Broken Together

Chapter 19: Trouble

CHAPTER 19

AMELIA

It’s been 2 days since Vincent and I have been in the same space and it was difficult. After he confessed, he was still seeing Rebecca, he kept texting me, calling me and showing up at my apartment door. Even at the Gallery. 

Even though Jamie and Kristine rejoice at the sight of Vincent, Andrew on the other hand loathes him. Most of the time, they glare at each other until one of them surrenders. And that’s usually Andrew. 

Do I miss him? Of course. Sometimes when I see him standing outside of the Gallery, having a stare down with Andrew, I have this urge to lunge forward and wrap my arms around him, but my pride is pulling me back. This a flaw of mine that I hate. 

“Let’s go out tonight.” Leon appeared beside me as I peeked behind a post. I glanced at him and gestured him to hide behind me so that Vincent won’t see us. 

“I can’t.” I whispered to Leon as I peeked again at Vincent and Andrew outside of the Gallery. 

“Are you going to keep hiding every time your gorgeous yummy boyfriend appears?” Leon whines behind me. 

I sighed when Vincent finally left, then I turned around to Leon. “No. I know I have to face him, but I’m just not ready yet.” 

“Okay... how about this... let’s go out,” I opened my mouth, but he quickly raised his finger to shut me up, then he continued, “so that you can decide and think about what you really want.” 

“I don’t see how a room full of intoxicated people and loud music can help me think about what I want.” 

Leon grinned, “That’s the point, my dear. If you meet other people,” he waved his hand between us, urging me to continue his train of thought, but I just stared at him, confused. 

When he realized I don’t have any idea what he’s trying to say, he rolled his eyes at me then continued, “Other men. If you meet other men, then you’ll realize who and what you really want.” 

My phone suddenly rang on cue and part of me wishes to see Vincent’s name on my screen but I know that it’s not possible because I blocked his number but instead of seeing his name, it was his sister. 

I mouthed at Leon to excuse myself and answered the call, “Hi Alice.”  

“Hey! I miss you! Let’s go out!!!” Alice exclaimed and Leon’s eyes opened wide as he overhears Alice. 

“Well... I...” I said, but Alice cuts me off. 

“Where are you? I’m picking you up!” She exclaimed. I was about to tell her I don’t want to go out, Leon grabbed my phone from my hand and hurries away from me. 

“Hi. I’m Leon, Mel’s coworker. We’re at...” Leon gives all the details to Alice as he completely ignores me. 

I followed him as he walks inside the room where we place our belongings. I can hear him getting excited as he talks with Alice. Then he suddenly stopped walking that I almost bumped into him. He turned around with a huge grin on his face as he returns my phone. “She’s picking us up at seven.” Grabbing my phone from his hand, I rolled my eyes at him.

 7 o’clock came and Leon drags me out of the Gallery to the streets as we wait for Alice’s car to arrive. I tried to pull down the skirt that Leon forced me to wear because it feels like if I’m going to sit down, my ass will touch the surface. 

“Can I wear my jeans instead?” I groaned 

“Hell no. You have legs that are to die for. Besides, you’ll never know. It might be useful.” He winked at me and I rolled my eyes at him. 

 I looked around and saw Jamie and Kristine waiting for their Uber. Jamie was looking at me, then whispered something to Kristine. Kristine turned to look at me and they laugh. What is their problem? I rolled my eyes at them as they climb inside their Uber. 

I shouldn’t let them get to me. Or let my insecurity get in the way. “You don’t know how f*****g sexy you are.” Vincent's voice echoed in my head and I automatically smiled.  

Alice’s car stopped in front of us and her car door swung open, “Let’s party!!!!” 

A few minutes later, we’re surrounded by many people. Some are dancing and grinding on the floor, others lingered near the bar, and some are chatting, enjoying their drinks at the corner.

Leon is clearly enjoying himself as he sways to the beat of the music while holding his liquor. Alice is at the bar talking to a tall man with a buzz cut hair as she waits for our drinks. 

I looked around the club, and I noticed a few guys looking at our direction. “Those guys keep looking at you.” I shouted to Leon as the music gets louder. 

 "What?" He shouts back. I used my eyes to point the direction of those guys. He turns to their direction then he looks back at me. "Oh no sweetheart. They are looking at you." 

“What? No.” I disagreed, and he grinned. I glanced at them and they are walking towards are table. 

“Hi.” The guy with an open white shirt approached us, followed by another guy who’s a little like Vincent. He has a disheveled blonde hair, blue eyes and a lean body but he doesn’t have the same effect that Vincent has to, almost everyone.

“Hey.” Leon smiled to both of them then glancing back at me, giving me a wink. 

I didn’t say Hi to them, but I offered a smile. 

“Can we join you?” The blonde guy asks as he looks at Leon and me. 

