It started with a lie

1

More likely she had asked for his number than the other way round, I thought. 

"Anyway, how are you girls? What are you doing now?"

So Yoonhee told her she's working in a shipping company. Esme was also reluctant to talk to her but still politely answered her question. But ultimately her attention was on me. 

"I'm an events planner," I answered finally after her probing. 

"Ah - events planning - so you plan for fashion shows as well?" 

"Sometimes... but it's more of my colleague's job..." I mumbled. I really didn't want to talk to her so much. 

"Are you married already?" 

I knew she would be asking me that. Because she would want to flaunt about her relationship with Jonas in my face. Like telling me, see - I won. 

Yoonhee has a boyfriend. Esme has a boyfriend. I didn't. But it didn't matter. It only matters that I don't have a boyfriend. 

"Ah - don't take too long, hehehe, we are getting old."

I don't count twenty six years old as old, if you ask me. 

So I ignored her. I'm better at controlling my tongue now compared to eight years ago, though I'm still very outspoken. 

Sitting next to her and hearing her braying the whole night, I felt sick. I didn't have any appetite to eat at all and my stomach hurt from gastric pains because I had been so hungry earlier. When she finally stepped away to the toilet, Jonas spoke to me for the first time. 

"Are you okay? You don't look very well." He was still very considerate and observant. Maybe more so now because he's a lawyer. 

I wanted to tell him, I'm not fine, thanks to your fiancee. But I answered instead, "Ya, I'm good." 

"You don't look like you've eaten much," he remarked. 

He noticed I didn't ate much?? Why was he noticing me when his fiancee is sitting between us!! 

I looked down at my plate.. okay, it was clean, maybe he deduced that, he was a lawyer after all. 

His fiancee also didn't eat much, but then again models have meagre appetite. They are constantly looking out their weight. 

I just simply smiled back to him. Then someone on the other side called out to him and he looked over to reply. 

"I'm going to the toilet," I told Esme.

"Are you okay?"

"Gastric. I think I'll be leaving soon."

"I'll leave too," she said. "Mood ruined." I get her. 

I had to run into Angel in the toilet where she was busy touching up her make up. As much as I hate to admit it, she is really very pretty. A few girls in the toilet gave her a second look when they came in. 

"You don't put on any make up?" she asked me. 

I do, just not as much as her. 

"It's important to look good at all times," she continued. "Especially for us girls. We need to be appealing and attractive always."

"You are already engaged why do you have to...?" I muttered as I washed my hands. 

She closed her powder container and then looked at me through the mirror reflection. "You must be shocked seeing that Jon and I are together." 

"Not really," I lied. I didn't want her to feel pleased about it. 

"I would be if I were you," she put on an innocent face. I felt like slapping her. "Anyway, we are moving back to Seoul for good because he's got an offer as a partner in one of the top law firms here." 

"Good for you..." I mumbled. I turned to leave but she followed me as well. Along the way back to the room, the guys all turned over to look at us... mainly her I assumed. Nobody would give me a second look. 

The party broke up at ten because after ten it was happy hour clubbing time. Those who wanted to stay can continue to the dance floor which a few of them did. The rest of us, including Jonas and his fiancee, decided to leave. I had a feeling she wanted to stay but he obviously didn't so she had to leave too. 

Once I stepped outside, the cold air was so much refreshing. I felt so suffocated inside. 

There were even more people in the queue now. And the people in the queue dressed up like they were here to club. The dinner time was over. The dinner crowd was leaving. 

The crowd of us stood outside the club as we said goodbye. At least half of the group was not staying for round two. Obviously the non party people.. people who had to work the next day, people with kids and wives and husbands and had to go home. Or simply just not keen, like me and Esme. I was very hungry and thinking to ask Esme to go for supper with me before I faint.

"How are you guys going back?" Angel had to ask. "We could give a lift if it's on the way."

I wonder if Jonas had agreed to that.. as he asked for his car to the valet.

"My boyfriend is coming to pick me up," Yoonhee said.

A few of them thanked her politely as they would be getting cabs.

"What about you, Fay?"

There was me, Esme, and a few others but she just had to ask me.

"It's okay -"

"You don't have a boyfriend right?" she smirked. She just had to rub it again in my face for one last time.

I swallowed a lump down my throat. This bitch was really getting on my nerves.

"Actually," I smiled as sweetly as I could back to her. "My ride is here. My boyfriend just finished work and is picking me up." A red Porsche happened to drive up and stopped because waiting for the traffic to clear.

"Bye guys!" I said and waved and then opened the passenger door and sat in. Luckily there was no passenger else it would have been very funny. Then I quickly shut the door, my heart pounding so hard and fast as my classmates stared after me, especially Esme.

"Excuse me.. who the fuck are you?" a deep male voice greeted me.