Timeline - Night

Hassel's karaoke club was a hub of loud and frenzied activity. The lighting was muted, the walls black, and the furnishings a deep, blood-red hue. Booths flanked two sides of the walls, and a large U-shaped section was situated to the far left of the club. The karaoke floor was open to anyone game enough to take the stage.

The club was bustling with cadets and soldiers alike, all eager to party and sing their hearts out. It was a much-needed break from their usual world. The dress code was relaxed, and Mya bounced back and forth between ordering another round of drinks and returning to the table where Jesse, Toni, Sawyer, Richie, and Jasmine were gathered.

The focus of the club was on Eko as she energetically danced on the floor, microphone in hand, while Luke and his friends cheered her on from a nearby booth. Nights like these were rare, a chance for them to let loose and forget the expectations placed upon them. It was one of the few times when their social lives could either advance or regress.

Mya, in her short dress that barely covered her thighs, was teetering on the edge of her seat next to Jasmine, oblivious to the world spinning around her and the intent gaze of someone sitting across from her.

Richie wouldn't ever admit it, not now they were finally building a friendship after all these years, but he would continue to watch out for her wellbeing. He doesn't think he would ever not, how could he not watch out for the mother of his child?

Amidst the pulsing music emanating from the dance floor and karaoke section, the waitress materialized, her presence announced by the vibrating atmosphere. The lights flickered and spun in various colors, and the group observed as the lively, pixie-haired waitress deposited jugs of sangria and bottles of beer onto their table.

As the music from the dance floor and karaoke section continued to pulse, a second waitress arrived, adding to the lively atmosphere with her tray of shot glasses, ordered by Mya.

"How much did you order?" Jasmine laughed, eyeing the array of shots as both she and Mya eagerly grabbed a glass.

"Enough to last us the next hour!" Mya responded with a grin, just as Eko returned to the table for another drink. It was hard to keep track of how many she'd had; this could be her sixth, seventh, or even tenth glass if you counted from dinner. But at this point, who was really counting? In the grand scheme of things, it hardly seemed to matter.

Right now, as Eko scolded the group, she demanded not to feel anything. Yet, her friends, however, were aware that by morning, this resolve would likely result in a hangover and a bad temper—an unfavorable combination when something so crucial weighed heavily on her soul.

Despite this, she was too engulfed in her own emotions to consider the potential consequences of her actions. In her tiny silver sequin dress, she raised the shot glass to her lips, downed it, and slammed it back onto the table, prompting Mya to burst into giggles.

Without rhyme or reason, Eko seized Mya's hand and whisked her onto the dance floor, where a few soldiers and civilians of Isadora were singing into the microphone.

"I swear she's going to break glass with her voice!" Jesse laughed, downing a shot of tequila before grabbing a beer.

"Speaking of which, where the hell is Matthew? He should be here to watch his girlfriend," Richie shouted over the music, scanning the group, who either shook their heads or shrugged.

"I messaged him and got no response," Toni answered noisily when the group looked to him for answers about Matthew's whereabouts. But his attention was on Jesse, who took another swig from a wine glass filled to the brim with sangria.

"Do you want to just take the jug?" Toni suggested, causing Jesse to snap back at him.

"Do you think it's appropriate?" she asked, tilting her head.

Toni laughed along with Richie and Sawyer, but Jasmine spoke up and placed her glass forward. "Give me a glass, and you can take the jug," she said.

Jesse smirked and said, "This is why I love you."

Suddenly, Eko was vividly back in her senses, loud, bubbly, and completely hammered. With her head spinning, she grabbed onto the back of a seat.

"You left Mya out there?" Sawyer laughed, rising from the booth-style table to find his girlfriend.

"She's singing!" Eko laughed, winking at him while singing out of tune to the current song playing in the background.

The lights flickered with a change in the musical beat, and Toni curiously watched Richie's eyes shift from Eko to the rising figure of Sawyer making his way toward Mya. Toni swore he only had enough patience to deal with one man's girlfriend drama, and the current one was absurdly drunk and still singing off-key to the background music.

Where the hell was his best mate to deal with this? It was his own love life he was fucking up at the moment.

"Eko, sit!" Toni was suddenly serious, grabbing hold of her swaying body. "Drink some water!"

But Eko pulled her hand away from Toni as if struck by a divine revelation. "You know what, Toni!?" Her voice rose above the pulsating music. "Fuck your best friend!" The volume of the music increased even louder, forcing her voice to be heard above it all. "Luke's right! Hell, if he wanted to be here, he would! If he wanted to be with me, he would! But... he doesn't!"

Richie, Toni, and Jesse sat with their mouths agape at her outburst.

"Luke said what?" Jesse tried to scramble forward to talk to Eko.

