Twisted game

CHAPTER 2: BETRAYAL

Asim stood frozen, it felt as if his entire world had stopped, his brain refused to process the sight before him, his best friend and sister was naked and tangled in his boyfriend’s sheet. It felt like he swallowed glass as he couldn’t speak. His phone had fallen from his hands to the floor.

Aiden immediately rushed towards Asim, gently pulling him aside as though he feared he might hurt Karen, his temper had never been his strongest virtue.

“Asim, I’m sorry” Karen whispered, her voice shaking

Asim felt her tears drop faster and harder than before; he hated every bit of it. He hated that they had been betraying him all these while, and now here they were right in front of him.

“Asim,” Aiden said softly, “Karen is not to blame. None of this is her fault, It’s was all mine” he looked back at Karen, “I planned to tell you but I didn’t want break your heart; I never wanted to hurt you.”

Asim clenched onto his shirt; fighting the urge to tear them both apart, he felt like a fool, how had he failed to notice any of this? How?

“How long has this been going on?” his voice trembled as spoke, he didn’t know whether he truly wanted the answer.

Silence filled the room, Asim could feel his chest tightened painfully. “I asked a question” he snapped, louder this time “How long?” he increased the pitch of his voice as he could feel a sharp pain in him chest, it felt like his heart was ripped into a million piece.

“Umm for about a year” Aiden voiced, Karen quickly gathered her clothes and slipped into them, “We are in love….” Aiden began, but Karen cut him off.

“Aiden, stop” she spoke, walking towards them, she was wearing a Christmas sweater; the one Asim had bought last year for Aiden, he had been dating Aiden for 3 years, planning their future, planning their wedding… meanwhile this had been happening behind his back.

“No, Karen. He deserves the truth. We’ve lied enough.” He insisted.

“Just shut up. Please,” Karen said, her voice breaking. She took a few steps towards her brother who still couldn’t believe the sight before him. “Asim; please listen to me, I never planned this, I would never do anything to hurt you…”

“To hurt me? Do you even understand those words? Because this… this hurts more than anything I’ve ever felt” he replied sobbing

“Asim, things just went on too far. I fell in love Aiden without realizing….”

“You fell in love?” Asim snapped. “Do you hear yourself? You fell in love with my boyfriend? Your brother’s boyfriend, Why? Why Aiden of all people?”

“I don’t know, it just happened….. It just happened, I tried my best to push my feeling away but it kept coming back. I would never, hurt you intentionally”

Asim took a step backward, fighting the urge to strangle her; everything too heavy, too overwhelming, it was becoming too much for him to handle, he turned around, picking his phone from the ground and walked out, ignoring both of them as they tried to stop him from leaving; he grabbed her bags from the hallway, what had felt so heavy at first became weightless.

He hurried down the street; he bumped into people on the way as he moved but it only caused him to increase his pace. Asim’s breath began to feel uneven; he could feel his legs giving up on him. He stopped in front of a club, trying to catch his breathe.

Tears continued to stream down his face, his knees buckled and he dropped to the ground; he still couldn’t believe his life had shattered in a single moment.

The thumping music from inside the club snapped him out of his daze, Asim lifted his head, and saw a long line waiting to get in, his eyes moved back towards his bags….. He cared less about anything, he grabbed them to the side and joined the line, his ID gripped tightly in his hand.

It was soon his turn and he showed the bouncer his ID, he nodded and ushered Asim in; he pointed him towards the place to drop his belongings; without a words he walked straight to the bar and ordered the strongest bottle of alcohol they had. He took three shots, his mind replaying every moment of betrayal.

“I wouldn’t drink that if I were you” a voice whispered near his ears.

He ignored the stranger and swallowed the next shot.

“Believe me, you don’t want to keep going like this” the voice spoke again. Asim turned around, annoyed and found himself staring at a handsome, tall man with a warm brown eyes and a matching hair. Under a different circumstances, he would have stolen his breath. “Men!” he muttered before drinking another shot.

“I can tell you don’t want to talk but I’m Aileen” he said gently, Asim could feel fresh tears building up in his eyes.

“Please leave me alone, I’m not interested” he voiced before turning to the waiter and asking for another glass.

“Can he get whiskey instead?” Aileen asked the bartender; at this point Asim could feel his blood boil.

He took a deep breath before turning toward the handsome young man once again “Can you just leave me the f**k alone? I don’t know you, I don’t want to know you... just go away”

“I will” he said calmly “but I have a way to make your pain disappear…… if you just let me help you” he replied with a calm smile.

“I’m not in pain” he lied, gulping the glass of whiskey

“For one, whatever you’re looking for isn’t in the bottom of these glasses, baby boy” Asim looked at the young man once more.

Honestly what did he really have to lose? What was the worst thing that could happen to him? He gave Aileen a gentle smile.

“You won’t regret it” he said reaching out his arm to Asim.

“Promise you’re not a serial killer” he muttered

“I promise, I wouldn’t hurt you only take the pain away.”