2STARS

Scene Two

Scene Two

FORTH

I filled my lungs with smoke and blew it mindlessly as I recall the events that happened this morning. The image of the girl I met earlier flashed in my mind.

Short bob cut hair, cold brown eyes, expressive eyebrows, button nose, pouty pink lips, skin that looks like you poured a little bit too much of cream on your black coffee, I know I'm tan but she's a little fairer to be tan and just maybe three shades away to being pale, she looks like she works out judging by the fair amount of muscle on her arms. She is pretty. Pretty badass. Like a female spy in action movies. Pretty in her own cool way because she sports this boyish type of aura I can't exactly describe. Elegant but rough, perhaps? And I don't know why I seem to be slightly irritated by it. Maybe because one looked at her and I can see myself in her. Like a doppelganger or a female version of myself in her equally familiar black shirt only it doesn't have a skull design but a band logo, ONE OK ROCK, black old skool Vans, black skin-tight jeans which showed her thick thighs, two helices piercing on her right ear and a lifeline tattoo on her right wrist. It was like looking at a mirror. It was me but not exactly me as we operate on the same wavelength and I think she thinks the same.

I felt the familiar burn that welcomed my throat as I made a couple of swigs from the bottle of beer as if to wash the image of my doppelganger. Lam and I never made it to the movies as we originally planned. Instead, we're here at the Rotary's, a bar near our dorm, nursing his broken heart with cold beers. The events that happened earlier were quite unexpected. Whoever this mystery girl is, I can deal with her later. For now, let's focus on Lam.

Yiwah. Never thought I would hear that name again and t see her in person seething with anger.

Lam and I had a fair share of women. Well, in my case it was both men and women. One night stands are how I roll but I had some rules:

I'll only do you once.

We don't do it in my place nor yours.

Always do it with protection.

And more importantly...

Never ever "do" a friend.

It could get messy because a lot of feelings are involved. Strangers are easier to forget.

But one summer vacation before high school senior year changed Lam entirely. He went home to his mother's hometown, left his heart there, and came back as a different person. He dated more girls than before. Two or three girls at the same time. It seemed to like he was trying to get his mind to be occupied with something else.

Lam only told me bits and pieces of what happened to them but never the whole story. All I know is their relationship was fleeting but it left a scar my friend wasn't ready to talk about yet.

So here we are, drinking in silence. I'm not the type of guy who meddles with somebody else's business so I let Lam be. He'll talk eventually.

"Forth..." he starts while tracing the mouth of the beer with his fingers.

See? I told you.

"Hmmm?"

"I- I still love her."

"Who?" I asked even though I knew who he was talking about.

He sighed.

"Ai'Yiwah."

"Well, she seems to feel otherwise Prince Charming. Your Cinderella clearly wants to strangle you the moment she saw you." I pointed out the brown doll shoe right beside him.