Chapter 2 Rejected

When I reached the center of the floor, Mark acted like his usual charismatic self. At the same time, I was still in a state of shock!

"I promise I will give you what you want, Charlize. And I promise to meet all your needs, baby. You might just get married this weekend." The crowd went crazy, cheering and applauding at his flirtatious gestures. But I couldn't take his words seriously even though my heart inside me was leaping for joy!

"Mark, please, don't joke about something like that," I said in a shy tone.

"Alright, alright. Well, everyone! This is the lovely winner of tonight's prize! Charlize Johnson!" When they left the center of the applauding crowd and took a seat at a VIP table. Mark tells her.

"Here, baby, give me your phone number. I'll call you and get your address so I will know where to pick you up later. When I call you, be ready on time. I got to go back to work, enjoy club "Spectacular."

Charlize thought this must be a sign that it was probably meant for them to meet and reunite. But she never felt confident that Mark liked her the way she wanted him to. But when they talked over the phone a couple of days before the trip. He promised that he had come to his senses and was now more established and a grown man who had made some changes. I thought everyone deserved a second chance, especially since it wasn't like I had a dozen eligible bachelors knocking down my door with marriage proposals.

Besides, I couldn't prove Mark had left me because he had someone else. To deal with the fact that he left me back then, I kept telling myself, Mark's issues aren't uncommon for young guys. He preferred spending time partying and hanging out with his shady friends. And I told myself he did it to make something of himself. Now he was a nightclub owner! Back then, maybe I wasn't pretty or sexy enough, or, as he said, I was too dull. But all the while, I kept hoping we would one day meet up again.

This time things will be different, and this weekend he promised I would experience more romance and intimacy than I could handle. Those words got me all perky! Besides, I was lonely and was feeling deprived romantically all the time and frustrated for male attention. All I did was work and stay home and overeat ice cream, not wanting to do anything else. Yes! How fortunate could I be tonight! Finally, I'm reuniting with a man I had fallen for in my past. It was like picking up a good book and moving on to the next chapter.

I'm looking forward to renewing our companionship again. I wasn't sure it would work, but I kept hope alive!

"So, tell me what you're into these days, Charlize? Are you still into poetry and romance?

"Oh my god, you remembered!" I exclaimed happily.

Tonight, he promised to take me somewhere special for a fun night and a long romantic weekend to a place I had never been.

I packed a weekend bag and decided to wear my only little black dress. I rarely wear dresses and high heels. But for Mark, I wanted to surprise him by letting him see I'm not as reserved as I used to be. I hoped by letting my hair down and dressing up tonight. He would recognize I was a woman now who had desires and needs. I hope this outfit is perfect for where he was supposed to take me tonight. I had never heard of this place, Pleasure Paradise. But Mark says it has everything I would enjoy. It has a nightclub called After Dark, that's supposed to be a romantic spot that offers live entertainment. It has contemporary dancers who perform sensually to music while poets recite sultry poetry.

Since I worked at a medical lab as a technician 12 hours a day, six days a week, my favorite pastime was reading romance novels and poetry. This place sounds like my fantasies are about to come true! I live for romantic things. This whole trip sounds like an excellent place to reignite our romance. For the past few days and nights, I couldn't stop thinking about it ever since Mark described this place to me last week. I have been anxiously wanting to go and experience this romantic weekend. It's what our relationship needs and what I crave and want. I can't wait!

Mark says it's on an exclusive island far enough to make us feel like we are away from all the hustle and bustle we must deal with living in the city. So, I was looking forward to relaxation and sleeping in a bungalow on the beach! Something I had never done before. But I hate to admit it. I was concerned about Mark showing me a good time. When I thought about him as my boyfriend in the past, he didn't have a romantic bone in his body. Mark's idea of romance back then, when I knew him in college, sucked. The man thought taking me out to get burgers and fries and bringing the food back to the house to watch a football game together was romantic.

I haven't been with anyone seriously since Mark. So, as you can see, I'm starving for male attention and true romance. And what girl doesn't want to be told she's pretty and be wine and dine? And the fact that my ex-boyfriend is willing to take me to a place he found, like Pleasure Paradise, was a step in the right direction. Maybe he has changed and matured, and I'll finally be treated like a lady this weekend. My boyfriend promised it would be just me and him and that he would make up for all the rotten weekends I experienced with this one weekend.

~~~~

'About time,' I muttered. Then, standing from the porch steps, I nervously smoothed my dress down as I headed over to meet him in the car. Mark took my bag, and then shockingly, he kissed me. That had never happened before when he picked me up in the past. I smiled, thinking, 'Maybe he has changed.'

"Wow! I can't believe you are wearing a dress!"

"Yes, I am," I said, smiling.

So, when I got in the car, he told me he needed to make a few stops. He picked up someone at each house we visited, and the car was packed before long. It was filled with his boys that worked at his nightclub! I instantly got upset! I was more than angry that his four other friends were intruding on our night out together, and Mark didn't see anything wrong with them tagging along. So, once, on our way to our excursion, I complained that I didn't want them to go with us.

They all looked at me and then at Mark. I wondered what was going on. Then I tried to think positively about it. Maybe Mark had planned a surprise party for me, and that's why they were coming along. But then I thought about it. This scene looked very familiar. It's been quite a few times I've seen his guys leaving the nightclub with a girl.

So, I immediately went back to complaining. Mark kept driving for at least two hours, ignoring me, which wasn't unusual.

"Bring me back to the city!" I demanded. "Mark, stop this car, turn it around, and bring me back home! I'm no longer interested in going out to watch you and your friends while you guys flirt with other girls!"

Then suddenly, he stops the car on this dark road and decides to pull over. Then he states. Charlize, we are not going with you."

"What! What do you mean you're not going with me?"

The passenger side of the car door was opened by two of his friends. They took and put me out of the car as I stood there yelling. "Let me go! What is going on here, Mark?"

"Sweetheart, this is the end of the road for you and me."

Before I could respond, he had put the car in the driving position. My temper had gotten the best of me. I was then yelling at him in the window.

"I'm not going by myself. Give the guys the keys so they can return home, and Mark, you get out of this car! You promised, and I have put up with enough of your foolishness! You owe me this much!"

"Baby, I said we're not going here. I never wanted to do this to you. You, of all people. I didn't think I would ever see you again. But you were in the right place but at the wrong time. And now it has come to this. I'm a man of my word! So, I got to say goodbye. It's either you or me, and you know I will always choose me."

Tears began to form in my eyes. I could not believe what I was hearing. I was sure my ears had misunderstood, but they weren't. Then I couldn't believe what he had done next!