It was a typical seedy bar. The atmosphere of the bar was blue with dim lighting. Men were sitting alone or in pairs, steadily drinking themselves into a stupor.
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Jack saw Tyler lying unconscious on the street, so he dragged him into the bar for a conversation. Two glasses of Irish whisky sat in front of them.
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Jack took a sip of whisky. He felt the familiar burning sensations in his throat. He looked at Tyler as he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and wondered what he was thinking.
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Jack asked, “Why were you so drunk and lying in the back alley? What on earth has actually taken place?”
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“I can’t stop wondering why I hate myself so much! The way I’m trying to feel comfortable is by scolding myself. I feel like I am getting the consequences that I deserve as a punishment for not working as hard as I can and giving up!” Tyler replied sadly.
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Jack was surprised and concerned by Tyler’s answer and quickly replied, “I can see why you’re depressed; now what are you going to do next?”
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"I'm not sure; it's kind of like a black hole." Tyler said.
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“You know, it’s so weird. I mean, you’re the last person anybody would expect to be depressed," Jack said.
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Then Tyler replied, “Well, that’s why I hide it in the deepest part of my heart, where no one will find it.”
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Jack said, “That doesn’t make any sense! You seem to have the life that everyone desires.”
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Tyler began to lose in thought. His mind drifted back to the events of one year ago.
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Everything was perfect year ago, Tyler was a striking figure, with chiseled features and a commanding presence that drew the eye of everyone in the room. He had worked hard to build his successful business from the ground up, and he had a girl who was the love of his life, or what we might call a soulmate. Her name was Angela, and her dark hair was long down to her waist. Her dark eyes contrasted with the pale skin of her face. She was a short, skinny lady, as if she were a model. She was always joyful and had the ability to light up the room with just a smile. When they were together, Tyler felt like the luckiest man ever.
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Tyler remembered how much he loved her with all his heart. He loved everything about her, from the way she laughed to the scent of her perfume; he even loved her annoying habits, like the way she always stole the blanket when they slept together, that she ate with munching sounds, or that she loved to play music out loud, and the neighbors were always yelling to turn it down. Those were the little moments that endeared her to him so much.
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Nevertheless, everything changed in just a flash. There was one time that they had a Valentine’s date together. As Tyler waited for his lover, he noticed that another girl was eyeing him up. As he patiently waited for Angela to come, the other girl headed towards Tyler and started to flirt with him. But all Tyler tried to do was get rid of her.
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When Angela finally showed up, she saw him chatting with another woman and immediately suspected that Tyler had cheated on her. Then she became furious and started a heated argument with Tyler. She chastised Tyler without giving him a chance to vindicate himself, which made him disappointed and embarrassed. Tyler yelled back at her, trying to clarify the situation.
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Afterwards, Angela left with a broken heart. The best friend of Angela, Carmen, chased Tyler out and said, "You ungrateful bastard, how could you tread her like that! The reason she was late on the date was because she was preparing a surprise for you. She was tired and frustrated, and when she arrived, she saw this whole thing.”
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Tyler answered, "What do you know about the whole damn thing? I wasn't cheating on her; I had never met that girl before, and I had even attempted to avoid her. However, she didn't see what truly occurred and assumed I was cheating on her; she crushed my heart like it was nothing, so I had enough of her.”
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Carmen realized that the entire situation was a misunderstanding. She wanted to help them, but neither of them was in a good mood, so she decided to let them cool off and hope they would figure it out on their own.
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A week later, both of them had reflected on their behavior and regretted the incident. They both wanted to meet up and fix their relationship with each other. She was eagerly looking forward to meeting him, but fate had other plans. Just before they could finally see each other, she was involved in a terrible accident. She had been feeling down all day, and her mind was clouded with negative thoughts. As she got behind the wheel, she found it hard to concentrate on the road ahead. Her emotions were overwhelming, and she began to drive recklessly.
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Tyler got a phone call in the middle of the night; it was Carmen.
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“Who is it?” said Tyler drowsily.
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“Tyler, is that you? I’ve got something to tell you.” said Carmen.
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Tyler looked at the time on his phone and said, “Why are you calling me at 3 in the morning?”
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“It’s urgent!”
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Tyler heard the panic in her voice “What’s wrong?” he demanded.
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“OH! Tyler, there’s been a terrible accident; it’s Angela.”
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Tyler’s heart thumped in his chest. “Angela! I’m on my way.”
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By the time Tyler arrived, Angela was in critical condition, doctors were operating on her, and Tyler spent the night pacing up and down the waiting room. While waiting for her, he blamed the whole thing on himself. The next morning, after the operation was over, the doctor gave the bad news: “I’m sorry to tell you this, but she didn’t make it.” Tyler was devastated. He couldn't believe that Angela was gone. He wished he could turn back time and make things right between them. Now, it was too late. Tyler realized that life was too short and that he should never take his loved ones for granted. He left the hospital with a heavy heart, knowing that he would never see Angela again.
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Due to this incident, Tyler had a huge mental breakdown. He was a shadow of his former self due to his inability to overcome his demons, and he moved to a small, peaceful town. He wanted to start a new life. He even tried to pretend to be as kind and happy as Angela. However, he just could not help it because he feared that there was no one to help him get through it all. As the candle flickered at midnight, so did his yearning for Angela.
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He told Jack the whole story. As today morning, he visited Angela's grave for the anniversary of her death, he thought it was ironic that her grave said Rest in Peace, while he was living in hell. After placing her favorite flower, the violet, on her grave, he left.
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Tyler then stated, "That's why I'm desperate and intoxicated when you saw me."
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“Jesus Christ!” said Jack. “I am at a loss for words to make you feel better. I feel sorry for you, but you have to know that we could not go back or rewind it like a tape. But if you choose not to get through this, that is one of the options, and I will respect your decision.”
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After drinking their last sips of Irish whisky, Jack and Tyler walked out of the bar.
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