April Loves Black Coffee: First Impressions

by Solangel, T. B.

  Lina trembles behind me. “. . . May.”

  “I’ll help you.” I turn to her momentarily. I got this Lina. Please don’t freak out or I’ll fall apart too. “It’s ok. We don’t need to get violent. Right?”

  “You’re right.” Mayhem’s eyes level and sweep over my body. A shock runs through me with the understanding that he is checking me out. “We don’t need to be violent.”

  “That’s right.” I can hardly get the words of agreement out. Stay strong May. Don’t let the attractive looks shake you. My intuition is shaking in her boots. You’re in deep shit now.

  “So prove you’re associated with Crist.” Mayhem sits back languidly in his chair.

  “Humph.” Danny’s disbelieving scoff sounds in my ear.

  I look around the room, weary of the intense attention and scrutiny. The bottom of my throat feels as if it is going to drop. Every Mayhem member, including Mayhem himself, is waiting for me. They are all waiting for me to slip up and falter. It is similar to swimming in the ocean with sharks. They are circling me, waiting for the right moment to strike because they can smell blood in the water now.

  I have no other choice but to see my lie to the very end. My hands shake as I reach into the back pocket of my jeans.

  After looking at the diamond-encrusted necklace this morning, I inadvertently took it with me. I have developed the embarrassing habit of carrying it on my body every Saturday since I met Choi Sangwoo. Never in my wildest dreams have I imagined the necklace would come in handy this way.

  “Is this proof enough?” I place the necklace on the dining table.

  Danny’s eyes narrow as the necklace transfers from my hands to the table. Almost immediately, as though it is a contaminated object, Danny steps away from Lina and retreats to Mayhem’s side.

  That’s right. Run back to your Boss! My conscience is doing an early victory dance.

  Mayhem is looking at the face of the necklace. He doesn’t touch it, but Mayhem’s reserved facial expression acknowledges the necklace’s authenticity. The diamond-encrusted necklace is the only type of jewelry that Choi Sangwoo wears on his body.

  “What is your name?” Mayhem’s eyes roll back up to my face. The muscles on his jaw clench together. If possible, his face becomes more unapproachable.

  Shit. What have I gotten myself into? “May,” I answer. Why am I whispering? I am sure I am not the only one Mayhem makes whisper. The thought stops me in my tracks. I should have said my name is Slicer or Blood. May doesn’t scare anyone.

  “Crist doesn’t have any members, associates, or affiliates with such a name,” Mayhem retorts quickly. He narrows his eyes at me. There is something guarded behind those eyes. Mayhem is all business and he doesn’t take any bullshit from anyone. I see something in him that I do not find in Choi Sangwoo. This gang lord is much more relentless and every bit of a control freak.

  “Where did you get this necklace?” Mayhem demands again.

  “I told you, I’m associated with him,” I reply, every single lie drips from my tongue. I have to stand my ground. I am a bit brave after seeing the expressions change on every single Mayhem member.

  “Watch your tone little girl,” Danny growls with a low threat. “This necklace doesn’t protect you from us.”

  “Then why haven’t you killed me?” It is a bold statement, but I am beyond angered by the acts of unreasonable violence. “If you don’t care that I’m associated with Crist, why haven’t you made something of your empty threats?”

  “You bitch!” Danny spits as he advances toward me.

  “Danny,” Mayhem calls his name. It stops Danny in his tracks. He reminds me of an impulsive child who consistently needs reminding. Far from a father figure, however, Mayhem awards Danny with a cautionary look. Then the gang lord addresses me in a crass tone. Mayhem states clearly, “The reason why we are hesitating to do away with you is because we’re conducting business. You must think every gang and division is the same. But we’re not aggressive pack dogs that go in for the kill for reputation. We’re aggressive pack dogs to run a society far greater than your understanding.”

  I swallow a thread of fear lodged in my throat. Mayhem’s explanation sounds like the echoes of Sangwoo’s words.

  I expect more questions about Crist, but Mayhem gestures toward the necklace. “Put it away. You don’t want to lose it if you run into another rival of Choi Sangwoo’s.”

