Chapter 39: Good enough
Since I had insulted Zane so openly, I was sure he would try to report to Mark so I guessed that night, he would go to their meeting place and possibly meet Mark.
If I came face to face with Mark, then I probably wouldn’t need to talk to Zane to find answers but the thought of meeting Mark again made my bones shake.
He was a terrifying monster.
He was evil.
"Are you fine going on your own?" Noah asked as he watched me putting on a white shirt and I nodded.
"Yeah,"
"Will you be alright?" He asked and I paused.
I hadn’t told Noah who Mark was or the kind of damage he had done to me growing up but it looked like he already figured out the situation just from seeing my reaction earlier.
"I’ll manage," I said, managing to smile.
But I was only saying that. Even I didn’t know if I would be alright.
"If I stay out too late, you can use the phone I got you to call and check up on me." I said.
I got him a phone a while back but we never really had a reason to use it. I guess this would be the first time he would be using it. That was what I thought.
"You know how to use it, right? You had no problem using mine."
"I’m suffering from amnesia, not ’lack of common sense syndrome’." He said and I laughed.
Yeah, that was so like him.
"That should do it." I said and placed down the comb after slicking my hair sideways.
I was looking so good. It had been a while since I went to a bar to get a drink, and I was sure the place Mark would be wouldn’t be some shabby place, so I had to dress appropriately.
"How do I look?" I asked but Noah gave me one quick scan and gave me a thumbs up. Jeez, a smile or ’you look great’ would be a really great confidence booster right about now.
Did he have to sink my boat before it even sailed?
"Good enough," I said and turned around, heading for the door.
He followed me till we got to the front door and then I paused.
"Noah," I called.
"Yes?"
"If I come back and I..." I clenched my fists. "If I don’t look okay, will you... Comfort me?" I asked but there was no response from him.
I must’ve been expecting too much from such a cold guy. This was none of his business.
I shook my head and laughed.
"Forget it. I’ll try not to break down on the road first." I said and opened the door but just before I closed it, Noah called out to me.
"Michael," I glanced back and he said with a little serious face. "Don’t die."
I was stunned but my stunned expression was quickly replaced with a smile. It was as if he was seeing me off as I go fight a losing battle. Well, if it was like that, I at least planned to bring back my head.
"Sure. If I come back in one piece, I’ll probably sleep like a log though. So, don’t wake me up early." I laughed and closed the door as he waved.
Noah dropped his hand and looked at the phone in his hand. He suddenly failed a number, placed it over his ear, and with a serious expression, he said,
"I need a favor."
(And the plot thickens, huhuhu. Don’t ask me. I won’t answer you.)
I took a taxi to Zane’s apartment building and then hid in a corner. I stayed there while waiting for signs of him.
I came out early so I wouldn’t miss him, and after two hours of waiting, the sun went down, and he finally came out.
He hailed a taxi and I also hailed one, following his taxi from behind.
Then, he stopped at a clubhouse. It looked like it only had exclusive entry but... This was one of the clubs I frequented after my divorce. That was... Before someone recommended me to one of those gay bars.
Luckily, I still had my membership badge on my phone so it was good news for me.
I showed the guards at the entrance my membership badge and then hurried in before I lost Zane, but unfortunately, I lost him.
The place had too many people.
I could only grit my teeth and crack my brain for what direction he would take.
If Zane came to such a place in order to meet Mark, where would he go?
While I pondered on it, I sat by the counter and ordered a glass of whiskey.
"Your face seems new," the bartender said to me, and I raised my head. "You’re new around here, aren’t you?"
I’m more like a returning customer but there’s no need to tell him that.
"Yeah, this place is nice," I said.
"You look pretty young though. Can you afford the drinks here?" He asked and my eyebrows twitched.
I looked pretty young? Did this guy have eyes? I was 31. And Zane even mentioned that I was an old foggie so there was no way I looked young.
However, when I looked at my reflection earlier, I did seem pretty younger than my age. All I did was slick my hair sideways, and I hadn’t been keeping my beards for some time, so my face had been clean too.
Was that enough to make me look ’pretty young’?
"Haha," I laughed. "Don’t let my appearance deceive you. I’m older than I look." I said and he whipped up my whiskey.
He was probably worried that I wouldn’t be able to afford it but he should have the common sense to know that anyone who can get a membership badge to this place isn’t someone with chicken change in their pocket.
"Say," I dipped my whisky and asked, "Where do the ’important’ people go? I’m supposed to meet someone, but I don’t want to get lost, so I decided to ask around first. You know what I’m saying, right?"
