The Black Swan

For once I was not sitting at the four walls ofThe Black Swan, nor was I lounging in my wonderful condo, listening to one of Buttercup’s famous ‘I’m a cat, hear me roar’ speeches. Surprisingly or not, but I was at 25 degrees yet again. Brian had wanted for us to talk about something, so I figured 25 was just the place for it, besides it was very quiet on Tuesday mornings, so I could work on my paperwork not worrying about some horny testosterone filled teenagers hitting on me, because I looked very much sixteen and naive as hell. Sorry to break it to you all, but I was sixteen eight years ago, so getting a seventeen year old in my bed counts as a mild form of pedophilia and I’m not into that shit, it’s more of Haner’s hobby horse.

„Your juice,” I raised my head to the deep voice to see Mark’s hazel eyes looking at me. Some wrinkles formed around his eyes as he sent me his warmest smile.

„Thanks,” I murmured, chewing on my pen as my eyes dropped to the silver wristwatch Brian had given me couple of days ago as a late present for opening such a great club as The Black Swan. Yeah, we all knew he hated the place just as much as I hated his girlfriends. A week ago we weren’t even talking, most of our communication consisted of me wanting to smack his ego and him returning the favor. We were arguing, non stop, but it took only a couple of stupid mistakes and we were best buddies again. Or maybe even something more. Who knew, I definitely didn’t. See, we hadn’t had the talk yet, but seeing how he’s giving me Rolex watches and whatnot, made me really think about it.

„What’s wrong, Ally?” I raised my head to Mark’s timbre as he laid a Corona on the table, right next to the decent pile of documents. Brian swore he won’t be late, so I figured he would want a cold beer, knowing how it’s fifty gazillion degrees outside and even Ally Morgan is wearing colorful summer dress, just because she doesn’t want to sweat herself to nonentity.

„It’s Brian, he had to be here by now,” I sighed, dropping my eyes to yet another contract of sort, before laying a quick signature on the bottom of the page.

„So you and that Haner kid, huh?” Mark chuckled, reminding me a bit of a Santa Claus by the way he was holding his stomach when laughing. „I remember him when he was this tall,” He lowered his palm to the mid of his thigh. „That boy could be a real pain in the ass...”

„Wait, wait, wait. You know the guy since he was in his diapers?” I raised my eyebrow to the partly bold man. „How come you never told me?”

„You never asked.” He smiled, shoving the metallic tray in his arm pit. „You have no idea how many girls he’d bring here and surprisingly I remember every one of them.”

Okay, I had an idea. Maybe it was not the best to come, but it will work... for now. I took my black bag from the seat next to me and looked for my wallet. It had to be here somewhere, I swear I didn’t move it. Found it! „Then you mind telling me who is this?” I took a picture out of it and gave the photo of Brian and my look-a-like to Mark to see his face changing. He was looking with a warm smile over the photo, like he’d seen his own daughter.

„They used to dine here every Wednesday. Precisely at seven o’clock,” Precisely? Could Haner ever be on time? „She was a real sweetheart, a very polite girl. And she made him happy, they would come here and it felt like the whole place lit up in an instant. They were very much in love,” Mark’s face dropped as he exhaled heavily, „She left for another guy... Brian didn’t earn much at the time, he was working at some kind of a construction site and I suppose it wasn’t enough for her.”

The small bell above the door rang, making me raise my head to see a pair of browns scanning the place, before he spotted me. Mark looked over his shoulder, before looking back. „He’s been through a lot, so don’t bring up the past.” He passed the photo back to me and I quickly dropped it in my bag, before Brian had managed his way over. He and Mark greeted each other with a hand shake, before the owner walked away, warning me with his stare.

„Hey beautiful,” He pecked my lips lightly, before taking a place across the table. Brian placed his wallet, his car keys and his phone on the table as he sat down. He was wearing a sleevless shirt from Vengeance University newest collection, some boarding shorts and flip-flops and he looked like he could eat a horse. „I’m starving, did you order anything?”

„No,” I shook my head, taking the papers away the table and putting on the chair, just next to my bag. „I was waiting for you.” I raised a glass of ice cold water to my lips, spotting a corner of the photo sticking out of my bag. Fuck. My eyes laid on him, just to see he was looking over the menu, not minding my shenanigans.

„Hmm... A stake sounds good,” He raised his head at the exact time I was trying to get the photo in the side pocket, trying not to damage it too much. He frowned noticing my struggle with the zipper. It got stuck. „Okay,” He went back to looking over the menu, „I suppose we’ll get you a new bag.”

„The bag’s fine,” I hissed through my teeth, trying to get it closed, but failing miserably. His dark eyebrow raised, telling he really didn’t believe a word I was saying.