Meanwhile, Jasmine facepalmed herself. Eko's behavior was escalating, and the alcohol was not helping. She also didn't like the fact that Luke was now planting seeds of doubt in her head, but then she could use this to her advantage.

An idea spark.

"Then... what are you going to do about it!?" Jasmine's voice boomed over the music, causing all heads to turn toward her.

"Jaz, don't," Toni groaned, trying to diffuse the tension.

"Like you said, Eko, he's not interested, so just go and date Luke!" Jasmine exclaimed.

"Jazzzzz, nooo," Jesse slurred, attempting to avoid escalating the situation. "Heeee looovesss her. Youuuu... know t-that."

Despite being extremely drunk, the red-haired girl was acutely aware of the consequences of Eko's actions on Matthew's feelings, and she didn't want to see the best thing that happened to him be destroyed. She was adamant about preventing that outcome.

"No way, no, no," Jesse protested.

"Then he needs to grow up and speak up," Jasmine yelled accusingly, "just like you need to grow up and tell him, Ek's." Jaz pointed at the affronted brunette.

Eko moaned, "My head is pounding from this," and she pressed her fingers to the side of her temple, barely registering what the girls were saying. Jesse quickly stepped in, rising to her feet and taking hold of Eko's arm.

"Bathroom! Come!" Jesse urged Eko, holding onto the woman who would have fallen if Toni hadn't grabbed her, offering a helping hand to keep Eko steady.

Shaking his head in amusement, Toni watched as Jesse tried to get Eko upright, as she was profusely swearing under her breath.

"I'm serious, Jesse," Toni said loudly enough for her to hear and turn to him. "Can you not rile her up too much? I can't get a hold of Matthew to find out what's going on. He's not fucking answering."

Unbeknownst to Toni, Jesse had reached her limit. She was done with all the drama, and tonight, she was going to make one of them crack, all or nothing. She was taking the money, and she was getting her best friends together. One way or another, this was going to end. As she supported Eko, Jesse's mind raced with a plan. This night was about to get interesting, and she wasn't backing down.

***** *****

Stumbling about on their feet, Eko and Jesse initially made their way to the bar, but quickly decided that visiting the bathroom while they were still somewhat steady was a better plan. They pivoted and staggered off towards the overcrowded restroom, pushing their way through a crowd filled with loud chatter and commotion. Girls were crying, readjusting their outfits, fixing their makeup, and the horrendous sounds of vomiting filled the air. Eko and Jesse got in line at the back behind everyone else.

"Whhyyy is there a linnne!" the obnoxious red head yelled, her voice rising above the noise, though her comments fell on deaf ears.

"Why does everyone want to cry here?" Eko whined, exasperated. "Stop crying over useless assholes!"

A few of the girls in front turned to glare at the troublesome duo before turning back around.

"Seriously, I really need to pee," Jesse moaned, shifting impatiently from foot to foot. "I want to pee!" she repeated loudly, as though raising her voice would magically make the line move faster.

Eko pressed her fingers to her temple again, her head throbbing. "I don't even need to pee," she muttered, barely coherent. "Can't I just meet you back at the bar?"

"No way," Jesse insisted. "You're staying with me, Luke's been circling you like a hawk out there." 

She groaned knowing how true that was, as they took a step forward as the toilets slowly became available, restless and absorbed in her drunkenness, Eko pulled her phone from inside her bra and began scrolling slowly. In her hazy state, she was considering venting her anger towards Matthew. Jesse curiously leaned over and looked at Eko's device.

"Call him!" Jesse blurted out, eyes wide with anticipation. "Do it! Tell him!"

Eko pondered the thought, her mind swirling with alcohol and emotions. "What would I say? No, wait. I'm not... I can't! ...Fuck!"

"Do it!" Jesse urged her on, determined this was now the first step of her plan. "Just tell him how you feel."

"Jesseee..." Eko attempted to concentrate on the contact list, struggling to suppress her drunken anger.

"Just yell at him or something, vent it all out to him."

"Fuck!" Eko hissed, and she eventually found Matthew's number and pressed the call button.

"Orrrr.... tell him you love him!" Jesse giggled.

"Shhh, Jesss, shhhhh...." Eko shushed her friend as the phone rang, her heart pounding in her chest. Each ring felt like an eternity, her mind racing with what she actually wanted to say.

Finally, the call connected.

"What?" Matthew snapped, completely taken aback by her call. Eko was surprised she actually went through with it. She had told herself at the start of the night that she wouldn't call him, especially not while her brain was foggy, her emotions scattered, damaged, and erratic.

Eko slurred angrily into the phone, "Why aren't you even here with us? You're being so rude! Jesse is like totally upset with you!"

"Yeah!" Jesse chimed in, leaning over Eko's shoulder. "Rude!"

"For fuck sake. Are you at Hassel's?" Matthew's anger heightened, realizing they were probably drinking for a while now. He knew then he had lost track of time. "You and Jesse are both written off, aren't you? It's not even that fucking late."

