"What happens next is the orgin of my story."
Six years later.
27th September 2023.
I didn't think he'd go all out.
Mr Faisal is celebrating his grand opening of the new factory, by all means its a ball party indeed.
though I might just have to say, it's the perfect combination of antique elegance and tradition. Ifan and I, are standing infront of the huge staircase which is decorated with maroon carpet dripping down it. To greet guests basically.
The hall is in a sophisticated setting,
It's a grand ball, you get the idea, the place has luxurious venue with high ceilings, chandeliers, and ornate decorations.
Soft, warm lighting and candelabras adding a little romantic atmosphere, which is why I think it is getting hot in here, and why people are looking at each other with fire in their eyes, its either hatred or sexual desires, one can't tell.
Everyone standing to their tables, where there's fresh flowers with centerpieces adorning the tables. The guests are all dressed up. Mr Faisal invited everyone, his colleagues, Alienced friends, Co workers and his even enemies, to flex obviously. Men are in their classic, way too expensive tuxedos, Whereas women are as beautiful as ever in their gowns, cocktail dresses and high heels.
"It's quite more than I expected." Ifan says.
"I'm sorry I didn't hear you, what is it?" Got distracted by nearby people's conversations. I have a bad habit of earsdropping, but what can I do? Its not like I inherited it.
Everyone is chatting while there's Live orchestra playing classical jazz.
Good taste sir.
"Nevermind." Ifan takes a cracker from a waiter, Waiters are walking around with large dishes of platters filled with caviar served on light buttered crackers.
"Eh Who even likes caviar." I absolutely loathe sea food.
"Don't give me those eyes, I'm hungry." Ifan takes a bite out of it. "It's called being fancy" Ifan talks with his mouth full.
"By how you ate it, I doubt it being fancy."
A sit-down dinner buffet will also happen after Mr Faisal's get-together speech, As for now everyone's holding their glasses of champagne and whiskey, they'll be available throughout the evening.
"This tie is killing me." I scratch my tie
"Don't do that, you're grabbing attention" Ifan whispers.
"I'm not doing anything, it's not my fault if I'm more of an amuse than all the money agreement." I wink to tease him. A lot has happend since our first Misson. Our voices dropped so deep but It feels like yesterday now that my 26th birthday is around corner. We've grown into adults in a blink of an eye. We've done adultery in different ways, we're not quite the same as we thought we were when we were eighteen. We've grown to be completely different people now.
So that's that, we've conquered many more things including, real estate and property development, counterfeiting and forgery. Counterfeiting is basically creating fake or unauthorised copies of money or expensive drugs.
We smuggled, and did money laundering to seal our drug expenses,
Wow that sounds way worse saying out loud, it sounded better in my head, we really did became fucking criminals.
"Welcome everyone" Mr Faisal is tapping his spoon to his wine glass to gather everyone's attention for a toast, his speech of the night. He really is a star, damn.
"Today's a very special day for me and us, because today exactly Thirty years back, I—what I intend to say is We began our work. Over the past three decades, our organization has achieved unparalleled success, with a flawless track record of accomplishing our objectives. We don't tolerate mediocrity. Every vision, goal, and ambition has been conquered and surpassed. I'm proud to stand here today, shoulder-to-shoulder with our loyal allies, and acknowledge that every individual who doubted us has seen their efforts falter,
Those who pitied me and tried to stop me—Today even their own flesh and blood are here with us combined, on our side, but they themselves are not. What a pity." Faisal tsk with his tongue.
Ifan gives me a confusing glare. "What does that mean" he whispers in my ear. I shake My head I don't know.
"Thirty years, zero losses. We don't tolerate weakness. We crush obstacles, rebuild, and teach haters a lesson. Today we're celebrating our Thirty years of Win." He raises his glass up in the air for cheers, everyone follows him and raises their glasses, I too raise my glass a bit while I give Faisal a little affirming bow with just the tip of my head, showing Respect. Faisal does the same, raising his glass towards me and winks endorsingly. God I devote myself to him.
We've grown closer over the years which obviously Victor can't stand, sometimes even Ifan but It won't come in between me and Ifan, surely.
After a while, Faisal had to leave the hall when he received an important call. We've been out here enjoying ourselves, we ate, interacted with many of Faisal's guests, a lady even flirted with me. Guess I've become hot. I mean I was already good looking, handsome and charismatic, as of it wasn't already obvious.
"Sam aren't you seeing someone."
"I am, and we're getting pretty serious." Fine, I'll spill. Her name is Elif, we've been going out for about three months now. She's talkative, a thug and clever, not to forget extremely gorgeous,
Who wouldn't like her.
"I'll ask her to be my girlfriend, officially tonight." I smirk. "She's so cool, you'll know once you get to meet her." I say.
"Dammit, Victor's here" Ifan caught Victor walking towards us. "You both." Victor stood besides us, without facing us he just delivers the message. "Office now, Mr Faisal wants to see you." And he left. We head behind him.
I knock first before opening the door.
"Yes sir?" I say peaking through the door.
