Not Until I Met Him

I walked into the dimly lit bar, with the weight of the world crushing on my shoulders. I looked around, and stared at the series of people who at that moment, didn't care about the world out there. Some where there to drown away their sorrows like me, and some to just have fun.

I walked towards the bartender and took a seat, removing my bag and placing it on the table. I angrily kicked off my stilettos, these things were another sure way to commit suicide.

" What would you like to have ma'am?'' the bartender asked me

" Give me a glass of your strongest alcohol.

No in fact give me the entire bottle''

" Right away ma'am''

I took a long sip of my drink and gazed out the window of the dimly lit bar. The city lights shimmered in the distance, but all I could focus on was the pain in my chest. I kept questioning the universe why I was born so unlucky.

I lost my dad and only brother to a car accident 4 years back, don't ask me how that felt, because it was the worst year of my life. My mum has been laying in the hospital for 6 months now, cancer slowly feeding on her life and I could do nothing about it.

The treatment fees were ridiculously high, and the money I earn isn't enough to take care of the both of us, not to talk of taking care of the bills of a cancer patient. I was barely keeping her alive with the little I got, she was the only family I've got afterall.

Let's not even talk about my love life, because it seems I was made to marry the devil when I get to hell. My past relationships have been anything but healthy. I couldn't seem to find anyone who really did love me. If my unluckiness was to be weighed on a scale, it would be on a hundred.

I just wasn't meant for anyone. It was among the reasons I was here drinking my pain away. My boyfriend of 2 years apparently woke up this morning and decided I was no longer useful to him.

I took the frustration to work and a client kinda got on my bad side, and I guess it is safe to say he happened to be on the receiving end of my frustrations, and that got my superiors to suspend me for 3 months. Isn't that great?

I took another gulp from the bottle and dropped it on the table with a huge sigh. Apparently, I was half way through the bottle and I didn't even know.

" It's not pretty for a beautiful lady to drink

directly from the bottle"

I whipped my head up and stared at this stranger that was already sitting on the stool beside me with a drink in hand. When the hell did he get here?. I guess this is what happens when you're too lost in your pain and you're trying every possible best to stop your tears from spilling. I ignored him and took another gulp from the bottle. I ain't no nightstand.

" Am I being ignored?"

I paid no attention to him and just continued to wallow in my sorrow, taking gulps after gulps.

"Damsel in distress ey. This world isn't fair"

I still ignored him but as I was about to take another gulp from my bottle, it was snatched from my hands. I turned my head toward the snatcher, and it was annoying Mr stranger.

"That's enough alcohol you've had. This bottle is very strong, and I don't think going home as a drunk girl is safe on these streets"

I stared at him for a while, and that was when I even noticed any of his features or clothes he was wearing. He had on a pair of black sneakers, black pants, black leather jacket and a black undershirt with a black face cap. Who is he now?? Black panther??

I scoffed and tried snatching my drink back but he held my hand and I was forced to look him in the eyes. Holy fucking cow!! If I wasn't in this mood, I'll probably be drooling over his eyes alone, because if I added the face I would be fucking him. He had the most piercing set of forest green eyes I've ever seen. There's just something about them that makes you drown in them. Focus scar!! I mentally slapped myself.

" Mind your own business Mr black"

I took my drink back and tried taking a sip, and again it was snatched from my hands

" I didn't know you could talk"

" So you think because you have a drop dead gorgeous face, you can walk into this place and place your handsome butt in my business?"

I promise, I wasn't the one talking. It's the alcohol, yes, it's definitely the alcohol. He chuckled deeply and ohh God I was almost a melting ice cream from the sound of his chuckle.

" You think I'm gorgeous?"

" Any girl will drool over you and try to fuck you the slightest chance she gets"

What the hell am I blabbing about? Stupid stupid acohol. It's only a miracle I'm not hovering all over him or laughing stupidly

" Well, would you?"

" Would I? Pfft oh please I wouldn't even dream of missing the chance"

That wasn't what I wanted to say. I sure I'm saying all these for someone who just got her heart broken. He laughed and shook his head.

" You're drunk. How about I get you a bottle of water to drink. You need to sober up so you can head home."

" I came here to drink and get fucking drunk to forget my pains, not sober up. So please Mr fine face do well to mind your business"

I took the bottle back, and this time I succeeded in downing the whole bottle. I felt the burn in my throat, and I loved the feel of it. I was becoming numb to my emotions. I placed the bottle on the table and just stared on. My eyes were slowly getting droopy. I gently place both my arms on the table and place my head on it

" You know you can't sleep here right?"

" Shut up Mr Fine face. I'm trying to get a nap and please mind your Goddamn business. I'm not sleeping, just a l..I..tt..l..e n...a....p"

And those were the last words I said before I passed out on a bar table, a literal den of predators with a gorgeous stranger right beside me.

