Cheated Love

by Kris Buendía

  I sit in the bed and see Agatha sitting in the sofa, Moe sitting in the carpet almost asleep and Dixon sitting in the edge of the bed.

  “Good morning beautiful” Dixon says to me smiling” Even though I must say that it is eight o'clock at night, a good time to get out of bed and eat something, what do you thing Agatha, maybe dancing as well?

  “I was just about to say the same thing.”

  They make me cry a few tears and I cover my face with my hands. I must look pathetic right now. But again, they are here and I must not only be strong for them but for myself.

  “I hope you have cried enough, Lana. Because we are not going to let you stay here locked up, you are going to move your ass and get in the shower then we are going to have dinner and as Dixon said we are going dancing and we will remind you that you are still young, beautiful and prosper.”

  “Don´t forget hot as well” Moe mumbles.

  “And hot” Agatha says as she rolls her eyes.

  I don't know what to say but to do as they tell me to.

  “I hope that one week locked up in here has been enough for you” Dixon says.

  “How did you get in? “ I ask.

  “With the key” Moe answers.

  “I´m the only one with a key.”

  “No” Dixon says raising his hand “We all have keys, we knew that you were going to lock yourself up and whimper away so, we made copies for each of us so we could come and rescue you when the time came, but don`t worry, they are only for emergencies.”

  I can't believe it. I have the best friends in the world, or the weirdest ones, I don't know, but I agree with both.

  After a long hot shower, the last thing I want is to look myself in the mirror, but I do.

  Bags under my eyes.

  Skinny as hell.

  Lifeless.

  “Nothing that a little makeup can't fix” Agatha says as she enters the walking closet “You are going to wear some tight black jeans, with that new figure you are going to look amazing. I am going to your jewelry box, we need a long necklace, and don't forget the boots and jacket before you go.”

  “Wow, you think of everything, you must have been a stylist or personal assistant in your past life, because best friend you already are.”

  “No, but I will be yours from now on.”

  Once I finish getting my long brown hair ready into little waves that the bed has already done for me, I reunite with the guys in the living room.

  “I´m ready, now I just hope that the food is worth getting out of bed for.”

  “You look stunning” Moe says as he takes my hand and spins me around “See, I told you guys to not forget how hot she is.”

  Dixon gifts me with a smile and hands me his arm. The four of us get out of the apartment and onto the elevator. Something inside me says to turn around. I am no longer wearing converse or a ponytail. But I fail because my so not mysterious neighbor is not getting out of his apartment.

  “Are you waiting for somebody? “ Dixon asks.

  “Eh, no it´s just…”

  “She is into her neighbor” Agatha interrupts me.

  “Is that true, Lana?” Moe asks me.

  “Then” Moe takes a brief pause “Do you like his back?”

  We all laugh our asses off.

  “You are such idiots.”

  We get to The Club, that’s the name, after we made a quick stop for pizzas and beer. Who would have said that I would do something like this? The weekends were always the time for some important diners with Gabe`s partners, nothing of romantic dates and even less fun times.

  “Stop thinking about the “one who shall not be named”“ says Agatha.

  “One that shall not be named?” I laugh “Ok, I'm not thinking about him precisely, I`m thinking that I will have fun tonight as never before.”

  “Well, in that case” Moe waves to the waiter and he walks over to our table “A bottle of the finest thing you have.”

  “ Right away, sir.”

  The night is slow but fun. I have nothing to worry about. I am having the best time with my friends. And as soon as the song “Lush Life” by Larsson comes on, I start moving like a maniac.

  “You are the bomb!” Says Dixon moving next to me “I didn't know you could move like that.”

  “Beware then.

  Dixon and Moe are dancing next to me and Agatha in front of me, we are the once that are having the best time of our lives and it shows because the DJ repeats the song. And we still are grooving to it without any issues.

  “Tell Ridge to come and join us” I say to Agatha “When was the last time that you danced with him in a place like this?”

  She thinks it over for a minute.

  “I forget, are you sure you don't mind?”

  “Don´t be silly, go on and call him.”

  She gives me a kiss in the cheek and goes to the ladies bathroom to call her husband. I'm a bit jealous, they really do deserve each other. Moe goes back to the bar to order more drinks while Dixon and I stay dancing.

  “I know you are going through a rough time, but I have something really important to tell you.”

  “About what? “ We are almost screaming at each other because the music is so loud.

  “It´s nothing important, well in fact it is, but really it's just nothing.”

  “Come on, say it.”

  Dixon moves and looks at me dead in the eyes, then he checks that Moe is still in the bar.

  “It´s about the “mystery” regarding the person I like.

  Oh, shit.

  No fucking way.

  No, no, no.

  Am I the mystery woman that Dixon is in love with? He just said it. I`m going through a really difficult time and he waited for us to be alone to talk about it. Fuck, I can't do that to my best friend, I don't see him in that light.

  I can't handle this right now.

  At this time I am capable of marrying my best friend so as to not break his heart. And that would really be a foolish thing because I would become a swindler. Thinking about it I better just evade the subject.

