|
Intro:
Of all the things on Tao's list over things he was going to do before he died, drunken marrige in Las Vegas to a tall blonde with eyebrows was not one of them.
If you asked Huang Zitao how his week was, no matter what mood he was in at the moment, he would lower his chin and stare right into your soul as he shuddered, whispering a lower "terrible,".
"Just join me!" his younger brother had pleaded him, as soon as he turned eighteen. A horrible idea, really. But Tao's brother had suddenly found out it would be fun to take a road trip to Vegas, and right then there wasn't anyone who could restrain him either.
"No," was the answer he had given, feet on the coffee table as he leisurely read a meaningless article online. His family lived in California, the great and sunny state that had everything. What the hell was he supposed to do in Vegas? Whatever food he wanted to eat in Las Vegas, he could get in California as well. Whatever Nevada - the hellish state warmth-wise - could offer, California could offer twice.
"Just pleeease!" his brother sat on his knees by Tao's feet, while the latter was positioned in the comfortable, white couch. It was an understatement to say his family had a little money: they had more than a little and even more than that again, but even though he could probably afford an around-the-world trip, he had no intention on spending money unnecessary. And was a trip to Vegas unnecessary? Yes, in Tao's eyes, very much so. He just couldn't see why his brother wanted to go.
"You can't even drink," he argued, "You can't gamble and there is no way I'll buy you alcohol." For the first time during their conversation, Tao looked up and into the eyes of the younger. Taking a sip of the ice cold diet coke that stood on the spotless coffee table, he sighed and put his iPad away. "I am a very busy person. I have an important presence in our company, what makes you think I have the time to join you on your spontaneous, brainless ideas?"
His brother's eyes wandered from Tao to the iPad for the second, the look on his face changing from pleading to suspiciously smug. "Oh, so that's why you're reading an article on Rihanna's outfit during the Golden Globes?"
Tao's face turned red as he quickly grabbed the iPad, locking it and putting it behind his back. "It's for a customer!"
"The company isn't in the fashion business. And either way, you're on vacation right now. I asked dad already."
Goddamn it. Now, his biggest concern was how to get out of this situation and escape to reading articles on the Golden Globes again.
Maybe Tao wasn't the most graceful person one would meet - he stumbled and fell at the most inconvenient times, and he was deadly scared of bugs and ghosts. In many ways, he was almost too awkward for his own good. So when his brother got him into trouble and just put him in even MORE difficult situations, he was destined to fail miserably. And he did as well. Now, a trip to Las Vegas was the epitome, the prime example of trouble and things that could go wrong.
What didn't help either? The fact that he prioritized his pride. He never let anyone talk down to him, or behind his back. Someone challenged him to a fight? They could bring it on (during his childhood this had become such a problem his parents had put him to learn wushu, but the point was that he never lost now). This of course, only caused him more difficulties. His brother knew Tao in and out, as soon as he let the words out of his mouth, Tao was sold.
"You're afraid? Are you a wimp?"
And that was how Tao ended up behind the wheel on a roadtrip to Vegas. Possibly then - and definitely in present time - this worst descision yet.
|
Comments