The Golden Card 1

Chapter 8

Allvar sneered, his lips curling in disdain as he stood outside the bar, finally piecing it together.

His ex, his classmates, he had always known deep down what kind of people they were. Now, it was all glaringly clear.

As he was about to walk away, the sound of laughter grew louder. A group of his old classmates entered the bar, chattering excitedly.

None of them acknowledged him, not even with a glance, except for one person.

"Allvar!" A voice called out. He turned to see his best friend, Mikel, weaving through the crowd toward him.

Mikel, the only one who had bothered to check in on him earlier, clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Man, I can’t believe how fake they all are," Mikel muttered, shaking his head. "They’re only avoiding you because they’re jealous. You were always the best in class, and Serena was the hottest girl around. They couldn’t stand it."

Allvar gave a bitter smile. "It doesn't matter anymore. They’re all vultures."

Mikel’s eyes darkened as he glanced toward Serena and her lover. "It’s not fair, man. After everything you did for her, she treats you like this?" His fists clenched, but Allvar placed a calming hand on his friend’s shoulder.

Before Mikel could respond, one of their classmates approached them, wearing an exaggerated grin. "Allvar! Long time no see!" The man glanced quickly toward Serena and her lover, who were still lounging nearby, smirking. "We were just talking about you, man. You know, everyone’s curious... what happened back there?" He asked, though the question was filled with thinly veiled mockery.

Allvar’s jaw tightened. He could see right through them. They didn’t care about him or his situation, they were just here to witness his embarrassment.

"You were always so smart," another classmate chimed in, feigning concern. "But, uh, what are you doing for work now? Heard you’ve been… between jobs lately?"

Mikel’s eyes flashed with anger. "You’re really gonna pretend like you care?" he snapped, stepping forward. "Where were any of you when Allvar needed help? Huh? Now you all wanna play concerned classmates just to rub salt in the wound."

One of the girls in the group snickered. "Come on, Mikel. It’s not our fault Allvar’s... fallen behind." She turned to Allvar, her eyes filled with malice. "Serena’s moved on. Why can’t you?"

"Yeah," another guy added with a smirk. "Allvar, you really thought you’d hold on to someone like Serena while you’re jobless? Please. It’s only natural she’d find a better man."

Serena’s voice rang out across the room, catching everyone’s attention. "Oh, stop it, guys. I didn’t 'leave' Allvar because of that." She glanced at Allvar with a cold smile. "I left because I realized I deserve better. I mean, come on, who wants to be with someone who can’t even provide? A loser with no job?"

The group laughed again, their voices blending together like a cruel chorus.

Mikel clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "You don’t even know the half of it, Serena. You never appreciated what Allvar did for you!"

Serena rolled her eyes, draping herself closer to her new lover. "And what, exactly, did he do for me? He was always busy studying, working part-time, trying to build a future that never came. I deserve someone who’s already made it. Not someone living in a fantasy."

One of the guys chuckled. "You can’t blame her, Allvar. I mean, look at her now. She’s with a real man."

The laughter grew louder, the taunts hitting harder. Allvar had enough. His sneer deepened, and without warning, he raised his voice, cutting through the noise.

"Waiter!" he shouted.

Everyone fell silent, eyes widening in surprise. The same waitress who had been serving him earlier hesitated, glancing around, but when she saw Allvar’s commanding expression, she rushed over.

"Yes, sir?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Allvar didn’t even glance at her as he pulled out the sleek golden card from his pocket and threw it onto the counter in front of her. The group of classmates, Serena, and her lover all stared in shock as the card landed with a heavy thud.

"Bring me 100 bottles of your finest drink," Allvar said, his voice cold and deliberate. "Éternité, wasn’t it? Let’s see if I can afford it."