Chapter 5

I looked around myself and it was only then I realized the street was quieter than usual. The store next to our cafe had a similar 'closed' sign hanging at the door. A lot of other buildings appeared to be deserted. Just a day and the whole place had transformed for the worse.

“We’ll find better jobs, Caro,” Nadia said, pulling me towards the parking where her car was parked. It was her father’s old Toyota that he had given to her when she moved to New York.

“I don’t think so. It took a lot to convince dad to allow me to work here. He’s either going to tell me to work at his company or not work at all,” I told her, already dreading that conversation with him. “You, on the other hand, are going to ace that interview and land your dream job.”

Just a month ago, Nadia had applied at Johnson Technologies for a job. I have always been amazed by her exceptional computer skills and was elated when she told me about finally putting them to good use. She got the interview call only a few days ago.

“I can try to convince your dad,” Nadia offered with such enthusiasm that it made me crack up. As much as she hated them, she loved interacting with them. The interaction usually involved her calling them out for their behaviour, them threatening her for that and her having the last word, inevitably, disregarding all those threats like she never heard them in the first place. However, dad was a resourceful and powerful man, who could cause a lot of harm to her life and career. Since she had no care for her own safety, it always came down to me to keep her away from them.

“No need for that, Nadia,” I said, getting in her car.

“Also, working for Johnson Tech is not my dream job.”

It’s not? I always thought she wanted to design softwares at a good company. “Then what is?”

“I’ll tell you when I finally get there,” she gave me a radiant smile, “why didn’t you bring your car?”

That question sent me a very embarrassing and regretful trip down memory lane. Even with all the things happening around me since that incident, the memories of the day before were still fresh in my head. If only I could go back in time and punch myself for being an idiot.

“I’ll tell you on the way,” I sighed. Nadia was probably going to be mad at me for what I did but I needed to share it with her. “By the way, where are we going?”

“Getting coffee then crying about our lives," she said with a smile.

"Sounds like a great plan."

For the next few hours, Nadia and I went around the city, doing nothing, in particular, just celebrating our first day of unemployment. We were sitting inside a little burger shop—one that I've been a regular to since I was a kid—when I told her about the car accident that I had caused the previous day.

At first, she gave no reaction, claiming my actions of the previous day to be unlike me, something I would never do. I had to give her the confirmation twice before she believed me that I really had crashed into a stranger's car and instead of apologizing, threw money at his face.

Nadia gave out an audible gasp at that. I had expected this reaction and was waiting for her to scold me for my actions but instead, she stopped munching on her fries and sat back in her chair in utter disappointment.

It was seconds later when I got to know her disappointment wasn't in me but herself, for missing the 'historic' incident for a stupid birthday party. I had to remind her that the 'stupid birthday party' was her own birthday party but the dismayed look on her face did not change.

After lunch, we went to pick Lahaina's jewellery. Nadia was particularly excited to tag along with me, wanting to see the crime scene for herself. Never in these three years of friendship have I ever seen her more excited for anything.

Back home, I went directly to Lahaina to deliver her precious jewels. "You're early," she commented, taking the boxes and opening them to check if the jewels were still in place, unharmed.

"Your Aaron Woodwords bought the whole area," I told her. 'Bought the whole area', I repeated the phrase in my head and let out a little chuckle. It sounded ridiculous when I said it out loud and even more absurd when repeated in my head.

What does it feel like waking up in the morning one day and randomly deciding to just buy a whole area? That was a lot of power and authority. Something that I had no intention of experiencing ever and no intention of associating myself with someone who had that kind of influence. Apparently, with the sudden attention to my words and the sparkle in my step-sister’s eyes, it was evident that Lahaina was looking forward to it.

“Was he there? Did you see him?” she asked, disregarding the jewels like they never mattered to her in the first place.

“No. He wasn’t there,” I told her and, instantly, she lost interest in me. With the job done and nothing else to talk about, I was about to take my leave when Lahaina spoke again, looking at me through the mirror.

“Dress up nicely!” she said, more like ordered, “we don’t want people there to think we brought our housemaid along, now do we?” She gave me a sarcastic smile.

“I’ll try,” I replied to her with a similar smile.

I have never been to one of dad’s formal parties. From whatever I have heard of them and from things that I have read about them in the newspapers, they were like a different world where I didn't belong. With all the influential people who gathered there only to improve their social standing, giving out fake compliments and pity smiles, I was grateful to never have been forced to be a part of it.

