The Hug

"We have a lot of things to talk for later, Ok? But we gotta do this one thing right now!" Darah stared seriously into May's eyes.

"Alright. Let's get on with it!" May put on her athletic gaze as she usually did back when she was in college when she was an active sports girl. That was until Ashton started restricting her life to how he pleased. They were right outside Ashton's two storeyed house. They looked like two teenagers trying to bully someone except they were grown up now. But it didn't matter. May's life was centred around drama anyways so it was just a piece of cake for her. 

A knock at the door and no answer was heard. May grew impatient and rang the bell thrice until a tall sleepy figure opened it, squinting his eyes. 

"Who is it-" His eyes widened in shock. May's eyes were equally in shock but more in disgust seeing the red marks under his unbuttoned, top part of the shirt. Beside her he saw Darah with an unreadable expression in her eyes. What was up with these two!? 

"May! Babe! Didn't expect to see you here!? You could've gave me a call!" 

May stood silent, watching the unbearable fakeness leaching out of his smile. How could he, after all he has done!? The fact that he was caught red handed not by his own girlfriend but someone else who knew her was beyond embarassing. 

"Enough with the act! Explain this!" 

May pulled out her phone and what was in it shocked Ashton and Darah equally but the former more since he knew he fucked up real bad this time. 

"I had to see it from someone else Ash! Do you know how humiliating it is!? You could've kindly told me to my face that you didn't love me anymore! But you had to do this instead!" May screamed in anger as Darah held her by her shoulders in order to calm her down. Ashton was left speechless seeing the picture of him kissing some girl at the bar the previous night. He began shaking for some reason.

"M-May!? Do you really believe that? It's not me! The pictures are taken at a really dark spot, it doesn't even have my face!" 

"I gifted that jacket to you, you bastard and it wasn't so that you could kiss another girl wearing it! You ungrateful jerk!" 

"Calm down May. Idiots will keep spweing lies to save themselves." Darah spat in anger while glaring into his enraged eyes. 

"Who even invited you here!? You have no right to talk between our matters! Get lost!" 

"I have every right, being her friend! At least I know better than you not to engage in nasty business behind your lover's back! Hope you get STDs!" Darah smirked. 

Ashton growled in anger but held back hearing footsteps behind him. 

"Babe…" It was another woman's voice, and she was wearing Ashton's shirt that reached up to her thighs. She yawned, looking at the door, but then gasped seeing his girlfriend glaring at her. Oh no!

"Shit" She scurried back into her room and shut the door tight. Ashton was now left in an awkward silence with May and Darah, tears brimming in the former's eyes along with an intense hatred. 

"Do you have any other excuses, you cheating prick!" May screamed on top of her lungs, even the neighbour's dog barking at the disturbance. 

"May come back! We were not on good terms so-"

"So what the fuck!? No! We're done! I should've stopped this long ago but you were too much of a manipulative piece of shit for me to take! Fuck off to your whorehouse!" 

"May listen to me!" She struggled to let him go off her wrist but it was now scaring her to see that frightening gaze back in his eyes. He tried to pull her closer in an attempt to hug her but Darah pushed him away seeing his shameless attitude. 

"Stop bothering her!" Darah shouted partly in fear and anger. 

"What makes you think you can interfere you puny bitch!" Ashton raised his hand to hit her but was blocked by another figure in a checkered red jacket… May watched in surprise, the familiar handsome man she recalled to be...

"And what makes you think you can call her a bitch?" Devin asked coldly, his teeth gritting in anger.

"Devin…" Darah whispered cautiously. He glared fearlessly into Ashton's eyes, overpowering his hand by wringing his own fingers tight around the latter's wrist. Ashton pulled back his hand in anger and threw a punch only to be dodged and punched straight on his nose by Devin. In doing so Ashton's nose broke, bleeding as he looked in horror, the glazing of an object that really resembled a gun underneath his jacket above his belt. 

"Y-You're crazy!" Ashton covered his nose, gazing fearfully into Devin's emotionless eyes.

"You're all crazy!!!" He screamed as she shut the door on their faces. Devin sighed in relief but then turned around to look at Darah in disappointment and dragged her to a side. 

"Why were you ogling like an idiot when he tried to hit you!? Are you that stupid!?" 

"I didn't expect it, believe me! He was so fast!" 

"Are you impressed!? You'd be crying if I were late by a second! Why are you so slow!" Devin asked genuinely, tapping her head. Darah swat his hands away in irritation and pouted. 

"Stop calling me that! Stop!!!" Darah pointed at Devin, warning him. May unknowingly felt herself smiling at Darah and Devin, a smirk on the handsome man's face. They looked… almost perfect for each other. So Darah did manage to finally bond with a man who cares for her deeply. May felt a warm feeling in her heart looking at them two. She was finally able to do something that made Darah happy.  They bickered for a moment until Darah rushed towards May to comfort her. 

"May… He's got what he deserved. Don't worry about it anymore!" Darah held her fist up in victory. 

"Well he asked for it. Is that your boyfriend, nope ex, perhaps?" Devin asked all of a sudden, gazing strangely at May. She nodded shyly. 

"I mean, it's not a surprise at all he did that. I always expected the worst from that jerk, given how he acts around us. You deserve so much better May…" Darah frowned, hugging her tight. May still had tears moist on her cheeks and it felt bad for Devin to leave her like that. 

"I'm just glad you're with me right now." May whispered and relaxed into Darah's embrace. It felt so good to hug after a long time. 

Devin coughed, interrupting their moment of peace and smiled faintly.

"I'm David, by the way. Sorry for not introducing myself. I was caught up… Anyways, may I drop you off at home, Ms May?" He asked politely, feeling bad for her weak state of mind. Darah almost forgot that he'd been using dual names. Darah looked at May who was smiling back at her, knowing very well that her dear friend knew him beforehand. All the pretending and hours of texting. May smiled to herself. 

"Uhm… I can take a bus." She said softly. 

"No it's alright. Come with us!" Darah happily pulled her to her side. May nodded with a weak smile and followed them, giving one last hateful glance at the direction of Ashton's house.