Crazy Love

Chapter 3

J.L

"Cheers to the birthday boy!" My cousin, Ahmed, proclaims already tipsy.

For some stupid reason he thought that after a nine hour flight, this is how I wanted to spend my birthday; in a noisy club surrounded by strangers drinking tequila.

I play along and take a shot with everyone else. In less than two minutes, he is too distracted with the tiny blonde with her tongue down his throat to notice when I switch to water.

"You tired?" My best friend, Lucas asks from beside me.

"Tired of this." I say pointing to this whole scene.

I am thirty-two now. A noisy club surrounded by half-naked girls looking to hookup with a rich guy has not been my idea of fun in years. You get tired of that shit.

"Where is Janelle?" I groan at the mention of my girlfriend.

"Back at her place. She wasn't feeling the party, said I should stop by after for a little birthday surprise." She rarely ever comes out with us anymore, if I am being honest. She used to love parties and hanging out with us, but lately she finds every possible reason to ditch us.

"Spoiler alert- it's sex. When are you going to cut the cord?" Lucas asks taking a sip of his bourbon.

"Tonight." It has to be tonight.

"Don't be distracted by whatever she has planned." He shoots me with the look.
This isn't the first time I try to break up with Janelle. She just always finds a way to distract me. The girl is wild, and Hot. And I'm a guy. Sue me.

But tonight nothing will stop me. I am thirty-two now and looking to settle down. I know Janelle is too, she has been dropping hints for a proposal, but she just isn't the one for me.
I know it's cold, after almost three years together, but I just fell out of love with her. We have both grown up and changed, only I think we are growing apart more than anything.

Not for a lack of trying. We have both put in a lot of work into this relationship, but at some point, you have to ask yourself, "is it worth it?". I was holding on too tight to who we once were that I was not seeing who we are now.
The only thing we have going for us now is the sex and that isn't enough for me anymore.

As much as I am not looking forward to doing this, it is much worse to continue stringing her along. Not when I know this is not what I want.

"How long do you think I have to stay?" I ask looking around. Who would really miss me here if I left? The only other real friend of mine I see is Silas who is flirting with the bartender.

"Give it half an hour." He says looking around unimpressed.

This has never been his idea of fun. He is only here for me and I love him for it. Even if I don't want to be here either.

"How was London?"

"I had to fire one of the supervisors. But it was nice to see Basimah." My baby sister and her husband live in London. She just announced that they were expecting their first child three months ago. I was glad to spend some time with them, even if Basimah was a little scary.

"I still can't believe she is going to be a mom." He exclaims. It is not that surprising given she is twenty-nine and they have been married for two years, but I know what he means.

Lucas and I have known each other since childhood, meaning he has known Basimah since she was in diapers. It is still strange to think that my baby sister is a married woman and soon to be mother.

"Romeo could not be happier." Basimah's husband is a little rough around the edges, but he worships the ground she walks on. He was an overbearing grinning dope the entire time I was there. Even when she would threaten him.

"I bet mama Qadir is going crazy."

"You have no idea. She calls twice a day and is planning on living in London when the baby is born." My dad was less than thrilled about that idea. But what mama wants, mama gets.

"Heeeyyy, yyoouuurr superr hhoottt." A drunken girl slurs in Lucas' face.

"Doo you wannna fuuck m-me in thhe baathhroooomm?" I try not to laugh at his disgusted face.

Not that the girl is disgusting, she just reeks of booze.

"Spell bathroom." He tells her.

"B-baa-baa-L! Like Lindseeyy. Thaats mee!"
Wow, this girl is wasted.

"Go sober up somewhere." Lucas tells her and we watch as she stumbles over back to her equally drunk friends.

"Thirty minutes, and I'm out of here." I say noting the time.

"No more drinks then." Lucas says putting his second glass down.

"Did you drive?" I ask curiously. Why would he drive here?

"No, I need to be sober enough to make sure you don't chicken out."

"Fuck you." But he's right.

Thirty minutes.

¤¤¤¤

Ahmed is already sloppy drunk and fingering a different blonde girl who is on his lap in the tiniest dress known to man. Silas was called to work twenty minutes ago and I know Luke is counting down the seconds until we can leave.

"Hey, sexy. Are you the birthday boy?" A pretty girl with shoulder length dark hair sits on my lap.
The sixth one in thirty minutes.

Now, I may be over my relationship with Janelle, but I would never disrespect her like that.

I stand up and the girl almost falls to the ground, but I catch her.
"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to my girlfriend." I tell her letting go of her once she is stable.

I say a quick goodbye to Luke before going down to the parking garage. He insists on following me down though and watching me leave.
I spend the entire twenty minute drive to Janelle's apartment complex rehearsing what I am going to say.
I truly do not want to hurt her. I only hope she understands what I am saying.

Using my key to enter, I am surprised by the empty silence. I make sure to remove her key from my keys and place it on the table by the door. Now I have to do this.

"Janelle?" I call out in the empty apartment already dreading what I have to do.

"I'm up here, baby." It sounds like she is coming from her room.

Dammit, Lucas was right.

I steel myself as I make my way up the stairs.

Do not be distracted.

This is for her.

I really feel awful. Things may not be working out now, but there was a time where I thought I was going to marry Janelle. We had named our future kids and everything. But now that feels like a distant memory.

I brace myself outside of the door before opening it.

I have to do this. Nothing will deter me tonight.

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We meet J.L.

What do we think about him so far?