The Jinx of J

Chapter 1

He lost count of how many times he had abused the doorbell for the past half an hour. It was almost one in the morning, he had the most shitty night, and he didn't want to go home to his cold, empty condo unit.

He needed someone. No, scratch that. Not just someone, he needed Jewel. His Jewel. The events of his family dinner had been too much to handle, and he needed her warmth, her comfort, to get him through the bitterness of it all.

"Com'on, baby," he pressed the doorbell three more times. His phone was out of juice even before he left his office of the previous evening, and he cursed ten ways to Sunday for being such an idiot.

Masochist and idiot.

Kerwin looked up to the windows of Jewel's apartment, searching for signs of light or movement, hoping she would open the gates at last. But the darkness from inside the house remained.

Chewing out a long string of profanities, he mounted his Harley and drove off. Jewel was probably resting, tired from rushing around the emergency room and nursing patients. He shouldn't expect her to always look out for him.

The light traffic of early morning EDSA allowed him to somehow relax. Riding his motorcycle through the quiet of the wee hours of the day was the closest thing to a getaway that he could get as of the moment.

But it didn't erase the bitter taste of the night's dinner from his mouth.

He knew something was up when he saw his mother's forced smile as she greeted him earlier. She seemed tensed and bothered about something. And that something seemed to be about him.

When he saw his cousin Lance entered their grandfather's house together with his ex - and now Lance's girlfriend - Judith, the two of them holding hands, Kerwin knew the night was to be one of his worst.

"Engaged, huh?" He couldn't help the venom laced through his words. He had been eyeing the square cut diamond ring ever since they arrived.

"Kerwin Leroy," his father's tone tried to warn him.

The rest of the family grew silent. Even Lance's parents couldn't look him in the eye. They knew, every one of them knew, and Kerwin felt betrayed.

"So this is why a family dinner was unusually called for on a Wednesday night, huh? Couldn't wait for our traditional Fridays?" The sarcasm flowed naturally out of him. "Wow, you must be really excited to celebrate it. You could've just left me out of it though. I wouldn't mind being the last one to know, but it seems like I already am."

"Bro-" Lance tried to speak.

"It had only been a little over eight months since she left me in the altar, and now you're shoving your engagement down my throat?"

His mother tried to soothe him. "Kerwin, son, please."

"Please what, Ma?" He stood up, his food untouched. He saw Judith looked at him with pleading eyes, while Lance kept his gaze down. "Don't mind sending me a wedding invitation. I won't send my RSVP."

He went to the head of the table where his grandma and grandpa were seated. They were the only ones who were as upset about the whole thing as he was. "I'm sorry about this." He kissed both of them on the cheek and left the house.

He joined his friends at the Palace Pool Club. The place wasn't as crowded as usual, for which he was thankful for.

The guys, after he told them what happened, didn't bother to say anything. It was Marcus, his best bud, who bravely spoke.

"Jewel?" he asked, that one name saying everything he wanted to say.

Kerwin didn't know what to reply.