When You Question Your Mortality

"-oris. Doris!"

The woman was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts, making eye contact with a pretty, blond man. The table she sat in was full of women on the laps of men. She was the only one sitting at the side.

"Damn, here I am talking my heart out and Doris is not even paying me any attention." The man complained pouting.

"Ah. I'm sorry. I zoned out for a bit." She said, apologizing profusely.

"Hey, no worries." The man said, smiling pleasantly at her. "I was just teasing. But you did seem like you have a lot on your mind."

"It is something like that." She said, laughing. "Oh, would you like another round of drinks?"

"If you are pouring, how can I say no?" He asked, chuckling as he held up his cup. "But if you really are not feeling well then shouldn't you be resting?"

"Really, I didn't mean to worry you," Doris said sheepishly. "I was a little distracted, please don't mind me."

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" He asked, tilting his head to the side as his shirt opened up a little more.

He is certainly not bad looking. Which country was he from again? She thought, looking at his face and then the muscles under his clothes. And his body is nothing to sneeze at too. Should I … I see no harm.

Leaning in on the man, the two began making out before a person's face flashed in the corner of Doris's eyes, startling her.

"Something wrong?" The man asked, looking at her blankly as she had just pulled away from him, without warning.

"No, nothing." She said, looking around herself in a panic. "Nothing is wrong."

"Are you sure?" The man asked, gently cupping her face. "You are pale, Doris. Should I call for a-"

"It's nothing." She said, getting to her feet suddenly, getting stares from almost everyone in front of her. "I- I will get us more drinks."

Without waiting for another second, Doris quickly made her way to the bar, running as though she was being chased. It was only when she reached the place that she started to breathe a little easy but she was still looking over her shoulders for a sign, any sign of that person.

Not looking up, she made an order and took an empty seat, thought swirling through her mind.

He's not here. He can't touch me anymore. He's not here. She thought over and over again, thinking she might just believe it the more she said it.

A hand on Doris's shoulder startled the woman so deep in her thoughts, making her slap the person's hand away in a panic.

Suddenly realizing what she did, Doris looked up to apologise only to come in contact with Eden's frowning face.

"Doris?" he asked, gritting his teeth. "Something is wrong, isn't it?"

"H-huh? What makes you t-think- think that?" She asked, stumbling over her words while trying to put on a smile on her face but failing miserably.

"You can't lie to me," Eden said, taking the empty seat beside her. "Or anyone for that fact. You aren't a good liar, Doris. Sorry."

Sighing, the woman buried her face in her hands. "I wish I could lie to you. I would like to be able to do that so much right now."

"What happened? Was your customer mean?" Eden asked, calling a bartender over and ordering his drink. "Should I beat the bastard up?"

"No, he was a gem." She said, still not having the strength to look at Eden in the face. "Do you know why today is more filled with people, Eden?"

"I don't know. Is it something to do with the founding day of the club or something?" he asked, taking a sip of his margarita.

"No." She said, shaking her head. "Most of the people here today are important people. There are some delegates coming in from other countries.

"An organization booked the entire club for them, though others can come in also. Maybe they chose this place because it is a part of the Aberrant organization, or maybe they chose it on random, I don't know.

"Still, that means that tonight is special for the club and the organization. If those foreign delegates and their … group, enjoy tonight, they may want to talk to you."

"You make it sound like I care about some foreigners," Eden said, drowning the rest of his drink. "Listen here, Doris. I remember telling this all the time but I am going to tell it until it gets into everyone's thick skull.

"I don't care about anything if it means that your discomfort," Eden said, pointing to the woman. "If you are uncomfortable then leave. There are more chances of getting a scolding from me if you do not leave the uncomfortable situation. Fucking knuckleheads."

"Eden." Doris looked at the man, tears rolling don her face. "You … you really are the most wonderful person in the world."

"Huh?" Eden dropped his cup on the table just in time for a hand to reach out and catch it. "Why are you crying? Was it something I said??"

"What did you do, Eden?" An automated voice asked, making the two turn to the black-haired man, holding Eden's empty glass.

"Noel!" Eden shouted, smiling brightly. "You look as handsome as ever."

"We are talking about Doris." Noel typed out, frowning at Eden. "What did you do?"

"I don't even know why she started crying," Eden said, holding his hands out in surrender. "I promise, Noel."

"Are you ok?" Noel handed her a handkerchief, while typing without even looking at his phone.

Man of many skills. Eden thought, immediately impressed.

"I'm fine," Doris said, taking the handkerchief from Noel and wiped her eyes. "Thank you."

"What happened? Why were you crying?"

"I want to know too," Eden said, indignant. "You don't cry often, Doris. Please tell me if someone is bothering you."

"Well, not anyone in this club." She said, pulling out her phone and showed it to both of them. "He is here."

_________________________

Standing in the empty allyway, Doris chuckled remembering Eden's reaction.

He immediately took her phone and started swearing as though he would never run out of insults to the man. Even as he ran out of the bar to look for this person, he was still swearing.

Noel and Doris could see the people literally part the way for him to walk through, stomping away.

"Aren't you going to run after him?" Doris asked Noel who stared at her confused.

"Why?"

"He might get into some trouble or worse, cause some trouble." She said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"But he is not the one that needs me at the moment." The man typed it out on his phone and showed it to Doris, giving his best smile though it kind of failed.

She did appreciate the effort though.

"What about your work?" She asked, looking at the man.

"There are ten of us here." Noel pointed out. "The bar is quite slow too so I can slack off. So, do you want anything?"

"You don't have to feel sorry for m-"

Noel held up his hand to stop the woman, "Please don't misunderstand, I am not looking down on you nor am I feeling sorry for you.

"You just look like you could use a drink and I so happen to be free at the exact minute. So, allow me to accompany you in some drinks."

Doris stared at him for a couple of seconds before bursting into a smile. "Sure. The coincidence is very coincidental but I will take it."

"What would you like, madam?"

"Surprise me."

Doris left for a couple of seconds, while Noel was making the drinks, to tell her company that she will turn in for the night and the man was still very understanding.

He even gave her his card to contact him whenever she was free. Just that kind gesture was enough to make Doris blush and feel a bit of guilt for not being able to spend too much time with them.

After that, the two drank for quite some time, until the number of people in the club thinned out. Though there was still no sign of Eden anywhere.

Noel was called to the back as the woman got another message from the same person.

[3:21 a.m. Unknown Number: Come outside. If you don't, I have dirt on your precious boss. If I release it, he will be ruined.]

She knew he was bluffing. That was all he knew how to do. But she couldn't leave it like that. So she decided to meet him.

Even if it is just to tell him off. She needed to be rid of this shackle and hiding behind Eden is not going to change anything. So she left to meet the man.

"So you came." A man's voice came from the alleyway. "I knew you would, like the bitch you are."

"I know you don't have anything on Eden." She said, looking him in the eyes. "You are nothing but a liar and a cheat."

The man scoffed. "If you believed that, you wouldn't have come out. Lying is not good, don't you know that?"

"I came out to tell you that I am not afraid of you anymore." She said, smirking at the man. "Your bark is worse than your bite. Anyways, stop contacting me, you are an eyesore."

She turned to go when she heard a hysterical laugh come from the man and some people appeared, surrounding her.

Shit.

"I was so nice to you, so you think you can just do whatever you want." The man laughed, "No one but I will accept you as the person you really are. Maybe I should teach you a lesson to make sure it gets to your head."

One by one the people that surrounded her pulled out bats, slowly approaching the woman.

Shit. Doris thought. Is this how I die? Here? Like this?