The next day dawned, the sun blazing over the horizon, and I woke with a heaviness in my chest I couldn't quite name. "Ahh, I think I'll go out to eat something…" I muttered, my voice rough against the stillness of the house. "Staying home makes me depressed… Today, I'll take the motorcycle. It's been a while since I last rode her."
Vrumm, vrummm. The roar of the bike sliced through the thick, hot air as I checked the engine, the deep growl bringing a fleeting sense of relief. "Great, she's running fine," I confirmed, the heat rising from the asphalt in shimmering waves. It was a scorching day, the temperature probably hovering around 37 degrees Celsius.
I pulled up to a restaurant around noon, the sun searing my neck as I parked. Stepping inside, the cool blast of air conditioning wrapped around me like a welcome embrace, but something else hit me—a familiar scent, sweet and dangerous. Shit… Tory works here, seriously? Out of all the places in Los Angeles, I walk straight into her workplace? Hahaha, I'm either cursed with bad luck or blessed with too much of it…, I thought, my heart skipping a treacherous beat.
I strode to a table, the leather of my jacket sticking to my sweat-damp skin, and sank into a chair, waiting. Then she appeared—apron tied around her waist, pen hovering over her notepad. "Hello, sir, what will your ord—Clark?"
"Little Firecracker, you work here?" I asked, widening my eyes in mock surprise, a playful grin tugging at my lips.
"Yeah…" she replied, her tone flat. "Guess you didn't know where I worked."
"I swear I didn't," I assured her, chuckling softly. "I'm just trying to escape this hellish heat outside, and I'm starving."
"What's your order?" she asked, her eyes locking onto mine, shadowed with a melancholy that cut like a blade. The weight of her gaze made me falter.
"Bring me a portion of rice, four portions of meat, two chicken thighs, a slice of savory pie, and for dessert, a strawberry milkshake and three pieces of chocolate cake," I said, my voice steady but my eyes tracing her every move.
She stared at me, stunned. "Clark, if you eat all that all the time, you're gonna get fat…"
I flashed my teeth in a wide grin. "Don't worry, Little Firecracker. I don't gain weight easily. Besides, I'm famished… I need a ton of calories."
"Alright, then…" she muttered, scribbling the order with her head bowed, a shroud of something unspoken hanging over her. "I'll put your order in." She turned and walked away, her shoulders slumped as if carrying an invisible burden.
I sat there, the emptiness of the wait swallowing me as the aroma of food began to drift through the restaurant. She returned with the plates, and I devoured everything effortlessly, the flavors momentarily filling the void her words had left. When I finished, I spotted her talking to a guy with "Manager" stamped on his shirt. Rising, I approached them, a spark of boldness igniting in my veins.
"Hey, buddy, can I get a milkshake here with this cutie?" I asked, pointing at Tory with a teasing smirk.
"Clark, what are you doing? It's my work hours…" she protested, her voice laced with frustration.
"You two know each other?" the manager asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"Yeah, she was my girl…" I replied, my tone firm but softening at the end. "But some things happened, and it got complicated…"
Tory stayed silent, her gaze fixed on the floor.
"No problem," the manager said, shrugging casually. "Besides, you're the only customer here right now."
"Thanks, bro, you're awesome," I said, turning to her. "Get us two milkshakes, Tory, and come sit with me. I need to talk to you."
With her head down, she nodded and shuffled off to fetch them, her steps heavy with a weight I could feel in the air.
A few minutes later, she returned with the milkshakes, the cold glass sweating between her hands. "Sit," I urged, and she obeyed, her eyes still avoiding mine. "We need to talk about this, Tory. It kills me to see you so down. What happened?"
"It's none of your business," she snapped, her voice sharp as broken glass. "You don't have anything to do with my life anymore, Clark."
"What are you talking about, Tory?" I asked, my heart tightening with every syllable she spat.
"You abandoned me again," she said, her voice cracking with raw pain. "After that… I was used by you. You took my virginity and left without a word. You didn't even call me. I had to reach out, and you didn't give a damn about me…"
"That's not true," I protested, guilt slamming into me like a fist. "I'd never write you off…" I reached across the table, resting my hand over hers, but she yanked it back as if I'd burned her.
"Get your hands off me," she hissed, her eyes blazing. "I have a boyfriend now. The truth is, Clark, I wish you'd never come back."
"Are you really telling the truth?" I asked, my voice dropping to a near plea. "Look at me."
She lifted her face, her red-rimmed eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Yes, it's the truth. I've moved on. I don't love you anymore. I'm with Roby now… I've let you go."
I sat there, the world spinning slowly around me, her words carving a hollow space in my chest. I glanced around, trying to shake off the sting of what I'd just heard, but I wouldn't make a scene. Nodding slowly, my throat dry, I said, "Alright, Tory. If that's what you really want… May you be happy from now on. I won't step into your life again. Let it be as you wish." I pulled out my wallet, dropped a thousand dollars on the table, and stood.
"Hey, what's this?" she asked, startled.
"No clue how much the bill was," I replied, my voice flat. "Left this to cover it. Keep the change, I don't care." I grabbed my milkshake, strode out of the restaurant with steady steps, hopped on my bike, and peeled away, the hot wind whipping against my face as I left her behind.
Tory watched me go, the cold glass still in her hand. She wiped her tears with the back of her palm, her heart a tangled knot of ache and resolve, and turned to serve the new customers trickling in, the farewell sinking into her like a stone.
She's scared…, I thought as I rode, her scent still clinging to me, sharp and vivid. I smelled it when I touched her hand. She's terrified I'll leave again and make her suffer… The wind couldn't carry away the turmoil churning inside me. "Guess I'll head to the beach…"
I reached the shore, the sun blazing on the horizon as I parked the bike. Stripping off my shirt, the heat plastering the fabric to my skin, I stashed my shorts, wallet, and shirt in a hidden spot. Running toward the sea, I dove into the waves, the cold saltwater crashing over me, stinging my eyes and washing the sweat from my body.
Living a normal life around here is pretty boring… But what else do I have to do? That's life. I've got plenty, but I feel incomplete… I'm missing her… She should be mine… Only mine… "THEN WHY DON'T YOU HAVE HER?!" A voice roared in my mind, deep and feral, slicing through the sound of the waves like a blade.
What the hell was that? I thought, my heart pounding against my ribs.
"I AM YOU… YOUR WOLF SIDE, THE PART YOU TRY TO BURY. I SHOULD BE IN CONTROL… YOU'RE WEAK. YOU LET A KID STEAL YOUR GIRL. YOU LOST HER TO HIM!"
"Shut up," I snapped, the words echoing only in my head. "You don't exist. It's just my mind playing tricks…"
"YOU'RE WEAK! YOU LOST HER TO A MERE HUMAN!"
"I didn't lose her," I insisted, my chest tightening with defiance and longing. "She loves me. She's just scared…"
"OBVIOUS FEAR! WHILE SHE FEELS THAT, ANOTHER GUY'S WITH HER, TAKING WHAT'S YOURS, AND YOU JUST STAND THERE LIKE A FOOL, A CUCKOLD, A DREAMER… HAHAHA, YOU'RE PATHETIC!"
"SHUT UP, DAMN IT!" I shouted, the waves swallowing the sound, but the laughter persisted, a thunderous growl reverberating in my soul.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Minutes later, I emerged from the water, my body heavy, my mind spinning in a whirl of saltwater and doubt. "Shit… what the hell was that…?" I murmured, the salt on my lips mingling with the bitter taste of uncertainty as I stood dripping on the shore.