Midnight Pretenders (BL)

Chapter 3

PRESENT

"One martini and one vodka please."

I halted. That voice sounded way too familiar that I literally stopped moving from where I stood behind the bar counter, just to look up and see who spoke those orders to me. And when I did, my eyes immediately landed on the most recognizable face, unfortunately. It was Lucas.

"Carson?"

As soon as our eyes met, he frowned at the sight of me, pulling his head back a little as his deep blue eyes immediately turned darker against the flickering strobe lights. I could feel every nerve in my body shake the instant I saw his face. This was bad.

"What are you doing there?"

His question was expected. I never really told anyone that I was working in a nightclub for the past two months. And now, that I had been caught by him, I don't know how I can ever explain myself this time. As I stood there looking like a fool, with my mouth partly opened, the unprepared words got stuck in my throat. Then Carson's eyes slowly sharpened, squinting at me and his face became very stoic. He suddenly leaned across the bar counter, imprisoning me with his cold stare as he started to speak over the loud club music blasting in the background.

"What the he--"

"Lucas!"

In a blink of an eye, I was really relieved that a sudden distraction came at the right moment to steal Lucas's attention away from me for a few seconds. It was enough so that I could find a good chance to escape. Someone had called out for him and Lucas had immediately stopped reaching for my hand across the counter. The voice sounded like a woman's and I quickly bolted out of that scene and rushed my way back to the staff-only room. My heart was drumming so loudly from panic and shock.

I had always been so careful not to meet anyone attending the university while I do my shifts at night here. That was why I chose to apply in a place too far from where any familiar faces could show up. Yet, although I had been always ready in case that might happen, I still didn't expect that it would be Lucas who would find me.

As soon as that dawned over me, I immediately looked for the manager to lie about feeling sick and was luckily granted to go home right away. But I still spent a few more minutes staying inside the stock room while waiting for a good time to escape if ever Lucas was still outside and waiting for me to get out. Then once I felt it was good to leave, I eventually decided to sneak away through the back exit.

But just when I thought I had successfully dodged my chances of being seen by Lucas again, I was suddenly blocked and cornered by him in the dark alley behind the club. He probably anticipated my plan and he looked totally grim and fuming when he caught me. I froze and slowly peered up to meet his gaze. There was only me and him this time and the silence ensued.

"H-hey," I nervously greeted him with a wobbly smile, trying to sound optimistic yet failed when my voice came out croaked.

Instead of acknowledging me right away, Lucas just remained silent, looming over me that it really made me feel intimidated. I instantly felt lame for being too weak. It was really a disadvantage that he was way much taller than I was and that I had to lift my eyes just to get a better look at his face. From the looks of it though, it really seemed like things might never favor me this time.

"You do know this is against the university policies, right?"

I winced at that reminder, noting how his voice had come out so cold and domineering when he finally spoke. I became even more self-conscious when he suddenly moved closer that I tensed up. I paused for a second, inhaling sharply while I tried to come up with a good reason to give him inside my head.

"Why are you here, Carson?" he asked again before I could even open my mouth that I had to stammer back a reply as I quickly said, "You already saw it. I work here as a bartender but only for a while. It's no big deal, Luke. I just needed the pay."

"For what?" his brows furrowed in obvious doubt and I could not bring myself to answer it, unfortunately. I hesitated so bad that I just ended up sealing my mouth shut.

"You're not going to tell me, huh?" He pressed on, sounding quite annoyed as he said, "Then let me drive you home instead."

I lifted my eyes in panic and caught him still staring stonily at me. I nervously licked my lips, feeling lost at those words for a few seconds because that sounded a little threatening.

"Come on, Luke," I began reasoning out, thinking of a nicer way to decline the offer with a lame smile, "You don't have to do this. It's really no big deal. Let's just talk tomorrow, okay?"

"I'm driving you home."

When he emphasized those words again, I knew right then that I really had no other choice. I nodded in defeat and I let him lead the way until we reached the main street where he had parked his car. He stopped right next to a familiar red Mercedes resting by the front of the nightclub. Then he opened the door on the passenger side before quietly turning around to look at me.

I stared at him for a second and obediently took his invitation. He closed the door gently behind me and I watched Lucas walked around the hood through the tinted windshield until he got to the driver's seat and settled himself inside. He breathed heavily first before finally starting up the engine. The car smoothly pulled away from the streets and as we hit the road, neither of us attempted to fill in the silence yet.

I chose to look out of the window next to me, trying to think of what I would tell him once he started asking questions. Was he seriously angry just because he saw me there? Was he concerned that I was working at a nightclub despite knowing it could jeopardize my studies?

I kept mulling over these thoughts, blindly watching the view of the streets passing us by. And when I felt the car slowing down, I realized that Lucas had driven us to a gas station nearby that seemed to be not in the same direction as my way home too. I started to feel very nervous as soon as he parked the car near a convenience store and stopped. He pulled the handbrake and exhaled loudly, but he still didn't say anything. He just stared at a distance.

I peeked at him from the passenger seat, waiting patiently for him to say something first. But instead, he just opened the door beside him, got out of the car, and went to open the door on my side.

"Get out," he ordered coldly, and I followed and stepped out without saying a word. Lucas closed the door in a thud and turned to lean his back on the car, standing right next to me.

I fidgeted awkwardly, trying not to think too much of how we were positioned too close to each other. His incredible warmth became very distinctive in the midst of the cold air surrounding us. And I tried to distract myself by staring at a distance because I still could not bring myself to speak so I just stood there dumbly.

Then finally, he decided the break the tension.

"What's going on here, Carson?" he began by asking gently this time, "Why are you working in a nightclub?"