Obsession

~2~

   "Last night's Yacht party was sick Dude" Chris said, slinging his arms over Nora's shoulders.

   "I know. I'm hosting one again tomorrow. You guys up for another round?" Jerald asked.

     "Yeah sure" Allison said dryly, scrolling away on her phone.

      "Cool. Everyone's gonna come except..."  Nora trailed off.

     I knew what she was going to say next.

      "Megan" Allison finished off for her.

    I waited. Knowing they were going to judge me for it.

     "You guys should leave her alone" Daniel spoke up for the first time.

    "What? We didn't say anything. But you know it's true. We all plan stuff together but Megan bails out at the last minute. So why ask her to come?" Nora said backing up her point.

   She said the truth. I don't go because I don't belong.  I'm not part of their system. I don't understand how they party every other night of the week and still have the strength to party some more. It's like they're on crack. Fueled by it.

     And the parties they speak of is just a little gathering between them and15 or 17 other snooty rich jerks on a yacht out at God knows where, drinking expensive wine, dancing to shitty music and yelling obscenities out in the open.

  
   "Nora's right dude. We all know Megan's not gonna come." Jerald said.

  I looked at them dumbly. Playing the role of the mentally desolate dumb redhead to the hilt.

   "So Megan, are you going to come?" Nora asked, her blue lensed eyes looking at me.

   "I–I don't know–" I started.

   Allison snickered.

  "I have some stuff to do this week—" I continued.

    "You always have stuff  to do." Nora said with distaste.

      "When next you host a party, don't bother invite Megan." Allison said offhandedly.

       It wasn't the way she said it that irked me. It was the intention behind the words.

  "Thanks. why would I want to attend your lame ass party?" I would've have said if it actually mattered.

    In every group of friends you have the couple, the one who doesn't give a rat ass about what's going on around them, the ignorant and shy one and the loud mouthed one.

   But this wasn't a group. This was a little gathering of fickle people who pretend to each other. Who pretend to be someone they're not. And I was caught up in it all.

    But I had no where else to be. This was where Josh was. Where he would want me to be. They might pretend a lot, but they're real when pretending to be someone they're not. That makes sense right?

      I sat back and watched the scene in front of me unfold.  Giving the occasional nod and 'sure' when necessary.

    While my fingers silently picked at the fries in front of me of their own will.

    I gazed around the cafeteria. Every single person seemed to be chatting animatedly.

   I felt like I wasn't part of them. I was there, but I wasn't there at the same time.

   I looked around. Scouting for the one who mattered the most to me. Who had my undivided attention for so long it became a natural phenomenon to me.

    I saw it. Him. He sat alone at a table at the far corner. Gazing at the world like it wasn't there.

       Ear buds in his ears. The occasional tap of his feet on the floor giving away that he was listening to music.

    How could he? How could he sit still there knowing he'd done this to me?

     But it was only a matter of time. I'll get justice. We'll get justice.

  I closed my eyes. Letting the anger in me course through my veins. Letting it take control for a few minutes. Because if it didn't, I'll take control of it. I'll use it. And use it to the worst.

    I opened my eyes a moment later. I looked once again around me. Nora was saying something that was apparently interesting to her.

    I looked beyond her. My stare fixed on him.

    I looked on for a while. Memorising every single detail. Down from the white tank top to the tattoo on his arms.  His dirty blonde hair flirting with the curve of his shoulders.

   I couldn't see his eyes. But I could tell the colour they'll be. They'll be the colour of hate. If hate had a color. Whatever the colour of his eyes were, they'll be the color of hate.

    His mouth was drawn down in a frown. Like a scowl. Forming a thin line.

    I looked on at the perfection of his face. A face that could be cold hearted. A face that inflicted only pain. I hated his face. No matter how beautiful it was, it looked ugly to me. It ought to be ugly. It ought to look like his black heart. Ugly.

     Then he turned his head. And his eyes met mine. Locked with mine. The startling blue looking startled for a minute, before turning hard then cold. Blue. Blue was the colour of hate.

    I stared right back. My expression giving no hint of emotion. While his was as expressive as the anger beckoning me to take Control of it.

    He looked angry. Desolate. Lost. But behind that facade was a dangerous man. A man that was free to walk the face of the earth. But not for long.

     He stood up and carried his lean frame out of the cafeteria. Mission accomplished.

   Phase one: introduction.

   Phase two: there's no phase two...except revenge.