earned it | the weeknd

two

Aurora

I smooth down my short black dress and straight hair before pushing the door open to the bar.

It's just past nine and Jesse thinks that I'm at work, but really I'm here, meeting someone who can get rid of him for me.

Taking a couple of deep breaths in and out, I walk towards the bar, my heels clicking against the marble floor.

I place my purse on the bar. "Can I get a Bloody Mary?" I ask the bartender, as I take a seat on the cold chair.

The bartender nods and starts preparing the drink.

"You still order that disgusting shit, I see," the familiar voice says from a couple of seats away from me.

I turn to look at him to find him taking a sip out of his drink as his eyes bore into the wall opposite him.

I face away from him. "Yeah, I do," I say, looking straight ahead.

Within seconds, he is beside me, but I still don't turn to look. "What do you want, Aurora?" he asks in a pissed tone. "Why did you ask me to meet you here?"

I look around to make sure no one is listening or watching. Jesse always seems to have people watching my every move. They're literally like his own personal cameras.

Inching closer to him, I place my shaking hand on top of his, but he quickly pulls it away, an angry look on his face.

I suck in my breath at his reaction. "I need your help, Abel," I whisper. "I have some business I need you to help me with."

Abel's about to say something, but the bartender comes closer to push my drink towards me.

I thank him and pick it up, taking a quick sip out from it.

Once the bartender is out of earshot, Abel shoots me an annoyed look. "Is this the same business you've wanted me to take care of for the last three times, but have always backed out at the last minute?" he asks, a bitter sound in his voice.

I bite my tongue and look away from him. "Yes," I say quietly and Abel sighs heavily. He rubs his temples. "What did he do to you this time?" His eyes flash with anger.

I squeeze my eyes shut. "Let's just say it was worse than the last time," I mutter and I feel Abel tense up beside me.

"You should've left his ass ages ago, Rora," Abel tells me, his voice dripping with venom.

I notice his hand clenching around his glass, causing his knuckles to go white.

If he holds the glass any tighter, it will shatter into pieces.

I reach over and grab his hand, squeezing it gently. "I know," I whisper. "I'm sorry."

Abel snatches his hand back and glares at me. "Are you though?" he sneers, looking me so hard in the eye that I feel like he's looking into my black and lifeless soul.

"Of course I am," I say, looking down at the bar to stop him from seeing the tears in my eyes. "If I listened to you . . . if I left with you that night, maybe it wouldn't have happened."