"Okay, Dad," Eko snickered, annoyed.

Matthew's tone took it up a notch with her sarcasm. "Where the fuck are the others?"

"Enjoying themselves!" Eko matched his tone, her frustration boiling over.

"Your being a fucking child," he tried to keep his sensibility, counting backwards from ten. "What is it? What the fuck do you want? Why are you calling me?"

"Mattieeee... You need to come heerreeeee, we missss you," Jesse broke into giggles. Eko rolled her eyes at Jesse, who then laughed out loud, slowly dancing to the beat of the music that pulsed from the club.

Matthew rolled his eyes before focusing back on the call. "How much have you both had to drink already? She sounds like a fucking hyena. I know her and she's completely written off!"

"Why the fuck are you being so rude for?" Eko's tone was clipped. "Like you care, you're not here! So... yea!"

"Oh. My. God! You said it!" Jesse pointed at her mouth, "Did you hear that? You need to be here to careeee."

He would throttle Jesse in the morning for this. Besides... "Well, I'm fucking sure Luke is there to take care of it all, huh!" Matthew's vile voice on the other end cut Eko into silence.

Awaiting the silence, Matthew paced back and forth on the field, sword in hand, with a beheaded monster at his feet.

"So what if he's here?" Eko's response triggered an emotional response in him, causing his temper to flare up. "You chose not to be. So that means you don't care."

"Oh I fucking care. Fuck, Eko!" he drove his sword into the head of the youma, his fingers sparking with a pulse of energy. "Why the hell are you making it sound like I don't?" He became increasingly agitated and annoyed at the mere thought of it.

"Why are you snapping at me?" She was just as irritated as he was. "You can't expect me to be with you while you are off fucking someone else at any given time!"

"Firstly, I'm not doing that, Eko. I'm not sleeping with anyone! Secondly, you knew what we were getting into! This is what you wanted at the start with me! YOU MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR!"

"Ooh, toilet!" Jesse squealed, leaving Eko screaming down the phone.

She had been pacing back and forth among the other girls in the bathroom, who were half-listening to her conversation and giving her thumbs up, signaling their support and encouraging her to stick it to whoever she was speaking to. "Okay, well... well... fuck! Not anymore. Happy!?" Eko nodded to them as they encouraged her to give it to the asshole she was speaking to.

Frustration overtook Matthew, causing him to grab the sword that was held upright by the youma's head, lift it up, and shove it back down in complete irritation. His mind spiraled out of control with the irrational fear of losing her. This fear quickly turned into volatile rage as he contemplated what it all meant for their future together.

"Eko?" Matthew tried to regain his composure, but hell, she was an aggressive drunk.

"WHAT!" she screamed down the phone.

"WHY ARE YOU BEING LIKE THIS?" his voice was as volatile as her own.

"Ugh!" she shouted even louder in her frustration. "Because you can't just keep saying things like 'you're mine' and 'no one else can have you' and expect it not to mean something! It changes things! YOU CAN'T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!"

"Well—"

"No, let me finish speaking! You can't say stuff like that to anyone! You can't say it when we're having sex or even after. That messes with people!"

"Now let me speak! It's different with you! It's been different with you since the start!" he retorted.

"Different how?" Eko demanded, tears of anger and frustration forming in her eyes. "I'm just one of your idiotic fan-club girls, aren't I? Fuck!" Eko's voice rose, causing some of the girls in the bathroom to shoot her skeptical looks because nobody mentions the fan club unless they were referring to a certain headmaster in particular, and suddenly they were hanging onto every word.

Eko paced back and forth, her anger reaching a breaking point. "I'm so over being done with you and whatever this is! You can't even admit what you want! Can you!?"

This conversation was going nowhere fast, and Eko seemed to be digging herself into a hole she wouldn't be able to climb out of. 

"You're done!? You're the one that's done!?" Matthew snapped in unadulterated fury. "I can't fucking believe you!"

"Me!" Eko screeched down the phone, and a few more of the girls were hanging onto her words, some more had even appeared, all who had been curious about her breakdown with the person they now believed was the headmaster of Allegiant.

"I followed you, Eko! To find you, and there you were with Luke! Right after me, you went to him, Eko! There you both were—fucking sucking his face off! Fuck! Admit that you're messing with me! You feel nothing for me! Then we're done!"

Eko was stunned as he continued to scream at her over the phone. 

"You... saw that?" she stuttered.

"I fucking saw it! And that's what gets me, I fucking knew it! You've fucked him and then when you're fucking bored, that's when you find it fun to toy with me! Do me the human decency and JUST FUCKING ADMIT IT!"

"Okay firstly, Luke kissed me! And secondly... secondly!"

"-There is no secondly!"

"You... followed me after I left—why?"