"Come in son" Faisal says. "You wanted to see us? By the way, banger party sir." I can see Ifan rolling his eyes a little from the corner of my eye, I guess he didn't enjoy it as much as I did.
"I knew you'd like it" Faisal lights up his cigar. He shouldn't, he's already coughing.
"What is it that you wanted us to do?" I ask again.
"Yes, its hard to believe how much you two have grown, its only a matter of time everything changes" Is Faisal going to make a sentiment delivery to expand our relationship?
"All this time, I've been preparing you for something monumental."
I raise an eyebrow to Faisal's sentence. Preparing us? "We've already done things that may count as monumental. Right?" I release an awkward laugh.
"Son if you're calling exporting, and laundering money monumental, you're wrong."
Good way to put down our self esteem.
"You were only kids when you first came to me, and I kept it that way. But now that I can see a man in you, I feel a sense of relief, you're ready for a new path."
My heart skipped a beat but I try to stand confident, Ifan on the other hand doesn't seem to be interested.
"I want you to become my dominant hand. I see that potential in you Sam."
Woah
Woah— woah
Wait a second,
Hold on,
Me? His right hand?
Bam!
Bingo.
Here we go victor you piece of crap. "Me sir?" I act dumb, because who am I kidding everything I've ever done is to gain this post. "I'd be glad sir."
The corners of Mr Faisal's lips lift upward, making him share a confident smile with me.
"I'll let you know the details later, for now go enjoy the rest of the evening."
"Yes sir—"
"But you meant us as your dominant hands, isn't that right?" I cut Ifan mid sentence.
"I guess you both should start discussing, I'll be down the hall, excuse me sir" Ifan in a sudden, asked to leave, he doesn't break the eye contact with me, not even for a second, I kept on staring till the door closed behind him as he left, I don't understand, did he just got mad at me? What did I do? For some reason my hand clenched into a fist.
I took a deep breath in.
"Why do you think I'm qualified enough to become your right man?" I ask gently but my throat felt tight.
"You're not an ordinary person Sam." Faisal looked at me with hope in his eyes. "You're special." Faisal offered a smile but I don't smile back. "I don't think I am." I say.
"Well, that's your way of portraying it. I think you should lead this operation" Faisal tilted his head back.
"Lead?" I blinked shockingly. "You mean like actually lead a mission?" I asked so fast it almost felt like unsaid words.
"That's about right. Infact you're the only one who can do this." He has his way of convincing people, I've seen it, what shocks me is the confidence in his tone.
"Why would you say that?" I'm so confused.
"We'll discuss that later Sam."
"I want to know now"
"I'm not surprised. You've always been stubborn to handle." He released a sigh, and I can't tell if its the trouble understanding me or the feeling of being proud of me.
I stayed quiet, waiting for him to give me at least a hint.
"Do you remember Jawad?" His tone seem questionable.
"Not quite Sir." I try being as professional as I can.
"He's a former member of our organisation, a valued one, but turns out we were being nudged. He unexpectedly went rogue last month, this sudden situation warrants immediate look after" He's being professional.
"And you want me to arrest him?" I cross my arms.
"I want you to make him speak."
"You want me and Ifan to make him speak up." I quote. Ifan's a part of me, and not just a minor part. He has a major role in my life, so if I'm being promoted, so is he.
"Yes." Mr Faisal said. "I want you and Ifan to figure out if he's a danger to us or not. Find any possible detail of who he works for. I'll let you know the rest of the details tomorrow. for now, go be with your friends, don't you worry about it." He added a hint of friendliness in his tone.
And I got left with nothing else but to agree on what Mr Faisal said.
I leave the office, I'm amazed.. He really wants me to create history.
As soon as I step out of his office, I look for Ifan. It's not difficult to find him, when you can't reach him, look for the nearest window, and you'll find him there in no time.
I walked across the hall and there he is staring outside, in the balcony, his eyes are fixed on the moon, he doesn't seem to be hyped about our promotion. But lucky for him, Sam's on his way to cheer him up.
"Bro we can do inner personal duty now!" I say, walking towards him.
"You. You can do his inner dirty duty now." He turned his head to face me. I stand besides him. "I'm sure he wants you as much as he wants me." I reassure him. "Besides, isn't this what we've been dreaming about this whole time?" I try to engage him.
"Sam— its what you've been dreaming about." His voice turned bland, as if he doesn't mean anything he says.
My dream or his, it's the same thing. Isn't it?
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Nevermind, let's eat something I'm hungry." He walked away from me.
A hundred doubts are being tangled in a knot. What happend? He stopped walking mid way as he turned back. "Oh and I forgot to tell you, Ayat's restaurant's opening is next week, and we're going." I know he's informing but a slight roughness in his tone made me second guess everything, but I didn't dim out, at least I try not to.
"Bro that's amazing we should celebrate it with champagne!" I fake punch in the air. I find any chance to a glass of champagn, it'd stupid of me to even miss a single opportunity.
"Let's freaking go!" I'm pumped, two good news in a row.
Kinda weird because universe is never that nice to us.
