FACE TO FACE [ ruel van dijk ]

seven

ruel

i just finished editing a some parts of the play,and i can't wait to get home and like..hibernate.

i have been in the same place and position for hours and my neck and back are killing me.

"sir, we're gonna close now." i heard someone approach.

"almost done." i say,my eyes still fixed on my computer.

"sir,this is a cafe,not an office."

i looked up to the neatly dressed boy.

"im a customer." i blankly say.

"and i am the manager." he sassed.

you could tell from his voice it wasn't his first time dealing with situations like this.

"is that how you manage this place?"
i am tired,people get to me easily when i'm tired.

"when you've basically been living on the same table of my cafe for 5 hours until it's closing time?yes.and you haven't even been ordering."

"i got a latte." i said.

"i'm gonna have to ask you to leave,pretty boy."

fine.

"okay.i'm sorry.i'm gonna leave..." i say as i stood up and took my things.

i faced his direction and saw his name tag.

".....marcus."

"that will be sir marcus to you,pretty boy."

"right,sorry..sir.i'll be going now."

i said and walked away.

i felt the cold air kiss my neck as i walked down the sidewalk.i should be at home by now.i got in my car and put on my seatbelt.

i checked the time and it was already 11pm.

usually,this is the time where this generation  start to become more active and create more memories throughout the night wether it be by partying,drugs,or just simply having an existential crisis in bed.

the night is a dangerous time to be awake,but this is when we feel more power.

i wonder what's giving you power tonight,jade.

is it something?

or someone?

i would give up anything just be the one to feel your power at night,jade.

i wonder what she's doing right now.

as i drive down the streets i am reminded that she told me she lived a couple blocks away from the cafe by the Pattinson's----which was where i came from.

i wonder which  one of these is your building,jade.

they all look the same.nothing screams your name in these buildings.

my phone suddenly rang.

i took a glance and it was alexa.

alexa,justin's girlfriend---she was my internet friend before they dated.when we first met in real life,we were about 13 and that's when she also met justin at camp.

they started dating at 16,and have been on and off since then.

i hate to see alexa with a dick like justin.i care about her a lot and i am supposed to protect her from guys like him.

i don't know why i am always pulled back.

alexa told me once that when you see a person's flaws,and it gives you butterflies instead of rage or pity.. that's called love.

but alexa,what is it called when you caught your boyfriend cheating on you multiple times but still get back with him over and over again?

you tell me.

i answered the phone. "hey."

"where are you?!" she cried.

i could hear loud music in the background and i know right away something was up.

"im driving, what's wrong?"

"why weren't you with justin?!"

"i had to finish some work,what happened to justin?!"

"just come here.the new bar by baywatch."
and then she hung up.

ah, shit.here we go again.

i don't need to see what happened to know what happened.this is just another routine.

justin goes to bars, get laid by girls,alexa catches him,she calls me,i save the world.

this isn't new to me.

i got to the bar and saw alexa balling her eyes out by the parking lot.

"alexa." i went to give her a hug but she pushed me away.

"you promised me you would look after him.you promised me he'd never do it again.you promised me,arvi."

arvi - for 'RV'... my initials.

"lex,he told me he was heading home.i didn't know he would stop here,okay?im sorry."

thankfully she didn't make a scene inside.

i went in and looked for justin.

and there he was ---- lip-locking with another girl.

not that i'm surprised.

but this girl looked familiar.

too familiar i could almost say her name..

....krissa?