There was silence that followed her question

"Matthew?" Eko whispered. "Why did you come after me?" And when only more silence followed, Eko took a deep breath, unaware that the bathroom full of girls was hanging on to her every word when she said his name, confirming that she had been the one involved with him.

"Matthew?"

"Because..."

Holy shit, her heart raced with the fact that he came after her when she left him -Holy shit! "Listen to me very clearly right now."

"I don't want to fucking--"

"Oh my god! Shut the fuck up and listen to me!" Eko screamed, exasperated. "I'm not interested in Luke, I didn't want it, I didn't ask for it. I pushed him away as soon as it happened, did you see that part! Huh!?" 

There was another long silence. Eko could hear his heavy breathing on the other end of the line, the weight of the moment pressing down on both of them. "Don't even try to give me that. You wanted it, I saw it Eko! Sucking his face like the way you kiss me! Why the fuck do you keep insist on toying with me huh!" 

"Jesus Christ! I'm not toying with you!"

"STOP FUCKING LYING TO ME!" His agitation and profanity were eroding her determination

"IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE ME, THEN THAT'S IT! IT'S OVER BETWEEN US!" Eko's voice pierced through the loud music. She took a deep breath, allowing a few seconds of silence to pass between them, and she heard the inevitable grind of his teeth.

"Matthew, I'm so fucking serious. We're going our separate ways."

There was a deafening silence on the other end of the line, and Eko could feel the pit of her stomach churning with anxiety. Her statement had clearly finally shut him up.

"I knew it," she continued. "I'm going to have another drink. Have a nice life. I'll sign the forms in the morning to get transferred. I'm fucking done with this!"

"Eko," his voice was deadly. "Don't you fucking dare."

"Hm-mmm," Jesse hummed as stumbled out of the toilet, her face wide at the screaming she heard from Eko, and also super curious why everyone was hanging onto her conversation in the girls' bathroom.

"Eko," Matthew's tone was cold and serious. "You don't get to decide this. Not like this."

"Getting a bit frisky, guys?" Jesse joked at Eko, who rolled her eyes and pointed at her phone. That's when she caught the tail end of what Matthew said.

"Stay right fucking there," he snapped, then hung up.

Only Matthew Skarsgard could sound so sexually calming and sexually threatening at the same time. Clearly, Eko observed, she needed to get her head examined when both sides of him turned her on immensely. But that was a conversation for a different day that she needed to have with herself.

Right now, she was in dangerous territory with Matthew's carnal reaction. Eko lowered the phone and turned to Jesse, who had been washing her hands repeatedly. Jesse sang to herself with the beats of the song in the background, oblivious to the tension in the room.

"Why are you all staring!" Eko snarled at the other girls. She didn't recognize anyone she knew—well, she thought she knew. Everyone was so glammed up they looked like different creatures. "What, you never heard someone break up with someone?"

Jesse instantly looked up to the mirror to see Eko's forlorn expression and quickly grasped her shoulders to turn her around. "Okay, fill me in. What happened?"

"So, ah... He saw Luke kiss me," Eko quickly explained, anxiety coursing through her.

"LUKE KISSED YOU!" Jesse exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. "YOU KISSED LUKE!"

"HE KISSED ME!" Eko roared back defensively. "I told him no, that was the end of that!"

"Except you came here with him!"

"I met him outside in the fucking line, Jesse! He's fucking stalking me at this rate. He seriously just wants to date me, and he doesn't take no for a fucking answer!"

"You're so fucked," Jesse howled. "No wonder Mattie lost his shit."

Eko pouted, making a loud whining noise as she tilted her head up to the ceiling. "It gets worse," she mumbled.

"Worse?"

"I think... I wasn't entirely listening." She rolled her head back down to Jesse. "I think he said something like... he's coming?"

"Yeah, sweetie, good luck," Jesse patted her shoulder and walked off.

"What!" Eko snapped, instantly following on Jesse's heel as they exited the bathroom and entered the overcrowded, pumping noise of the nightclub. Jesse marched over to the bar as Eko followed her, raising two fingers to the bartender as Eko stood beside her.

"You can't just pat me on the shoulder and say good luck and disappear on me! Jesse?"

"Seriously, you need a drink!" Jesse smiled as two shots arrived before them. "You're so fucked. Like, there is fucked, and then there is your level of next fucked babes."

Knocking back the shot, Eko felt the burn of the alcohol sear down her throat. She knew Jesse was right; she was in deep, and the situation with Matthew was far from resolved.

Jesse was going to crack both of the idiots tonight. As the bartender handed over the shots, Jesse grabbed hers and raised it in a mock toast. "To surviving the night," she said with a wry smile.

Eko rolled her eyes but couldn't help but moan. "To surviving," she echoed, clinking her glass against Jesse's and downing the shot.