CHAPTER 5

That day and several others were good days. I finally felt like myself again. The girl and everything about her was just a mere shade of memory. I was back and it felt good to be me again. I was great at work and I booked new clients almost every day. Everything was perfectly back to normal. I was out every night and every day I was in bed with a hot chick by my side and sometimes I got two. I was having fun like the fun guy I am.

"Hey bro," Rad greeted me the moment I stepped in the bar like he was waiting for me or something.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing, remember today we go through the book accounts."

"Sure."

No wonder he was right at the door waiting for me. Today was the day, it was strange it was already the end of the month already. Days seemed to have moved a little too fast.

It's a good thing he caught me before I got distracted with all the beauties that were moving around. When I looked around there was a lot of high school girls. Pretty sure they were using fake IDs and I was pretty sure they were here for the band that was about to play.

Rad booked this famous band in the area, and since I wasn't that much into bands I never cared to ask much about it. But, they did have some nice songs and I danced to some of them. Anyways, today was not one of those days which I danced around with a pretty girl and finish it with some nice sex. Working on inventories, books and everything always took a long time. I guessed today I was going to sleep alone.

After he gave instructions to his workers about everything so things go smoothly we went to his office, kind of, it was the back of the bar that was also the store.

The books were looking good and if we kept getting this much we were going to have to expand or start another project. The income doubled over six months and that after paying all the expenses and inventories.

"Hey, this is amazing bro," I told Rad,

"Yah, I know. But I couldn't have it without you."

"Don't give me all the credits. You think I haven't seen how hard you have been working. Hey, this is as much your success as it is mine. If you didn't put your sweat in this we would've never gotten here."

"Thanks man."

When we were young we would never have pictured ourselves with a six figure business and growing. Our main focus was to remain alive, get through the day. We could hardly get food in our belly and the parents, foster parents didn't really bother do anything. Sometimes, I hated them for what they did to us. But then again, they weren't to be blamed completely. I figured they were just as messed up as children, so they didn't know any better.

I know I had a soft spot for them, no matter how small but it was there. Couldn't say the same for Rad, he could never make excuse for them. He always said they were the grown up they were supposed to know better, not to abuse us the way they did.

"I noticed the number of customers have increased since you booked this band. They must be famous or they are pretty good," I told Rad after looking the margins of customers.

"Yah, I didn't know they were either. One of the band member is Kate's friend and she suggested I hire them and I did. When I heard them I knew she was right. They are not always available, but whenever they are free they come to play here."

"Well, thank Kate for me. I also noticed you have increased the account deposit this month."

"Yes I did. I didn't want to leave the money hanging because I don't really need to spent more money because we have enough inventories for now."

"Ok, hey I have an idea. How about we expand and turn it to a night club? Because according to this we have enough to start a night club, a small night club not Las Vegas kind of night club but a reasonable one."

"Yah, I thought of that too, but I think we have to wait because the bar has just gotten stable. We don't want to start something new yet. Let see how the bar goes first, see if this is just a phase or we have finally got our breakthrough."

"I think you are right. Anyways, this is amazing brother. We can finally stop worrying too much and start living a good life we always wished for. Because we are not turning it to a night club we can add a chef as well then, so people can get their dinner here as well. That room we put our old stuffs will work perfectly as a kitchen."

"Yah. Ok, let me see what I can do about it. I think it can work."

By the time we finished going through all the accounts and balance it was already close to midnight and I was super tired. The only thing I wanted was to go home and sleep, and that's exactly what I did. At least what I planned to do anyway.

I went back to the bar and there was very few people. The kind that never leave until they get kicked out. Out in the parking lot there was a van and I could tell it was for the band because I could see the instruments at the back of the open back doors. This tall guy was trying to fit a guitar case at the back.

"Yoh, dude. What's taking so long?" a female voice called from the front of the van.

Quickly, the guy shoved the case inside and closed the trunk door. He went over to the driver side. For a brief moment I could see the girl who was sticking her head out through the window.

It took me a minute for the image and the voice to sink in while I got in my car and fasten my seatbelt. And in a flash it hit me, it was her. The face and the voice I could recognize them anywhere, advantage of obsessing over someone. Before I could unbuckle my seatbelt and get out to stop the van they were already gone. I got out and stood there staring at the van disappearing at a distance. I couldn't understand what just happened, I didn't know what to think.

Was she with the band? Or was she just a fan given a ride with the band? But if she is with the band that means she has been under my nose and I was too dumb to notice her. How stupid have I been? So stuck in my own head and my life style that I didn't want to pay attention to anything else.

But if she was given a ride does that mean one of the band guys was her boyfriend? If that is so why did she sleep with me if she already had a regular guy? Could it mean she wanted a different taste or something? Isn't that like cheating or whatever? I had never been in a relationship before so I couldn't understand how people in relationship were supposed to act.

As I was on my way to my apartment this exhausting night turned out to one confusing night. And when I got to my apartment I lied on my bed thinking about what just happened. Was she a regular at the bar? Why hadn't I seen her in those three days I had been looking for her? I wondered how oblivious I was. 'It was so stupid of me not to see her this entire time if she had been coming to the bar the entire time,' I told myself.