  Slowly, I pick up the necklace and place it inside my pocket. Lina nudges me to sit down.

  “So, how do you suppose you will help them pay back their debt, my reputation, and my pride?” Mayhem’s hands clasp together as though he finds this amusing. “Within the next week?”

  “It doesn’t matter how, just as long as I do. Right?” Now that I have the couple of seconds to gather myself together and overcome the shock of speaking to him, I ask the question with greater purpose. “Within the next week, I can get you thirty thousand dollars. As for your reputation and your pride, I’ll think of something, but I can’t guarantee anything intangible like that. Money can’t buy that.”

  For a high-intensity period, Mayhem stares at me. He is gauging me, determining whether my words are promises or bluffs. Stealthily, Mayhem leans forward in his seat with unexpected grace. “Who are you?”

  Dumbfounded, I can only stare back at him with a blank expression. I don’t know whether I should tell him my whole life’s story or give him the reader’s digest. I end up giving him the most intelligent answer I can muster. “I’m May. I’m Lina’s cousin.”

  “And you would do this for your . . . cousin?” Mayhem questions with an even tone. “You would sign your life away to pay off a debt that your cousin is responsible for? You would sign yourself away to save your cousin who was foolish enough to borrow from me?”

  “Wouldn’t you?” I ask in return, proving to be more than weak sauce. “If your friends,” I pause to gesture towards the group of men surrounding him, “needed your help, I’m sure you would the same.”

  “Actually, I wouldn’t,” Mayhem disagrees vehemently. “These men are not my friends.” He gestures toward them. “That’s the difference between you and me. So I would advise you to stop making assumptions about me, or anyone else that you meet for that matter.”

  My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. Jeez, I take it back. You’re a jerk. A good-looking jerk.

  Mayhem surveys my facial expression as he waits for another response from me. Noting my silence, Mayhem keeps his eyes on me as he motions for Danny. “Fair enough. I’ll let you play superwoman and help your friends. I would be a fool to say no to someone who wants to pay me back my money.”

  I step back as Danny picks up the piece of paper in front of Spyder. He transfers it over to my side of the table. I’ve been too focused on Mayhem and the entire situation to notice its frailty on the glass table. Now that the paper is front of me, the magnitude of what I have promised begins sinking in.

  “Sign and date.” Mayhem gestures toward the piece of paper. “By signing, you agree to co-sign for the thirty thousand. Since you are the third party, you are collateral at the end of the week if the terms of the contract are incomplete. I would advise you to read the terms and conditions carefully before you sign, but seeing that you are a member of Crist you should have no qualms. Thirty thousand is really nothing at all, but it is the principle you see.”

  I stare at him, out of breath and at a loss for words. Gang lord and rich snob. But my intuition is too busy ogling at him to make a decision yet.

  “Saturday night, at approximately seven o’clock, you will have the money for me. The location will be determined later. A black vehicle will pick you up to transfer the money to my personal accountant. Thirty thousand dollars cash,” Mayhem adds with a harsh tone.

  “Sign.” At the end of Mayhem’s words, Danny extracts a ballpoint pen from inside his vest pocket. Danny makes sure my eyes are following the pen when he places it on top of the paper.

  “May.” Lina
tugs at my arm.

  “It’s fine, Lina. I’ll help you.” I try my best to reassure my cousin. The brave face I am putting on is faltering as the seconds tick by. I can kick and fight like my cousin or I can figure a way out of this. I am in too deep to back out now. There is no way Mayhem and his men will let us leave without a guarantee.

  Spyder keeps quiet in the corner of the room. Lina is chewing on her bottom lip. I avoid Mayhem’s piercing gaze.

  Just get it over with. I pick up the pen and compose my signature on the contract. My eyes scan it, but nothing stands out except for Lina and Spyder’s name with the amount of money they owe. Their signatures, along with dark blotches are already on the paper. The contract is professionally articulate; the amount of legal jargon and context parades the entire piece of paper. It will take a day to read all of it, but the main stipulations are there.

  Just as I finish the last letter on my signature, Danny’s quick hand takes the paper from me. Then, with speed that rivals lightening, Danny extracts the pen from my hand and a small blade juts out. It is too fast for me to see, but Danny nearly slices my right index finger with the point. A droplet of blood falls onto the piece of paper.

