Ch.7 “Where is she?”

Lay’s POV

I tied the knot slowly around my neck. No matter what I did I could never manage to get these damn bowties perfect. I finally gave up and decided to have a look at myself in the mirror. A black on black tux….not bad. “Lay come on! They are gonna end up starting the party without us” Chen shouted out to me.

I could hear random chatter, laughter, business talk….I guess it was all part of my career. I’d have to put on a smile no matter what. What was I so worried about anyways? My mind had been running on a million different thoughts yet it always went back to the same one….her. Did she care for me? Did she forgive me? I just wanted her back in my life but I wasn’t sure how to go about it. Would she even take me back?

Last night…I just wanted her skin against mine again. I wanted to put my hands all over her and to trace my tongue all over her soft skin. “Damn it Lay come on!!!!!” Wow…I guess I was daydreaming. I raised my gaze from the ground and slowly made my way out of the door. The hallway was long and winding but the music could be heard perfectly everywhere.

This was our first major welcoming here and I didn’t want to face it alone. I wasn’t alone really, but the one person I wanted here with me wasn’t. Before I entered the crowd all I could think of was her and if she’d ever show up.

Jasmina’s POV

“That’s it I’m not going!”I threw the curling iron down and stomped my feet out of anger. Everything else was perfect but I just couldn’t get my hair to do a single thing that I wanted it to do. “I’m sorry, what was that Jasmina? I couldn’t hear you over the fact that you are going!” I breathed heavily and turned away from the mirror. I wanted to walk into the room and see his eyes grow big and his jaw drop to the floor.

I wanted that reaction and I wasn’t going to get it with my hair looking like this. “Jessica what do I do!” She sighed heavily and placed the brush onto the counter. “Well first off you’re going to start by being positive. Then we will so help me god find a way to do your hair. And then after that little bit there, you will walk into that room and he will have no choice but to be all over you.” I smiled and playfully snatched the flat iron from her other hand.

I knew there was a reason me and her were best friends. We were such idiots together sometimes. For the next few minutes I fiddled with my hair as me and Jessica made strange faces at each other in the mirror. “Mission accomplished!” I shouted as I was finally pleased with my hair. This occasion called for more than just a cute dress. I wore a dark blue floor length gown. Small emeralds adorned the bodice and a slit came up my right leg about mid-thigh. My make-up was very natural and it complemented my skin tone and deep brown eyes. I felt like some kind of princess in this dress.

Jessica stood next to mean in a sapphire blue floor length gown. Her brown curls bounced playfully down her back. We so rarely had the occasion to dress up like this. We decided to relish in the moment. I hastily looked at the time and realized that the party had started almost ten minutes ago. Great….I just hated being late. We carefully made our way to the car hoping not to mess up our hair in the process.

I didn’t really have pockets on this dress so I decided to do what any girl would have done in my situation; put the phone in my bra. The phone began shaking and I grabbed my phone realizing it was a text from Thuan. He wasn’t going to be able to make it. Jessica eyes were firmly on the road ahead of us as she was driving. “Hey Jess, Thuan isn’t going to be able to make it tonight.” The expression on her face faltered slightly. “Oh, that’s okay” she said with a soft forced smile. She really went all out for him tonight with the outfit, hair, and make-up….I’d be disappointed to. A sudden thought popped into my head. “Jessica….do you like Thuan?” I asked with the biggest grin ever.

Her cheeks turned pink and it wasn’t from the blush. “I don’t know…I don’t not like him.” She totally liked him. “All I’m saying is I better be the maid of honor to that wedding.” She began laughing and it truly was a genuine laugh. We pulled up to the building and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Cameras and lights were everywhere. Kpop celebrities walked around like it was nothing. I’m pretty sure me and Jessica both about had a heart attack. For a moment I was actually scared to get out of the car.

There was so much going on that I didn’t even know which way to look. I had to try and maintain my composure even though that was proving to be very difficult at the moment. We walked along a long lush carpet and through beautiful mahogany doors. {Wow these people really went all out}. I could get use to a lifestyle like this. “Hello ladies. Welcome to the annual SM Welcome Dinner party. May I have your invitations?” We didn’t get paper invitations. “Um…we were invited by Lay.” This guy was giving me the creeps. “I’m sorry. There is no admittance without the invitation.”

Did he not know who I was? I could feel my anger building. I didn’t want to react on it because there were so many people around but this man was really pushing my buttons. “Sir can you go find him? He’ll tell you” Jessica asked calmly. “I’m sorry miss, I can’t do that.” We both huffed and began to walk away. “They’re with me” a voice said softly. We turned around to see Tao standing there tall. {Damn, what’s with these guys looking so good in tuxedos?} The older gentleman seemed shocked.

“Yes sir, my apologies.” He grimaced slightly realizing we had won. {That’s right we win old man} I thought confidently to myself. We both briskly followed Tao into the crowd of people. Beautiful tables with crystal glass and porcelain dishware were everywhere. Decorative chandeliers hung beautifully above us. A dance floor sat strategically in the middle of the room and was full of various celebrities.

My eyes desperately searched for him. I couldn’t see him anywhere in here. Tao suddenly sat at a table and surveyed the crowd. He motioned for us to sit with him. “Thanks for that” Jessica shouted out over the music. He nodded a thank you in return. {Not a very responsive man}. Jessica checked her phone for any calls or messages…nothing. I laughed slightly to myself. {She so liked Thuan}. I noticed Tao’s eyes fixed on something. I followed his gaze and it landed on Jessica who was looking aimlessly into the crowd.

Oh no. I’m gonna have to keep her away from him. There is no way he’s ruining what me and Thuan have worked so hard for! Wow…it’s kind of hot in here. I began waving my hands in my face in a failed attempt to cool off. “Hey Jessica, I’ll be right back. I’m going to go get a drink.” She nodded and I walked off attempting to find something to drink.

Lay’s POV

God this party was so boring. It was all the same people and always the same thing. It was just a bunch of rich people getting together and talking about how much money they have. I brought a glass of wine to my lips and polished the rest of it off. I was just so frustrated right now. Where the hell was she? I thought things were different after the other night….I guess not. My eyes moved to some girl wondering aimlessly around.

She must be lost…wait, it’s her! My heart skipped a beat and a smile appeared on my lips. Wow…she looked amazing. All I wanted was to wrap her in my arms right now. Before I knew it my feet were carrying me towards her. Her back was to me. Once I neared her I wrapped my arms around her waist and put my lips to her ear. “Hey beautiful.”