"Why don't you make me proud for once, Julius?" The older man's tone was icy and remorseless.
Julius looked up at him, snarling.
"You got something to say boy? Speak up," The older man challenged him.
Julius looked back down toward the ground, "No father. I don't have anything to say."
Julius' father sneered, "You just have to do this one simple thing for me, and you will make our family's company prosper. Don't you want that?"
Julius put his hands on his knees.
Julius' father crossed his arms, "Aren't you already close with that girl? What's the problem?"
Julius looked around the room. Expensive trinkets sat atop every surface, collecting dust. Books and papers were scattered everywhere.
Julius' father continued, "Look, you didn't hear it from me. But in these types of marriages, you can set certain arrangements. Make it open, have other girlfriends, I really don't give a shit. As long as you're with her and she agrees to it, that's all that matters."
Julius continued to look around the room, avoiding his father's eyes. Julius' father grabbed his jaw and forced him to look.
"Will you do it son? I need an answer right now."
Julius did not speak, but his answer echoed throughout the room, over and over.
"Yes father, I will marry her."
_______________________________________________
Julius rolled over in his bed and rubbed his eyes.
"I hate going to sleep. My dreams are so terrifying. But being awake is annyoing too. My thoughts are so loud…" Julius thought to himself.
Julius sat up in a daze and checked his phone.
08:50 PM.
"Shit," He thought to himself, "I slept my whole Saturday away again. Did anybody text me?"
Julius swiped through his phone and saw a new notification from Rudy.
"What's up bro?" It read, "We've been missing your good looks out here. The girls won't give us a shot unless you're around. The other guys bailed on me so it's just me and you tonight. I've got two girls who want to meet us, let me know if you can make it."
Julius chuckled at the message and rolled out of bed.
"I've been too depressed lately," Julius thought, "I guess I should take him up on his offer. I know he's getting tired of me blowing him off."
Julius stumbled to the bathroom, knocking beer cans and food over. He swung open the door and stared at himself in the mirror. His hair was messy and greasy and his beard was unkempt, but otherwise he looked passable.
He slapped shaving cream on his face and trimmed himself quickly. He reached into the cabinet and pulled out an empty bottle of hair styling gel.
He sighed and slammed it into the trash can.
Julius thought to himself, "I've been living like a slob lately. When I get home, I need to clean up and order groceries. Hopefully Rudy wasn't trying to bring anybody here…"
Julius grabbed a polo, khaki pants and white sneakers out of his closet and put them on.
As he walked through the living room to the front door, he spotted a pretty young woman eating boiled peanuts on his couch.
"Oh hey! You're here, Yuna?" Julius asked nonchalantly.
Yuna looked at him with contempt, then turned her attention back to the TV.
"I let myself in. I wanted to check on you since we haven't seen each other in a while, but I was too scared to enter that pig sty you call a bedroom."
"Let yourself in…right…" Julius said absentmindedly, "Oh yeah you do have a key don't you? Well look, I'm heading out in a little bit, so just lock the door behind you when you leave," He continued walking toward the door.
"And where do you think you're going?" She questioned.
Julius sighed and said, "Does it matter? I don't see why you would care."
Yuna shrinked back slightly, offended at the comment.
"I'm your wife! And as your wife, I should be able to ask your whereabouts with any pushback!"
"I'm too tired for this," Julius thought to himself.
Julius laughed, "Your boyfriends must not be texting you. Is that it? And now you're making it my problem?"
Yuna scoffed, "My boyfriends? So what, is this some petty revenge thing? Are you going out to make me jealous?"
Julius crossed his arms and leaned against a wall, "No, this is a thing where I do what I want and I don't have my wife micromanaging my every action. I never ask you who you're meeting up with when you go out with those guys. Can you give me the same courtesy?"
Yuna stood up and stared at him defiantly, "And what if I told you I don't want you to go?"
Julius stared at her silently for a full minute and Yuna waited patiently for his response.
He sighed and rubbed his forehead, "Do we really have to play this game now Yuna? Rudy is by himself and he's waiting on me."
Yuna waved him off and sat back down, "Fine. Do whatever you want. Maybe I'll just start keeping tabs on every little thing you do. That's still within my power as your wife right?"
Julius chuckled, "Sure Yuna. Do that. I know it'll only last a week. You're too busy sneaking around to keep up with me."
Yuna mumbled, "I don't know why I care. I know you'll come crying to me when there's no spark, just like you always do."
Julius walked toward the door and stopped suddenly. He turned back to Yuna, "You're still going to be here when I get back right?"
"Can you leave already? You're starting to piss me off," Yuna's voice was softer, losing a bit of that demanding edge.
Julius smiled to himself, and walked out of the door.