chapter 8

Sunday, 04 March 2018.

At night, High Tower Manhattan, New York City.

The women in the party wear sparkling dresses, while the men wear tuxedo suit.

Emilie has been observing them for a moment alone. She sometime likes to compare their dresses with the one she wears. It’s a vintage gold dress that is also as expensive as everyone’s clothes in this party.

Then comes Illana, with her usual black dress with a V neck style that shows her sexy pale bare shoulders.

“Where’s Sonia?” Illana asks while scanning the party guests around her.

“I don’t know. Maybe somewhere…”

And then afterward, Sonia appears with her beautiful sparkling violet long dress.

“Hey, girls. So, how’s the boring party? It’s lame right?” she asks cynically.

Emilie and Illana chuckle.

“So, tell me again, why we should attend this annual party?” Emilie asks as well.

“Because Sheryl’s parents are our big investors for The Elite well-being,” Sonia answers her.

Thereafter, Emilie starts noticing how Sonia looks so moody since she comes to the party. It must be about a boy problem. Emilie knows for sure; it must be about Alec.

For a moment, Emilie keeps observing Sonia’s face that looks a bit grumpy. And it’s becoming very clear when Sonia is caught stealing a glance at Alec from afar. Sonia really can’t hide her annoyance whenever she sees Alec gets closer to Barbara.

“Okay, it’s about Alec. We can tell already,” Emilie shouts, interrupting her reverie.

Sonia gasps surprisingly when she says that. Now Sonia can’t really pretend anymore in front of her best friends. Then she starts clearing her throat awkwardly.

“Ugh, please… who give a shit about it?” Sonia grumbles.

“Well, me. I care. You like him, but you don’t have the courage to confess your feeling…”

“Emilie! Shut up!” Sonia shouts as her eyes pop widely. She feels embarrassed already.

“Ups, sorry,” Emilie mutters awkwardly.

“Yeah, it’s very clear that you like him since forever. I can also tell, by the way,” adds Illana. “You probably like him since we were still in college together.”

Seeing they both giggle at her, Sonia rolls her eyes in annoyance for a second.

“Okay, whatever. Just keep it a secret, alright?” Sonia says firmly.

“Lips are sealed,” says Emilie, trying to break the ice.

But however, the three of them know for sure that Alec already has a real crush on Barbara. And they also know that Jazz also has a feeling with her. So, it’s like a love quadrangle between them all now.

Then they see Barbara and Jazz walk toward them, after they just done talking with Alec in the middle of the party room earlier.

“Hei, guys. How are you? Do you enjoy the nice party?” Barbara asks with her sweet voice. And sometimes, whenever looking at her face, it feels as if they’re looking at an angel from heaven. She’s so soft and tender in every way. And that’s probably a reason why a lot of men attract to her.

“It’s a bit boring, I guess,” Emilie says. “I’ve been standing here silently like for about twenty minutes and still counting.”

Illana and Jazz giggle at her humor, while Sonia sometimes likes to steal a sarcastic glance at the beautiful Barbara who has a curly long brown hair.

“Hey, have you guys already heard about Alec will be joining soon with the Wine & Co group?” says Jazz suddenly, making the three of them surprised.

“What? Since when?” Sonia snarls in disbelief with this sudden news.

“Well, we just heard a moment ago. Alec just told us. He will give his special speech in the party soon,” Jazz adds.

“Yeah, he will be their business representative. Isn’t that cool?” Barbara says.

“I don’t get it,” Sonia murmurs in confusion.

Then Emilie asks for assurance, “Is that true?”

“Yes, he told us,” Jazz says again.

Then Sonia mutters alone, “I never thought he would have a good skill in public relation…”

Jazz turns to stare at her for a second, and smiles, “Well, he does have a good skill. He used to work in my dad’s law firm office as an apprentice representative. Don’t you guys know?”

“Well, that’s awesome,” says Illana, but her tone sounds rather flat than gets excited.

Emilie nods agree, while Sonia stays silent since she still tries processing it on her mind.

Then the microphone sound check is heard from afar. They immediately turn to glance at him, who already stands handsomely among the crowd in the ballgown room.

“Hello everyone, my name’s Alec Alienski…”

And that’s when Sonia gasps the air abruptly. She can feel her heart almost skipped a bit.

“Oh, my God. He really will do the speech,” Sonia mutters.

Emilie and Illana exchange stares in secret and starts giggling when Sonia gets so nervous.

Everyone in the party also starts looking at him and starts listening heedfully to what he has to say at the time.

“Tonight, I would like to introduce myself as part of the Wine & Co family. We should celebrate this together. That I will be joining with this big success family company as their business representative…”

Everyone starts clapping their hands to congratulate him.

“He is so charismatic. He has a good speech,” says Barbara, who seems to admire him now.

Emilie and Illana exchange stares for once again. They know how Sonia would feel when Barbara says something like that in front of her. They can immediately sense Sonia’s jealousy aura, which is surrounding her very strongly and boldly now.

Besides Sonia, there’s also Jazz who feels the same. And of course, they notice that as well.

It seems that there will be a strong cold competition between them all. Emilie just hopes, their circumstances won’t turn chaos like Illana and Jack’s broke up incident, because of Sheryl.

After Alec has done his speech, then Sheryl’s mom and dad take over the microphone, and they start congratulating him in front of everyone.

Then the eight of them gather together now on the party floor. It’s when Sonia gets nervous, since she has to meet eye to eye directly with Alec. While Illana has to endure her annoyance near the bubblehead girl, which no other than Sheryl herself.

“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.

Surely, her annoying attitude really bothers Emilie, Sonia, and Illana again. But they really have to keep up with this whole awkward situation all the time.

And especially, every time Sheryl finds the time to intentionally flirt with Jack in front of his ex-lover, which is Illana. It’s beyond annoying and unbelievable.

She hugs his arms and keeps on puckering her pinky lips, as if she really begs him to kiss her in front of everyone here. But Jack, of course tries to act more mature than her. He softly refuses her stupid request, but it seems that Sheryl truly lacks of sympathy.

And because of that, 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.”

Sheryl then stares peevishly at her as she quickly unlinks her hand from Jack. She almost raises her voice, but she manages to calm down and says, “What did you say to me?”

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

Sheryl shouts angrily at her, “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.

While Sheryl’s parents still speaking in the middle of the ballgown, these girls tend to exchange cynical stares to each other. Except for Barbara, who doesn’t want to involve in their hating game.

Until the speech is finally done, Mister and Ms. Crowd ask everyone to toss their champagne glasses for celebrating this annual company party. And then, 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.

But before they can bring her to the parking lot, Barbara already collapses on the floor and closed her eyes, leaving everyone in a panic situation.