Chapter 40: Drown in sorrows

Jovanni came out after an hour. He was looking calm and compose contrary to a distressed face that Earl imagined.

"Jovanni, are you alright?" Earl asked.

"Mmm." Jovanni uttered.

"How was it? Was it exciting?!" Carl mocked.

"Of course it was exciting! Lord and Miss Venice are the perfect matches! Miss Venice is lord's true love, unlike the others who are just merely playthings!" Eman was heartless.

Jovanni ignored the two and went to the door. He knew it all, so their words didn't affect him anymore.

"Are you leaving?" Earl asked.

"No. I will eat outside." Jovanni replied.

"There's food here..." Earl said, but then he realized that Jovanni won't probably eat Kirt's food anymore.

"Okay." Earl uttered later.

A month passed, Jovanni was still Kirt's numb servant. Kirt was too disgusted by him, so he was ordered to sleep on the cold balcony. Jovanni obediently followed.

Early dawn, Jovanni was soundly sleeping in the cold balcony. He was curling on the single daybed that he bought since Kirt didn't care of him at all, not even lending him a blanket. The balcony is too cold at night, so he bought his bed and blanket. He was soundly sleeping when a bucket of water was poured at his head.

The groggy Jovanni woke up wiping his face and saw Venice holding a bucket. Kirt was standing at the door.

"Cook us corn soup!"

Venice ordered. They just arrived from their night out.

Jovanni wiped his head, then headed to the kitchen. Not even a word of resentment was heard from him.

On the next day, Jovanni wasn't feeling better. He had a fever. It was probably because of the cold water that was poured at him in the middle of his sleep, but he was still doing his job properly.

That night, Kirt's group didn't go out. They bought wine and ordered Jovanni to cook few dishes. Jovanni obeyed, though his head was dizzy. Late in the night, Jovanni's fever worsens. He was shivering, but those people kept ordering him around. When he handed Venice a glass of water, the glass slipped from his trembling hand. Venice freaked out.

"You are killing me! Babe, he's killing me!" Venice cried.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it!"

"You mean it! You wanted to kill me! Babe..." Venice overreacted.

"Get lost!" Kirt yelled, but Jovanni didn't leave and picked the broken glass instead.

Venice was still overacting. She was crying like someone wanted to murder her for real. Jovanni stood up to throw the broken glass, but Venice grabbed a shard and cut Jovanni's arm!

Jovanni's face twitched briefly. Blood immediately gushed out from the long cut that stretched from his elbow to his wrist.

"Miss. Venice, what are you doing?!" Earl yelled, helping Jovanni.

"He's killing me!" Venice was pouting.

Eman and Carl were just looking at the side. Kirt was also expressionless. Only Earl was worried.

Jovanni threw the shards and went to the balcony to bind the wound. Blood was dripping on the floor. Earl wiped the blood then followed him.

"Let me help you." Earl picked a cotton ball and opened a disinfectant.

"I'm fine. I can do it."

"Don't be stubborn! Look how deep the cut is!"

Jovanni was dizzy, so he let the insisting Earl help him. The blood was still gushing, his hand and his entire body were trembling from his fever.

"You are hot. Jovanni, you have a fever. I will bring you to the hospital."

"No. Please don't. I will be fine later."

Jovanni refused to see a doctor, so Earl went out to buy cold medicine after dressing the wound.

"Where are you going?" Kirt asked Earl.

"I'll buy medicine."

"It's just a small cut. How delicate is he?" Eman commented.

"Yes. Earl, your not his servant aren't you?" Venice seconded.

"His cut isn't small and he has a fever. He's already shivering. He might die if I won't help him." Earl said then left.

Days passed, the new school year was approaching. Jovanni was still suffering under Venice's cruelty. Eman and Carl didn't fail to mock him every day. Kirt saw all of these, but he was ignoring his injustice.

Jovanni didn't expect Kirt to protect him. Under these sufferings, it was Earl who helped him. Refusing to owe anyone a favor, Jovanni rejected Earl's help most of the time. It doesn't matter. The summer break is almost over. He will be freed soon.

One late night, Kirt's group arrived, but three guys were added. They were Venice's friends. The group was already drunk, but they resumed their drinking party in the apartment. Jovanni was ordered to cook few fried dishes.

One of the guys was looking at Jovanni with obvious lust. His lustful eyes followed Jovanni's moves. "Venice, I didn't know you have a servant here..."

