Subject 3033...(BWAM, Sci-fi Romance, 18+)

Chapter Twenty Three

The loud booming of various music genres, the flashing of cobalt blue neo rays, the grinding of bodies against bodies in sync with the blasting rhythms, the twirling of seductively clad strippers around poles, coupled with the blend of spirits, wines, alcohols, cigar smoke and sweat, is an artistic view I have grown to appreciate.

Currently, Jabal, Tokyo and I, are sat on a round table in the shape of a barrel, sipping cocktails, and occasionally bobbing heads to the beats playing in the background. Tokyo told me earlier, that things would switch up today, that Noe would have to give some sort of speech, then, we'd have the liberty of doing whatever it is we well damn please.

A waiter, tall, buff and unfathomably handsome, walks up to us, tray of champagne flutes held in his palm, with a small smile curving on his lips.
"Hello, Tokyo, Jabal. Brought you another round of drinks. Enjoy."
"Thank you, Zoar," Tokyo is quick in speech, reaching for her drink, and passing Jabal another.

The waiter hands me my flute, and I nod my in appreciation, offering a genuine smile.
"Hey, I'm Zoar, nice to meet you," he begins, stretching a hand for me to shake.
"I am Harlow, and the pleasure is all mine," is my simple response, whilst shaking the hand.

"Say, once my shift is over, can we dance, maybe?"
From my peripheral vision, I watch as yet another smirk, tags on Tokyo's scarlet lips.
"Yeah, sure. Why not."
"Okay then, I'll see you in ten minutes."
Still, his hand remains on mine for a good three seconds, eyes still trained on me, before he finally pulls away, grabs the tray, and treads on.

"Nice catch, Harlow. Zoar is hands down, hot."
"Hotter than me, yes?" Jabal coos, resting his forehead against Tokyo's cheek, with eyes falling shut as if in a trance.
"He wishes," is Tokyo's response, as she turns and locks lips with prince charming.
"Get a room you two."
They simply draw apart, then smile up at me.

She definitely loves the man, surely.

My eyes scan the club, until they land on Noe, who's making his way towards the erected pulpit at the very front, and in the company of Gillian, who's looped arms with him.
"What is her business going up there?" Jabal voices his thoughts.
"She is trying to make a statement, that's what's happening," Tokyo speaks her thoughts, and no, she does not look in the least bit pleased.

"Silence, thank you. Good evening, everyone. I will not eat up much of your time. I only want to congratulate all of you for going strong and holding on for the twelve weeks we've been living underground. It has not been easy for any of us, but, if we've held it together for so long, then that makes us true survivors. I have nothing more to add on the matter, but to simply wish you a lovely rest of your night."

The multitude bursts into shouts and cheers of jolly, raising glasses and clinking. Music blasts from the speakers, and again, the already deranged crowd, grows wilder, dancing and twerking like there'll be no tomorrow. Jabal and Tokyo rise and excuse themselves, and from a distance, I spot Zoar approaching. In a nanosecond, he is at my table, granting me one heart-melting smile.

"Can I have this dance?"
He stretches out an arm, and I take his palm without dallying, rising on my feet, and reciprocating the smile.
"Sure. Shall we?"
He nods, pulls me amidst the throng of tipsy persons to the very heart of the club, and spinning me around, so that now, his palms are on my sides, and my back against his front.

I have no idea why, but even as we move in unison with the beats, my hips gyrating, and his arms slithering around my frame, my brain keeps circling back to Noe, to his touch, to his cool breath against the skin on my neck. But no, the man had to push me away, had to choose Gillian instead, and so, I will not stick around in hopes that he'll finally take notice of my presence.

Discarding the plunging thoughts, I spin on my heel, rest my palms against Zoar's chest, looking up at him. For brief moment, all I see is the damned face of Noe. I blink to dispell any thoughts of him, then smile up at Zoar, who leans his face closer, until his forehead is softly pressed against mine. His palms glide lower, to my posterior, and I grip them harshly to stop him.
"Sorry, I am sorry."
"Yeah well, don't pull that stunt."

He simply nods his head in approval, looks down at my lips, then back up into my eyes. But he is not Noe, and so the gesture does not make me smoulder, does not stir any feelings in the pits of my stomach. The music switches, slows down, and Zoar leans in further, pressing his face into the crook of my neck, whilst drawing me closer to him.

That is when I finally catch a glimpse of Noe, whose eyes seem to be staring directly into my soul. Even with Gillian's arms around his neck, and her face buried into his rigid chest, he does not seem to be paying much attention to the lass. Gillian pulls away, then leans in to press a kiss against his cheek, a little too close to his mouth, causing me to avert my eyes almost instantly, pull away from Zoar's embrace, and look up at his confused expression.

"Hey, uh, we could leave now, yeah?"
"Is that what you want, Harlow?"
"Desperately."
So, instead of swaying to the slow rhythms, he intertwines our fingers, and proceeds towards the exit. Suddenly, too quickly for my brain to process everything all at once, Zoar is yanked, and pushed towards the closets walls, his body pinned firmly by the neck.

His attempts to wriggle and release himself from the captive's hold, only prove futile. Noe, on the other hand, does not seem to register his own actions, and in all my days of living with the man under one roof, I have never, not even once, had the privilege of witnessing him grow as volatile as he is now. I push past the gathering spectators, until I make it to were the two are located.

"Where were you taking her? Answer me you bastard!" He growls, slamming the man's back into the walls aggressively.
"Cap...captain."
"Noe, let him go! Let him be, what is your damage!"
I work to pry Noe's constricting fingers from Zoar's flesh, but nada! The man hardly budges.
"Tallulah, your choice. If I release him from my hold, he leaves without you."

"What is your problem, Noe!"
Slowly, his head turns, and his infamous blank expression, coupled with furrowed brows, is the only response he has to offer.
"Let him go, you'll kill him!"
"Make.your.choice. If I release him from my hold, he leaves without you, lest he dies on this very spot."
Deathly coldness, that is exactly what his tone holds.

"Okay, okay, Noe. Release him, and he'll leave without me, please!"
He takes precious time averting his gaze, glaring up at the almost-dying man, and finally, his hold falters, and Zoar ends up coughing and gasping for the much needed air. I pat his back smoothly, whispering my apologies.

Sparing Noe one glance, I realize that the man feels no rue, no remorse for what he just did, none at all. I want to punch the ego out of his system so bad, but instead, I look down at Zoar, who's still palming his neck, doubled over.
"Forgive me, Zoar. Forgive me, please."
"Don't...do not apologize. This is not your fault. I have to leave."

He stands up more straight, and pushes his way past the throng, and as soon as he leaves, I turn to glare daggers up an unfazed Noe, whose arms are folded so neatly before his chest.

"What exactly is your problem? What is wrong with you?" I speak while shoving him, but he doesn't move a muscle.
"You are my problem, Tallulah. We are leaving now. The rest of you, go on with the celebrations. This does not concern you in the slightest! Go on!"

That is all the spectators need to hear, inorder to dissolve and melt away.
"I am going nowhere with you, Noe."
"I wasn't negotiating, Tallulah."
"If you touch me, Noe, simply touch me, I will knock some remorse into you, I promise."
He says nothing, does nothing, just remains immobile like a statue!

Then, in one calculated motion, his arms reach for my waist, and my body is hoisted, and rested over his left shoulder like a sack of beans!
"Noe, put me down! Put me down, Noe!"
Those are the words I repeatedly chant like a mantra, from the club, down the halls, all the way to his home...

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