chapter 8

Sunday, 04 March 2018.

Two hours before Barbara’s death.

The car’s honking loudly in front of a peaceful suburban house. Some walkers sometimes like to steal a glance at his shiny black sedan.

Jazz has been waiting for a while in the car, until Barbara comes out from the front door with her beautiful white dress that makes her looking like Cinderella. They say hi to each other as Barbara carefully opens his car door.

“Jazz, thank you for picking me up tonight,” Barbara says awkwardly as soon as she enters the car seat next to him.

Jazz smiles sweetly and says, “No problem at all. Everything’s fine. So, are we ready to go now?”

Barbara nods agreeably. Then Jazz starts driving his sedan car on the road.

While breathing the fresh air outside the window, Barbara sometimes glances at the radio that is still turned off. Jazz notices her eyes movement is like giving him a sign, and thus he turns on the music. Barbara then smiles in silence.

“It’s that hip-hop music again. Do you like it?” he asks politely. “Most radio stations always play this song again and again at night.”

“Yeah, it’s fine. As long as there’s a sound in the air…” she says while her eyes still staring out at the car window.

“Uh, hey, Barbara…” his voice suddenly sounds anxious like her.

This time she turns to look at him for a second. Jazz looks anxious about something, but she doesn’t know what it is.

“There’s something I need to tell you, so…”

Sometimes she likes observing his Nigerian face that looks handsome.  But now, Barbara can feel her heart throbs fast. Every time she gets closer to him, the numb feeling on her chest always comes around.

“I’m afraid before. But I think it should be the right thing to tell you now.”

“Okay, what is it?” she asks curiously.

There’s a moment of silence in the air. The situation doesn’t feel any easier between them when he suddenly says, “I like you.”

And there, he finally admits it. Barbara stares widely at him for a second. She feels buzzed with his sudden confession in the middle of this night drive.

“Ja-Jazz, how can you…” but then she loses the words to say. It’s definitely getting more awkward after he confesses to her just like that.

“I’m sorry. But I can’t endure my feeling anymore. I have to tell you, Barbara.”

She sighs for a second, trying not to feel this whole anxiety that begins to creep on her neck.

Jazz glances at her, observing her silent treatment. Her attitude makes him think that he shouldn’t have said it at all. But he really can’t run away anymore from his feeling.

“Hey, you don’t have to answer my feeling now. I will not force you, if you are not comfortable with this situation,” Jazz says, as he tries to calm her.

The night drive is still half way before they arrive at the High Tower in Manhattan. And during the car trip, Jazz wants to talk about it again just to let her know.

“I don’t know if you notice, but… Alec also in love with you. Well, I guess,” he says bitterly.

Barbara glances again at him. She looks surprised.

Her fingers start jittering anxiously afterward. Then she says, “Alec? How do you even know that? Are you sure?”

There’s an annoyance feeling that follows when she asks for assurance about Alec’s feeling instead of him. Jazz sighs for a second.

“I just want to make you aware. That the decision is in your hand, Barbara,” says Jazz in such a desperation. “It’s a competition out there. Don’t you know?”

Barbara chuckles in disbelief. She is so clueless that she just aware that there are two guys who want to win her heart.

Jazz says again, “I just want you to know, that I will always be there for you, whenever you’ll need me.”

However, she just doesn’t ready to choose any of them. It’s because they are all still part of The Elite. She doesn’t want her relationship with them to turn chaotic like between Sheryl, Illana and Jack. She doesn’t want any enemy.

“I’m sorry, Jazz, but I don’t think I want to be in any relationship right now. Can you understand me?” Barbara begs him politely.

Jazz nods sadly, but he respects her decision.

*** *** ***

Once they arrive together at the ballgown party, there are already many attendances there.

They finally meet with Alec. The situation feels awkward at first, since Barbara still remembers well what Jazz has said to her earlier. But Alec does not aware with the change of ambience between them.

“Hey, guys, I have news to tell you,” Alec says with lips keep smiling excitedly.

Barbara manages to return his smile, while Jazz tries to avoid any eye contact with him.

“What is the news?” Barbara asks curiously.

“Okay, have you guys heard before from Sheryl or Jack?” he asks, but then they shake their head concurrently and feels confused.

“I will be the business representative of the Wine & Co company. So, tonight, I will give my public speech in the ballgown room,” he says in such an excitement.

“Oh, my God, that’s great! Are you serious?” Barbara shouts happily for him. “That will be a great opportunity for your career, Alec!”

