The Remorseful Brothers Novel

ANASTASIA

“You know what?” I turned away from the window and faced the driver. Drive me to the nearest bar.”

The man started to list bars around. “Which would you prefer?” He caught my face through the rearview mirror.

“Just drop me at any bar.” I looked out the window and saw a building that looked like a bar. I pointed at it. There, that’s a bar, right?”

“Yeah, it is.” He squinted at the building, “That’s-”

“Yeah, drop me there. Thanks.”

When he pulled over, I climbed down the car, paid him and headed towards the bar’s entrance.

And it felt like it was that faithful night, six years ago, again. Aiden had broken

my heart and I was in a bar to drink away my sorrows.

I was hit with the smell of strong alcohol as I stepped in and I knew I was in the right place. I managed a smile at the barman. “Hi, I need a drink.”

He returned my simile. “What kind of drink would you prefer? We have-”

“I would love anything that would make me lose my memory,” I blurted without thinking.

Slowly, he turned to me and blinked, “Excuse me?”

sighed. “Just give me anything.”

“Sure,” he nodded and it seemed to take quite an effort for him to look away. He was probably still wondering if he heard right the first time.

He poured me a drink from a bottle. I didn’t even care to check what the label read. I didn’t care. I just wanted to drink until this gasping ache in my chest dulled.

“Could you make this two? No, three. Place them in a tray.”

He did as I asked.

“Thank you,” I told him with a big smile. I paid for the drinks then I made my way to the nearest booth.

I raised one of the filled cup to my lips and immediately downed the content of the cup in a few gulps before I could change my mind.

I shook my head as I slammed the cup on the tray, swallowing. Perfect. 1 could already feel Aiden’s face blurring in my head.

In no time, the cups before me were empty. With a pout and a pinch of my brows, I turned them over, hoping there was still more. There wasn’t so I pushed the table away from me so loudly that a few eyes turned to me. “How you doin‘?” I told them with a bright smile and they were so

kind to return my smile..

Kind people, I thought warmly, unlike cruel Aiden. That name quickened my steps to the barman. “Remember me?” I chirped, “You served me those awesome babies over there,” I pointed behind me without looking

back.

The barman raised his brows. “How many more cups?” he asked as he started to mix the drinks in cups again and I almost jumped in excitement but I didn’t. I needed to calculate the

needed.

number of cups I

Squinting at my numerous fingers, I started to count, muttering under my breath, “1, 2, 3…”

When I was done, I put all my fingers in his face with a big grin. “Thirty-

six cups!”

The man chuckled and handed me a tray filled with so many cups.

Aww, he’s so nice. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Thank you so much! You’re too kind.

I returned to my seat and in no time, my drink was finished again. I belched loudly and covered my mouth with a giggle. I staggered to my feet to get more but every where started to spin. I looked down and the floor was moving.

Wow. This bar is so cool, I thought and admired the floor. I decided to continue my journey to the barman when suddenly, I was falling into the moving floor so it could quicken my trip to the barman but someone stopped me.

***

DENNIS

“That makes sense,” I said into the phone as I stepped into Eclipse. I paid half attention to what the man on the other end of the line was saying as I nodded at the greetings I received.

I fully tuned back into the conversation as I headed up the stairs but something suddenly caught my eye in my peripheral vision.

I turned and frowned at who I saw. Ana. I stopped and squinted at the swaying lady as she smiled at the floor.

That’s definitely Anastasia and she’s drunk. Ana never drinks.

“I’ll call you back,” I ended the call and tucked the phone in my pocket as I hurried down the stairs and just in time before she could fall, I

reached her.

She fell into my arms with a pout.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked as I made her stand in her own but she kept swaying so she ended up leaning on me.

She looked up at me and as she spoke, her breath stunk heavily of alcohol. “Dennis!” She grinned and slurred, “Did the floor bring you to me?”

“Huh?”

GET