Nick.
I went inside the Rhythemes. This was new. The last time I was in town, this joint wasn’t here, not that it would make much of a difference to me anyway. I was not the type to frequent bars or go to one out of boredom. I didn’t fancy sitting at the bar, watching sex-hungry predators pick up their latest clueless prey.
I would rather go to a card house. At least there, I could exercise my brains and make money out of it. No, I’m not a gambling addict. I just happened to be gifted at it. Am I counting cards? Well, where was the fun if you use mathematical equations and probabilities? But desperate times call for desperate measures.
When I came back to the States, I had no family left to go to. My father was gone, leaving me with the only property he could afford. The house he left behind was too shabby and major repairs had to be done. I didn’t have enough money to build my dream house. But I couldn’t leave my father’s legacy looking like a shithole. I did what I had to do. In a year’s time, my dream house was looking more and more like a reality. I struck a deal with some of my suppliers. That helped the interior design a lot. I had state-of-the-art facilities inside my little haven.
While I was building my house, I stayed over at Grandma’s diner a lot. I developed a liking for the people there. They were warm and welcoming; they treated me as if I was part of their family on my third time having dinner there. For a year, that had been my home. I tried my best to help them renovate and reinvent their image to attract more customers. When we got far enough, Margaret dropped the bomb on me about her problem with the diner. The money I raised to buy her out was not enough. Robert Clarke, that son of a bitch, was a tough man to bargain with. He staked his legal claims on the diner with threats and games. That bastard was the reason why I was here tonight.
Her name was Mackenzie Belle Clarke and she was with the band. Her father said she goes by a nickname. I forgot what it was. Actually, I wasn’t paying too much attention. My heart was not a hundred percent into this. I didn’t even know why I accepted it. This was the weirdest gamble I have ever participated in. I tried to get out of it. But Robert Clarke wouldn’t take no for an answer. He thought I was the answer to his prayers. For me, well, I don’t care for much lately. And it had been a while since I worked up to charming the opposite sex.
How could it hurt? I get to know her, I charm her, I make sure we both have a good time. Then I go out before either of us gets too attached. I don’t want to break her heart. As soon as I know I have earned her trust and she gets comfortable with me—a guy—I would come clean. Tell her what a prick her father was and she should get out of his house as soon as she could.
I took a quick survey of the band. Well, the singer was definitely a man. If that was the girl I was supposed to charm, I’d definitely be in trouble! He had more facial hair than I do.
I sat at the bar and ordered beer. I listened to the band playing. Their version of the song seemed to have more kick, a quirkier rhythm. After minutes of listening, I realized it was the drum works that was giving the song a better beat.
The song the band played next was “Mr. Brightside.” I loved this song. I was mesmerized by the drum works. This band’s drummer was a freaking genius!
I couldn’t help turning around. I would better enjoy the show if I was actually watching it. My eyes went to the drummer. Man, he was rocking it! He was a slender dude with purple tinted hair and a side undercut. He was wearing an all-white outfit, which looked good on him. Then my eyes went to his face.
Damn! He was beautiful! I didn’t know why I suddenly wanted to take home that drummer tonight. He couldn’t be a man, because I was pretty sure I’m straight.
I turned to the bartender. “Hey, dude. Who’s the drummer?”
He smirked at me. “Don’t think about it, man.”
“Why?”
“That is Ken Clarke. Many hath tried, none had succeeded. Don’t waste your time, man. No matter how pretty you are. She’s hard ball. And she has a cousin in the band who would kill for her. I think all the other members of the band will protect her. If they can’t have her, no one would. So, it’s better you walk away. And if you decide to pursue, I wish you all the luck in the world. You’re gonna need it.”
Ken Clarke.
Now, I remembered the nickname her father mentioned. I stared back at the quirky, brilliant, and beautiful drummer as she twirled her drumstick between her fingers before hitting the cymbals with perfect timing and precision. She bit her lip and smiled at the crowd when they clapped at her drum tricks. She was even prettier when she smiled, as if a thousand rays of sunshine suddenly lit up the dimmed club.
I couldn’t take my eyes away from her. To say that I was mesmerized would be an understatement. And that was saying a lot because it usually takes a lot to impress me.
I thought this job was going to be easy.
Fuck! I was in big trouble.
I thought it would be hopeless. If I didn’t even know how to approach this kick-ass chic, how would I even begin to befriend her?
“Nick?” I heard someone call me. I turned around and saw a blonde girl staring at me, expecting me to recognize her. “Nick Atkins?”
