Chapter 9 - Let's Get Wasted
Riley woke up with a good feeling but she didn't remember what happened after she collapsed. She did remember the part when she served her Master Jay on his dinner and then she collapsed in front of him. And after that, she didn't know.
She stood and left the maids room to find Jay and asked him what happened to her that time. But instead of Jay being the one she'll meet, Ethan crosses paths with her.
"How are you feeling?" he asked. Worried is written in his eyes. "Miss Anderson told me you were burning in fever while you're lying on your bed. She said she's about to treat you up but Jay stopped her and told her to let you be."
Riley gritted her teeth. That lunatic! Heartless lunatic! I hate him to the core!
"And you were three days asleep. I'm thinking about taking you to the hospital but when I called them over the phone, they said that there were too many patients so... yeah."
She blinked. "For real?! I'm three days asleep?!"
He chuckled. "Yes. By the way, when Miss Anderson told me everything, I rushed and sneaked into the maids room and checked up on you with a fist aid kit." he bit his lower lip. "Uhm, sorry for touching your forehead. I was trying to check you if--"
Ethan's words were carried away by the air when Riley gave him a tight hug.
"Thank you... For taking care of me." she whispered in his ear.
Ethan tapped her back. "It was nothing."
Riley chuckled and faced him. "Yeah, what are friends for, right?"
He was taken aback. "H-Huh?"
She innocently smiled. "What are friends for? We're friends, right?"
Ethan scratched his nape. "Uhm, y-yeah... sure, uh... whatever."
She didn't know if it was her imagination when she saw a weird emotion in his eyes. Sadness maybe? She shook her head.
"Anyway, I gotta go. I have lots of duties to do since I slept for three days."
JAY IMMEDIATELY stops and can't help but to eavesdrop on her brother and Riley's conversation in the living room. But not the whole conversation.
"For real?! I'm three days asleep?!"
"Yes. By the way, when Miss Anderson told me everything, I rushed and sneaked into the maids room and checked up on you with a fist aid kit. Uhm, sorry for touching your forehead. I was trying to check you if--"
He gulped when she hugged him. Jay felt his heart ripped into pieces and his hopes turned to ash.
Fuck. I hate this feeling. Maybe Ethan said something to her about me but a bad thing. I wanted to punch him on his thick face!
"Thank you... For taking care of me."
"It was nothing."
Jay gripped his wrist and walked out where he was hiding. He needs to let out this feeling. He needs some fresh air.
Fuck I was the one who took care of you!
He wanted to shout those words but he stopped himself.
3 DAYS and 12 HOURS ago...
After the doctor treated Riley, Jay carried her in a bridal style and deposited her in the maid's room. Good thing all the maids were asleep and there was no one else left awake except for him.
He carefully lay her body on the soft mattress and put her comforter up to her shoulder so she couldn't catch a cold. He also lowered the aircon's temperature before he left the room.
Morning came but Jay couldn't find Riley anywhere at the mansion so he decided to sneak into the maids room to check up on her but Miss Anderson, the lady butler, was inside the maids room while she's inspecting Riley.
"What are you doing?" He caught her attention.
Miss Anderson faced him and was stunned. "M-Master Jay... Riley seems to have a fever. Her temperature is very high." She showed him a thermometer.
He accepted it. "Don't worry. She'll be fine. She just needs to rest."
"But Master, I think she needs to go to the hospital--"
"No." He cut her off. "She'll. Be. Fine. Period." He said and left the room.
Truth to be told, he's beyond worried. But the doctor says that she needs to rest due to stress. Physically and mentally. She has a low immune system so her body immediately gives up on her.
Maybe she's thinking about the kiss we shared that night and that added to her stress. Mentally.
RILEY WAS still asleep and Jay was there to take care of her unless she needs to change her clothes. He call some maid to change Riley's clothes every time she still unconscious.
Until she wakes up, he didn't expect that she'll hated him after what he done for her. But he couldn't blame her though. And he won't tell a soul that it was him who took care of her.
It's for the better. He just keep it a secret. It's fine for him if he's in pain secretly than to assume.
3 DAYS and 13 HOURS later...
Jay grabbed his phone and called Jake. "Meet at the Bar Cave. Pronto."
"On my way."
He ended the call and started the engine of his Aston Martin car then drove it to the nearest bar called Bar Cave.
To his surprise, Jake's already there. Drinking at the island bar. He looks wasted already but knowing Jake, his alcohol tolerance is high so he may be wasted but he knew what he was saying or acting.
"You're early."
Jake snorted. "I'm always early. Anyways, why'd you call me here? Do you have a problem?"
He sat beside him and called a bartender to order a scotch. "Yeah." He answered.
