EXES AND OH'S

A New Tattoo

"Oh God, Charlie. It really is you!" Brian takes a step towards me, lifting his hands to wrap me in his arms. 

Alarmed and all tensed-up, I immediately take a step back and hold up my hands to stop him. "Brian, don't!" I warn him.

He smiles at me in a creepy and menacing way, and I can tell he's just hit the bathroom to probably get himself high again. He might have snorted coke, or maybe popped some pills, I don't know what he's on right now. But I'm a hundred percent sure he's so stewed and charged up right now. "Darling, my life has been a fucking wreck since you left." Brian reaches up and caresses my cheek with the back of his hand. I swat it away, feeling unpleasant cold shudders all over my body. "And fuck, have you bloomed into a beautiful, beautiful flower."

I start to walk towards the powder room to escape him, but he immediately grabs for my hand — with force this time. Panic coursed through my veins as he pinned me to the wall, holding both my now limp and helpless arms. "Brian, please! Let go of me or I'll—"

"Shh-shh. Shh." He leans down and looks deep into my eyes. "Look closely, the beautiful may be small." He whispers some Immanuel Kant philosophy bullshit against my lips and I turn sideways, so utterly disgusted by him and the burning scent of his perfume in my nostrils. As usual, he's trying to hide the stench of the cocktail of drugs and alcohol in his body. But he still reeks of whiskey and tobacco and something else that's so dirty and foul — his soul. 

And in just a flash, I was reminded of all the vile and repulsive things this pig has done to me. His smell, his stares, his touch. The unpleasant memories of yesteryears' force and abuse felt so fresh and vivid all of a sudden. And here I am again, wishing to fight but can only stand frozen powerless.

"Charlotte, I missed you. Please come back to me, I'm begging you." Brian tries to take a hold of my chin, trying to make me look at him. 

"Get the fuck away from me!" I hiss at him, and I successfully manage to push Brian. Thank fuck for adrenaline and some sense finally kicking in my system. 

I hear rushed footsteps from behind me, and turn around to see Levi approaching us in the narrow hall. Oh, holy fuckballs. Dread and alarm rose anew from the pit of my stomach. The last thing I need right now is another fucking rumble caused by him and one of my exes.

"Hey, what the fuck are you trying to do?" Levi gently shoves Brian's chest and pulls me behind him. I try to grab for Levi's arms, out of fear and panic that he might just hit Brian. But he just looks back at me reassuringly, telling me with his green eyes that I don't have to be afraid. 

Brian scoffs and puts his hands on his waist. "Charlie, who is this?"

"That's none of your—"

"Yeah, I'm her boyfriend. You got a problem with that, old man?" Levi sticks up his nose and takes a step towards Brian, and the heinous pig seems to back away and flinch immediately. "So you better keep the fuck away from my girl or you'll never get to see the light of day again."

My eyes widen, staring down onto the marble floor and trying to let Levi's words sink in. Her boyfriend. My girl. Unconsciously, my grip on his arm tightens, and the heavy hammering of my heart against my chest just seemed to intensify rather than slow down.

"That's some boyfriend you got there, Charlotte. I'm so fucking impressed." Brian ridiculed further, taunting me as he laughed like the devil himself.

I immediately look up at Levi, seeing and feeling his muscles and jaws tense-up, his hands now tightly balled into fists. I can tell he's just trying so hard to hold himself off from knocking out my sleazy ex with another teeth-busting sucker punch. And as if the good Lord finally hearing my prayers, I sigh in partial relief as I see Brian walk away from us.