Return

A monster 

The man stood before me, giving me a look I couldn’t understand. 

Jasper groaned, and I turned my attention back to him, offering a hand to help him up from the floor. “Are you okay?” I asked. 

“I’m all right,” he said, then groaned, placing a hand on his forehead. 

The man closed the distance between us. “Are you playing games with me, Selena?” 

“How do you know my name, and why you’re addressing me so casually? Regardless, I want nothing to do with 

someone like you. 

“Someone like me?” he repeated, frowning, with his brow furrowed. 

“Yes, someone like you. A monster!” 

“Is this some kind of joke, or am I dreaming?” the man asked. 

“I’d wager you’re dreaming.” 

The club had gone silent, all eyes fixed upon the standoff. 

“You’re causing a nuisance here,” I yelled. “Just leave. Get lost!” 

I called out for bouncers, asking them to remove the unwanted intruder. Two large men quickly appeared on the scene. “Get this thing out of here!” I demanded, looking at the strange man with derision. He looked normal enough but had to be insane upstairs. 

“Me“-he pointed at himself in disbelief-“a thing?” 

“If you know what’s best for you, just leave!” I yelled. I wasn’t about to tolerate an individual with such aggressive behavior. How dare he disrupt my party and assault Jasper! 

The bouncers grabbed the man despite his struggles. 

Lisa joined in, telling the man he needed to leave and that he wasn’t welcome. “You have no business being here. Just go!‘ 

“Selena, Selena!” He called my name repeatedly as he struggled against the bouncers until they dragged him out of sight. 

Lisa turned to me. “Don’t dwell on him. Just let it go.” 

“Absolutely. Why bother with a lunatic?” 

Lisa chuckled in agreement. 

I addressed the crowd, apologizing for the interruption, We needed to get back to the festivities. “DJ, pump up the music, and let’s keep this night alive!” I said to the man behind the DJ booth. 

Amidst the loud music, I turned toward Jasper, raising my voice. “Are you okay?” I asked, placing a hand on his 

arm. 

Jasper’s eyes shifted to where my hand rested on his arm, a smile on his face as he looked back at me. “I’m fine. It was just a minor blow.” 

–+15 BONUS 

Jasper suggested we sit in a quieter area off to the side agreed with a nod. 

As we settled in, I reached for a glass of wine, but Jasper intervened. “You can’t,” he insisted, offering me a juice instead. “You’ve just been discharged from the hospital. No hard drinks. 

I felt touched by his words and I smiled. “Why so sweet 

Colin POV 

“Selena, Selena!” I yelled as the bouncers dragged me out of the club. Once outside, they pushed me to the ground. As soon as they turned away, I quickly got up and attempted to push my way back inside. My reward was a punch in the face. 

“If you don’t want to end up in a grave,” the bouncer said, as I lay sprawled on the ground, “get the hell out of here, you motherfucker!” 

I remained on the ground, glaring at him and then at the club’s entrance as turned and went back inside. 

I had more pressing issues than the bouncers though, like what the hell was wrong with my fiancé. How could she ask who I was? “Like seriously?” I muttered. 

I had been trying to reach Selena for a month, but all my attempts had been in vain. My game project file had gone missing, too, adding to my mounting worries. Desperate for answers, I decided to contact Selena’s best friend, Lisa, despite our strained relationship; the woman despised me and made it clear she didn’t want Selena with me. So it didn’t come as a surprise when I realized I didn’t have her contact information. However, it left me no way to get in touch with Selena. 

Finally, some luck came my way. I met one of Selena’s friends at the mall, and she mentioned Selena’s party. The friend said she wouldn’t be able to attend, but she shared the location with me. That was how I ended up knocked around by a couple of bouncers. 

“I need Selena and my game project file back,” I said aloud as I peered at the club’s entrance once more. 

Selena’s change in behavior didn’t make sense. She’d been overjoyed when I popped the question. So why the sudden distance? I couldn’t accept it. I couldn’t just walk away. Not like this. I needed to get to the bottom of things, so I made my way to the alley beside the club to wait. Two hours passed slowly as I observed the club’s exit. Finally, guests began leaving one by one. 

My patience paid off when Selena emerged from the club. I clenched my fists when I saw Jasper with her. But then, to my surprise, Jasper turned and went back into the club, leaving Selena standing alone outside. 

It was my moment, my opportunity. I approached her grasped her arm, and pulled her toward me. “I don’t care why you’ve been acting like this, Selena, but you’re leaving with me right now.”