S. F. - 48

***

New.

I slammed the glass on the table after finishing its contents in one shot.

"Are we really drinking in the middle of the week?" Gun complained as I poured myself another shot.

We were currently at the Groove. I didn't want to drown myself in tears so I decided to just drown myself in alcohol instead.

After what happened this morning, Tay still had the audacity to go and meet his woman. He didn't even send me home! He just lied about having a very important and urgent meeting. Tss.

Important my ass!

"Tss. Come on. Just drink with me," I nudged Gun but he just stared at me. I still hadn't told him about what happened.

"Spill."

"Oh, no. Don't spill anything. Drinks should go in here, not somewhere else," I giggled as I touched my stomach.

"What I mean is tell me everything. What happened?" he clicked his tongue as he grabbed my glass away from me.

"Come on. Give me that," I tried getting the glass back but he just gave it to the waiter.

"Tss. You're such a buzz kill," I rolled my eyes as I grabbed the bottle of whiskey and drank from it instead.

"Oh, great. Go on. Drink everything!" Gun surrendered as he leaned back on the couch and started massaging his temples.

I didn't say anything and just continued drinking. I was already halfway the bottle and my vision was starting to get hazy. Well, I wouldn't be surprised as it was already my second bottle.

"He still went to his woman," I chuckled as I hugged the whiskey bottle. "He said it was urgent. She's important."

Gun didn't say anything and just listened to me as I talked whilst hugging the bottle.

"We just had sex at his office yet he still went to that woman. I guess he's really tired of me. Maybe he realized I can't bear his children that's why he started looking for someone else."

"Hey, don't say that. Look at me and Off. We're happy with Chimon. There are still other ways for you to have a child. I don't think Tay's gonna leave you for that reason," Gun comforted me as he tried getting the bottle away from me.

"New, talk to him about it. Confront him already. You drowning yourself in alcohol and self doubt won't do anything. You're just gonna wallow in so much pain and sadness without even getting the answer. The best way is to talk to him."

"Tss. How can I when he comes home late!" I glared at him as I chugged the whiskey again and finished its contents.

I immediately slammed the empty bottle on the table and abruptly stood. I shook my head for a while to somehow eliminate the dizziness that I was feeling but failed.

"Where are you going?" Gun asked as he helped me stand properly.

"Tss. He wants someone else? I'm finding mine as well!" I pointed the dance floor as I stumbled to maintain my balance.

"No, you wouldn't!" Gun grabbed my arm and tried pushing me back on the couch but he was no match for my size.

"No, I'm getting my own in that dance floor!" I slightly pushed him away and stumbled my way to the dance floor.

Gun frustratingly ran a hand through his hair but he didn't follow me, but I could see him talking to someone on the phone.

I went on with my escapade and pushed through the sea of people. I could see some men and women eyeing me but didn't bother approaching me.

I unbuttoned the first three buttons of my dress shirt because it was starting to get hot and started grooving to the music.

"New. Come on. Let's go home," Gun followed me to the dance floor and started dragging me.

"NO! Gun, please just let me enjoy the night. I just wanna forget the pain," I begged as I pried his hand off my arm.

"Fine! But please don't get into trouble. I'm keeping my eyes on you," he surrendered and headed back.

I was dancing to the loud music to somehow deviate my mind from Tay's "cheating" when I felt someone grab my waist from the back.

"So where's your boyfriend?"

I jolted as the guy spoke closely to my ear. I turned to look at him and was surprised to see who it was.

"Luke?" I asked as I squinted my eyes to have a proper look at him.

"I'm glad you remember my name," he grinned as he grabbed my waist again and pulled me closer to him.

I tried pushing him away but a strong pang of pain hit my head so abruptly that my vision became more hazy than it was earlier.

I flinched when I felt him caress my waist.

"Hey, are you okay? You're drunk already," Luke spoke closely as he grabbed my waist tighter to keep me from falling.

I reached out to grab on to something as my headache was getting worse only to grab on to his shoulders. "I-I'm fhine. Just a bit dizzy."

"Are you with someone? I'll take you home," he offered. I didn't know if it was due to the alcohol but I saw him smirk for a second or maybe I was just imagining things.

"I-I'm fhine. I'll just sweat this out," I tried regaining my balance and pushed him away but he just grabbed me closer instead, his hot breath fanning my face due to our close proximity.

"Come on. Your boyfriend's not around anyway. Why don't we do something fun instead?" he whispered in my ear and I had this sudden urge to strangle him with my bare hands when he cupped my bottom all of a sudden.

And that was when I realized that I would never have the courage to cheat on Tay.

I was about to give him a punch in the gut despite my hazy vision and dizziness when someone beat me to it, punching Luke straight on the face.

The people on the dance floor gasped as that someone pushed Luke on the floor and continued throwing punches at him.

I tried squinting my eyes to see who it was but I could only see his back. My own vision then betrayed me and the next thing I saw was darkness.

***

Tay.

"Babe?" I called New the moment I stepped inside the unit but found it empty.

I went straight to the bedroom to see if he was already sleeping but he wasn't there as well.

I quickly fished my phone from my pocket and dialled his number as I was starting to get worried. He should be home by then and he would always tell me whenever he wanted to spend the night outside.

The number you have dialled is currently not available. Please try your call later.

I dialled his number again but received the same response from the operator. I was about to type a message for him when Gun called me.

"Hello Gun? Is New with you?" I asked immediately. Gun was one of his closest friends aside from White and Gunsmile who were living overseas already. So Gun was just the right person to ask. I eventually noticed the loud music in the background.