Considering my social skills were as good as that of a stranded human in an alien civilization, I had no idea how I was going to manage through the evening. Dreading the mass human interaction, I went to my bathroom for a relaxing shower. Nadia would be here soon.

The lack of interest in formal get-togethers explained the lack of an evening gown—one that would be appropriate for Lahaina's and dad's reputation—in my cupboard. I had asked Nadia to bring me one of hers. It was not like she had ever attended a formal gathering or was going to in the near future, but her habit of buying pretty things even though knowing she was never going to use them in her life ever, had resulted in a few very beautiful dresses in her closet. It was very sweet of her to lend one of them to me.

Close to two hours later, I was all dolled up sitting in front of my mirror. Nadia was helping me tame my hair that has decided to go rogue at the most undesirable time.

"Perfect!" Nadia placed the last pin to fix the bun on my head and stepped back, admiring her hard work.

"You're very pretty, Caro," she complimented, with a genuine smile.

"And you're very skilled, Nadia." My reflection watching me through the glass wall looked like a different person. I was not very great with makeup, not very fond of it, and hence I was used to my usual bare face. The person sitting inside the mirror did share my face but the slight highlights in my features—unconventionally known as Nadia magic—had modified my entire face. I admit I looked pretty.

"I know and you're very lucky to have me," she flattered herself. I indeed was.

"Just make sure you don't kill any men at the party," she hit my arm, playfully, as I stood to my full height and I gave out a hearty laugh.

I gave a last look at myself in the mirror and went out to the foyer where Lahaina would be joining me to go to the party. Dad and Juliea had already left an hour before.

It wasn't long when Lahaina appeared at the stairs. Her eyes first went to Nadia, automatically forcing her to twist her mouth in disgust. The reaction was welcomed by my friend with her whole heart and a wide smile. Next, Lahaina looked at me. The look of disgust on her face remained and a frown was added to it to make her dislike more obvious.

"You clearly didn't try hard enough to avoid the housemaid thing, did you, Caroline?" She said as she took careful steps down the staircase.

Having no context, Nadia gave me a confused look. I kept my eyes on Lahaina and shrugged, "I couldn't do better." For some reason, her opinion was the last one I cared about.

"Of course, you couldn't. You look awful," she came to stand in front of me.

"Is that what you said to the mirror?" Nadia asked, drawing Lahaina's attention to her.

"You don't get to speak in my house, cafe girl," Lahaina told Nadia, then gave me a look, "did she get you that dress? Because that would explain a lot."

It was a beautiful turquoise dress that hugged my figure to the waist then flowed to the ground in an elegant wave. The lace-covered bodice and sleeves gave it an ethereal look. I had fallen in love with it the instant Nadia showed it to me.

"Explain exactly what?" Nadia asked. If I didn't know her better, I would think it was a serious question she needed answers to. "That you don't have friends to bring beautiful clothes to you? Or that you don't have friends at all?"

Lahaina glared at her with pressing anger. Instead of talking to her head-on, she turned to me, “you shouldn’t associate yourself with low class people like her. They're a bad influence.”

Contrary to Lahaina’s beliefs, I have never met a high-class person who was not a total brat. Money influences people in the worst way possible and sometimes, no matter how hard one tries, once people acquire wealth, they become ignorant of others' sufferings. Just like my own dad. He had never been an ideal dad for me but it was the lust for money that had made him the person he was today.

I was not going to reply to Lahaina but Nadia—always wanting the last word—had other plans. “I’d say the same for you, Lahaina, but unfortunately, she is related to you so getting rid of you is kinda hard. Though I can arrange a way,” Nadia smiled to herself at the last part and it made me wonder what the way was.

Lahaina was fuming in anger and my lovely friend paid no attention to her. Instead she turned to me to give me a hug. “Have fun,” she said with a smile and, “don’t bother her,” she warned my step-sister.

I walked after Nadia outside the house where a car was waiting to escort Lahaina and I to the venue. Getting inside, I had to wait for almost ten minutes before Lahaina joined me. The ride was silent but the air inside the car was tense, given Lahaina’s bad mood after the incident.

I looked out at the busy streets flooded with colourful lights, lost in my own thoughts. How am I going to survive the night? There was no one I was acquainted with. My family had a totally different plan and the thought of spending hours among the top executives and overly successful businessmen, sitting alone and sipping a drink made me want to jump out of the car.

Reaching the destination, I chide myself for not actually jumping out. The place was surrounded with media reporters and journalists, lining outside the entrance. I took a deep breath and stepped out after Lahaina.

The night event had not started yet and I wanted it to end already.