31 I Like You (1/2)
He was still glaring at Hartley, when he heard Garret click his tongue in mock-remorse
”Tch, tch,” Garret sighed, drinking down his glass, ”You went ahead and did it now, didn't you, you lowly pervert.”
At once, Jim's expression stiffened.
Somehow, being called a 'lowly pervert' brought forth memories of his much-too recent encounter with his bride. He swallowed two glasses at once as memories of him being hit with a broom and having a mop all over his face flashed before him.
”He looks like he's out for murder,” one of them commented.
”Well, he won't murder her. Kidnap the chicka, maybe.”
Jim's face turned filthier.
Miya had also referred to him as a kidnapper, while hitting him.
He wolfed down another two glasses.
The group suddenly fell silent as they watched their friend shoot down drink after drink, without really reacting to their bullying. Obviously, he was lost in thought.
Shekhar coughed nervously, while Bolin chuckled.
”And now he acts all serious,” he said provocatively, ”Afraid of all the honest censure, eh big guy?”
Jimmy turned around at once and shot Bolin a dirty glare. Bolin shrugged nonchalantly.
”She's my wife,” Jimmy spat after a second, ”Legally wedded wife. I have a right –”
”To molest her? No you don't.”
Jim looked so darkly at Bolin, the other guy couldn't help but laugh out loud. He was positively drunk by now.
”A right to privacy,” Jimmy hissed, and then looked at Hart, ”Why don't you teach this assh*le some of the law regarding breaching someone's privacy, eh?”
Garret snickered.
”Now that's true,” he said, backing Jimmy up. He was the birthday boy after all, ”What were you doing Hartley Greene, watching the husband kiss his wife?”
Hartley rolled his eyes.
”And which one of you freaks would have missed watching Jimmy Hunter kiss a girl?”
The folks laughed again.
In the next half hour, the five men barely talked and concentrated only on eating. Alcohol on an empty stomach had its disadvantage after all. Besides, Garret's food was top-class, so they couldn't help but gobble down most of it.
After all of the food had disappeared, Bolin was the first one to talk again. Even though he was curious about Jimmy's new wife, he didn't question the man directly. He turned towards their spy and gossip-king, Hartley.
”Say Hart,” he said in a low voice, slurring slightly in his speech, ”How is this new sister-in-law of ours? To have our brother forcefully kiss her in a day, that's something, hm? Small, and cute, like the ones he always dates?”
Hartley, who was intoxicated too, tried to focus, ”No, Bol. Not cute. Small, aye, eh, very small to be honest, but not cute at all. She did shoot me a scary glare when I tried greeting her. I almost cried.”
”Well, not really. Her name's Miya. Mud-brown hair, black eyes. Below middle-class, if I might add.”
”That was your plan, wasn't it?” Bolin confirmed, frowning now, ”So she must be a pauper?”
”Yeah. Sweeper of sorts, I'm not sure. I couldn't get Mr. Park to talk a lot.”
Bolin began to refill his glass again.
”Hm. That old man has a stick up his big ass. So hard to deal with. Why does Jim like her?”
”I don't know. Maybe because she seems so manly. We've doubted it since before. Maybe he is actually gay. Would explain the attraction then.”
Jimmy, who was still somewhat in his senses, scowled. Then turning towards Bolin and Hartley, who were whispering in not-too-soft voices, he hissed, ”Bastards. She's not manly at all! And the only one who has a stick up his ass, is you Bolin.”
Bolin smiled deviously.
”Not manly, eh? So you'd admit she's pretty?”
Jim frowned.
”Pretty? Not really… she's just kind of cute, behaviourally speaking. And hellishly strong. She'd beat us all with a single hand.”
”That makes her manly, Hunter. I'll ask you this one last time over the past ten years. Are you, or are you not gay?”
Jimmy was annoyed.
”You know what, I am, Bolin! And the only man I've never felt a thing for is the hideously unattractive you.”
Jim drank his champagne.
Bolin looked at him gravely.
”And I would like it to stay that way, mate,” he said.
Jim almost hit the guy's head.
”You…! Why the f*** are you so annoying? Look, she's not manly, she's just a good fighter. And it's just that… I don't know! It's her eyes for sure. They're just so damn pretty. The most striking black you'll ever see –”
”They are not!” Hartley declared, to which Jim shot a deathly glare.
”You do know I'll kill you after this right?” he threatened Hart, while gulping down his drink once more.
Hartley didn't dare to speak again.
Jimmy continued, ”And she was so cute when she knelt down and apologized like a hundred times. She's like a mouse really, and then there's –”
”Shut up, for Lord's sake,” Garret said now, having a positively horrified expression on his face, ”My ears will bleed. Jimmy Hunter, you brainless moron, you have a crush on her, don't you? We should warn the lady!”
Bolin only shook his head.
”It's physical attraction, is all. Maybe she feels the same way. If that is true – ”