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MARCH 20TH 2022 📍SAKHIR, BAHRAIN ────────────────────────────────
Pierre consumed just enough alcohol to be slightly tipsy, but just enough to make him forget all his troubles. The alcohol numbed his pain, eased his frustration, made him feel invincible, almost, and it didn't come cheap. He hated himself for allowing it to take control over his thoughts; to give in to the urge to drink, let the alcohol drown his sorrows and his fears... and his disappointment. No amount of expensive drinks had managed to drown the pain in his chest when he saw her dancing on the bar top in that very same bar, laughing freely amongst her friends, with that damn cocky smile plastered on her face, oblivious to the way his heart shattered in a million pieces.
He couldn't tear his eyes away from Camille for five minutes at most, not even after she'd caught him staring, grinning at him like he was the biggest idiot capable of existing. She'd been dancing with her friends, her brown hair flying in every direction, the lights illuminating her skin. And then she'd glanced at him across the room, and he'd thought he'd died and gone to heaven. She had a fire burning in her eyes, a sparkle so bright that it threatened to burn him alive. Her smile grew wider when she saw him, beckoning him towards her, and he could do nothing but obey. He didn't know what it was exactly, but he felt drawn to her. He hated her, he despised her, and yet somehow he couldn't stay away. It was an emotion that he couldn't quite define, and although it terrified him, he couldn't bring himself to push her away.
Not after the smile they shared on the podium. Not after the hug that still lingered in his memory despite all of his efforts. The last vestiges of his willpower to push her away had slowly disappeared as he had closed his eyes and had enjoyed the warmth of her embrace. He sighed, taking a sip from his glass before setting it down and reaching for another one, draining it within seconds. His hands shook uncontrollably as he refilled his glass again; he needed the liquid courage to numb the emptiness inside his gut and to stop the overwhelming sense of guilt he could feel consuming him.
His gaze darted back to her, focusing on the way her skirt brushed against her legs as she moved. Like every other man at the party, his eyes followed her movement with pure lust. He watched her every move as she danced along with her group of girls, as she drank another glass of champagne in quick succession, and as she leaned her head against another girl's shoulder. Every second seemed to drag on forever as he observed her through heavy, glazed eyelids. She jumped off the bar top and landed perfectly in some other guy's arms, giggling happily as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against his chest. She whispered something inaudible into his ear, and he nodded his approval. The lucky one then lifted her in the air and spun her around twice before placing her carefully back down on the floor.
Pierre watched with envy as she walked straight past him, and without a single thought in his mind, he downed the rest of his drink and grabbed his jacket before making his way out of the place. The wind hit his face as soon as he stepped outside, making him shiver and wrap his arms closer to himself as he took a deep breath to gather himself together and regain the composure he lost earlier before he turned his head in search of the nearest alley to escape. A short glance up and down the streets confirmed that none of his acquaintances knew he'd left the party. His car was parked just around the corner, hidden from view, its windows blacked out. He strode slowly towards it, his steps unsteady and uneven. As he reached for the door handle, he heard her voice, soft but insistent, call out to him and he froze in his tracks for a moment.