The only explanation that made sense was that she was there for the band like many other girls who came at the bar that night. The other day she was there because the band was there and today she was there for the same reason. The van leaving with her was pretty much the confirmation I needed.

My conclusion was that she was a lucky charm for one of the band guys. So, he must be going with her everywhere he goes. Our night was accidental and that was it, nothing more. 'But damn what a shame' I thought. I couldn't believe an amazing girl like her would end up with a floozy from a boy band. I mean I felt like I was a much better choice for her and I thought she felt it too. Even though it was just one night.

One thing I knew for sure now, I had no reason to get hang up on her. I didn't want to get myself in a relationship mess. You know the stealing someone's girlfriend mess. I woke up in the morning feeling drowsy and stiff, I blamed it on the way I slept. My mind didn't know what to do. I had never faced a situation like that before. And I never had to before till I met her.

Combining what I already knew or rather assumed so far was that the girl had a boyfriend. But the question remained, was I going to steal someone's girlfriend or trick someone to break up with her boyfriend? Was it even okay to do such thing?

I took a shower and dressed then had dry coffee, not literally, I mean a plain cup of black coffee with nothing to go with it. With an empty stomach it went straight to my head and it almost felt like I was drunk a little bit. But I really felt it when I got to work, I was hyped. It was almost like I was on steroid the first few hours until the time my stomach started rumbling annoyingly. It was ten in the morning when I decided to go down the street for breakfast, didn't want to order one of the interns to bring me.

I needed a different scene and maybe refresh my mind a little I had been working like a robot since morning. It was times like this I thought I needed a secretary or assistant, but didn't want to hire one. There was a restaurant down the street that wasn't very far. It was quiet and had a good view and nice air around it, most of the food was amazing.

I had an appointment to show some clients a house up town around twelve, so I had some time even with thirty five minutes' drive to the property.

Anyways, while I was having breakfast I drifted back to my previous thoughts. But before I could, I got distracted by this couple at the far end of the restaurant. Hours like these were slow since it was practically empty. There was like five empty tables between us. I looked at them, like really pay attention at them. I never used to pay attention to such things before. The girl had brunette hair and fair skin and so was the guy, I assumed they were both Latinos. I looked at how they shared their smoothie and looked each other in the eyes and their faces blossom with smile. They looked very happy and for a split second I felt jealous.

You see, I used to feel sorry for people like them. I was sure they felt trapped or pressured into it or they were just putting an act. I guess I had a bad example from our foster parents. They were together for the money they got from the state and that wasn't enough either. They had to deal drugs as well and put us into it as well when we were young. Despite that I never saw myself as a relationship guy to begin with.

'Did I really want to be in a relationship,' I asked myself. The answer to that question before would've been a definite no. but now I wasn't very sure. I asked myself, 'what if I'm gonna want more once I see the girl?' I knew I had one rule, I never sleep with one girl twice. But I wanted the girl so bad, I never wanted to be with someone more than I wanted to be with her. And that went against everything I stood for.

'So, what now,' I asked myself. The question was simple but the answer was not. The couple was gone now and there was a waiter waiting standing in front of me. Her name was Brianna, we banged a few years ago. It was amazing but she knew I was not a relationship kind of guy. I'm glad she understood and this is my favorite restaurant now. Besides, she has a boyfriend or fiancé, I don't know their status now. They had been together for a while.

"Anything else Jake," she called looking at me suspiciously. We are kind of friends now.

"No, thanks." I paid my bill, "lot of stuff at work," I said to stop her from staring.

"Ok, have a nice day." She left and I had to go as well. I had been sitting there for almost an hour. I had to go back to the office get the documents for the house and go check over the house before the clients arrived.

When they arrived we had a few arguments over the price but we reached an agreement in the end. We closed the deal, with a few more paper works and the house would be off my hands. It wasn't my biggest sale, just one of those had to close kind of deal. The house was small; two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and small dining. Most people didn't agree with the price.

What I didn't do was telling them how beautiful the house was. Because the house was not beautiful, it was basic. That's where most agents failed. That's why they couldn't make the sale. I have sold some gorgeous houses over the years and this wasn't even on the top twenty of beautiful houses. The only thing I had to make them focus on was the location of the house hence the price. It was up town, one of the safest places in the city and quiet as well. A person can seat on the porch and enjoy a beautiful sunset unlike most house in the city. So I just had to assure them and their two girls' safety.

Tricking them into focusing on the environment and a lot less over the house was enough to convince them that was exactly the house they needed. All in all everyone ended up happy. The couple was happy for the safe small, but comfortable house. My boss was happy to finally get the house sold and I was happy for my healthy commission.

When the evening came I was conflicted. I wanted to go to Rad's bar and I didn't want to go there at the same time. Lots of questions were running in my head. What if I was to see her there, again with her boyfriend? Will I talk to her? Will I ignore her? Will she ignore me? If we talk to each other what will we talk about?