30 Chapter thirty: Jealousy and Possessiveness

Alex's POV:

I went straight to the bar after sending Rian to her apartment. I also called Jack and Ryan to drink with me.

I got furious after knowing that she's working with him. It's not that I don't trust her. I love her, but the way I treated her before was keep on coming in my head and I can't help but feel jealous and envied with what she and Gavin shared... which was supposed to be me.

I felt a tap on my shoulder after thirty minutes of sitting alone in a cold and noisy ambience of our usual bar.

"Dude, what's up?" it was Jack who now seated in front of me. He's wearing a confused look while Ryan has a deep frown on his face 

"What's with your call and this get together all of a sudden?"

Ryan asked while bringing the bottle of beer on his mouth.

I didn't answer yet, I just gulped the remaining contents on my now fourth bottle.

I was about to get another one when Jack tried to get the bottle from my hand.

"Dude, that's enough. You're drunk, man."

"No! I need this!" I swatted his hand keep and the bottle in me.

"Fine. Tell us what happened." Jack sighed as he waited for me patiently.

"What would I suppose to tell you? There's nothing happened." 

"Come on, dude. You're not going to call us if there's nothing happened. Is this something about you and Rian?"

I took another gulp before I answered them.

"We had a fight."

I said unconsciously gripping the neck of the bottle.

Ryan seemed to notice this and called my attention.

"Hey, easy dude! That bottle is nothing against you."

"So, you said you had a fight. What happened?" said Jack who stood up and seated beside me. He slightly patted my shoulder.

I didn't look at them, I just continue glaring my bottle.

"Because of that Gavin boy."

"Gavin? Rian's bestfriend? Oh, dude.." Ryan asked with a light chuckle as if he already knows this would happen in the future.

"Yeah, but why? What did he do?" Jack asked in disbelief.

"It's not actually him, I mean he's not directly involved."

After saying this, they started their questions simultaneously. Ryan's first then Jack, and after Jack it's Ryan again.

"If he's not directly involved, then what?"

"I visited Rian at her work earlier. I didn't inform her because I wanted to surprise her. This was my first time picking her after work. But you know what, I was the one who seemed surprised when I got there."

I let out an annoyed laugh but they just watched me and said nothing.

"What do you mean.. you were the one who seemed surprised?"

"You know I don't like that Gavin boy, and then I found out that she's working with him and to their company." I can feel my blood starting to boil again as I gulped my beer.

"And just because of that, you had a fight?" 

My head snapped at Ryan as I slammed the bottle on top of the table.

"It's not just that, Ryan! She didn't tell me the truth, she lied to me! She knew how much I dislike her friend!"

"Whoah, dude! Relax. We're not your enemy here." Jack once again patted my shoulder. "Can you explain it? I don't get it, man. What's the problem with that? What if she's working in Gavin's company?"

"Because I told you, I don't like him! And I don't trust him!"

"Wait! You don't like him because you just don't trust him.... or you don't like him because you're jealous of him?" 

Ryan asked with amusement clearly showing on his eyes. Jack also raised his eyebrow.

"Let me tell you, dude. They were bestfriends, even Cari told me that." he added while snatching the empty bottle from my hand.

"Don't you think I know that? But he's been touchy when it comes to my wife!"

"Oh okay, I got it!" Jack stopped us from our glaring competition. "You're jealous, man. And to summarized your story, you and Rian had this fight because you found out that she's working with Gavin... I mean the company of Gavin's family, and you're thinking she lied to you by not mentioning this matter."

When I didn't say anything, he continued his speech.

"Don't you realize that maybe she just chose the safe side and not to tell you because she knew this would be your reaction?"

"But I have the rights to know everything that happens to her. Everything that connects with her!"

I heard Ryan chuckled and he put down his bottle.

"Wow! What did you say dude, rights? So now you have rights with her, but for those past years that you've been married and that you should've been in her life.. you don't even recognize her as your wife! And now that you're jealous, you suddenly claiming your 'rights'!" 

In an instant, I am in front of Ryan and grabbed his collar, but he seemed not tense or even bother.

"Dude, Alex!" Jack immediately came beside me and tried to take my grip from Ryan's clothes.

"You have no idea of what I've been through with that past years without her in my life! So don't you ever opened your mouth if you have nothing useful to say!" I pushed him back to his seat as I stepped back to my chair.

When everything seemed back to its earlier situation, Jack started to speak again.

"As I was saying earlier, I understand your wife, Alex. Maybe she doesn't want to hide this information to you but, since you have issue with Gavin, she chose not to tell you for now. I know you have rights over with her as you claimed, but don't push her to be in the middle of her husband and her bestfriend for a long time. The bestfriend who helped her for those years of being alone in your marriage...I mean, don't get this wrong dude, if he's actually after your wife.. don't you think he already had a chance in those years back? But no, he stayed on her side as her bestfriend."

"I agree." I looked at Ryan to see him smiling while scratching the back of his head. " Sorry dude, but I can't see nothing wrong with her friendship with Gavin. If you put this into consideration.. you barged in, in her life after four years without hearing anything from her regarding what you've done, whatever your mistakes, your past and your lifestyle. She accepted the life that you had in an instant, and the people around you.. she accepted your circle of friends without even questioning. That means, she trusted you from the day you decided to approach her again. And trust her dude, if you want your relationship to grow up."

Right after Ryan's long speech, our head were both snapped at Jack's direction.

"Fuck, Ryan! I didn't know that Shakespeare has a long lost son! Whoah! Congratulations to us, we found you!"

I can't help not to laugh at Jack's comment. But Ryan returned it with his middle finger and the word 'Fuck you!'

"Seriously Ryan.. you're the greatest fuck boy of the group, I didn't know you had a talent in giving advice." Jack exclaimed faking his surprise look.

"That was before!" Ryan threw him an evil snarl. But they just laughed after a while.

"You think I messed up again?" I asked seriously that caused them to stop in their trance.

"I think so." Jack shrugged his shoulders. "You know dude, honestly among the four of us, me, you, Ryan and Daniel, I was the only one who never had any experience in this kind of things. But if you're going to ask my opinion.. dude, you messed up for years ago and you messed up again this time. Sometimes you have to set aside your jealousy and possessiveness. I didn't mean that you're not allowed to feel it anymore, but in your situation right now, it could worsen the gap between you and your wife. You know, I think it should be in this formula, 75:25."

"75:25, what's that?" Ryan and I asked in unison.

"75:25. That means, 75% of love and trust and 25% only of jealousy and possessiveness, so that your relationship will stay healthy no matter what." he ended it with a shrugged. 

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