Squinting my eyes as the morning sun peered into my eyes, I groaned due to the splitting headache I was feeling. I groaned and tossed about, gradually waking up. I held my head as the events of last night came flooding back.

I jolted with a start, looking frantically around. Where was I? What happened after I fell asleep? I continued to look around me, until the place finally registered in my brain, I was back in my room. I sat down, legs crossed on my bed, scrunching up my face in confusion. How am I in my room?

As I was questioning myself, my door swung open revealing my housemate who's also my best friend. Ladies and gentlemen, to say the least, she was furious.

I could see engine wheels and train smokes coming out of her head. I jumped out of the bed and ran into my bathroom. These are the downside of having a crazy best friend

"Oh you come out of that bathroom right now, or I swear I'm going to burn down your room" she shouted, banging repeatedly on the door.

"Oh, and good morning to you too Jasmine" I shouted back with a squeaky voice.

" You take that good morning and shove it up your ass, because by the time I'm done with you, you'll burry yourself"

"Woah woah calm down Jas, nobody needs to be buried"

"Oh you do need to end up fucking six feet under the fucking ground" she replied me with such vibrancy, sometimes I do wonder where she gets her strength from.

Now I'm confused as to why she's this angry so early in the morning ,it's barely 8. Part of me is thinking it's because of last night. I think she has something to do with getting my drunk ass home.

"Jas I'm confused as to why you're so angry at me this morning. I didn't snatch your boyfriend!"

"Oh you did fucking snatch my boyfriend from me last night"

She shouted again this time, almost crying. Or so I thought.

" Wait what!?" I exclaimed as I pulled open the door. Wrong fucking move scar!! Before I could say another word she had already yanked my hair. We were both screaming on top of our voices. Me screaming for her to stop and she screaming she was going to kill me.

Its a little wonder how we've not brought down the house with our voices, or how the neighbors haven't yet called the cops. I managed to got myself free of her, running into the bathroom again.

"Jasmine, tell me you're kidding about the boyfriend snatching"

" Open this fucking door Scarlett Elizabeth Brown."

Oh shit! Oh shit!!! She called my middle name! She called my full name. What did I do ? I swear I'm never getting drunk again if I get out of this alive.

"Jasmine, please calm down you're freaking me out. Just tell me whats going on"

" Me having to drag your fucking drunk ass back home last night is what's happening"

"So I didn't steal your boyfriend??"

" Oh you technically did, since I had to ditch him, more like stood him up, because I had to go drag you back. Now Cole is so angry at me Im probably currently single."

" Oh Thank baby Jesus! I thought I actually did steal your boyfriend"

"Is that how to apologize for causing me so much pain? If not for a stranger so kind and not so kind as to tell me your drunk ass fell asleep in a fucking bar, do you know what could've happened? "

" I don't understand? How did that happen?"

" I called you last night to try and tell you where I kept the keys to the house since you forgot yours earlier that morning, and guess what...wait let me tell you what ... a stranger picked up the phone, and guess what he fucking told me..... I'll tell you what....that you were sleeping like a fucking sleeping beauty in a bar!!"

Ohhh so that was what happened, but which stranger could it have been. I wasn't drinking with anyone was I? Ohh curse the heavens for whoever invented alcohol.

" He was kind to pick the call and tell me the bar you were but he wasn't so kind to even wait for me to get there before he left you all alone" she rambled on. She was upset, but in a good way

" So you're not going to kill me? " I asked with uncertainty. You can never trust a moody woman.

"Of course not!! Now come on out here, she prodded me on. I slowly opened the door and met her crouched to the corner, outside my bathroom, on the floor. I quickly joined her as she pulled me into a hug."

" Please don't ever scare me like that again. If you're going to get that drunk just tell me and I'll be your safety pin. Okay?"

" Jordan broke up with me" I told her, smiling sadly.

" Oh he's so going to die in my fucking hands... I'll break into his house, ambush him, tie him up, then turn up his fucking music so his dirty neighbors don't get to hear him scream as I pull his limbs out one....."

" Woah ...nobody is killing anybody Jasmine."

"Oh baby girl, you'll be okay. Those descendants of Adam are not to be trusted" She reassured me, kissing my cheek fondly.

We stayed there in each other's embrace, the sound of the clock ticking by. Jasmine Forbes has been my best friend since highschool. She's an orphan, lost her family in a tragic house fire, she had gone out with friends when it happened.

We went to college together, she majored in business administration while I majored in law. Funny we're both working for different branches of the same company. Jasmine is like the sister I never had. It has always been the two of us. We snuggled deeper into each other, not caring about the world, until my eyes glanced towards the clock.

"You're 15 minutes late for work Jas"

She bolted up running towards her room she didnt have to do much considering she was already dressed for work.