  “Ow!” I jerk my hand back in pain. Son-of-a-bitch! He cut me!

  “Thank you for your cooperation.” Danny flicks the pen into the air, catches it, and then proceeds to tuck into his suit.

  Without another word, in a simultaneous manner, the chairs around the dining room table groan as their occupants leave. Mayhem is the first one to stand from his seat. At his height of what must have been at least six-feet, he states simply, “I hope you are better at paying debts than your cousin.”

  I can really get violent right now. I press my thumb against my palm. The pain is throbbing. I bite my lower lip to prevent myself from crying aloud. The look in my eyes must surprise Mayhem because a cool look crosses his face.

  “You people are so cruel,” I mutter. All the pent up tension and anguish unleashes. “Do you enjoy serving people death sentences?”

  Mayhem raises an eyebrow at me. Shit. Don’t piss the attractive gang lord off. My conscience is not on my side at the moment. Behind Mayhem’s devastatingly handsome face is a force to be reckoned with.

  “Your innocence is humbling.” Mayhem surprises me with his answer. His eyes are burning with such intensity that I naturally shy from the heat.

  What does that mean? I find my tongue in knots again. This man is the complete opposite of the way he looks. How can such a contrast be probable? There’s no ounce of sweetness or willingness to compromise.

  “Just focus on the debt. You have no idea exactly how much I revel in other people’s miseries. You have seven days.” Without lingering, Mayhem proceeds out of the dining room. His men follow in a line with complete unison. Then, he pauses at the threshold of the dining room. Mayhem looks over his shoulders at me. His stunning profile contrasts his sarcastic nuance. “Please give Choi Sangwoo my regards.”

  Then, he is gone.

  “See you!” Danny approaches Spyder on his way out. Before anyone can stop him, Danny draws the same pen straight across the right side of Spyder’s cheek. The sharp blade marks Spyder’s skin.

  “Ow!” Spyder howls in pain as the cut nearly splits his cheek open.

  “No! Stop!” Lina pushes Danny away. But the damage is done.

  Danny steps back with an amused expression on his face. He watches Lina’s reaction with an indescribable expression his face. “Isn’t love amazing? Even after all the shit he’s putting you through, you still care.” He tucks the pen inside his suit and moves away from Lina and Spyder. Mohawk follows Danny out with a fiendish grin.

  “See you next week little girl. You better have the money or I’ll cut both sides of your cheek like little Spyder over there.” Danny winks at me as Mohawk’s laughter trails behind him.

  A loud commotion erupts as they destroy furniture in their wake.

  “Are you okay?” Lina sobs as she unties Spyder from his chair.

  “I’m sorry baby. I’m so sorry!” Spyder weeps in her arms.

  I stand frozen in time by my chair, essentially ignoring Lina and Spyder’s reunion. I stare at Mayhem’s vacant seat. An indescribable feeling comes over me. I don’t have money anywhere near the amount of thirty thousand dollars. Did I just make the biggest mistake of my life? As though the answer is right in front of me, I stare down at the prickling sensation of where Danny extracted blood from my hand. My finger continues to bleed, the pool of blood drips from one end to the other.

  Without thinking, I run from the dining room. Impulsive! my conscience hisses.

  “May! Where are you going?!” Lina shouts behind me.

  I have no idea what I am doing. I don’t know what I am going to say when I catch up to him, but I have to speak with Mayhem. I can’t stomach the idea of what he stands for and the kind of power he exerts over us. I have to make Mayhem understand that I am not playing the hero for my cousin and her boyfriend. I am going to help them out of the goodness of my heart because I am a genuinely good person. Since I am the third party, I need more time than a week to get the money. I need Mayhem to understand that.

  A burst of desperation comes over me as I pick up my pace and run out of the dining room, through the shallow hallway, and to the front door.

  “Wait!” By the time I reach the front door, Mayhem and his men are descending the front steps of Spyder’s house.