"A woman problem?"
"Yeah."
Jake chuckled. "Man, you're in trouble. A very big one. Sorry but I can't give you any advice. I don't know how to understand or please a woman."
"Here's your order, sir."
Jay heavily sighed. And drank the scotch bottoms up. "I'm fucked up."
"Care to tell me why you're being like this?"
He closed his eyes before telling his side. "I met this woman all of a sudden. I was rude, ruthless and bad to her. Well, it's me. That's actually my attitude and no one can change that. But then, as days went by, my feelings suddenly changed because of her. I became responsible, I became soft, I smiled every time I saw her or thought of her, and my evil side slightly fading. And the most interesting part is that, I think I become a better person." He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. "You see, I'm not like this. I'm Jay. The hard-headed one and the short-tempered kind of guy."
"You know what? Let's just drink and get wasted." Jake said and ordered another bottle of scotch, Tequila, Vodka and Whiskey.
"Who says I'm finished?" Jay let out a dry laugh. "I wasn't expecting to meet her at the Masquerade Ball. She looks like an angel from above. A goddess when she smiles. And a perfect definition of a princess. That night, I saw her dancing with another man." He tightened his fist. Ready to punch someone in his mind. "I was stopping myself from punching that guy and beating him to pulp when he's touching her waist, smiling at her and dancing with her." He smiled when he remembered something. "I don't know if I will thank God that she left that guy to go to the restroom or beat myself up when I cannot hold my temper any longer so I--"
"Beat the guy up?" Jake cut him.
He gave him a death look. "Don't cut me off. I'm not done talking. Anyway, no. I didn't beat that guy. Instead, I followed her to the restroom and before she could even enter, I stopped her and kissed her--"
"What the hell?!"
He glared at Jake.
"Sorry, man. I'm just shocked. But why? Why did you suddenly kiss her? The fuck, man."
Jay shrugged and remembered her reaction. "I don't know. It just happened. I just felt I wanted to kiss her so I did before anyone would have the opportunity to steal her kissable lips." He bit his lower lip. Stopping himself from smiling. "Of course she's stunned at what I did. She's speechless and couldn't talk like her mind is blank because I kissed her. She's cute." He chuckled. "I don't know how to figure this out but I didn't ask for anyone's help. This is my own problem to handle. Maybe this is what they call lovelife?"
Jay hasn't entered into a relationship before. When he was in highschool, he liked someone but when he confessed his feelings to that girl. He even gave her a box of Pepero but the girl rejected her so he's afraid of confessing his feelings again ever since that happened.
But in his Senior High School up to his College days, he decided to homeschool. That's why he doesn't have many friends. He also doesn't have social media accounts. He's like a man-cave.
Jake shook his head many times and drank the bottle of Vodka.
"How about you? Why am I seeing sadness in your eyes?" He asked Jake who's drinking Vodka like it's water.
Jake crossed his arms over his chest. "I think I had the same problem as you."
He drank a glass of Whiskey. "Care to tell me?"
Jake nodded and started to tell his love story while Jay attentively listened to him. He looks like he had his own problem to solve too.
Jake has never been in a relationship like him before too. Just like his other brothers, Ethan and Hoon. Jake was focused on his studies, while Ethan is on to music and instruments, Hoon was busy on his sport which is figure skating and Jay, he was focusing on taking over her father's company and placing his father's position as a CEO in the future.
"--but my problem isn't as big as yours." Jake continued. "She just thinks of me as her older brother or a friend that really hurts my pride as a man." He chuckled. "I've been friend zoned. And here I thought that she likes me too."
Jay sighed and shook his head. They're on the same boat. They didn't know what to do at the moment. Just getting wasted and drinking lots of liquor to satisfy their thirst and to somehow forget the girl who ruined their system.
Jay's eyebrows furrowed when his eyes caught someone.
"Hey, what is he doing here?"
Jake looked at the small stage where there are groups of bands that are performing. Looks like he's the one who looks surprised because Jake just shrugged.
"He's here every Friday night and weekends. Part of his part time job." Jake answered.
"You knew? Why the hell didn't you tell me?"
"Knowing you, you didn't even throw a damn care to someone, especially that guy. Oh-- he's I forgot. He's our half brother after all. The very talented one." Jake laughed like there's something funny.
"Fuck." Jay murmured. "You're wasted. Let's go."
He pulled the bottle of Vodka when Jake was about to get it. He helped Jake out of the Bar Cave and deposited him on the passenger seat then drove his Aston Martin to the mansion.
Good thing he's still in his right mind though her head felt spinning but he still managed to drive carefully and safely until he parked the car in the garage of the mansion.
~amph1trite~