[ EDITING ] Oh, Darling ⇏ M.C. AU

03:

⇏ Still And Steal

d a r y l

I kick this big stupid luggage in front of me. Annoying non-living thing. I lie down on my bed with my arm supporting the back of my head. I take in the surroundings of this hotel room. Black door, white ceiling that looks really rough and probably is, flat screen TV.

The amount of shots I drank last night didn't give me a headache but the frustration I felt when I couldn't get a single taste of that gorgeous, young woman. She had makeup running down her face.

Usually, the girls I lay eyes on give in to me. The ones with low shoulders, hunched forward, they're the ones I look after. Why?Because they're lonely.

Sex makes everything exciting, let's be real here. So I'm kinda helping them, didn't know why that girl refused though. I am a bit old but does she really have to be choosy?

Laugh at me all you want.

That's just how it is, go out and drive wherever you want to go. Alone or with people. You're lucky if you found someone to play with. At the moment, everything is even more boring than usual. Words cannot describe how much I hate boredom.

Doing things like this is okay. I have a wife and son back home in Sydney. I didn't feel like going overseas so I just flew here to Brisbane. Karen doesn't really care what I'm doing. One time, I heard Michael talking with Calum about me and her and he said we were "just two strangers who wear the same ring."

And it really just is.

Whenever I would hear that, it would hurt a lot. He knows his own parents aren't in love with each other anymore. Of course, I felt bad for Michael, but what can I do? She's a successful pharmacist and I'm a drunken old dude. It's nothing to me now. He's a grown up, doesn't need me. The thing I don't get is why he still lives with me. He can just live with his mother or go wherever the hell he wants.

Like I said, he doesn't need me. It feels like I don't need him too.

"Daryl." I hear a voice call, making me sit up. The sound of the door closing follows. The voice is Fynn's.

"How're you and Karen?" He's concerned. As always. Fynn's always been the nicest person out of all of us. It's amazing how he sticks with friends like us.

Friend. I wanna cringe so bad.

"Well, we're doing great with our own lives."

m i c h a e l

A frowning Calum sits in front of me as I try to find a part of the burnt egg (made by him) that isn't burnt. Nope, nothing. I just take a bite of my whole-wheat bread which I don't even like.
The disgusted look on my face was maybe too obvious because Calum drops his head on the table.

"Sorry," He looks into my eyes. "Didn't know you hated whole-wheat."

I smile in return, reassuring him it's okay. "I'll just drink coffee on my way to work." I get up from my chair and walk out of the kitchen.

"Mikey, where did your dad and my dad go?" Calum follows behind me.

"Brisbane." I whisper, hoping he heard it. Don't want to repeat it again. Valen comes to my mind and I hate remembering the fact that I can't see her.

"That's uncertain." He follows me to my car. Glad he heard it.

I take a big sip of my coffee. "You can stay here as long as you want. There isn't much food but I know you have money with you." I twist the keys to start the car. "Combine stuff to eat." I chuckle.

"Yeah, okay." He closes the car door for me.

Calum waves goodbye and I wave back. I drive off. He slowly disappears in the rear-view mirror.

It's probably stupid to think that Valen and my dad could meet. The weird thing about me is that I don't think of places as 'too big' or 'too small.' Even if a couple would get lost in Russia I don't think it's impossible for them to find each other. But my dad and Valen meeting? I would never want that to happen. If me and Valen are fire and water, her and my dad are fire and gasoline.

Valen

A name taken by millions of girls but not quite popular. I only know one Valen. Is it too early to call her mine? The thought of not knowing if it's the right time or not, disturbs me so much.

The thought makes me feel hopeless.

The thought of not knowing what she looks like kills me every time it runs through my mind.

Does she have bright blue eyes that even the deepest depths of the ocean and the brightest of sapphires would envy? Does she have beautiful green eyes that would make fall deeper and deeper into her unknown forests?Or does she have hallucinating brown eyes that would make everyone want to stare so much longer as if a criminal hides in them?Would I even be able to hear her scratched tired morning voice?

I interrupt my own thoughts and stop the car in front of a red light. Taking my cup from the cup holder, my phone rings. I bend over a bit. It's a text from my mom informing me that she'll arrive tomorrow.

At least now there's one person who truly loves and cares about me.

I take a big sip of my coffee again, knowing that work isn't too far now. The light goes green and soon, the cars in front and behind me start to move. Took two turns and now I'm parking in the driveway. Rene waves at me through the glass once she noticed me in the driveway, a genuine smile is plastered on her face. I wave back.

She walks out of the shop. Her shift is being the one behind the counter but she completely forgot that now. Typical Rene. I hop out of my car and see her standing in the entrance. As I hold my coffee cup, I hope I don't spill it when I'm walking. "Hey, Rene. The counter looks empty," I spot our manager. "Shit, Rene. He's there."

"Oh, God." I hear her whisper to herself.

"I caught you, Rene." He laughs really loud, some customers look at our direction.

She laughs nervously. When he walks away, she huffs. "Why am I always counter shift?"

"He probably enjoys the sight of you worrying in the fear of being caught." I look up and see her glaring at me. Then she rolls her eyes. I swear if she doesn't stop doing that, her eyeballs will fall off.

"When are you going to see her?" I instantly frown. "Sorry, thought you had the chance now."

"It's okay." I say as I take a sip of my coffee.

Someone's eyes dig into my skin and I look to my left. I caught a customer looking at me. She's holding up a pair of boxers. Maybe for her boyfriend? Cute. I walk up to her. "May I help you?"

And that's the beginning of my boring job.

okay this is still chapter three but please don't be a silent reader :-D i want to communicate with you guys.

love you all so much. you are all important human beanssss.