  An unforgettable sense of dread and unfamiliar fear grips me. Just as I gather one last drop of courage to go after him, the sound of a ferocious engine raids the entire neighborhood. In unison, Mayhem’s men flank his side in a protective manner. Mayhem, however, doesn’t move an inch as his eyes narrow at the incoming car. He’s not affected by sudden disruptions and surprises.

  The incoming car is a black Mercedes, the one with the identification of GL Amg SUV. If my father weren’t such a vehicle enthusiast when I was younger, the hefty car would mean nothing to me. It also helps that these types of cars are extremely rare on the road, especially since this particular one has a yellow tail.

  The distinctive vehicle climbs the slope to Spyder’s house in a steady manner. The car comes to a complete stop in front of the gate. The door to the driver’s side opens with a soft click. The driver steps out of the car and leans against its hood. He touches the dark sunglasses at the tip of his nose; his distinctive black hair glints underneath the late evening sun. The visitor adorns a familiar smile as he surveys Mayhem.

  “No,” I whisper when I realize who the driver is. “It can’t be.” I told you so! My intuition is doing a victory dance complete with a hula skirt. Life continues despite my airtight, frozen response.

  “What are you doing here?” Mayhem’s tone is punitive. His demeanor inside Spyder’s house was less hostile and aggressive than at the moment. Mayhem turns his head slightly, giving his opponent the notion he is only half-interested.

  “You’re a hard man to track down, Jaewon,” the driver replies with conviction. He pays no attention to the fact that Mayhem’s men have formed a human barrier around him. More Mayhem members step out of the awaiting SUV.

  Jaewon . . . is that Mayhem’s real name? Hmm, he does look like a Jaewon. My intuition purses her lips together as she gives the attractive gang lord another look over.

  “All you have to do is call me, Sangwoo,” Mayhem remarks with contrived sarcasm. “You don’t have to chase me all over town. But it is flattering that you took the time out of your busy schedule to catch me at a meeting.”

  Choi Sangwoo.

  Thoughts and questions fire inside my mind like uncontrollable fireworks. Choi Sangwoo, the Crist member who sporadically entered my life last week, is now standing only a few feet away challenging a rival gang leader. The contrast of the poor man, who tried drinking away his emotional pain for someone and the confident rugged appearance now, juxtaposes a black and white canvas. All this time, I thought Sangwoo was a gang member. Never would I have b
een able to fathom, without the help of reality, that Choi Sangwoo is actually the leader of Crist. There goes another gang myth debunked.

  “Don’t play games with me Jaewon.” Now, Sangwoo is shaking his head at Mayhem. The tone in his voice marks dark humor. “You and I both know that if I don’t track you down, you would never come to me. Then, we’d go on to one violent stand off to the next. You enjoy promoting the hostility and propaganda. What happened last night in Busan is a prime example. It’s all over the news, Jaewon. It’s unbearably embarrassing.”

  “Well then, the solution is simple, isn’t it? Why don’t you tell your minions not to provoke my members when they are out and about?” Mayhem replies with a stern emphasis. He remains relentless and unstoppable. “My members have every right to defend themselves last night. You and I are both in the leader seats, we always choose our men above anyone else. This is protocol, nothing personal, you understand?”

  The tint of dark humor slips from Choi Sangwoo’s demeanor. His eyes grow murky at Mayhem’s lack of participation. While Mayhem is a leader who enjoys striking fear in others, Sangwoo appears more forgiving and willing to negotiate. However, Sangwoo’s willingness to make conversation with Mayhem dwindles like quick sand. The more Mayhem struggles, the more Sangwoo’s patience thins.

  “Last warning, Yoon Jaewon, stay out of my territory. Busan is mine. You want to poison your men with thoughts about me and what I stand for, that’s fine. But if you think you, or any of the ingrates you have groveling at your feet, can touch a Crist member one more time you will pay in full. This time, it won’t just be national news. It will be in the international press. I am sure the Boss will be happy about that. And we both know who he favors.” At the end of Sangwoo’s threat, he points at Danny is watching with silent aggression. “Point that gun at me and you will answer to Crist.”

  “The Bible banned me a long time ago Sangwoo,” Danny snaps back. “You were one of the first demons God kicked off the clouds, so I suggest you stop with the threats.”