Shit! I have no idea who she was! Did I get naughty with her at one point? No, I didn’t think so. I remembered each and every woman I spent time with. Most of them didn’t end up in a relationship with me, but I was not one of those dogs that forget the names of the girls after they’ve done the dirty with them. But who was she? And why did she sound as if she knew me?
“You don’t remember me, do you?”
I shrugged and smiled back at her. “I’m sorry. I’ve been gone a while.”
“Right. Jennifer Gracie. We went to the same school.”
“Oh, right. Hi.”
She engaged me in a chit chat. I wasn’t really in the mood but I didn’t want to be rude. But I couldn’t turn away from the stage for too long. My eyes constantly landed on her and if I could, I would watch her play all night.
“You like the band?” Jennifer Gracie asked, noticing how engrossed I was.
I nodded. “Yeah, they’re great! It’s my first time here. They’re pretty good.” This was a shot in the dark but I asked, “Any chance you know them?”
Her eyes lit up excitedly. And I knew, I’ve been given the chance I was hoping for. But what she said next was even better than what I could have hoped for. “I’m best friends with the drummer.”
Holy mother of everything good in the world!
“Wow! Maybe you could introduce me. She’s pretty cute. And very talented. I’m a fan.”
“Sure! Why don’t we meet here tomorrow? I’ll introduce you,” she said. And I couldn’t be happier.
That night as soon as I closed my eyes to sleep, I dreamed about Mackenzie Belle Clarke.
The next night, I met Jennifer Gracie at Rhythemes. We watched Ken Clarke perform on the stage. She even sang and my God, her voice was amazing. The way she carried herself so confidently, so coolly… the way she moved, sure and unsure at the same time. She was a woman that carried so many things inside. And it made me want to uncover all her secrets, know all her thoughts, and discover all her hidden layers.
The first time she laid her eyes on me, I knew what she was thinking: competition. But no, I wanted to tell her that was very far from my mind. There were plenty of words in my mind right now, but competition was definitely not one of them.
Up close, Mackenzie looked even more beautiful. She wasn’t wearing anything on her face. No blush, no lipstick, no eyeliner. She was a natural beauty and she rocked the undercut hairstyle. How could she even think she could pass off as a guy? Her outfit was androgynous but her face was definitely feminine.
When Jen introduced us, Mackenzie had a smirk all over her face. I shook her hand; it was soft, delicate against mine. I couldn’t help giving it a gentle squeeze, which made her pull it back.
“So, do you go by any other name besides Kenny?” I asked nervously. I have never been nervous when talking to girls before. What the hell was wrong with me?
“Yes,” she replied. “My stage name was supposed to be Factor Offner. ‘Fac Off’ for short.”
I was thrown off balance by her response. Damn, this girl was sharp, too. I could see her contrast with Jennifer Gracie, who only appeared smart, but really wasn’t very bright at all.
All throughout the evening, Jen Gracie was filling me in about Mackenzie. I asked about how they met, what she was like, if she had dated other men.
“I mean, I gotta know if I have a chance,” I said to Jen Gracie while the band played a mellow song. “I never thought I would be attracted to a tomboyish girl before. But damn, I can’t get your friend out of my head.”
Jen stared back at me for a moment and then she smiled apologetically. “I’m not sure about that. You know she used to be bi. But it didn’t work out. She was pretty adventurous when it came to sex. She’s tried it all. Men, women, oral, anal, but she liked going down on a girl more than she liked sticking anything in her. One time, she vomited all over the bed when the guy started sticking it in.”
Shit! What do I do with that information? I could stop now. I could tell her father it was hopeless. But who was I kidding?! This had stopped being about my deal with her father the moment I laid eyes on her. I’d be doing this for myself!
But I had to thank Jen Gracie for opening another opportunity for me to spend a little time with them. I hope she didn’t get other ideas though. I did tell her I was interested in her friend, right? And not in her?
The next day, I picked Mackenzie up. I was about to ring the bell when I heard somebody shouting. The gate opened and Mackenzie came out, followed by her father. Looked as if they were having an argument. He was screaming at her but it looked as if she had already tuned him out. When he couldn’t get through to her, he pushed her. She lost her balance. Luckily, I was there and I caught her.
Robert Clarke stared back at me, pretended not to know me as I pretended not to know him. He took away her keys, effectively giving me an opportunity to give her a ride. I didn’t know if he did that on purpose though. Nevertheless, I was happy I got to be an inch closer to my goal.
I realized then that Mackenzie Clarke was not just a lost soul. She was a broken one, too. After all, who survives a home like that? And yet, I knew that deep inside, she was still hoping that her father got to know the real her and that he would love her without trying to change her.
