Chapter 20

Jackson Drake

I was so frustrated with what happened earlier and I badly want to punch myself whenever I remember that I did some stupid things that I shouldn't have done in the first place, and it makes me so sick of myself.

I want to make her life miserable and I'm supposed to make her suffer but this is the second time that I helped her unintentionally and unknowingly. This is also the second time that I saw her hurt and I can't help but worry about her. When she fainted right into my arms, I feel like someone has possessed my body. I shouldn't have helped her but it feels like I have lost control of myself because I did helped her. Lately, I have been doing stupid things that I shouldn't be doing in the first place and I don't understand myself anymore.

In order to clear my thoughts, I invited my friends to drink at the nearest bar from the university. I waited for them here and as soon as their classes ended, they went directly here.

"Hey! What's the matter, Drake? You're spacing out." Dane asked as he lightly punched my shoulder which pulled me out of trance.

"Nothing." I replied briefly.

I emptied the glass of whiskey and raised it so the bartender will notice me.

"One more." I said.

"Hey! You don't usually drink on weekdays. Is there something bothering you?" Ace asked as he tapped my back.

The bartender placed the glass of whiskey in front of me and I drank all of its content before replying.

"Nothing serious."

"It must be serious. It's Wednesday and that was your third shot." Ace retorted as he chuckled along with Dane.

"Shut up!" I snarled at them and they just continued laughing.

"Will you just tell us what's bothering you?" Ace replied.

"Give him three." Dane told the bartender and after a few moments, three glasses of whiskey were placed in front of me.

"You won't talk about your problem so we'll make you blab it." Dane said as he chuckled along with Ace.

I scowled at them before grabbing one glass and then, I finished its content in one gulp.

"Come on, just talk already! We're happy to help you." Ace spoke out.

"I can handle my own problems." I grumbled.

I was about to grab another glass when someone called out my name. The voice was feminine but loud and thunderous. The voice was also quite familiar. It seems like I have heard it before but I just don't know when and where I heard it.

"Drake!" Someone called out my name again and I immediately turned my head to see the owner of the voice.

There, I saw the person who owns that voice. It was Louella and I'm quite surprised with her sudden appearance. She is sick and dehydrated so she shouldn't have come here. She should stay in the hospital until she has fully recovered.

"You, jerk!" She snarled at me.

Anger swept across her face. Her eyes were flaring in anger and her hands were clenched into fists. She looked at me with piercing eyes as if I had done something wrong. What is her problem?

I looked away to avoid her piercing stare hoping that she would just go away. I was just surprised when she suddenly appeared in front of me. What is more surprising is that she slapped me across my face.

"How could you-" She cut me off.

"How could you do such a cruel thing to my friend, Drake?! How could you?!" She snarled at me and I just stared at her blankly.

What the hell did I do this time? What the hell is her problem?!

"What the hell is your problem?!" I snapped at her and she looked away from me for a moment.

"Between the two of us, you're the one who has a problem!" She shouted.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" I snapped back at her.

"Didn't I already apologize to you for staying in your place? Why do you have to do this, Drake?!" She asked angrily.

"Well, I didn't accept your apology." I said casually.

"Those were just freaking- goddamn table and chairs, Drake! Why can't you forgive us?!" She howled and I laughed at her bitterly.

"That isn't the only problem here Lou-" She cut me off.

"Oh! How could I forget about your ego?! Did I step on it, huh? Did I?!" She replied.

Her words felt like knives stabbing my body. I don't want her to see my frustration but I failed. I tugged her arm not minding if she was hurt or not.

"Don't you dare talk to me using that tone!" I snapped at her and she tried to wriggle free from my hold but then she failed.

"You're rich, right? Then, why don't you hire someone to fix your goddamn ego!" She spoke out and I looked at her bitterly.

"You're doing this to us to save your goddamn ego, right? And for you to do that, you've risked someone else's life." She stated and I looked at her confusedly as her words lingered in my brain.

I don't actually know what she is talking about. Yes, I have risked her life but other than that, I haven't risked another life so how could she say those words?

"You don't know, right? Well, just so you know, you almost killed my friend. Are you still going to play dumb?" She questioned bitterly and I just looked at her blankly as I tightened my hold on her arm.

"Dane made Meg clean his entire house. You asked him to do it, right?!" She shouted as she made a grimace.

"Why would I care?" I retorted.

"She was so exhausted- and she. She almost had a heart attack! You almost killed her!" She yelled at me.

What is she talking about?

"I don't know what you're-" She cut me off.

"That's because you only think of yourself! You don't care about other people because you're busy thinking about your goddamn ego!" She yelled as she went ballistic.

"Seriously, I don't-" She cut me off for the nth time around.

"Well, Meg has a heart disease! She isn't allowed to get tired because exhaustion would put her life in danger! There, I said it! Now, you know." She spoke out as she pulled her arm and I just let it go.

Her words left me dumbfounded and I can't even utter a single word. All I could do was stare at her face as I tried to think of words to say but my mind remained blank.

"Her parents can't even send her to the hospital for her monthly checkups and they're even struggling to buy her medicines, yet you gave them another problem!" She spoke out and I just looked at her.

"If she would have a heart attack, I'm afraid, we can't save her life. Our savings are not yet enough so we can't afford her heart transplant yet. Now, tell me, do you still want to make her life miserable?!" She spat bitterly but all I could do was stare at her.

"If you badly want to play, then deal with me alone! You don't need to involve my friends on our matter!" She added.

"Don't blame him, Louella. I was the one who suggested Dane to let her clean his house. Blame it all to me." Ace suddenly spoke out and I'm quite surprised with his action.

Louella stared at Ace confusedly as she shook her head as if she is trying to deny his words.

"No! Drake made you do it! You don't need to save him, Ace." She stated as she looked deeply into his eyes.

"Well, I just did. I was the one who's reponsible for this-" Louella cut him off and then she stared at me.

"Is it really that hard for you to admit what you did, Drake? Your friend even needs cover you up." She stated and I was about to answer when Ace spoke out.

"It's indeed my fault, Louella."

"No! You don't need to cover this coward up anymore, Ace." She said and then she looked at me with piercing eyes.

"You would do anything for your friends, right?" She asked and I don't know why but I nodded.

"Well, I'm just like you. I thought, you would understand me because you know how it feels like to have friends. I thought, you would understand me but I was wrong. This matter is between us, you don't need to involve my friends!" She stated calmly and I just remained silent.

"You want me to leave the university, right?" She asked as tears rolled down her cheeks.

It feels like someone has possessed my body again. I unknowingly want to wipe her tears but I fought the urge to do so. I was about to answer when she spoke out again.

"Fine, just let my friends stay in the university and don't you dare bother them again. Starting tomorrow, you'll never see my face again." She stated as she stared at me with saddened eyes and with that, she left me dumbfounded.

All I could do was stare at her as she walked away from me. Damn it! What have I done?

"I'm sorry but I can't let her leave, Drake. I've hurt her friend and that's the least I can do to make up for her friend." Dane spoke out and I just stared at him as I drank another glass of whiskey.

"You must have really hurt her, Drake." Ace piped up and I just scowled at him as I stood and with that, I left them.

Fortunately, the bar is not very crowded since it is just twenty six minutes past six o'clock, and only few people had witnessed the commotion.

I left the bar with a confused mind. I just can't think straight right now. Heck, I even forgot to pay but I'm sure, my friends have taken care of it already.