Chapter 5 – Starry Night Karaoke

The day was over at school, and it was time to leave. Still dazed, I headed home without remembering if I said goodbye to Leo or forgot that too. I was in this trouble alone, having to figure out a way to deal with it. First, there was the problem of my sister's declaration "We won't start without you".

'I can't leave her alone. God knows what those crazy guys will do to her. They think they are above the law and they probably are. Leaving Merry with them alone wouldn't be any different from letting her walk to the open maw of a predator.'

On the other hand, pushing her away from that predator's maw would place my head inside it instead, and I had to make my decision if it was worth it. I was torn between my familial loyalty and the fact that the two of us had never been close until recently, and we still barely exchanged a few sentences a day.

'I have already made up my mind. I must follow my heart and make a choice I'd not regret for the rest of my life.'

I knew that if something bad happened to Merry that night it'd haunt me forever.

Wait, something slipped out of my mind! Nyssa will be there too!

Letting down one woman I loved was already too much, but letting down two of them would make me unable to look in the mirror ever again. 'Let's go,' I whispered to myself.

Merry would appear at the time we agreed dressed in pretty clothes that God knows where she got them without coming home, but I did not have those superpowers, I had to visit the house first to take a shower and change my attire, and so I did.

The hot water washed my body, giving me a pleasant sensation that helped me calm down. I resolved myself to take a cold shower if it wouldn't be enough, so I'm glad it was. I actually hate cold showers.

Now, calmer and more rational, I devised my master plan for tonight. First, I'll be banking on the fact they won't thrash me right then and there in their attempt to look civilized in front of Merry if I appear. Well, there's no second, I was just planning on trying my best to be a third wheel and figure something out on the go.

I recalled my new haircut while washing my hair, and it gave me a weird sense of comfort as if it was going to help me somehow. Besides, since I'm already there, I might as well go for it and ask Nyssa out. If Steven is going to keep his word and come after me, it will be a great distraction from my broken heart if she refuses.

My outfit for the occasion consisted of a green buttoned shirt that matched my tanned skin and slim blue jeans that complemented the style. I firmly believe men are not meant to wear skinny jeans, so I never wore those.

Honestly, I'm not sure if girls should wear them; I always imagine them pulling it up and jumping up and down, trying to fit their fat asses into those tight things somehow. In times when my imagination was wilder, I added two girls who helped her hold the jeans up and cheer for her in her efforts.

Now that I was all dressed up, it was time to leave. The karaoke took place at Starry Night Karaoke, a big compound with over a dozen rooms in a wide variety of sizes. It was usually booked in advance, but perhaps Merry trusted our classmates' backgrounds. For some reason, I had the feeling she was not responsible enough to reserve a room.

I was not in the mood for walking, so I took a short ride on the bus and arrived at the designated meeting spot five minutes early, which was good in case Nyssa would be there, as I wouldn't want to leave a bad first impression.

"Hey, Nick!" A melodic feminine name shouted which I recognized as my sister's. Indeed, she was there waving at me standing with a group of three guys and a girl whom I did not know. I know you want to know it, so I'll let you know the girl wasn't that special. Her lips were thin, her skin was flawed in many spots, and she was average overall.

"Hey, Merry," I smiled and gave her a short hug. "Be careful of those guys, I think they might have bad intentions," I whispered in her ear. One glance at those guys told me they were furious that I showed up, so I might as well go for full defiance.

"This is Shelly," The curly girl smiled and nodded without mentioning my warning, proof she could read the atmosphere quite well. I'm not sure what her expression hinted at, but it made me believe she was not as gullible as I assumed. 'Why did she come then?' This thought crossed my mind.

"Hello, Nick, glad to see you made it," Steven graced me with a stiff smile and a too-strong handshake that hurt my palm. You can't let your enemies know they hurt you, so I held back my grimace. 

"Hey guys, I didn't pick up your names earlier. Mind for a short introduction? I'm Nick, I'm Merry's big brother," I turned to the other two as a means to force Steven to let my hand go, and it worked.

"I'm Toby," said a black guy with short, coiled hair. His nose was rather wide, but I think he still counts as good-looking. Don't take my word for it though, I'm bad at judging men's outer appearances.

"I'm Jack," said the other guy, a white man with some marks of tan, and sent his hand for a handshake.

*Clap*

I learned my lesson and only clapped their hands in a friendly manner, not giving them the chance to torment my hand again. They nodded and turned away, unwilling to start a scene that would worsen their image.

"Hey, it's Nyssa!" Merry called, making me turn at a speed too fast to be elegant.

She was there. An albino woman with snow-white hair that bordered on silver, long and sleek that reached to her buttocks. Her buttocks, by the way, were round and plump, their shape peeking through her long dress. Her butt was not incredibly big or anything, it simply had a perfect bubble shape that contrasted well with her slim waist.

"Don't look too much," Merry whispered and pulled my sleeve, "It makes you creepy."

"Ahm," I coughed in response and looked around me only to find out the other guys were just as absorbed. They were at least self-aware, so they left their daze soon enough without needing a reminder.

"Hello Nyssa," Merry hugged the other girl. Ah, it was like watching two angels hug. Jack tried to hug her too, but she side-stepped it, making me gloat when I saw the redness on Jack's cheeks following his embarrassment. I concluded this was supposed to be a triple date. Merry for Steven, Nyssa for Jack, and Shelly for Toby.

Yup, the black guys always get the short side of the stick. Looking at Toby's eyes made me appreciate him slightly more as I noticed he was truly interested in the girl even when two top-tier belles stood by her sides, perhaps there was more depth to him than I thought.

"Let's go, I reserved a big room for ten people plus a VIP room for two in case anyone wants some privacy and to sing without an audience," Steven bragged about his rich daddy.

"Nice!" Merry beamed and passed him without glancing at him, walking straight into the compound and forcing us to follow.

"Two rooms under the name of Steven Hobs," Steven rushed in front of her and asked the receptionist. The young woman skimmed through the list on her screen until she saw the name.

"Found it," she smiled, "Room number eleven has room for ten people, it's right there at the end of the corridor. Room number twelve is in front of it and is meant for couples. Our waiters will serve you with the beverages and food you have ordered."

She explained in detail everything there was to know about the arrangement, meaning both to inform us and to ensure that this was what we ordered. Steven barely looked at her as he took the keys and tried to grab Merry's hand unsuccessfully, giving me a third sense of comfort since I arrived. One for when I saw Nyssa and another when Jack failed to hug her.

"Hello, Nick. Are you having fun?" I then felt a hand wrap itself around me, waking me up from my happy reveries. It was Red-Face Jack as I'd call him if I had the guts. "Seems like you forgot our agreement," he hissed.

"I wouldn't dare, it's just that Merry told me she wouldn't go without me, so I had no choice but to come. Wouldn't you be angry if she bailed out on you?" I forced out a smile as I told the first lie that came to mind.

Just then, at the corner of my eyes, I noticed Toby handing over something, a small bottle perhaps, to a waiter. Before I could look into it more carefully, Jack's palm found my cheek and pulled my head back to him forcibly.