4

I know I'm so close to losing it when I see her waving her hand, signaling me to walk to her again. I want to work, I seriously do. And I want these customers to be aware of my annoyed look, so they finally catch the hint and realize it's two am, and we are supposed to be closing at one am. 

When I take a look at their table, I see two other men joined them. So the door I heard wasn't of people actually leaving, but people coming. 

I make my walk to their table again, with Tammy looking at me excited when she gets what she wants and I'm finally next to her again. I'm relaxed, ready to be introduced to the two new guys, until my eyes meet a pair of pitch black eyes I'm familiar with. Unlike the first time we kept exchanging glances, where he looked seductive and confident, he now looks confused and surprised.

I thought I wouldn't see him ever again. He probably thought so, too. And now we are here.

—Jungkook, Mark —Tammy speaks—. She's y/n.

Wait, wait. I need to recap. And my brain seems to be working way too fast to be stopped right now. Melanie met Soo's boyfriend because he was the one who got her that butterfly tattoo she kept showing off right after. And Jungkook uses his studio as a love nest, or so it seemed so when he took me there.

This asshole has a girlfriend?

He's serious, still giving me confused glances while the auburn-haired guy next to him decides to speak first, and assures me Tammy has talked a lot about me. And I still need to wonder what she talked about, or why she talked so much about me. Does this have to do with something she said last week of trying to get me to meet new people?

—Don't believe anything she said —I joke, but I'm not completely joking either.

—So... —a voice interrupts— This is the y/n you told us about? 

He's looking at Tammy, who's standing on my left. That question and how he doesn't even look at me make my eyes go blank for one second. 

—Why? Did you already know each other? —Tammy asks.

—No —I rush to answer—. Maybe he knows a different y/n?

—I can answer by myself —he snaps back, tilting his head annoyingly before he looks back at Tammy—. But yeah —he sighs—, I thought you could've been referring to the same girl I knew. Guess not —he shrugs.

—Note down a new one on your list, then —Melanie jokes.

The environment, that was light and easy to handle just half an hour ago, turns thick and unbearable as soon as Jungkook's eyes and mine met for the first time today. He doesn't seem annoyed by me joining his group of friends, but I'm sure he's cursing whatever decided we aren't done with one another yet.

Soo places her hand over Jungkook's tattooed arm, getting his attention to inform him I'm also joining them on their little trip to lake Seneca. And he just seems indifferent to that information. He just shrugs and nods.

—Thinking about it —I interrupt her—, I don't think I'll be able to join you.

When Soo asks why, I'm only able to pull the New Jersey excuse I always come up with whenever I don't want to go somewhere. They don't know I'm not in contact with my parents anymore, nor that I haven't been to New Jersey ever since I moved to New York. 

Perfect excuse, until Tammy's suspicious tone questions my new plans. It'd have worked if my friend wasn't aware of my bad relationship with my parents. 

I know she's getting ready to drag me and contradict me in front of her friends. She starts with a "You always do the same thing", and she slowly starts building a tantrum I don't want to deal with right now. Not when I'm working, and definitely not when her friends are here, looking at the scene she's making, without saying a word.

If we had been alone, I probably would have ignored her or called her out for this. But the fact that we are surrounded by people, just makes me want to stop her before Tammy makes it worse. And if the problem it's only Jungkook, I could always ignore him and focus on everyone else in the cabin. 

—I guess I'll visit my parents on a different day —I sigh.

Translated in Tammy's language: You got what you wanted, and I'm not pulling any excuse to avoid going. She's smiling big, so full of herself and so proud it makes me annoyed.

—Can I go back to work now? —she nods, smiling big without showing her teeth.

Apologizing to the rest, because I have to leave, I start my way to the counter and attend the few customers left, who are drunk enough to have a hard time whenever they try to make it to the exit.

When the bar is empty enough there isn't anyone, but Tammy's friends, I start to take out the glasses from the dishwasher. They feel hot when I move them from the machine, to the counter behind me -covered with a clean cloth-, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to hold them now if it weren't for some of the calloused spots in my hands, that are too used to the temperature after working in similar places for years now.

—Charge me, please —I hear a voice in my back.

When I turn around, and see him bending over the bar, next to the beer tap, I feel the need to roll my eyes big, but I contain myself. Let's keep it friendly for now. He lifts his credit card between two of his fingers before I can even ask how he wants to pay. This time, I can't control myself and my eyes travel to the back of my head, making him giggle.

—My motorbike is scratched —he casually says, while he enters the pin.

—I'm sorry. I know it wasn't the best react... —he cuts me off before I can continue.

—No, it wasn't —he nods—. And I'm glad to hear you know you were the one in the wrong. 

I can't hold back the ironic laugh leaving my mouth when he says that. The one in the wrong? Me? The fact that he's not going to get any accountability is mind-blowing. I didn't want to bring up whatever happened that night, or how I ended up walking my way back home because of how mad I was. I didn't even realize how far I went until I found myself in the front door at three in the morning.

—You know what? I take it back. That scratch is the minimum you deserve —I snap back.

—What do you mean? —his eyes squint while he looks at me.

—Don't act like you don't know —I hand him the ticket—. You acted all nice and cool, just to take me to that shitty studio and have me spreading my legs for you. Not even a bed? Are you sixteen? 

I have nothing against people that get turned on by making it in public places, but on the first night? Even if I didn't see it from my weird perspective, I can't believe there are actual girls falling for his shit.

—And now you have the balls to be here, talking about this with me as if it weren't a big deal and blaming me for whatever happened in your studio, while your girlfriend is sitting right there.

His eyebrows meet in the middle, when he's frowning confused by that last statement. He looks back to their table, then looks back to me, and then he smiles. If I had the slightest doubt of him dating Soo, he confirms it now:

—You're right —Jungkook nods—. How could I ever dare to get close to you in front of everybody? —he takes a step back— Thank you —he lifts the receipt—, cocktease.

The cordial, and automatic, smile on my face fades as soon as he lets out those words. And I feel so tempted to get violent and throw one of those glasses right at his head. But I don't. I see him join the group of friends, giving me a fast glance before he leaves with two of them.

If I had any doubt he was a huge asshole the other night, he totally confirmed it now after what he said.

I'm starting to regret the trip. And I think I should be getting a new excuse ready.

Doesn't seem like communication is their thing...

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