Page 27 of Scarred King

I stretch my arms in bed and yawn. Wow, I haven’t felt so wide awake since my mother called me with the bad news. I smell myself and feel sick. How did I allow myself to end up in such a shameful situation? All at once the events of last night come back to me. I cover my head with my thin blanket and shrink myself into a ball. I sat across a strange man who used me to get himself off… I didn’t choose to give this service, I was forced, and I couldn’t stand up for myself because I was so exhausted. I remember the brunette's mocking toast and the fury on Scarface’s face. My God, I’m so stupid. I laugh bitterly under the covers. How the hell did I let that bitchy girl manipulate me like that? Why didn’t I just slap her? And Scarface… he was so angry, and humiliated her, all because what she did to me. Thinking about him makes my body grow warm and that frightens me. I cross and press my legs and let my brain regain control. He took care of me. He drove me home, put me to bed and didn’t try to take advantage of the situation. On the other hand, he’s rude. He’s a manipulative bastard who used me for his business needs. He’s in love with himself and he’s sure that I’m just another girl he can manipulate like a puppet on a string. If I add to the equation the fact that he’s a criminal and probably uneducated, I really have no idea why my body is still on fire when I remember that he was in my bedroom just a few hours ago.

I shower leisurely, get dressed, and even eat some breakfast. If I don’t start taking care of myself, I’ll probably find myself out of control again, and I don’t intend for that to happen again.

I arrive at the university around noon and join Johanna in the lecture hall. She looks at me concerned.

“You missed three classes,” she says, half-amazed, half-scolding. “You never missed so many classes before.”

“You were right,” I answer with a smile. “If I don’t start taking care of myself, I’ll collapse. And that nearly happened yesterday.”

“I missed you.” Her face grows sad. “Today I was told that I've been accepted to assist in Professor Forman's research.”

“That’s great, Johanna.” I hug her narrow shoulders. “So why are you sad? You should be jumping in joy.”

“Because I have no one to celebrate with.” She plays with a lock of her golden hair. “I feel lonely and old, and I want to feel happy and young.”

“You have me,” I say, still hugging her.

“So, will you go out to celebrate with me?” Her eyes light up with hope. “Today is Friday, you should have one day off a week.”

“Mmmm…” I try to give her an answer that won’t break her heart.

“Never mind,” She removes my arm from her shoulder. “Everything is fine. I understand.”

“Screw it all.” I hug her again. “I’ll go to work early and leave to celebrate with you. We’ll dress up and go out for drinks like big girls.”

“Yesssssssss!” She’s smiling ear to ear. “We'll go to the new bar that opened in town. I heard you can meet some nice students there.” She giggles, and quietens down as the professor approaches the stage.

I skip my last class and take a cab back to our apartment, pack a small bag with clothes for tonight and then I go to work. When I get there it seems like the place is empty, but then I notice Scarface sitting across the table from Ralph, who is aiming a gun at him and looking very angry. The German’s square face is frozen and his piercing light blue eyes are glowing. It doesn’t shock me. On the contrary, I feel that I can easily ignore the whole situation. I go behind the bar counter, get two bottles of beer and place them in front of the men, and of course, make sure to place a napkin to the right of each bottle.

“Good evening,” I say and Ralph lets out a curse. Scarface chuckles and winks at me.

I turn around to return to the counter.

“Stop,” Ralph orders and I turn around again to face him. “You are a smart girl,” He says, without taking his eyes or his gun off my calm boss. “You explain to this idiot that a real partnership should be fifty-fifty and not sixty percent to him and only forty percent to me.”

“I don’t know anything about your business.” I hope that my answer will be enough, but he’s persistent. “You don’t need to know anything. Just tell me why even though he gets the merchandise and I distribute it, we are still not equal partners.”

“I really don’t have a clue and I don’t think I should get involved in your business anyway.” I straighten the napkin and Scarface intentionally moves it again.

“This time I demand that you get involved.” Ralph drinks from his beer and makes a face as if he’s just drank cyanide.

I look at Scarface and wait for some sign from him, but he just continues to smile and moves around the napkin.

“Fine.” I fume. “If you’re so unhappy with this partnership, why don’t you just get your merchandise from someone else and make a deal that will give you the percentage you think you deserve?”

“Because no one else will work with this maniac,” Scarface smirks and moves the napkin again.

“Stop doing that,” I whisper angrily and bend down to replace it. “Then why don’t you find another distributor who won’t aim his gun at you like you’re acting in some Western movie?” I look at Scarface and lock my jaw angrily when his fingers start moving towards the napkin. He doesn’t move it this time, he just laughs to himself.

“Cause I kinda like this crazy German.” He drinks some beer and then sets his bottle back down on the table.

“But you could find another distributor?” I continue with my questions.

“Sure. Everyone wants to work with me.” He looks at Ralph, still smiling. “But I would rather keep working with this laid-back guy.” He raises his bottle and laughs.

“Well then,” I cross my arms over my chest, “I can solve that with the Game Theory. The ‘sum zero game’ describes a situation where one side’s profit is balanced by the other side’s loss, so that the total sum of profit and loss of both sides, is zero. That’s not your situation right now.”

“I have no idea what the hell you are talking about.” Ralph is still pointing his gun at Scarface but he turns his head to me. “But when you talk like that, it's very sexy.” A small smile creeps up on his face.

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