the bartender.
“Enjoy,” he said, flashing me a smile.
I smiled tersely. “That’s what I’m planning to do.”
The two girls watched me down two glasses of cocktail before Helen left, fed up with my moodiness, leaving Lucy to watch over me.
I plunked the glass on the counter, a bit tipsy from the strong liquor I consumed. I was just getting started. I began to let out all my pent-up frustration, chugging more glasses of cocktails until my vision blurred.
“MORE!”