"Tay, where are you? We're at the Groove and New's drunk as fuck. Can you come over and get him? I—"

I didn't even let him finish his statement and immediately ended the call.

That was the fastest drive I'd ever done in my life. Never had I exceeded my personal speed limit but the thought of New being drunk in a place filled with predators and other types of creatures who might take advantage of him made me go against my own rule.

I hadn't even parked my car well but I already got off and headed inside The Groove in big strides.

I scanned the area to find New and Gun and eventually spotted the latter tiptoeing on one of the couches. I then noticed that he had his eyes fixed on someone.

Anger engulfed my entire system the moment I followed his line of vision and saw Luke hugging an obviously drunk New.

And I might have wanted to kill him right there and then when he held New's bottom all of a sudden.

With no hesitations, I pushed through the crowd and punched Luke straight on the face.

"What the fuck?!" he exclaimed as he wiped the blood on his lips.

"That's for touching what's mine," I growled still clutching my hands in a fist so I could throw him another blow on the face.

"Oh, really? Then how come he's drinking alone? Don't you think he's getting tired of—"

I heard the people gasped as I pushed him on the floor and gave him several punches. He tried fighting back but I immediately gave him another strong blow before he could even lift his fist.

"Touch him again and I'd kill you with my bare hands," I warned him as I grabbed his collar tightly.

The security had already arrived to stop us but they didn't do anything when they saw me.

Luke was about to say something, but Gun's voice caught my attention.

"NEW!"

I held my breath as I watched Gun struggled to hold an unconscious New in his arms.

And that was enough for me to let Luke go.

"Babe? Babe?" I tried shaking him the moment I held him in his arms to wake him up. "Babe?"

"Oh, Thay? Ish statue?" he chuckled with his eyes closed and I somehow felt relieved that he was just fine.

"Let's go home, babe," I scooped him in my arms and left the dance floor.

"Don't touch meeee," New whined as I placed him in the passenger seat.

"Babe, you have to fasten your seatbelt," I dodged as he continued slapping my head making it difficult to lock the seatbelt.

"Noooo. I don't want tooo. You're suffocating Newwieeeee," he groaned as he tried removing the seatbelt.

"What? I'm not suffocating him. Come on. There," I heaved a sigh of relief as I heard the seatbelt clicking signifying that it was already locked.

"Thanks Gun," I smiled at Gun who was watching us the whole time.

"I'm sorry if I wasn't able to stop him. You know how stubborn he can be and Tay whatever problem you have, it's best that you talk about it."

I furrowed my eyebrows for as far as I could remember, New and I didn't have any problems at all.

I just nodded at him and bid him goodbye.

I immediately went to the driver's seat before New could even think of getting off the car.

"Who arhe yhou?" he asked groggily with his eyes half closed.

"It's me, babe," I softly replied as I started the car. "Let's go home, okay? We'll talk tomorrow."

"Whyy arhe yhou calling mhe bhabe? Thay's the only one who chan call me thath."

I flinched when he started hitting my arm, slapping it so hard that it started reddening in just a matter of seconds.

"Babe, I'm driving."

"Dhon't touch mhe. My Tay's ghonna bhe mhad at you if you touch mheee," he whined as he continued hitting me. I wasn't even touching him in the first place!

I was driving so slowly to the point that we'd probably get home the next morning since he wouldn't stop hitting me.

But I eventually decided to stop at the side of the road when he started crying out of nowhere.

"H-hey, what's wrong?" I reached out to wipe the tears on his face but he didn't say anything and just continued crying.

"Are you hurt somewhere?" I panicked as he cried even more.

"It hurts here," he said between his sobs and clutched his chest.

"Why? Are you having a hard time breathing? Shall we go to the hospital?" I removed his seatbelt so he could breathe properly but he was still clutching his chest. I panicked even more when I noticed his labored breathing.

"Hey, what's wrong? Tell me. Does it hurt that much?" I cupped his face so he'd look at me.

"He doeshn't love me anymore."

"Who? Who doesn't love you?" I asked in confusion. Who was he talking about?

"Tay. He doeshn't lhove mhe anymore."

I froze upon hearing his statement. Tears continued to fall from his eyes as he stared at me with droopy eyes.

"Hey, who told you that? I love you so much, okay? I can't even see myself loving someone else but you," I muttered tenderly as I wiped the tears from his face but he didn't stop crying.

"He alreadhy has shomeone else. He has Apple alreadhy. He doeshn't lhove mhe anymore."

I stilled as he mentioned Apple's name. Fuck. How did he find out about her??

"He doeshn't lhove mhe anymore. He evhen whent to her after we had shex in his office."

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I continued listening to him as he cried.

"Maybe he's tired of mhe already. Or he doeshn't whant me anymhore. I can't ghive him children. Or maybe he didn't rheally lhove mhe at all. Or maybe he's mhad because I broke his office chair? Or maybe because I nag at him too mhuch? H-he always comes home lhate. I bet he's spending time with her. Tsss. I hate him. Hhe always mhakes me cry. He always mhakes Newwiee chrryy. Do you think he'll lheave mhe?"

I immediately hugged him as he continued talking in between his sobs.

"I'm so sorry, babe. I didn't know you're feeling that way," I murmured as I slowly ran my fingers through his hair.

"I don't evhen know what to do if he'll lheave mhe. Whait, who arhe yhou? Why are yhou hugging mhe. Don't touch mheee. Tay will get mhaad. Lheave me alhone. I'm going home to Tay. Lhet me ghoooo."

I didn't say anything and just hugged him even tighter as he continued pushing me away.

Should I tell him the truth already? But, it's still too early!

***