“Ahmm...” I looked at Leon, asking for help, but his eyes fixed on the man who has his shirt open. 

 “Here you go.” Alice appeared to our table, she placed my drink in front of me then she looked around at Leon and the other two guys. “Hi.” She greeted  

 “Hi. I’m Marcus.” He offered his hand to Alice but he’s smiling at me. 

 Alice shook his hand briefly, “Alice, Mel and Leon” 

 The guy, Marcus, extends his hand to me and reluctantly took it. His hand is rough and cold that I immediately pulled my hand away. He was still looking at me as I pick up the drink that Alice brought me. 

It’s a beautiful shade of pink, and around the brim it has what appears to be salt and lemon. I drank it and it tastes so good. 

After a few minutes, Leon and the guy with an open shirt are grinding at the dancefloor and Alice and the guy she’s talking to at the bar so I’m stick with Marcus at our table.  

“You don’t want to dance?” Marcus asks as he leaned a little closer to me. I shifted to my left to make sure the space between us is apparent.

“No. I don’t dance.” I answered. Looking away and tried to send brain waves to Leon or Alice to come back to our table. 

I hear a chuckle coming from Marcus, and it made me look at him. He tilted his head to the side and smiles at me, “I get it. I will do nothing you wouldn’t want me to. You can relax.” He said.

I gave him a small smile and looked back at my friends. I don’t know if I should believe him, but after that; he didn’t move closer to me anymore. Rising from my chair, I pulled my skirt down and glanced at Marcus, “Please tell Alice or Leon that I’ll just go to the restroom.” I shouted at him to make sure he hears it over the noise. He nodded and smiles at me.

I found the restroom and there are at least 5 girls waiting in line. I waited with them and played with my phone. Scrolling through my phone gallery, then after 3 swipes, Vincent's face filled my phone screen. My heart skipped a beat just seeing his gorgeous face. When did he take this picture? The way he looks at the camera felt like he’s staring straight into my eyes, his lips smirk, and his hair tousled. He looks so damn sexy. This selfie of him are both torture and heaven.

I peeled my eyes away from his picture and I looked around, wishing he’ll come saunter his way towards me while I admire him as he approaches. I sighed, knowing that it won’t happen.

After an hour, I’m finally back to our table. I don’t see Alice, Leon, or even Marcus anywhere. I looked at the dancefloor but I can’t see them. They’re probably somewhere there, so I sat down on my chair again and looked for my drink on the table. I picked it up when I finally saw it and drink it up.

2 or 3 minutes passed, and I saw Alice and Leon slumped against the guys they are dancing with earlier. They look unconscious so I asked the two guys what happened to the both of them.

“They just had too much to drink.” They said. Something’s not right. I looked at Leon and Alice and they don’t look okay. I rose to my feet and suddenly I felt dizzy. It felt like everything is spinning around me.

 “Wh-What’s happening?” I whispered. I tried to step forward towards Leon and Alice but I can feel my legs getting wobbly. I saw Marcus approaching, he looks at everyone then at me.

 He tilted my face up and looked at my face, He smiled slowly before speaking, “This one just took a little. It’s okay, she won’t be able to move, anyway.” He lets go of me and my entire body gets really heavy. The realization hit me like a bus. They have drugged us. I looked around for my purse to get my phone, but I can’t move even if I try to. 

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Marcus appeared beside me, and then I realized that I’m slumped in my chair. He leaned closer to me and he looks down at my legs. “You such a tease, baby.” He whispers as he slides his hand on my legs. 

I want to push him away, but I can’t move. I look around to see Leon and Alice still unconscious. Closing my eyes, I tried to focus on my muscles, to command them to move. I can feel Marcus’s hand gliding slowly between my legs and I forced a movement to shove him away from me using my arm. 

Marcus chuckled, “I like feisty.” He whispers as he leaned closer to my face. His lips just inches from mine, “a brief kiss won’t hurt.” He mumbled and at this moment, all I can think of is Vincent. 

“GET THE f**k OFF HER!” A loud voice woke up my senses. Marcus is being pulled away from me and I saw him thrown to the ground. My vision gets really blurry, but I can still see a silhouette of a man hovering over Marcus as he continues to beat him on the ground. 

“Leon... Alice...” I looked around, searching for them. I saw another guy beating the hell out of the guy who was cradling Alice. Meanwhile, the guy holding Leon fled at the scene. 

 My eyes felt heavy and I really can’t see straight anymore. The guy who helped Alice looked over at the guy who’s beating Marcus. 

 “Vincent, that’s enough. We have to go.” He said. The name registers in my brain and I turn to look at the guy who’s now looking down at Marcus, unconscious at his feet. 

 “Vincent...” I tried to say, but I don’t think his name came out of my mouth. He turned to look at me and the last thing I saw before blacking out is Vincent’s concerned eyes.