"Yes, we have. AJ, I know that naughty face of yours." Venice smiled.

"Hahaha...Well, you know me, I eat both butterflies and bees!"

Jovanni was chilled hearing the guy's word. He turned and walked to the balcony, but the guy grabbed him.

"Well, this bee is nothing. AJ, you can do whatever you want..." Venice laughed.

AJ grabbed and pushed Jovanni to the couch. Jovanni was anxious. He resisted, but AJ's two companions held him. He was easily pushed down on the sofa.

Jovanni was distressed. Earl went out to pick a call. Venice, Eman, and Carl were just laughing at his pitiful situation. His eyes landed on Kirt, but all he saw was his disgusting look.

AJ stripped his clothes.

"Kirt, please help me..." For the first time in almost two months, Jovanni called Kirt's name. He was really helpless. His only hope was Kirt's pity. They were once close, right? Kirt could at least save him in this awful situation.

Jovanni was hoping Kirt to help him, but the latter ignored him even after he pleaded. AJ became more aggressive when Kirt ignored him. Jovanni was kissed. His lips were ruthlessly bitten that he even heard his flesh tore off. Jovanni's tears creeped out. Being violated is worse. Violated in front of a crowd is worst. But, being violated in front of someone you used to love is extremely worse.

Earl came in and saw this outrageous scene.

"What are you doing?!"

Earl rushed and pushed AJ and the other two.

AJ released Jovanni's bloodied lips. "Hey, I'm having fun. Don't be nosy!"

"Release him!" Earl was rarely courageous. He was normally a scaredy-cat, but Jovanni's situation was too pitiful."

"Earl, your such a killjoy!" Venice yelled, but Earl ignored her.

"Release him, or go to jail!" Earl warned.

AJ and the two others saw Earl's serious face, so they freed Jovanni. Earl comes from a family of lawyers. His father and grandfather are well-known lawyers in the province. It would be troublesome if they won't back off.

Earl immediately helped Jovanni dressed and tugged him outside.

"Jovanni, I'm sorry. I didn't know that Venice's friends are nasty."

Jovanni was busy wiping his tears. They were in the hallway.

"Jovanni, you should consider leaving here now. Look, Kirt is heartless when he abandoned someone. You aren't safe here."

Jovanni nodded. He didn't want to go back. He served Kirt and his friends for almost two months already, so it would be fine. They are even now. He had paid him back.

Earl was glad of his decision. "Good thing you think it clearly now! Come, I will send you home."

"Please don't bother. Earl, thank you for helping me. I owe you a lot. In the future, I will pay you back."

"Will you please stop thinking about paying back? Jovanni, the world is not fair. How can you live if you have this pure mindset? People will take advantage of you."

"That's why I need to rely on my own."

"But no one can live alone. Jovanni, not everyone is bad. Not every people that lent you a hand are expecting you to pay back. Me for instance, I helped you, but I'm not expecting you to pay me back. You don't owe me, so stop thinking of returning the favor I gave you."

"Thank you. Thank you very much...!

Jovanni was truly grateful.

"Nah! Don't mention it. Come I'll send you home."

"I can go back..."

"I insist. I'm going home anyway. I don't want to see those nasty guys inside.

Jovanni told Earl to drop him on the street a few meters away from his boarding house. He didn't want someone to know his new place.

Slowly walking at the alley, Jovanni was emotional. He was finally freed, but the loads in his heart didn't lighten. He thought he was numb enough, but when he saw Kirt's disgusting look while he was being violated, his numb heart still ached. He truly loved Kirt, otherwise, it won't hurt this much, right? But, Kirt is too heartless. Yes, he betrayed him, but it was against his will. Kirt on the other hand dumped him easily, forgetting all their memories at once. How did he do that? It was easy for Kirt to forget those feelings while he's still drowning in sorrow. How can feelings vanish completely to the point that not even an ounce of sympathy is left?

There is only one answer he can think of. He was just a mere plaything.

Jovanni walked like a wilted plant. His head and shoulders were drooping. His world was dark and foggy. 'Will the sun will still shine on me?'

Jovanni was too immersed in his pain that he bumped into someone. He staggered, but a hand quickly caught his arm.

"Oops! I'm sorry... Are you hurt?" A handsome young man, with an amiable smile, was asking Jovanni.