“Well, Sheryl and Jack never mention it before. So, I guess we just hear it first from you,” Jazz says, trying to look happy for him, even he feels empty from the inside. “Congratulation, Alec…”

As they exchange handshakes, Alec murmurs, “Thank you, my Bro!”

“How come we just know about this?” Barbara still feels curious.

Alec chuckles a little as he answers her, “Mister and Ms. Crowd just gave me this offer a week ago, so yeah, the news still brand new.”

“No one knows yet, except those who are working in the company, right?” Jazz asks out of curiosity.

Alec nods. “Yeah, you’re right.”

When Ms. Crowd waves at him from afar, Alec nods understandingly. Then he quickly says to them, “Hey, so, I will have to prepare for my speech now. See you two later! And keep your eyes for my speech, yeah?”

After watching him walks away, then Barbara and Jazz start scanning the room, until their eyes find the three clique girls. Without a second thought, they hurriedly approach them.

During the party time, Barbara secretly can’t stop thinking about his love confession, especially knowing that Alec also has a crush on her too.

After they has told Emilie, Sonia, and Illana about Alec earlier, now they wait together to hear his public speech.

Once he stands in the middle of the room, everyone starts listening heedfully at him. After everyone claps along, Alec comes to meet them.

“You know, this wine is imported from France directly. Of course, it has a very excellent quality!” Sheryl begins to mumble among them, trying to brag once again about how successful her parents’ company is.

Barbara and Jazz only chuckles secretly at her, while the three clique girls always share the same cynical stares for that blondie girl, since they dislike her a lot.

But Sonia can’t take it anymore that she has to be frontal now. And she shouts sarcastically at her, “Bitch, get a room. And get a life while you can. Your pathetic attitude needs to learn how to behave in public room like this.”

Then Sheryl snaps, “What did you say to me?”

“You heard me, Beefy Girl. Don’t make me repeat…”

Sheryl shouts angrily at her again, “You’re the one who need to learn a lesson! I can give you, right now!”

And that’s when Alec catches her immediately. He stops her from embarrassing herself in here. While Jazz also tries to hold Sonia from reaching her, before they start a gruesome fight.

“Oh, God. Just stop it!” Emilie shouts between them. “Don’t make a scene here!”

“Whatever!” Sonia shouts resentfully. “The sight of her gives me a headache anyway!”

They almost get into a chaotic fight. Fortunately, the boys have to stop them. And now Sheryl can only stare agitatedly at her, since Alec and Jack still hold her from moving.

Mister and Ms. Crowd ask everyone to toss their champagne glasses for celebrating this annual company party. In the count of three, everyone starts tossing their glasses to each other.

“Okay, cheers!” Jazz says.

Jack tags along and shouts, “Let’s celebrate this annual party together!”

“Yes, my Babe, let’s drink the champagne now!” Sheryl says as she flirting her curvy eyelashes again, making Sonia wants to puke on her.

And they start tossing their glasses in the air.

Once they drink the champagne, all of a sudden, Barbara coughs her throat so bad. Then everyone looks at her worriedly.

“Hey, Barbara, are you okay?” Jazz asks quickly while caressing her back.

“What’s wrong?” Jack asks bewilderingly.

“The… the wine feels fiery… I can’t breathe,” Barbara stumbles when she talks. It seems she is in a real pain while keep on rubbing her own throat.

“Woah! Slow down there, Miss Girly Dolly,” Sheryl shouts in annoyance. “Don’t you dare blaming this wine. Our product quality is definitely excellent!”

“Sheryl!” Jack alerts her. “Don’t, please, not right now…”

Sheryl squints bewilderingly at him. She doesn’t understand what is actually really happening in front of her. And what she can do is just thinking about herself and her things.

While Barbara keeps on writhing in pain, “Please, my throat is on fire!”

Emilie looks at her, feeling confuse. “What’s happening? Hey, Barbara…”

And then the glass of champagne that she holds fall. When it breaks on the floor, everyone starts looking at them bewilderingly.

Barbara screams again, “My chest is really hurt! I can’t breathe! Please help!”

“We should bring her to the hospital! Quick!” Alex shouts alertly. Jazz and Jack nods immediately with his order.

And all of a sudden, Barbara collapses on the floor and closed her eyes. Everyone starts panicking and makes noises in the room.

Jazz quickly checks on her pulse, but he can’t find it anywhere, and she’s not breathing.

The horror feeling creeps everyone in the room. No one expect that Barbara will have her last breath after drinking the tasty white wine.

Alec still can’t believe it. He wants to do the checking as well. And when he can’t find her breath, eventually, it’s true. Barbara is really dead.

When everyone in the room keeps panicking, right at that time, someone in the party quickly calls the cops.