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This story contains graphic scenes, language, and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words, and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racism, racial language, violence, rape, or violence against women. Any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.
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Chapter 02 - Meeting Mandy
The cold, unfeeling metal handrail steadied me from the constant mesmerizing sway of the subway as it pushed through the darkness toward my destination.
"Sorry," I said quickly to the stranger beside me I had bumped into as I regained my balance from the most recent lurch. The woman did not respond as she continued staring at her phone, apparently oblivious to anything else. The other passengers, obviously accustomed to the sudden invasions of personal space, seemed little affected by the sudden rocking motions of the subway.
I had always hated the city, never able to get used to the cold, unfeeling way people acted here. Either you didn't even exist to them as they marched on like drones to their next destination, or you were a hindrance getting between them and their goal--a peasant worthy of only a disgusted glance as they brushed by you. I wasn't sure which was worse.
It had been two days since Dan and I had dinner together at Marzano's. While it had been mostly business as usual on the surface, I knew that underneath, Dan had his silent reservations about my dinner date this evening with Mandy. Mandy was a beautiful red-haired buxom girl who had always been a bit of a wild child, attracting more than her fair share of attention from both boys and girls, soaking it up any chance she could.
We had been best friends in high school when sex had become a real thing, and while I also had plenty of attention thrown my way, primarily because of my accent, my body had filled out later than Mandy's, and I couldn't compete with her red hair and curves. We started drifting apart when we graduated, with me going to college and her pursuing a modeling career. Still, we had always stayed in contact over the years, trying to get together at least once every few months to catch up with each other's lives and reminisce.
Although we had kept in touch through social media, the last time I had seen Mandy was three years ago at her mother's funeral, dying unexpectedly after a short battle with cancer. She had also lost her father a few years prior, but she hadn't been close to him like she was with her mother, as they had divorced when she was young. I could remember her looking so stunningly beautiful at the funeral, but you could see the longing and sadness in her eyes through her composed demeanor.
I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her as we parted ways that night. Maybe she just needed someone to be there for her, but as much as I had tried, I felt she was pushing me away and needing her space. It had always made me feel like I had let her down somehow.
After her mom died, her wildness had amplified, judging from her vague social media posts. I hadn't heard from her for a few months until I reached out earlier this week. I had shared some of her posts with Dan from time to time which is likely why he had been a bit out of sorts about the visit. From his perspective, he was thinking, "Two gorgeous women out on the town with alcohol and Mandy's flirtatious personality. What could go wrong?"
Exiting the subway at my destination, I looked up the directions to the restaurant on my phone four blocks south as the unfeeling presence of the city began seeping into me. The tall buildings rose above the busy sidewalks, and yellow taxis zipped past as the air became colder with the setting sun blocked from view by the city buildings, making me shiver. I suddenly had no desire to be here anymore. I wanted to be home where things weren't so cold and unfeeling, where I was safe and warm.
As I walked the short four blocks, I looked in the windows of the various street-level shops along the way, trying to distract myself from the chilly summer evening. One shop sold vintage clothing, and another had tons of used books. An Italian bakery here and a shoe repair shop there. It was the same scene every block, one small business after another. Except for one bar on a corner, everything else looked worn down and old on the outside, and I thought about all the lives that had come and gone living and working in these places.
Arriving at the restaurant's entrance, I went inside, passing the bar and looking inside the dining area for Mandy. Many people were already inside having drinks and laughing, and there was a definite drone of conversation in the air. A young man with a blue tie leaned against the bar, casually talking with another man, both looking at their phones. Across the bar, a young girl was casually playing with her hair talking to what must have been her date, signaling her interest in him.
I turned my gaze back to the door for a second, feeling anxious and overwhelmed in this unfamiliar setting. I noticed the two men had stopped looking at their phones and were now glancing my way, which didn't help. I had worn a casual but sexy dress with heels and had taken extra time with my makeup, but their glances suddenly made me self-conscious. I stopped and closed my eyes to calm myself for a second before looking again to see if I could see Mandy.
When my eyes opened again, I saw the two men at the bar shift their gaze quickly behind me in unison; a split second later, two hands covered my eyes from behind, and I jumped, startled, before I heard a familiar voice.
"Guess who?"
"Ariel!" I said, turning to face her, using her pet name from high school.
She hugged me tightly before pulling back and examining me, shaking her head.
"Really! You look gorgeous," she gushed, her eyes wide. "How long has it been?"
"Thank you. I guess almost three years now. Since the funeral." I replied, slightly embarrassed as I took in her beauty.