  “Hey Moe!” I scream to him as he comes nearer “I`m going to the ladies room to check on Agatha, look after Dixon.”

  Out of the corner of my eye I can see that Dixon is really nervous. I know he realized that I was evading the subject. I go running to the ladies room but I see that Agatha is not there. She must have gone outside to meet Ridge, so I go to the door but I can't see her anywhere. People are bumping into each other and myself as they come in, then I realize I am blocking the door, so I go back inside unsuccessful.

  When I get back to our table, I just see Moe, no sign of Dixon or Agatha.

  “Where are the others?”

  He seems worried about something.

  “Eh, Dixon left, he seems to have had an emergency at the hospital, he told me to tell you.”

  That´s a lie. But I'm not going to say anything. I just hope that Moe doesn`t know about the feelings that Dixon has for me, I will talk to him about it later, in the meanwhile, I just hope he is ok. I decided to send him a message thru WhatsApp.

  Are you ok?

  Yes, don´t worry. I had to come to the hospital, I don't think I will be long. As soon as I am done, I´m going home.

  I'm sorry, are you sure you are ok?

  Yes, gorgeous.

  We will talk later about that thing you wanted to tell me.

  No worries, it was just a silly thing. I have to go. Talk to you later.

  Shit. I really mess everything up.

  “Did Dixon say anything?” Moe's question surprised me.

  “No, he told me the same thing he told you, he had something to do in the hospital.”

  “Guys!” Agatha finally appears “I think this party is going to end up in my house, if you know what I mean.”

  Agatha and Ridge can´t take their ha
nds off each other. They look so adorable together, as if the just got married. Moe and I smile.

  “I hope you have a good time” He says to them.

  “Are you sure you are going to be ok? “ He asks me.

  “Yes, I'm about to go home. I really appreciate what you guys did for me tonight.”

  Once Agatha left, Moe and I stayed but he didn't say a word to me.

  “Are you mad at me?” I break the silence.

  “What? No, sorry. I was just lost in thought, thinking about how Agatha is so happy, you just got your heart broken and look at me, just moments ago I had girl willing to blow me in the bathroom but I said no.”

  “Why?” I'm surprised that he turned down the offer.

  “Because it's your night, I told her that we came here to celebrate and I told her that the only one that would enjoy herself would be you.”

  I hug him and kiss his whole face.

  “You are an idiot.”

  “Yeah, well, let’s dance and finish our drink.”

  And that's what we do. We drink and dance a few more songs. A few hours go by and the clock says it's midnight. Moe seems really tired.

  “If you want to go home just go, I'll be fine. You look desperate for something, go get it, I think I need some time alone.”

  “I will not leave you alone.”

  “I´m not even drunk” Yet.

  Moe thinks it over for a minute. I do appreciate that my promiscuous best friend turned down a good random blow job, but I know him and I know that he is not the type to go home alone.

  “Ok, but call me when you get home.”

  “Yes Dad.”

  He kisses me in the forehead and leaves, he looks over his shoulder and I wave goodbye. I start looking around I realize I'm the only person on this side of the club. As I think about it a bit, I decide to go directly to the bar since there are a few stools empty.

  “A margarita please” I think about it for a second “No, better yet a tequila shot please.”

  The guy smiles at me and says:

  “Good thinking.”

  So now is a good time to start and finish once and for all with the mourning about being scammed.

  CHAPTER

  SIX

  One hour later, five tequila´s in and a lot of crying.

  “So, he left you?”

  The guy at the bar, his name is Justin, has been listening to my pathetic story for over an hour. I´ve told him my life´s story. And I think I have more than one spectator listening in.

  “Noooo… I left him” I babble “I left our house…without any suitcase or jewelry, I just left…and now, I have the best apartment in one of the biggest skyscrapers in town, a new closet full of new clothes and I'm enjoying being single, here with you. Am I pathetic?”

  “No…”

  “Yes” Says a voice right next to me.

  I hadn’t realized that for a few minutes now, a man was sitting next to me drinking a glass of whiskey. I know because it is almost full still in his hands.

  “I`m sorry?” I say straight to his face and he keeps looking away” I have my own therapist here on this side, so go and find your own.

  The guy, Justin, laughs at my insolence but says nothing.

  “More ice, sir?”

  “I think he has enough” I keep on mocking him.

  “Says the expert” He answers back roughly which makes me mad.

  “Let`s see… Dr. Love, since you have interrupted my therapy session, tell me why I'm pathetic.”

  The idiot turns around and Fuck! I shouldn't have scolded him, or maybe I should thank my big mouth for doing so. The doctor man or idiot doesn't have a face, on the contrary. He has left me speechless, his green or blue eyes, I´m not sure because I didn't take the time to look carefully because…Shit! I can't stop looking at his lips, they are so…kissable.

  He touches his messy light colored hair, almost blond and stares directly at me.

