Xavier :The tale of the broken

02. The awakening

The apartment smelled of chocolate and perfume the evidence of what he had lost and what he had witnessed.

The bouquet in his hand was crushed beyond recognition. Petals scattered across the kitchen tiles like broken pieces of my heart. He didn’t cry. The room felt smaller than usual not because of the space but because of the silence inside it.

Xavier sat still, his fingers loosely wrapped around the glass in his hand. The ice cubes in his drink had long melted, untouched for longer than he realized deep in thought.

Crying was for men who lost once he had lost everything in his life. She had left ,leaving a void full of emptiness in his heart and life. He stared at the untouched chocolates on the counter they were meant to show love.Now looked like a pathetic offering from a man who thought love could be fixed with sugar and flowers.

Sleep had abandoned him. Every time he closed his eyes, he heard her sluttery laugh echoing down the hallway. He saw his brother’s smirk showing him how much he enjoyed every moment. It didn’t feel real or seem real it would take time for it to all set in he was in denial.

He saw the way his brother looked at him like he had always been beneath him Lenny’s words ,the smug look on Liam’s face that moment over and over again were like a broken record in his head.For weeks, Xavier would wake up ,work, drink ,sleep and repeat. The warehouse felt colder or maybe it was just him he barely spoke to anyone unless necessary.

At night, he poured himself a double from the twenty-year-old Talisker he had once been saving for a big celebration. He dropped a single cube of ice into the glass and watched it crack, listening to the sound like it was meant to make him feel something.Memories of Lenny came whether he invited them or not.

Fridays used to belong to us he thought.Lenny would laugh too loudly after her second drink. She would grab his hands and drag him to the dance floor. She danced terribly wild, carefree and he loved that about her. When she had too much,he would carry her home while she complained that he was ruining her fun.

He would put her into bed laying next to her she would cling on to him in bed afterward, whispering that she loved him and he believed her. His brother used to join them sometimes whenever Xavier told him everything ,every insecurity ,every argument and every fear.That he had and felt the feeling of maybe not being enough for her.

He listened carefully,he always thought it was harmless brotherly concern ,lnnocent advice maybe how blind he had been.

Their father always compared them

“Look at your brother successful and driven at his age ,why can’t you be like him?” he always carried those words with him over the years. His mother would defend him quietly.

“Xavier is different,” she would say. “He has his own path.” But even she couldn’t hide the disappointment in her eyes sometimes.

Lia, his little sister, never judged him ,she looked at Xavier like he was still her hero.She never liked Lenny that much.Always told him something was off with her, maybe she saw what he refused to. Christmas lights began appearing across Vlasikha shop windows glowed warmly,snow gathered lightly along sidewalks. The world was preparing for the celebration.Lenny loved extravagant holidays expensive gifts and showy decorations. He always tried to explain that they couldn’t afford it. She would say ambition meant providing more.

Maybe she was right. Maybe he had been too comfortable being average.

One morning, dark clouds pressed low against the sky as he stepped out of a taxi. Zipped up his leather jacket and headed toward the warehouse. Zayne was waiting near the entrance.

Like always.

“You look like hell,” Zayne said, stepping inside without waiting.

“Thanks.” Xavier said

“Still drinking?” Zayne asked

“Helps me sleep.” Xavier caught up to him

He studied Xavier for a moment. “So what’s next, Xavier?” he didn’t hesitate today.

“...six years,” Xavier muttered. “Six years, and I didn’t see it.”

“You saw what you wanted to see" he replied

“Or maybe I was just blind.” Xavier exhaled hot breath in the form of steamy vapour.

“Maybe.” a faint smile touched Zayne’s lips.

“Come with me,” Zayne said suddenly.

"Where?"Xavier frowned slightly.

“You’ll see.” he walked fast Xavier followed quietly behind until they reached the parking lot.

Zayne was guiding him somewhere behind the parking lot with nice expensive cars ,when a voice called him out.

“Xavier.” they both turned facing Diego,he rarely spoke to anyone outside management.

“Can we talk?” he asked. Xavier looked at Zayne

"fine l will go ahead " he left

They walked towards a sleek black Chevrolet a few spaces away. Definitely not something a regular warehouse employee drove even when they were in management.

“I overheard you earlier,” Diego said casually "l'm sorry for eyes dropping " he smiled a little which Xavier frowned upon but he let him continue.

“Ambition suits you.”

“I didn’t know ambition was a crime.” Xavier spoke up

“It isn’t,” he replied smoothly."l have an offer that could give you your confidence and also provide you wealth fast " Xavier’s curiosity peaked

"consider me interested "

“But before l continue you do know the fastest roads to success aren’t always…legal." he hesitated to say the last word

“What are you offering?”

“Opportunities,” he said. “Connections,deals that pay more in a month than you make in a year.”

“Why me?” Xavier asked that was the trick question through it he could tell if it was a trap Diego didn’t look away.

“You are different from every worker l see come in everyday in this office.” Xavier’s brows pulled together slightly.

“Different from who?”

Diego’s gaze lingered on him for just a second too long before he answered.

“…From most people a hard working intelligent man.”

“You’ve been watching me?” Xavier asked

"l pay attention to a lot of things that's why l work in management." Diego gave a slight shrug.

“That’s not the same thing” Xavier’s face turned hard.

“No,” Diego agreed. “It’s better.”

“Fine,” Xavier said.

He handed him a card the top didn’t display a company logo. Just a number and an address written in black ink.

“When you’re ready to stop being ordinary,” he said quietly, “call me.”

The rest of the day passed like a blur.

That evening, rain poured over the city Xavier returned home boarding a taxi.He stopped by the liquor store out of habit, grabbing Jameson’s and Jack Daniel’s. When he stepped into the apartment, silence swallowed him whole.His phone buzzed a message from Zayne.

“I think you should see this.” he opened it.

A glossy digital invitation Liam and Lenny's engagement party on Christmas Eve.There they were in the photo smiling radiant as if he had never existed. He paused for a moment to think and process everything after an hour of doing nothing ,but staring at the wall he finally moved.

Xavier walked to the kitchen, picked up Diego’s card, and dialed the number before he could second-guess himself. He answered on the second ring.

“I’m ready,”

“That was fast,” Diego replied “Tomorrow Two p.m be there ”

"l will be there "

"you react just like him " Diego laughed

"like who ..? Xavier asks surprised

".......doesn't matter " The line went dead

He went upstairs and stepped into the shower. The hot water ran over him releasing some of the tension. After the shower he placed his palm against the mirror covered in steam. Rubbing his hands across meeting his reflection.

"l am was done being small, done being compared and losing " Eyes were still on him watching everything in silence and judging.