Teach Me, Love (1.5)

00. Prologue

B L A K E - J O H N S T O N

─   Maybe you should drink a little less, Chase said, looking at me with a worried expression on his face.

I ignored his comment and asked the first waitress who passed my table for another bottle of Bourbon. The blond girl nodded and came back later with another bottle.

─   Man, you're pushing it.

─   I'm only on my fourth glass, leave me alone, I replied, pouring my glass again.

Chase exhaled loudly, clearly annoyed that I wasn't listening to a word he was saying. Maybe I should listen to him. He's right after all, stuffing my stomach with alcohol isn't going to make me feel any less sad.

Long story short, Chase told Eliona that I had a thing for her. Obviously, the feeling wasn't mutual.

─   Do you want some? I asked, turning to Chase.

─   You know very well I don't drink, he replied. I raised my eyebrows before refilling my glass. When you asked me to come to London with you, I didn't know you meant you were going to get drunk every night.

─   You say that, but you're always the first to accompany me to bars and watch me get drunk, I replied.

─   I'm doing this to make sure you don't screw things up, and you know perfectly well that leaving me alone with Eliona for a whole evening is a bad idea.

A chuckle escaped me. No longer satisfied with sips from glasses, I began to drink from the bottle.

─   If I'd known she had such a temper I'd have pushed her off the cliff, he added, taking the small sip of bourbon that had remained in my glass.

─   You don't drink, do you? I teased him.

─   Don't talk.

I chuckled and took another sip of the Bourbon. The owner of the bar tapped a few times on the microphone, drawing the attention of those present.

─   Hello dear customers, first of all I'd like to thank you for coming, he began. I'm sorry to have to tell you that the singer I promised you last week won't be performing due to family problems...

Sounds of disappointment echoed around the room. People started booing him as he tried to hide his nervousness with a smile.

─   Don't worry, one young woman has volunteered to sing tonight.

People began to make more approving noises.

─   I'd like to introduce you to a brand new amateur singer, Bianca Mavoungou, he said in a more enthusiastic tone as a young woman entered the stage.

People began to applaud her and she put a lovely smile on her face. Her eyes darted around the room until they met mine. She realised I'd been looking at her longer than I should have. Her smile faded for a brief moment. Then she began to smile again, smiling only at me. No-one else.

Me.

The music began to play, and she took her place at the centre of the podium, holding the microphone in her hands. The singers behind her snapped their fingers, and Bianca did the same.

─   Yeah, you really tried but I was planted all the lies you told me, Oh. All the shit you've done you can't outrun the way you understand me, she sang.

Her eyes were closed, she was really concentrating on her song. I watched her intently. Her ebony skin shone against the spotlights and she smiled as she sang. It gave her a certain charm. Her hair was arranged in a magnificent, gigantic round afro around her face. She looked radiant, wearing a long crimson dress. The dress didn't cling to her skin, but the neckline was deep enough to show off her breasts. I watched her leg being displayed through the slit in her dress. She was slim, but what drew my attention most were the bruises on her thigh that she tried to hide with a mass of foundation.