  “You`ve gone speechless” He takes a sip of his drink and continues “You are pathetic from the moment you are alone, in a bar late at night telling your life to a stranger, without even fearing the fact that somebody might hear you. I take it back, you are not only pathetic, you are irresponsible, because you are pretty drunk, which is more dangerous to others than to yourself.”

  I'm going to kill him.

  “What the fuck do you know? Have you been swindled by love?”

  “If I have been what?”He seems confused.

  “ SWINDLED.”

  “By who?”He asks again.

  “By who else, Love!”

  He looks at Justin and smiles mockingly.

  “How can that be?”

  I sigh, drink his drink because I've drank all of my tequila. He allows me to and puts his hand in his chin. A beautiful chin with a dimple, I wish I could bit it, but if I do I'm sure he will call the cops on me.

  “Easy, they break your heart.”

  Now he takes the drink out of my hand and takes a zip. He looks like he is analyzing my explanation and nods, he places the drink back in my hand.

  “Well, I've also been swindled” He confesses.

  “Really?” I open my mouth a bit too much.

  I hear him laugh his ass off and with that I close the matter for the night. I pay Justin for my drink and for Dr. Love´s drink as well. As I´m about to get up from my stool somebody moves the floor.

  “You are moving my floor, Dr. Idiot.”

  Now the one that is laughing his ass off is Justin, who returns to his work on the other side of the bar.

  “Crazy lady” He whispers.

  When I want to start walking, I stumble with my on feet and the bully stops me.

  “I told you were a danger.”

  “Stop moving the floor and let go off me Dr. Weird.”

  “My name is Duncan if you ask, so you can leave doctors alone, they are surely not of any specialty you have invented in your head.”

  “I´m not interested in knowing you, Dr. DON'T MESS WITH WHAT YOU DON'T CARE.”

  “Are you always like this? “ He asks, still holding me by the waist.

  “Stubborn? “ I guess.

  “Apart from stubborn, you are beautiful and funny.

  “Are you trying to pick me up right now?

  “Pick you up? “ Now he is offended” What are you twenty that you are using those word? What I would do is fuck you really hard so you couldn't even get out of your house because of how sore you would be, that way I wouldn't have to worry about something bad happening to you in the street.

  Again, I'm going to kill him.

  “That´s what I thought “ He takes my silence as the end of the discussion and I walk away from him, heated and ashamed about my attitude with this man that I don´t know.

  “I can do it by myself.

  I must be red as a tomato. Nobody has ever talked to me that way and even though it might sound crazy, I liked it, so much so that I'm smiling on the inside. I´m not afraid of him, if I wanted to do something I would have by now. His eyes tell me that I can trust him, even though he is a stranger to me and I might never see him again.

  “Are you going to drive like this?

  “You can leave me alone, no, I don't have a car, I´m going to take a taxi.”

  I walk up to the exit tumbling and I feel him walking behind me.

  “Go on inside again and enjoy your night, I'm sure you will find somebody else to make fun off.”

  Duncan´s eyes go blank and he ignores my words. One of the security guards calls a taxi for me and I thank him. I start to feel a little bit dizzy and Duncan holds me right away. I let my head fall into his hard chest and I inhale profoundly as the crazy lady he called me a while ago.

  “Are you smelling me?”

  “You smell freaking delicious Duncan.”

  “At least you are calling me
by my name.”

  The only thing I can do is close my eyes. I am truly irresponsible, I´m here with a complete stranger, in his arms going into a car. His car.

  I´m done.

  …

  I open my eyes and the first thing I see is the ceiling of my apartment. It must have been a long night because I can't remember how I got here. The last thing I remember is that I was in the bar talking to Justin while he listened to me attentively and kept on pouring me drinks. However how I got here is a miracle because I can't remember a thing.

  I move in the bed and I feel a bulge next to me. More than a bulge a body. Fuck, no way did I do anything last night. The first thing I do is go running to the bathroom and lock myself in there. I´m dressed with the same underwear as yesterday. I look over to one of the corners and I see my jeans, blouse and jacket on the floor. This makes me think that everything started here, but I don't see any of his clothes anywhere on the bathroom.

  I wash my face and look at the mirror.

  “Grose “ I say to myself because of what I see. My hair is a mess and makeup, let’s not even go there. My stomach turns but I hold throwing up. The toilette is totally clean. I have never drunk so much, but at least I didn't end up vomiting on somebody else.

  Then who the fuck is this guy?

  Could it be Gabe?

  “No fucking way!

  I hear him get up and walk up to the bathroom. He grunts and knocks on the door.

  “Whoever you are, get out of my house “ I yell to him from the other side.

  “Who ever I am?“ His voice is pretty rough in the morning” God damn it, you don't remember me. Ok, get out of there, I will not talk to you through a damned door.

  “I´m naked” I complaint “You will talk to me like this.”

  “No, I won´t, Lana. Besides“ he makes a brief pause” It's not something I didn't see last night.

  I open my mouth and eyes really wide and I open the door crazy mad, what I see after that leaves me speechless and besides, I curse to my insides for looking like I do.

  The bar, a guy interrupted my conversation with Justin.

  Gorgeous.