Capítulo 74: [74] Playing with fire
There was a palpable shift in the atmosphere of the bar as the five burly men moved closer to the girls. Their confidence filled the space around them like a low fog, almost smothering. Their boldness, unchecked by the veiled threat of consequences, was reflected in the way they casually leaned into the women.
The men's hands slid onto the girls' bodies with a sense of familiarity that was disconcerting to watch. The tallest of the men seated himself next to Yan-Hua. His heavy hand settled possessively onto her slender shoulder, his fingers tracing the line of her collarbone. He pulled her closer, leaning in to whisper something in her ear. I watched as she stiffened but managed to maintain her composure, forcing a smile onto her face.
On Hazuki's other side, another of the men was becoming more daring. He looped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. The fingers of his other hand brushed back a loose strand of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. His touch was too intimate, too personal, and I clenched my fists, forcing myself to keep my cool.
Kaya, tough and independent as she was, put on an act of welcoming the attention, but I could see the tension in her eyes. The man next to her was slowly tracing a path up her arm, his fingers moving in idle circles, taking in the smoothness of her skin. I knew she was itching to pull away, but to her credit, she didn't.
Cassidy, the fiery blonde who was never one to shy away from a fight, looked like she was about to snap at any moment. The man next to her had slid his hand onto her thigh, his thumb slowly tracing the hem of her shorts. But she maintained her composure, her face a mask of flirtatious amusement even as her eyes shot daggers at him.
The 5th man sat next to me. He was stocky, with a beard that covered most of his face and a devilish glint in his eyes. He dropped his hand onto my thigh, the weight of his palm pressing into my jeans. His touch was unwelcome, a blatant intrusion of my personal space, but I had to play along just like the others.
As much as we hated the situation, we knew it was necessary. A small price to pay for our survival. For now, we had to go along with this charade, no matter how repugnant it felt.
There was a strange lull in the chatter around the bar, like the world itself was holding its breath, waiting to see how the next few minutes would play out. The man with the beard, seemingly the group's leader, swaggered up to Cassidy, his arm snaking around her waist as he leaned into her personal space. His face was inches away from hers, his breath undoubtedly reeking of alcohol and stale tobacco. He had a cocky smirk on his face, his eyes glinting with the anticipation of what the night held for him.
"Come to my place," he declared loudly, his voice booming over the noise of the bar. His grin widened as he looked down at Cassidy, his gaze full of brazen promise. "We're gonna show you girls a good time tonight!"
His laughter echoed in the room, a harsh sound that set my teeth on edge. His buddies joined in, their laughter just as crude, creating a chorus of mirth that was entirely unwarranted.
"And the boy too," the man next to me chimed in, his voice a low rumble as he squeezed my thigh, pressing down into the denim of my jeans. His hand was rough, calloused, and the touch was entirely unwanted. I felt my skin crawl under his grip, but I kept my face impassive, showing no signs of discomfort.
His statement sent the group into another round of laughter, a guffaw that was raucous and filled with mockery. Their eyes, filled with mischief and malice, bounced back and forth between me and the girls. The noise of their laughter reverberated in the room, hanging heavy in the air as the patrons of the bar watched on, some with amusement, some with pity, and some with an aloof indifference.
Every muscle in my body tensed, ready to fight back at a moment's notice. But we needed to bide our time, to play along until we found an opening, a chance to turn the tables on these brutes.
In that moment, survival was our only goal. No matter how degrading the situation was, we had to play along, had to endure this humiliation. And so, we put on our best smiles, showing no signs of the disgust and anger that churned inside us.
Oh just you wait...
Q: What would you do in this situation?
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