Ifan couldn't help but to laugh at my reaction.
There it was, the smile I do everything for.
"I haven't seen Ayat in so long." I catch up to him, strolling behind him.
It's been three years since I last saw her, Whereas Ifan, He visits Ayat twice a year. Lets say.. I have been busy.
"She'll be happy to see you" I Know Ifan meant platonic way of happy but my heart flutters to the thought of seeing her being happy to see me.
"Ifan you're moblie is ringing" I tell him. "It's yours buddy."
"Oh—" I chuckled in embrassmemt, I put it on speaker. "Yes sir?"
"If it wasn't urgent I wouldn't have dialed.
I want you and Ifan to depart to Jawad tomorrow, be at my office early in the morning."
"Yes oh yes sir." My embrassment turned into feeling giddy.
He hanged up the call.
Ifan is cradling his elbow nervously.
"Is victor going to be there with us?" Ifan said, annoyingly.
"I don't know buddy."
"Because whenever he's around, something often gets in the way. You've noticed that right?"
"What can I say, he always had a problem with us." Come to think of it, where did he go suddenly?
-
The party's over, and I'm so not sober, which is why I'm walking to my room with Ifan's help.
"You're heavy bro" Ifan said out of breath from having difficulty to lift me still, he has his arm around mine.
"Open the door Ifan, I can't see the keys." I fidget the keys as my vision grew blurry, but my drunk self found this whole situation hilarious, and I laughed.
"Give me that." Ifan's pent up anger made him snatch the keys out of my hands. Before Ifan could insert the key, the door itself opened with the slight push.
"Buddy its already opened?"
"What?" My stomach twisted into a knot.
"it must be elif, stupid." I chuckle. Our rooms are made like small one room apartment.
We walk inside, it's dark.
"Turn on the lights." I ask Ifan.
My room's door is mid way opened.
"Elif?"
Someone's moaning.
"Elif is that you?" I push the door gently. My brain stroked a nerve.
My body began shaking..
Elif— on top of.. fucking Victor.
I'll puke.. I'm not kidding I'm instantly sick to my stomach.
"I'll puke Ifan get me out of here, get me out" I slammed my fist against the door.
Ifan shockingly stood there, and I stomped away.
Elif immediately got up, covered herself in my sheets and ran behind me.
"Sam wait!"
I would hear her side of the story but she's covered in a blanket.
My blanket
And I didn't put her in it.
Fuck I'll vomit.
"Elif not now, please."
"Hear me out." The desperation in her voice made me stop walking.
"Look, you're cool and all but my friend said later which means later" Ifan walked in-between of us.
I'm feeling dizzy, I'm so nauseous right now, I need to get out of here.
"Sam please." She holds my hand.
"Why Victor? Elif?" I ask, I can't even look at her. "If it was anybody else than Victor, I would've at least thought about it"
"Perhaps Because I'm better." Victor walked out of my room, he clothed himself.
I don't look at him.
I'd rather puke than to face him right now.
"Your obsession with me is getting out of hands Vic." I say.
"Don't avoid speaking eye to eye Sam."
"You just slept with my girl Victor, that's the least respect I can show for her." I say.
"I would be a bitch to watch you both this way." I keep my gaze down.
"Sam let's head out, I'll explain everything." She's still holding my hand.
"Don't hold his hand now after being with me.."
"Shut it" I yell. "Don't you ever touch her agwin" I thundered across the room."Ever again" I lowered my voice, biting back the anger and disgust I feel.
He's just grinning.
"How low can a person get." Ifan said in disgust, as he kept staring at Victor up and down.
"I'll snatch everything and everyone, you ever lay your eyes and dreams upon." Victor states as I was about to step out or the room.
"Good luck with that." Ifan clicked his tongue. I don't say anything.
I'm not facing them anymore.
"Let's get you home." I still don't see eye to eye with Elif, even when I wrap my jacket around her shoulders.
. . . . .
-IFAN
God! Ever since we got home after dropping Elif to her house, Sam won't stop bugging me.
"Why" Sam sang in a harmonic way while tears are streaming down his face.
"Get a grip bud." I burry my face in my hands. Because that's so embrassing.
"How could she do that to me!?" He brusted out crying—again, for the fiveth time now.
"She doesn't deserve you." I say.
"Why fucking bastard Victor out of everyone!?" He grasped my towel to wipe his tears. He's crying like a little child. He was all stubborn and bold infront of Victor, but now, a child for me to take care of.
"He must have manipulated her." I say.
"Agh no, no—my heart!" He sobs as he blows his nose with my towel.
"that's so gross—" I try not to gag.
"You know what's grosser?" He sniffs, his eyes are puffy and all swollen.
"What is?" I had to ask because he was waiting for the dramatic pause.
"What's grosser is that they did it on my bed." He bagan sobbing again.
Bro I'm in a bit of a pickle!
But Poor Sam.
"My heart is in pain! My heart is in pain!" He's singing again.
I don't want to keep working here, I don't want to keep this life style.
And He's here still singing desperately.
This won't end quick.. would it? Ugh. Bloody hell.