He licked his dry lips, eyes glued to the stage. The voices around him lowered to a painful silence. His vision blurred with the water that pooled in his eyes for not blinking once. It was when he stumbled upon his own feet that he came out of his stance. What he had seen might not even be a reality. His mind must have made it up since he was too engrossed into thinking that something was wrong with Jenna.
He tried convincing himself but nothing persuade him to believe that he had not just seen his fiancée fall from a hight that one can hardly survive!
The guests were still standing on their feet, praising the mind-blowing performance and enjoying the display of fire.
"Jenna," James whispered.
"Jenna," he said it again, this time his voice raised a notch
"Jenna!" he almost yelled before striving off for the stage. There was no time to think, no time to stand and decide if there was a possibility that he must have daydreamt.
Just as he reached the stage, the fire died down. In a split of a second, he was on the massive stage, wandering his eyes to every dancer that now prepared themselves for another show. The laughter and cheers died down. He could feel a thousand eyes on him, especially that of his father, burning hole in his back with the intensity with which he watched bim. What he did tonight was totally out of limits, he knew it well yet he cared less. He cared less that the paparazzi were now circling the stage, taking shots from every possible angle. He cared less that this was going to be the top news in tomorrow's magazine and that it will take over the internet by fire. All that he cared about was his fiancée to be in his arms, to hug her tight and tell her how terrified he was.
"Jenna!" he called out, his voice booming in the auditorium.
"Sir, what's the matter?" a few officers came running on the stage, panicked and breathless.
"Where is Jenna Berry?" He hissed but before they could make out an answer, he yelled at the top of his lungs, frustration getting the best out of him, "I ASKED WHERE THE HELL IS JENNA?"
The officers flinched but managed to give him a reply, " Sir she is backstage, changing costume," one of them replied.
"Call here out right now," he hissed again but this time his tone was more of a challenging one.
A chuckle escaped his lips upon rendering the officers speechless. He knew she was backstage but not changing her costume! His jaws clenched and fingers rolled in a tight fist. With a murderous glance, he scanned around, his eyes landing on his father. Mr Willams looked as if it was hard for him to comprehend what was going on. In his eyes, all he could see was the disgrace and dirt his name will have from this night onwards. He was beyond furious but still, the intense glare with which he bore holes in his son's body was nothing compared to the bloodshot glare James returned.
Within a matter of second, Williams and Derby were both on stage and standing next to James.
"What is the meaning of all this?" He hissed, his tone laced with something close to prepar-for-your-funeral.
"I saw her fall," James let out, a tear slipping down his cheek. All the anger he felt just a moment ago was replaced with pain and fear.
Mr William was speechless. He had no clue of what his son was talking of. "What?" he asked
"Jenna. I...I saw her fall from the balcony, "He stated plainly, containing the pool of water in his eyes.
Mr William's face scrunched up as he told him that it must have been his imagination. " You are delusional," he had said. The words ignited a fire in him.
"I AM NOT DELUSIONAL, FATHER! I MEAN IT WHEN I SAY I SAW JENNA FALL HORRIBLY FROM THAT BALCONY!" His tone was hard and his voice echoed in every corner of the auditorium. The room was once again filled with gasps and whispers, most certainly discussing what they heard
Before he could say another word, Mr William grabbed his arm and shook him once, his lips drawn in a straight line. "Don't make a fool out of yourself James, the paparazzi is all around us!"
"Let it be a topic to discuss at home," with that being said, he moved back to the officers, asking them to let him to the backstage.
"Sir you can't go there," one of them said, "I assure you Jenna Berry is just fine-" before he could complete, James interjected
"She is fine, right?" he asked, his tone loaded with venom. The officer nodded his head in approval. "If that's the case, I want her out right.this.second." He came to stand just an inch away from the officer, looking him square in the eye. The uncomfort of the man did not go unnoticed by him but he still managed to answer back in more of an unwavering tone,
"She will."
James backed away, already tired with the situation that befell him. Without another word, he moved just below the balcony. placing his hands at his waist, he let out a sigh. He knew he appeared like a fool to a thousand people seated there and also to millions who will read the headlines in tomorrow's Newspaper for there was no sign of somebody's fall. There was no blood, no screams, nothing...that was what others might be thinking but not him. He was certain he had seen her fall.
