Mark pulled up across the parking lot in front of a local bar. He put on his glasses and went inside, with Naya following him like a small puppy.
"Mark!" A familiar Asian yelled at Mark.
"Well," Mark grinned. "Look what I fished out, Harry."
"Naya?" Harry Shum looked so shocked.
"Harry!" Naya threw a hug around her Glee co-star.
"So, how are you? I heard you're doing well, in old Hollywood."
"Hmm…maybe a little like that, but, well, yeah. What about you?"
"I have dance classes and stuff. You know us Asians, we hate to stay home and stop working."
"Enough with your anecdotes!" Naya giggled. "Let's order."
"Umm…actually, Nay, I'm afraid I have to leave you guys already. I have to go to work tomorrow morning. So sorry about that."
"Alright, Shum. I'll kill you tomorrow morning. Really, but if you really need it, then fine."
"Okay, Naya. I got to go now." Harry waved goodbye to Naya and Mark. Naya quickly plastered a fake smile across her face.
Keep it up Naya. You've been doing this for a year. You've been pretending to be happy for a year so there's no way you'd fail now.
She ordered a beer and rum for Mark. She just averted her eyes from the blinking lights and Mark was carefully watching her.
"Get over her, Naya. I thought you had learned to let go while you were in Puerto Rico."
"When you're like this…" Naya cried out desperately. "Oh, look at me Mark, I'm such a mess."
"Shhh…Naya…" Mark rubbed her friend's back. "I'm sorry Naya." Almost all of the Glee cast had known, or believed in Naya's feelings for her dear best friend but no one was brave enough to dampen Heather's wedding. And everyone felt too helpless of Naya's situation, especially Dianna and Lea.
"I mean, I just can't shake off these feelings," Naya wailed.
"Time heals anything."
"Until when?" Naya bitterly asked.
"Know what? I think we should just drink it all away," Mark said.
"Yeah, so, here's to all the fucked-up lives." Naya toasted her bottle.
Mark raised his bottle in response and brought them to his lips. He gazed around the room and looked for sexy ladies when he chanced to see someone that seemed all too familiar to him.
"Hey, Rivera, isn't that Heather's husband?"
"What? Quit playing, I'm having my hands full," Naya angrily snapped at Mark. She was biting a citrus fruit to go with her tequila.
"No, that's Taylor."
Naya's head spun around as she heard the name she despised the most. "Where?"
"Lookie there." Mark pointed at the man who had his back turned from them.
"Damn it, Mark! It's not Taylor."
"No! I know that's Taylor!" Mark blurted out.
By then, the man had already faced them. And Naya's heart seemed to stop from the sight.
It was indeed Taylor Hubbel.
Naya's mind battled and quickly engaged into a debate. She was half-deciding that she'd go up to Taylor, yet her gut tells her not to. However, something or someone, or whatever had made it happen but Taylor was just an eavesdrop closer to Naya, and she can see him very well. Naya could not hear what Taylor was talking to the girl beside him, but she was pretty sure and she can swear on Mark's head that Taylor had his hands around the girl's waist.
Heather's words rang through Naya's head as she played the earlier conversation she had with her best friend.
He's still in Hong Kong. He left earlier this morning.
She chose to stay quiet if and decided to keep her mouth shut. Mark was already on the upper level of the bar, probably flirting or something and Naya was already in a touchy mod. She wouldn't want to complicate things by intruding. But there was something that was off. She hovered over her left, and then her right, then she stared to Taylor, who was lifting his drink to his mouth with the use of his right hand.
He wasn't wearing his wedding ring.
Naya's mind was in turmoil. Has Taylor been cheating on Heather? Is he…is he…Naya's mind racked for something to grasp on. Perhaps, he just misplaced it…or maybe Naya did just miss it. Naya chose to walk away from the bar, with a glass of brandy in her hand, she made her way towards the upper level of the bar. Mark was already slumped in a couch, where she threw herself in, startling Mark.
"Whoa! What?" Mark said, his voice somewhat disoriented and disappointed at the same time, because he was woken up.
"If I were to go hitting on a club, I make it to a point that I won't fall asleep and make myself look like a jerk,"
"You know what, Nay, I think we should go home."
"Yeah, that's why I'm here." Naya took a swig form her bottle. She moved along the couch as Mark helped her stand up.
"You know, Nay…"
"Yeah?" Naya's voice was groggy and very slurred.
"You're too drunk."
"I know. Isn't this what we both want? So I can drown all the sorrows?" Naya's eyes were half-closed as she dragged her feet towards the car. Mark carefully put her on the backseat and he moved towards the driver's seat.
"Le-t m-e…dri-ve" Naya's slurred speech emerged from the rear of the car.
"Heck, you can't even speak properly, Naya." Mark said, but Naya was already in a slumber.
"Heath-" Naya's mouth moved as she slept peacefully in the backseat of her car, just too drunk to give a care in the world.
