Chapter 2: Hurt
Julienne stood outside the courtroom with trembling legs as she watched the car drive away,the judge's word's from the courtroom echoing in her head. She hadn't expected Damien to get custody over her daughter. The thought that her daughter is out there without her felt like a punch to the gut.
She walked towards the gate with unshed tears in her eyes making her vision blurry. She didn't know if she was hurt that her marriage already ended or happy that she's free from that prison called marriage.
She stood on the sidewalk as she flagged down a cab.
"Take me to the club down the street" She said to the driver as she got in. Before her marriage,she usually visited the club with her parents and hadn't stepped foot inside there because Damien hated the thought of his wife in a club. Today,she no longer belongs to him.
She looked at her phone and noticed that it was three minutes past five. As the cab drove away, the brave face which Julienne had put on crumbled. Hot heavy tears streamed down her face and she buried her head in her hands. The driver looked over at her with concern written all over his face.
"Sorry ma'am, you okay?" He asked her gently.
Julienne's sob increased at his questions as she shook her head in denial. The cab suddenly felt small and suffocating. Noticing that she didn't want to talk about it, the driver remained silent as he focused on driving, the only sounds being the hum of the engine and the muffled sobs from julienne.
They got to a red light and stopped waiting for the light to turn green. Julienne gazed out the window focused on the car beside her,a couple and their two children laughing happily like the perfect family. They looked like they didn't wish for any other thing in the world. Why did they have to be happy when she suffered?
The cab moved forward as the light turned green. Her thoughts drifted to her daughter. She wondered how her daughter would feel about the whole development. Would she forgive her for leaving her? Or would she understand? Would Damien turn her daughter against her?
She tried to stop sobbing but more tears fell from her eyes which she couldn't stop. She felt like she lost a part of her, like her identity all this time was tied to being a mother and a wife.
The cab finally pulled up a few blocks away from the club, giving Julianne the opportunity to compose herself. Julienne paid the driver as she wiped the tears away from her eyes.
"Please take care of yourself, ma'am" he said softly before driving away.
Julienne nodded as she walked towards the club. There were a few people in the club but it wasn't packed yet because it was still early. The music drowned her thoughts as she walked in.
At the bar, she ordered a shot of whiskey on the rocks. The hot burn of the liquor made her gag before she drowned the remaining,emptying the glass.
She asked for another and sipped it slowly watching as the club slowly filled up. She swirled the amber liquid in her hand as took sip after sip enjoying the burn as it went down her throat emptying another glass.
"Can I get another?" She told the bartender in a firm voice.
From the window she noticed that the night wore in. Her tears had already dried up from her eyes and face as the feeling of numbness overshadowed her drink. She flirted with men that approached her laughing at their jokes whether she found it funny or not.
The view before her turned blurry but she still didn't care as she drowned more drinks, nobody bothered to stop the crazy lady from drinking. She was hurt and wanted to forget.
And that was when she noticed him coming towards her – tall,dark hair and piercing gray eyes. A confident smile appeared on his face which drew her in.
He walked towards her with a confident stride. Julienne's heartbeat quickened as he got closer. She couldn't deny the fact that he was very attractive.
"Hope you won't mind if I join you?" He asked, his voice sending sweet shivers down her spine.
"Yes…uh… I mean I don't mind" Julianne said as she shook her head.
He sat on the stool beside her as he ordered a drink. He introduced himself to julienne but the music was too loud for her to hear him but she didn't bother asking him to repeat himself.
They talked,or rather Julienne talked about a lot of things and nothing. His eyes were locked on hers as he listened to her talk to him about her first day in college.
Julienne's restraint was loosening up with each drink as her words became slurry as she spoke. She stared at his eyes as she leaned closer to him,her face a few inches from his.
"Do you know that you have really beautiful eyes? You're so beautiful" Julianne whispered as her hands lightly brushed his cheeks.
He chuckled,his warm breath caressing her skin as he pulled her hands away from his face. "Thank you… you're pretty amazing yourself"
Julienne's eyes were still locked on his and with no thoughts in her drunken mind,she pressed her lips against his.
He hadn't expected the kiss and was shocked at how bold she was. The kiss was passionate and for a moment the world around Julianne steeled. She was herself at the confidence she had for initiating the kiss.
He pulled her back as he stared into her hazy eyes.
"Oh whoa, relax vixen" He whispered into her ear with a hint of a smile.
Julienne's face turned warm as she realized what she did. How could she kiss another man a few hours after her divorce.
She stared at the man before her,his lips still glistening from the kiss. Her thoughts were disorganized from the alcohol.
"I'm so sorry" She said in a soft voice, looking everywhere but at him.
Noticing her flustered expression,he smirked. "You don't have to apologize, I enjoyed it"