When I saw her at the bar drinking alone, I actually felt bad for her. She should have somebody to talk to. She should know that she could trust someone. I doubted that Jennifer Gracie was really her friend. After all, what kind of best friend tells other people your deepest, darkest thoughts and secrets?
Mackenzie was so used to not trusting anyone that she kept everything in. She appeared to be tough and carefree, when inside I knew she was breaking. She needed somebody to take care of her; she needed somebody to trust.
As she lay beside me that night, in my bed, I spent half of the night watching her sleep. My God, she was beautiful! She was wasted but still. Maybe it was the first time she ever got drunk out of her wits. I was not sure when she blacked out. At least now, she would know she could trust me not to lay a hand on her even if she stripped herself half naked and jumped on my bed.
I pushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. I couldn’t help it. I was drawn to this girl, the way I have never been drawn to anyone, not even to Margot.
I took her to Grandma’s diner the next day. It was time she saw me in a different light. I may never get a chance like this. She only saw me as a douche who had every intention of going into Jennifer Gracie’s pants. If she only knew that it was her I was interested in.
After Grandma’s, I had to run an errand back to Nate and the kids. I do this every Sunday. I spent a lot of time in East Downtown after my community service sentence. I made a lot of friends there. Many may argue that it wasn’t a safe place but I say different. I’m no safer in my own house than I am there. People there protect their own.
When I took Mackenzie there, I thought she would be terrified. She was, after all, the town’s priceless princess. Her family was probably the richest in the city.
But today, Mackenzie surprised me yet again. She played basketball with the kids and man, could she play! Was there anything this chic couldn’t do?
After the game, we sat on the bleachers, cooling down. I was covered in sweat, and so was she. But man, I’ve never seen her more beautiful.
“She’s hot,” I heard her say to me. I turned to her and found her looking across the court where Nate went to. His sister was calling him. I’ve seen her before. I knew her by face but couldn’t remember her name.
“I guess,” I said.
“Not your type?” she asked.
I stared at her for a long moment. Her beauty was exquisite. Her personality was exciting. Her mind was challenging. Her spirit was admirable. She was a puzzle I have every intention of solving. She was a treasure I have every will of protecting—even from her own father.
“I must be out of my mind,” I whispered. Yes, indeed I was. I was going crazy for this girl.
By the time we left East Downtown, I reckoned that half of the teenage boys there fancied themselves in love with her. With the way I was thinking, I could say I was in love with her, too.
I knew then, the moment I followed her back home after we picked up her car from Rhythemes, that I could no longer continue my deal with her father. Either way, I was going to lose. The only acceptable outcome for me was if she didn’t end up getting hurt. And I knew, if I continued this game with Robert Clarke, Mackenzie would end up getting hurt. Even if I didn’t have the slightest intention of leaving her, she still wouldn’t accept the fact that I wooed her on her father’s behalf. Nothing was worth breaking a heart for. Not even Margaret’s diner.
Margaret would understand. We would find another way to convince Robert Clarke to accept our offer. The devil has a price. I just needed to know what it was.
“Name your price,” I said to Robert Clarke when I last paid him a visit.
“You already know the terms, Mr. Atkins,” he said. “Why are we having this conversation again?”
“Because what you ask is impossible! Just let your daughter be! She doesn’t deserve what you’re doing to her. Being different doesn’t really make her less of a person. You know I don’t think she’s a lesbian. And even if she is, she deserves all your love. Shame on you for valuing her less!”
“How I value my daughter is up to me, Mr. Atkins! I asked you to do a job or Ms. Matthews loses her diner. Now, can you do this or not?”
I glared at the man. How could he do this to her? I stood up from my seat. “I’m not playing this game anymore. Go to hell! I’m out!” Then I stormed out of his office.
After that, I called Margaret to inform her that I couldn’t agree to Robert Clarke’s terms. I gave her all my tournament winnings. We have enough money to buy Robert Clarke out with interests. She should consult her lawyers and look at all the loopholes they could find to get out of this deal. I would lay low for a while, just for the show. I would act as if I wasn’t interested in Mackenzie, just in case Robert Clarke had me followed. He’d know I meant it when I said that I was out.
But I didn’t have to wait that long. Because soon, she was in front of me. It was a very pleasant surprise to see her at the diner again. She was looking straight at me. I smiled up at her, my heart doing somersaults inside my chest, which I was pretty sure never happened to me before.
We stepped out of the diner and I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I could tell she was stressed out about it. I could only think of one thing. Robert Clarke must have ratted me out! But it turned out, I was up for the biggest shock of my life.
After a solid punch to my jaw, she attacked me and screamed, “You fucking raped me and now I’m pregnant!”