Chapter One
As I look around the modern style condominium, I start to realize how quiet and pristine it is inside. Everything is white, grey, and black depending on the material that it is made from. I am surrounded by cold metal, steel, and glass throughout the entire space. There is not a single item out of place and there is barely any clutter to be seen. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that no one even lives here. The thought process is ironic since there are two plates of food set up beautifully in front of me with a candle lit in between for a table set for two. The candle stick is halfway melted by now with the wax sitting in a little puddle in a tray at the bottom designed to catch it.
I get tired of sitting, so decide to get up and stretch my legs. Taking the two plates to the kitchen, I decide to put the food away. It's been sitting out for two hours, so will need to be heated up regardless. The time on my watch reads nine o' clock and my temper is starting to appear, so I begin to pace. I have been with the same man since high school and have been patient with him as he got all the way through medical school. He just kept saying over and over again how it will be amazing once he gets to the point of being in his career and actually being a doctor. "Things will stable out then, don't worry so much."
Each time he told me those words, I told myself that I would be patient and that there was an end goal where I could start living how I wanted. Being a housewife who goes to work dinners is not what I had in mind for my life, but that is what he needed, so I decided to appease him. So why in the world am I still sitting alone in this cold and miserable place waiting for my long-term boyfriend to come home for dinner? He had texted an hour ago stating that he had a late work meeting, and even that is late for dinner as it is.
In my pacing, I pass a bathroom and catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. Suddenly feeling stir crazy, I decide that I am not going to stay home after all. Smoothing my raven-colored hair down from the ponytail that I originally had it in, I watch as it smooths out into slight waves until it reaches the middle of my back. My large chocolate brown eyes are already hooded by the shadowy green eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara on my eyelids. My outfit is decent with an off the shoulder dark green blouse and black skinny jeans, so I go to my bedroom to grab some black strappy heels out of my closet as well as a tube of lip gloss off my end table before heading out the door.
I walk into a small bar at the corner of town and slide onto a bar stool that I was lucky to find. The place had a steady hum of business going right about now. It makes sense since it's just late enough for the night owls to start coming out to start their nights out on the town. A pretty boy bar tender with a hoop earing hanging from one of his ears approaches me. I smile sweetly at him and ask, "Can I have a rum and coke along with a menu so I can figure out what to eat?" He nods and moves quickly to get me both of those items.
As I skim over the menu, I hear a familiar laugh from across the room. When I look over, I see none other than my boyfriend who was supposedly in a work meeting. Picking up my glass, I walk over to the table that he is sitting at with another woman. She is dressed nicely with half of her short brown hair pulled back into a small ponytail, a pretty pink floral sundress on, and sandals on her feet. Too nice coming straight from work when the uniform is scrubs in the office for those that are not the doctor.
"This is definitely an interesting place to have a meeting when you have your own office in the medical practice that you are working for." I watch as he jumps slightly out of his seat in utter shock at my appearance. The girl that he is sitting with turns to me with confusion as she looks me over. Deciding to continue playing the situation with a cool attitude, I turn my attention to the food on the table. Two plates of half-eaten burgers and fries and my temper threatens to show itself. "Would have been nice to know that it would have been a dinner meeting so I wouldn't have wasted my time in cooking food for two people. Better yet, I wouldn't have wasted my time in waiting at all."
His eyebrows scrunch together at the last part, "It doesn't look like you were waiting for me, how long have you been here?" I think I can feel the blood coloring my cheeks at this point. "Kagome, this is silly, why don't you just go on home, and we will talk there. Have you had too much to drink to drive?" He clicks his tongue and gets out of his chair as if he was going to escort me out of the bar. I plant my feet and wait to see if he would be so bold as to try it. When he notices that I haven't moved to adjust for him to get up, he plops back down and just looks at me.
I grit my teeth and count to five in my head before speaking, "Hojo, if you actually think you are getting out of this one, you can diagnose yourself as clinically insane." There is a part of me that is wondering if I am the one over-reacting and misreading the situation. There is another part of me that is very proud of myself for remaining calm enough to not make a scene.
The girl that is sitting with him speaks up, "Um…Hojo, who is this girl?" My head snaps in her direction and I get to watch her put her hand on his arm as if to reassure herself and comfort him in an uncomfortable situation. The urge to smack her hand away from him as well as smack him in the face rushes through me, so instead, I turn and walk back to the bar.
Putting the money down to pay for the drink, I look up at the tall bartender. "By any chance, do you have a cup that I can take this to go? I really need this drink but cannot be in here any longer." He gives a curt nod and pulls out a Styrofoam cup. I smile sweetly at him and pour my drink into it before walking out of the bar without another look behind me.