"JENNA!" He yelled out.
"JENNA!" He shouted her name once more only to have no response.
He then looked in the eyes of the officer who had told him that she was in the changing room. His brows quirked up as he stared at him waiting for him to give him an explanation. "Where is she?" he asked. "IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT LONG IN CHANGING ROOM!" words rolled out of his tongue in a furious yell, "WHERE IS JENNA-"
"James," someone called out before he could complete with his words. For a moment it felt as if his heart had stopped beating. The world went quiet once again as he processed the word. It was his name that was uttered in a feminine tone that for some very strange reason felt quite similar to Jenna's.
Coming back to his senses, he swirled around only to have his gaze locked with a pair of mesmerizing green eyes that belonged to no other than Jenna herself!
Time ticked slow and everything froze for a second with just him and her before his eyes.
"Congratulations, we are proven idiots now!" Mr William hissed in his ear but James could care the least.
"James, darling, are you alright?" Jenna walked to him, placing her hands on his face, worry making itself evident in her eyes. " What is this all about, love?" she questioned only to get silence in response. He didn't put in an ounce of energy to move a muscle in his body. he was stiff as if the mere touch made me nothing less then uncomfortable... which seemed a bit off considering the affection he had for the lady before him. The only thing he did was to let his calculating gaze wander from her eye to eye, hoping to find anything that would give him the lead and satisfy him with the belief that he was wrong.
It was for the first time he secretly wished for him to be mistaken. He was ready to face the media and their torturous questions only if he was assured that he hadn't lost someone who was like a ray of hope in his dark world. But how could he not bring himself to trust what he was seeing? Why couldn't he melt into her touch and caress her jaw or perhaps, hold her in a hug? Why couldn't he bring himself to do so?
But when he couldn't, he simply huffed out a laugh before taking her hand off and walking away with such grace and silence as if he hadn't created a scene just now.
Need not to say, the function came to an end for Mr Deruby felt the guilt of continuing it when his dearest friend was falling down the pit hole of shame and disgrace. He kept on telling Mr William to not apologize and that it wasn't something he had planned of beforehand.
***
" you have one minute to explain your doings tonight," Mr William spat, furiously.
Instead of giving him an answer or explain the mix of emotions he felt, James treated his father with the same old silent way as he would always do whenever Mr William would accuse him of something he hadn't done. The reason was simple. He could have let it out to him but the fact that he would never pay attention to any of his words kept him adamant on not telling him anything. Furthermore, Lara' s presence was just an extra blow to his self-esteem. The woman would always wreck his nerves with as much as her mere existence!
" I want an answer, James!" This time his voice raised above normal as he fought the urge to slap his only son. But James stood like before, taking more interest in the pattern on his shoes rather than the one-sided conversation.
" Ah!" Mr William turned on his heels, running a hand through his hair, " How am I going to deal with all the questions the media will throw at my face tomorrow?" He exasperated, talking to himself. " How will I tell them that my son, the future hire of Maxwell Cooperation is NOT A RETARD!?" He shouted the last part so loud that James could see Lara flinch by his side.
" I will deal with the press myself," James said with an air of determination, " And it doesn't matter to me what the world thinks of me anymore, I am still steadfast on my point that that woman was not Jenna-"
" SHUT UP! " William shouted again, " First, what world thinks of you matters more than anything! You better not try to be your own person, James. And second, that bitch is Jenna and I am going to make sure she pays for jumping to a level she can only dream of," He completed.
" Williams, don't mind such things. Stress wouldn't solve the matter," Lara placed a hand on his shoulder, her gaze falling on James. " Look how much pain you have caused your father James. Be-"
Before she could get to complete, James interjected, " It's between my father and I. Don't intervene." Though a simple sentence it was but Lara could feel the warning behind his words.
" I will take my leave," with that being said, he walked off.
" You have spoiled him, Williams," Lara commented, eyeing the path he left from.
Mr William chose to keep his silence_ a polite indication of his desire to be left alone. Taking the hint, she walked off to her room.