„Uh-ha... Okay, whatever.” He put the menu down and raised his index finger, so Mark could stop polishing the glasses, to my surprise he even knew how to do it, and could take the order. Mark didn’t move from his place behind the bar, just took a notebook and a pen, before urging for Brian to lay it down. „One medium rare and...” He looked over me, just to realize I had not even looked in the direction the menu was laying., „What are you having?”

„I’m not hungry,” I took a sip from my glass, while he was suspiciously eying me.

„Yeah, Mark, make that two...” He never broke the eye contact with me and I just rolled my eyes. So he liked to be in charge, huh? His slender fingers wrapped around the bottle neck as he raised the Corona to his lips. „You look cranky, what’s up?”

„I just don’t get this me and you thing,” I gestured between us as he leaned closer, bracing his forearms on the brownish table.

„What do you mean?” He looked a bit confused.

„I simply don’t get it... You buy me stuff, you pay my bills, you make me eat,” Yeah, the food thing was the worst of them all. How dared he, right?

„And there’s nothing you can do about it,” He smirked one of his famous cocky smirks, „This is my way of apologizing for being such a dick to you.”

„Fine, I understand one thing, but, Brian... It’s too much.”

„The money’s not going anywhere, Al, you know that.” He looked me deeply in the eye, trying to figure what was I thinking, but not even I was sure of what was going through my mind.

„It’s not that... It’s just... I’m not used to presents.”

„Then start getting used to, cause I’m not stopping anytime soon.”

„Okay... What exactly is going on between us, cause I’m really lost...” I couldn’t do this anymore not knowing the truth. This would be just sad if he had another three girls, who he talked into being his one and only through overly expensive gifts. But then again, what was the point of it? Showing he’s wealthy enough to give California as a present to his mistress? Well that would be clearly a moronic move.

„And what do you think is going on?” He had a mischievous grin on his face. I couldn’t tell what that expression stood for.

„Don’t play games with me, Haner...” I reminded him of the time on Matt’s porch, when he, in fact, was the one to run after me and conclude into... this. Whatever this really was.

„Look, what can I say?” His palm landed on mine as he locked his eyes with me, „We’re dining together, we’re sleeping together, we’re going to Matt’s and Jenna’s wedding together. What do you think is truly going on, huh?”

„And you’re not meeting other girls...” I squinted my eyes on him.

„Really? You’re really asking me this?” After he had beaten the shit out of Andrew? Yes, I was asking this. He sighed, before realizing I was being serious. „No, Alison Jennifer Morgan, I’m not hooking up with other chicks, you’re too expensive for me to be with someone else.”

„I’m not asking you to buy me all this stuff...”

„And I’m not asking for your permission as well. I like it. I like to make you happy, so just bare with me... Speaking of which,” He leaned back in his chair, raising the Corona to his lips, „What are we getting Matt and Jenna?”

We? It sounded so... odd. So different. Me and Brian together, as an item. It felt very much wrong, but somehow I liked this wrong. „You mean what are we getting for your money, cause I’m pretty much broke?”

He laughed, before saying matter of factly. „That’s why I did in fact use the word ‘we’.”

„Hmm... What to get a couple who has it all?” I swirled the ice and the h2o in my glass. I had never been good with picking gifts, it specially wedding gifts.

„Definitely some liquor,” Brian rolled his eyes, probably remembering every and each time Jenna yelled her lunges out on him for stealing her scotch. We both started laughing right at the moment when Mark appeared by the horizon with the food. It really looked mouthwatering.

„Bon apetit,”

„God bless you Mark, your place has the best stakes in the universe,” Brian took a chunk of the meet before going in what it seemed like clear ecstasy. „Oh my fucking god... It’s even better than sex...”

He had to be joking. I raised my eyebrow, feeling slightly amused by his facial expressions, who I could really say- diversified. „So how are you feeling about the bachelor party? Got some strippers in mind?”

„Huh?” He puckered his eyebrows, before getting what I meant, „Oh no... I have nothing to do with that. Zack’s responsible for Matt’s torture, I’m just... going to be the guy who makes fun of the groom and drinks all the booze.”

„Easy there cowboy, you still have to be at the wedding and saying ‘baby, tell Matt I’m dying in slow and painful death’, when you really are drunk still, won’t really cut it.” I noticed his lips form into one of his widest and sincerest smiles. This was my time to frown. „What?”

„I just liked the way it rolled down your tongue... Turned me on, to be completely honest.” He wiggled his eyebrows, as he put a piece of meat between his lips, not breaking eye contact with me. „I have an hour before I have to go back to the studio.”

„Then I suggest you eat faster, casanova.”