Short Stories (without happy end)

Alice (part. 1)

I look at it from here, powerless. The waitress seems to appreciate it, she bends down more to put her chest in front of his face. I wonder how he can enjoy playing with the others so much. This stuck-up girl too much made-up does not expect to spend the night with him?

I don't want to see any more, I leave the bar without looking back at him. I am almost outside but someone plows into me. ''Then my pretty, what do you make all alone? Are you bored? Because if you are, I can entertain you'' says this man with a perverse look. His right hand is around my forearm and I can see that his left hand is itching. I feel someone coming up behind me and pressing me against his chest. It's him, my conscience tells me. ''Let her go'' he spits with the greatest of calm. Without seeing him, I know that his ember look is cold. The man doesn't dare to say a word and turns back without further ado. ''Come with me", Kyle whispers in my ear. I obey and follow him to his car.
His footsteps echo in his huge apartment. Kyle goes straight to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of wine, leaving me standing there in the dark. He hasn't said a word since we left that damn bar and I know that's not a good sign. I step out onto the penthouse and take a breath of fresh air. The stars overhang the city and remind me how what we want the most can remain unattainable. And sometimes it's better that way. The high-pitched sound of a glass breaking brings me out of my thoughts. I quickly go inside and into the kitchen. I see Kyle standing, facing me, his fist clenched. His knuckles are white, which contrasts with his obsidian signet ring. His white shirt is immaculate, yet a wine stain stretches across the kitchen floor. I approach him, trying not to step on a piece of glass, and gently take his fist in my hands. His fingers relax and when he opens his hand, I can see that he has a single cut below his thumb. Looking up, I see that Kyle is staring at me. He turns around and rinses his hand under the faucet. Meanwhile, I pick up the bits of glass with a short-handled brush. When I'm done, I walk out of the kitchen but Kyle catches me in the hallway and slowly slams me against the wall. He kisses me with the same gentleness and drags me towards the bedroom.

*       *       *

When I wake up, I'm alone. The bed is cold beside me. On the kitchen table, a bunch of flowers is accompanied by a simple note. I have some business to attend to, I don't know when I'll be home.

Great. I walk up and down my crystal tower thinking about what to do. I decide to stroll to the mall with no intention of buying anything. I run there, with my headphones screwed in my ears, in order not to think about anything. Before, this set of big stores and stores belonging to huge national and international chains would have disgusted me. But not anymore. I don't even have the moral strength to oppose the follies of humanity anymore. Anyway, now that I live in a huge duplex, it wouldn't make any sense anymore. My gaze goes through the whole store but none of them catches my eye. I find a Starbucks not too full and sit down to drink a coffee and eat something. At the table in front of me, a mother and father are with their daughter who is barely taller than the table. The girl has chocolate all around her mouth and her father is wiping it with a paper napkin. She gets up on the bench, gives him a big hug, and turns to kiss her mother. I pay and decide to go home. I start walking because I just ate but soon I start running again, as fast as I can, until my muscles burn.

On my way home, I hear a noise upstairs. I walk up the stairs and go to the entrance of Kyle's weight room. He's there, lifting weights. When he sees me, he doesn't stop. He continues without looking at me and says in an even voice, "If you just want to run, there's a treadmill next to me''. He puts down his alter, grabs a towel, wipes his forehead, and gets up from his machine. He approaches me and kisses me fiercely. He steps back and leaves the room. I hear the sound of running water, Kyle is in the shower.

I turn to the machine Kyle just left. I sit down and start trying to lift the weights. I somehow manage to use the machine. My mind doesn't want to wander. Kyle is next door and even though I can't see him, he has this pull on me. I'm kind of like that machine if you think about it. He comes and plays with me and when he gets tired of it, he leaves. But he always comes back, no other toy has the same effect on him as me. I hear the sound of a door and head to the bathroom to shower. When I'm done, I'm alone again.

The maid came by yesterday, yet I clean everything I can. I vacuum and mop. I do this all afternoon. Around five o'clock, my belly is crying out. I haven't eaten and I don't plan to. I take a jacket and get out of my castle-like prison.

I know that what I'm about to do is not going to please Kyle but I can go on doing nothing. I order a cab and go back to this den of thugs. It's still early, so it's much quieter than last night even though there are already a few drunk people. The waitress from yesterday shoots me a look as soon as she sees me entering. I hold her gaze and she finally looks away. I sit down at the bar and order a mojito from the bartender. I sip it quietly when my pocket starts to vibrate. Where are you? I empty my glass in one gulp before answering. Don't move, I'm coming.