Chapter 2

Ryan pressed me against the door and kissed me as soon as we entered the room. He had drunk a lot, probably had hung out with friends all night. From behind, he lifted my hands high above my head, held them with one hand, and used the other to unbutton my pajama. "Damn it," he complained impatiently, "Charlotte, what kind of pajama is this with so many buttons?" He unbuttoned my pajama without patience while kissing my face. I was about to explain that it wasn't an appropriate time, but he collapsed on top of me and we both fell onto the cold living room floor. The moonlight was as gentle as water. I pushed Ryan away and sat up. In the moonlight, his facial features were superior. His mother was a super model and he had the most outstanding genes, giving him the perfect appearance. I leaned down and kissed the tip of his nose, tears falling down one by one. Nathan, my love, also had such a pretty nose, with the same attractive eyes and lips.I made up with Ryan. Not only that, but we also started living together because of it. I thought we would continue like this, but he seemed incapable of changing his ways. Within a month, he began changing girlfriends constantly. I had completely become the pitiful substitute in the eyes of his friends. But honestly, I didn't care. I was doing well every day. I went to work when it's time to work. I ate alone when it's time to eat alone. My life wasn't bothered. Just being able to enter the bedroom and see his face every night was enough. My friends thought I was disgusting and shameless to lose my dignity for him. But I didn't care. After all, soon enough I would go and see Nathan.On Ryan's birthday, he invited a large group of his friends. They partied in The Old Spot, the hottest nightclub in the city. I carried a cake, which I had made myself, and a gift—a sapphire ring that I had saved up for months to buy. Ryan had given me his card, but I refused it. I wasn't after his money. As soon as we arrived at the nightclub and entered the private room, the cheering inside abruptly stopped. Everyone looked at me, and one of Ryan's friends tried to usher me away. "Ryan," I skirted around him and looked inside. In the corner, Ryan had a girl pinned against the wall, and their postures suggested they were kissing. When he heard my voice, he turned his head and ran his finger over his lips. "Charlotte, come over here," Ryan said, waving at me with a smile. Ignoring the incredulous looks of everyone in the room, I walked over and put the cake down in front of him. Then I crouched down in front of him and opened the gift box, taking out the ring. "Happy birthday, Ryan," I congratulated to him. Ryan's smile changed after putting on the ring. The ring was a little too big for him."I'm sorry," I apologized to Ryan, "I'll take it to the store to have it adjusted." "Mhmm," he lazily responded. He took off the ring and put it back in the box, throwing it carelessly on the table. The girl he had just kissed earlier looked a bit upset when she saw me. She pulled on Ryan's sleeve, and gently shook him. "Who is she?" asked the girl. Ryan extended his arm and hooked the girl's shoulder, grinning mischievously. "My girlfriend," replied Ryan. "Then who am I?" asked the girl, pouting. Probably because Ryan was notorious for his infidelity, the people around us started to make a fuss. "Ryan is awesome, he can even do this without getting into a fight?" said one of Ryan's friends. "Only Mrs Johnson is so magnanimous..." teased another Ryan's friends. I didn't really like this noisy environment. "Ryan, I'm going home first. Come back early tonight," I told him. "Tonight you'll stay at the house on West Street," he looked at me sideways and said. "It's not convenient to do things with you around." "Okay," I replied with a short hesitation. Ryan wasn't behaving normally today, as if he was deliberately trying to provoke me. Just as I was getting up, he reached out and pulled me back. "You don't have to leave," he whispered in my ear. "Wanna try a threesome?" I looked at Ryan's face, which resembled Nathan's so much. I finally became angry. I slapped him hard across the face.I was stunned after the hit. Everyone in the room was stunned as well. It was a heavy slap. Ryan pushed his tongue against the soft flesh inside his right cheek and unexpectedly didn't get angry. He didn't scold me either. He just looked at me with a smile that was not quite a smile. "I'm sorry..." I sighed, "I'll just leave now." Ryan leaned back and lazily tapped the table with his finger. "Sit down," he commanded. I got on his nerves anyway. After all, I gave him a slap in front of so many people. If I walked away now, I would most likely be dumped.After sitting down, one of Ryan's friends came over to toast me, and I was about to refuse. Ryan lowered his voice and spoke to me in a tone that was so intimate it was as if we were a couple deeply in love. "Don't spoil the fun," he said. "Drink if they offer it to you." I took the beer and took a sip. It was bitter. When I was with Nathan, he never let me drink at gatherings with friends. The first time I met his friends, one of them offered me a drink, and Nathan took it from me and drank double to make up for it, so as not to upset his friend. That night, we took a taxi home, and Nathan was well-behaved despite having had a drink. He slept with his eyes closed and didn't make a fuss. When we arrived home, I opened the door and went to help him out, but he got up on his own as if nothing had happened.As I watched in amazement at Nathan's ability to hold his liquor, I excitedly told him the joke that his friends had shared over dinner. I chattered nonstop while he walked slowly behind me, not saying a word, just smiling with his lips curved upwards. As soon as the door closed, I felt a firm grip on my arm and was pushed back against the door. Nathan's right hand was propped up behind my head, and as he kissed me, his palm slid down a bit. He pinched the back of my neck, and I squirmed and giggled, feeling a little ticklish. He hadn't eaten anything that night, only drinking beer. His lips were soft, and I could taste the bitterness of the beer and the scent of wheat on his tongue. "Claire, I can't hold back anymore," whispered Nathan. My ears turned red, and I was about to respond when suddenly my throat felt itchy and uncomfortable. I coughed twice. Nathan turned on the light and, as he saw my face, he lifted me up in his arms and ran down the stairs.