" I swear Scar, if I get fired you'll die with me " she shouted before I heard the shutting of the main door.

I sat legs crossed, blanket draped over me, with a huge bowl of popcorn on my laps, as I crunched away, my eyes glued to the screen of the television.

Wraps of chocolate bars laid everywhere around me, a box of pizza to my left, cans of soda drinks, a bowl of finished ice cream all lay around me, but I didn't give a care in the world.

I was determined to spend the rest of the day in my house, stuffing food in my face and watching horror movies. That right! Horror movies! My life was scary anyway.

I had watched "It" one and two, "The Nun", "Anabelle returns home" "the conjuring" and now I was on "insidious". I was an horror movie freak.

I glanced towards the clock and it was 4pm already. Jasmine would be back anytime soon. I continued with my movie still crunching on my popcorn. I was trying to forget my sorrows.

I should've gone to see my mum in the hospital, but I think I need a day's break from the smell of antiseptic, plus she needed the rest.

I was still watching the movie, when suddenly the door jerked open. I started with a jump, some of the popcorn spilling on my laps. Jasmine walked in looking tired, she was back from work. I glanced at the clock and saw that a good hour and 10 minutes had gone by since the last time I glanced at the clock.

"You're back" I stated smiling sheepishly at her.

" Yh.. I've been looking forward to relaxing into this lovely couch all day" she let out a satisfied sigh as she slumped onto the couch

" Lazy ass"

"You need to see Mr Gregory go all king Kong on me this morning because I was late" she said getting up to mimick the said Mr Gregory.

Mr Gregory was her direct superior at work, and from the stories, you could tell Jasmine didn't like him one bit. I was laughing so hard by the time she was done. Jasmine was sure something else.

"And what are you doing at home?" She asked after noticing the whole mess around me, and the fact I was still in my pajamas

" Oh I was suspended, I forgot..."

"You were what??!" She cut me off, looking at me wide eyed.

"Yh , suspended, for 3 months"

" For 3 fucking months!? What did you do?"

So I explained to her how I took out my frustrations from yesterday on a client. I had screamed at the client and stated just pure facts if you ask me, he committed a crime, came to our law firm for help and when I was asking him about the details of his crime, he was being a dick about it so I lost my patience.

" Still you should've held it in. You know how things are with you, and you didn't tell me"

" Sorry, it skipped my mind, plus you were trying so hard to bury me this morning" I looked her in the eye, stating the obvious.

" Oh well ..what do we do now. You have to find something doing for the next three months. You can sit home all the time watching horror movies." She told me and she was right . I couldn't live my life for the next three months like this. We both sat in silence for a minute or two, until she beamed at me.

"Cole told me something about his father opening a new restaurant and they were in need of workers. You could go there and find out if they'll give you a job. Hold on, let me call him and see if they're still hiring"

She picked her purse and fetched her phone, dialling her boyfriend's number. She went on to flirt with him for a bit, which was cringey if you ask me, before she finally asked the important question and thank God they were still hiring. The restaurant wasn't too far from my place of work so it was going to be easy to locate. I'll have to go there tomorrow morning. What would I do without this girl?

After a while, I got up and cleaned the mess I made, then afterwards I started to prepare dinner for the both of us. Jasmine came to the living room after freshening up, she was in an oversized T-shirt and black leggings. She came to me and suggested we pack some of the food for my mum.

At first I didn't want to go to the hospital but she convinced me saying it had been a while she visited my mum and she was in the mood for hospital visits that evening. I caved in and eventually packed a little for her after which I went to take my bath.

After I was done we set out to the hospital. The hospital wasn't too far from our house so we walked the distance. After a few minutes we got to the hospital and we were now in front of my mom's hospital room.

I pushed the door open and seeing my mum lying on that hospital bed hooked to different machines, broke my heart all over again. Tears were threatening to spill from my eyes but I was determined not to cry. My mum was sleeping but when we pushed open the door she opened her eyes.

"Oh my baby!" She exclaimed as she tried to sit up.

" I'm so sorry we woke you up mum" I replied as I moved in to hug her

"Hi Selena" jasmine greeted my mum with a small smile

" Hi jasmine. What brings the two of you here today?"

" Can't we come see you? Besides we just thought you'd need a night off from hospital food" I pouted to her.

"Oh I thought you abandoned me!" She made an attempt to joke.

I just shook my head playfully at her as we all laughed. I presented the food to her and we watched her eat while we talked about random things. When she was done , I helped her take her meds and tucked her in to sleep. We bade her goodnight and left her to rest.

My mum means the world to me. It hurts seeing her slowly die and I can do nothing about it. We both got home and I bid Jasmine goodnight heading for my room immediately. I wanted nothing more than to be in the comfort of my bed and cry myself to sleep. I just hope tomorrow is a better day.