No Mercy for the Unfaithful

In the private room, the only person I knew well was James.

Mia, however, was in her element, rallying the crowd to keep pouring drinks for him.

Some of the guys looked a little guilty, sneaking glances my way as they raised their glasses.

It wasn’t hard to piece it together. Mia had probably put them up to this.

I had to admit she had her ways. Getting this many people to follow her lead wasn’t easy.

Then again, they’d all been friends far longer than I’d been in the picture.

As the alcohol started to take effect, James suddenly turned to me, his face flushed, and pulled me into a drunken hug and kiss.

“Ames, Ames, you’re so beautiful. I like you so much.”

Smiling faintly, I placed my hand between his alcohol-scented lips and my face.

“My dad likes you, too. He said I have to marry you.”

Internally, I scoffed. Joe could keep dreaming.

Before James could lean in again, Mia stepped forward, prying him off me.

“James, calm down. Look, even Ames is tired of you now.”

Then, somehow, Mia managed to position herself right in James’ path. His next attempt to kiss me landed squarely on her lips instead.

Mia’s reaction was immediate. She shoved James back hard, and he stumbled onto the floor. A glass of water tipped over, drenching his head.

The splash was loud enough to snap him halfway out of his drunken haze.

Mia’s eyes brimmed with tears, glistening, but not quite falling. She glanced at me, then locked eyes with a dazed James for what felt like an eternity.

Like a whirlwind, she bolted from the room.

James, now sitting on the floor, touched his lips in confusion before scrambling to his feet and dashing after her.

“Haha! Don’t take it personally, Ames,” one of James’s buddies joked, trying to lighten the mood.

“How could I be upset? It was just an accident, after all,” I responded to their awkward attempts to act like everything was fine.

My response seemed to shock them. They were probably surprised at how much I seemed to not care about my dignity.

Or maybe they just thought I was crazy.

We stayed in the private room for another hour, waiting. Finally, James came back, dragging a tear-streaked Mia along.

They’d clearly cooled off in the night air, and the tension between them was now replaced by a cautious distance.

“James, you’re back! Let’s head home!” I said cheerfully, pretending nothing had happened.

I didn’t care what had gone on between the two of them outside. All I knew was that it was late, and I was ready to go to bed.

James’s buddies took the opportunity to make a quick exit, probably relieved to escape the awkward atmosphere.

I hailed a cab and invited James to ride with me. After all, we lived nearby and were headed in the same direction.

James hesitated, glancing between me and Mia. Finally, as though steeling himself, he turned to her.

“Mia, don’t take what happened tonight to heart. It was all my fault for drinking too much. From now on, let’s stay good friends, alright?”

I slid into the cab first, rolling my eyes where no one could see. Was the alcohol affecting his brain?

By the time James joined me, I had already composed myself, my face soft and gentle once more.

“All taken care of, James,” I said sweetly. “I called Mia a cab, too. No need to worry.”