Before We Say Goodbye - Chapter Three
From the author of "Duality of Alexa" & "Unrequited Hate". Chloe moves forward. How do you say "Goodbye" to the one who stole your heart?
Chapter Three.
It was a hectic night, and it was because of this Mark was grateful. How else could he manage to save up enough money for next month's first installment fee? It was bad enough he was only registering now for the next term, but having to take as many day and night shifts were wearing him out.
Looking about him, he smiled as he remembered her face. Chloe. He'd seen her friends more than her over the past few months, and as he poured three lychee martinis for three gorgeous women, he wondered why.
Adrienne, Mark recently found out, had just married Evan, his boss, Xander's first cousin. He was familiar with the whole lot of faces because they'd frequent this bar each time they were in the city.
Xander wasn't the owner of this bar, but he was the owner of a few hotels in the area. In fact, it's at one of these that Mark spends his Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and sometimes, weekends. It really helped that he had his barista and bartender certification.
"Mark! Over here!" Someone called from the crowd of sweaty, thirsty, slighting intoxicated crowds.
Snapping himself back to the present, he looked up from the drink he was pouring and saw his room-mate Jackson waving at him and showing off his latest conquest. Markus just nodded his acknowledgment and went on tending to his customers.
Two hours passed and he forgot about everything including Chloe. Until of course she came by the bar asking for a double shot of whiskey. As she quickly shot it back, her friends came to gather by her and ordered a round of shots. Fanning herself with her hand, Chloe felt like the world was closing in on her.
Someone's handsome Prince Charming stood up from the bar-stool just in front of her and lazily she sat upon it. Fanning herself some more, she found someone had slid a glass of water in front of her.
"I think you might need it," Mark winked. He loved flirting with his girl. It never fazed her.
"Thanks..." she replied warily.
That was unexpected. She didn't want to play.
"Get out if your face? Gotcha!". He turned to go tend to the other side of the bar.
When Chloe saw him turn and walk away, she wanted to kick herself real hard. He was being so nice.
That was just it. Nice. The word that got her worked up in an instant. Nice. The dearest, yet ugliest word in the world. Nice.
Suddenly, she felt a sharp jab in her rib.
With a shocked face, she turned towards the disturber of her peace.
About to freak out at whoever it was, she look up at Adrienne from where she sat.
"What was that for?!"
"Check it out..." Adrienne said, quickly pointing a finger to the other side of the room.
Beyond the now overly intoxicated crowd of dancers, and lounge chairs of couples or groups of friends knocking backlight and hard drinks, she spotted him.
"Know him?" Adrienne asked.
"Meh..." she pretended not to see. "I don't know who you're talking about."
"He's been looking over here repeatedly. Now he just won't turn away."
With a wave of her hand, Chloe turned back to the bar and ordered another drink. This time she was surprised to see that it wasn't her favorite barkeep.
Wait... favorite?! Since when?
Mentally slapping her face, she looked around for any sign of Markus.
As she craned her neck over her shoulder, a voice whispers in her ear.
"Looking for me?"
It was a hectic night, and it was because of this Mark was grateful. How else could he manage to save up enough money for next month's first installment fee? It was bad enough he was only registering now for the next term, but having to take as many day and night shifts were wearing him out.
Looking about him, he smiled as he remembered her face. Chloe. He'd seen her friends more than her over the past few months, and as he poured three lychee martinis for three gorgeous women, he wondered why.
Adrienne, Mark recently found out, had just married Evan, his boss, Xander's first cousin. He was familiar with the whole lot of faces because they'd frequent this bar each time they were in the city.
Xander wasn't the owner of this bar, but he was the owner of a few hotels in the area. In fact, it's at one of these that Mark spends his Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and sometimes, weekends. It really helped that he had his barista and bartender certification.
"Mark! Over here!" Someone called from the crowd of sweaty, thirsty, slighting intoxicated crowds.
Snapping himself back to the present, he looked up from the drink he was pouring and saw his room-mate Jackson waving at him and showing off his latest conquest. Markus just nodded his acknowledgment and went on tending to his customers.
Two hours passed and he forgot about everything including Chloe. Until of course she came by the bar asking for a double shot of whiskey. As she quickly shot it back, her friends came to gather by her and ordered a round of shots. Fanning herself with her hand, Chloe felt like the world was closing in on her.
Someone's handsome Prince Charming stood up from the bar-stool just in front of her and lazily she sat upon it. Fanning herself some more, she found someone had slid a glass of water in front of her.
"I think you might need it," Mark winked. He loved flirting with his girl. It never fazed her.
"Thanks..." she replied warily.
That was unexpected. She didn't want to play.
"Get out if your face? Gotcha!". He turned to go tend to the other side of the bar.
When Chloe saw him turn and walk away, she wanted to kick herself real hard. He was being so nice.
That was just it. Nice. The word that got her worked up in an instant. Nice. The dearest, yet ugliest word in the world. Nice.
Suddenly, she felt a sharp jab in her rib.
With a shocked face, she turned towards the disturber of her peace.
About to freak out at whoever it was, she look up at Adrienne from where she sat.
"What was that for?!"
"Check it out..." Adrienne said, quickly pointing a finger to the other side of the room.
Beyond the now overly intoxicated crowd of dancers, and lounge chairs of couples or groups of friends knocking backlight and hard drinks, she spotted him.
"Know him?" Adrienne asked.
"Meh..." she pretended not to see. "I don't know who you're talking about."
"He's been looking over here repeatedly. Now he just won't turn away."
With a wave of her hand, Chloe turned back to the bar and ordered another drink. This time she was surprised to see that it wasn't her favorite barkeep.
Wait... favorite?! Since when?
Mentally slapping her face, she looked around for any sign of Markus.
As she craned her neck over her shoulder, a voice whispers in her ear.
"Looking for me?"
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