Dead Elite

Chapter 3. The Handsome Man

Friday, 02 March 2018, today.

Manhattan Upper East Side, New York City.

Emilie works so hard to build a successful fashion boutique with her own effort. It takes her a long time in getting the achievement that she wants. Sometimes she designs her own clothes when she’s not interested to work along with a local fashion designer.

And now, she can smile to her bright future. She feels really happy every time she visits her fashion boutique that is located in this mid-town Manhattan. It looks perfect, just like how she would have pictured it after all this time.

Today, she’s getting busier. She has to take a note on the mannequin’s body size before she can continue on her new design. And there, suddenly a visitor knocks on the door.

When she glances at his arrival, she gasps the air surprisingly. She doesn’t expect his sudden visit at her boutique today.

“Oh, hey—” but Emilie struggles to form the words to greet him sometimes. She always gets distracted by his manly figure.

 And he is looking so handsome, compares to most of the people she ever encounters in her whole life. But she knows, life is a tragic comedy sometimes. She has always pretended like she doesn’t give a damn about his presence, every time. And it’s just because she has to respect someone’s feeling out there.

There are also women who struggle to seek for his attention. It’s like as if they compete in wanting to eat him alive or something. But sometimes, she hears some women say that he looks so yummy. As in a metaphorical way, perhaps.

But now, her brown eyes stare wide awake at his sudden arrival here.

When she hears his manly voice again this morning, she just can’t stand being near him, but she has to keep it cool.

“Hey, Emilie, I’m on my way to Café Chic, just thinking I can pick you up…”

“Oh, that’s…” then she just remembers about the group chat last night. “Yeah, I forgot all about it. My bad. I’m so immersed in my job, so…”

He chuckles and glances at the mannequin which she holds on awkwardly.

“I see, you will have a new design?” he asks, looking curious for a second as he glances at her study desk.

“Yeah, I’m planning to make a new party dress,” she answers. “You know, I want to get creative as well. Being the boutique owner is just not enough for me.”

He nods, looking happy for her. And then he says again, “Okay, so, I will just wait for you. Then we will go, whenever you ready.”

Emilie shakes her head hurriedly. She can’t make him wait for her in here. It will be too awkward. “Listen, Jake…”

Before he sits down on the comfy sofa, then he glances at her again.

“You don’t have to wait for me. Just go. I can take care of myself,” she says assuredly. “Tell the others, I will be there as soon as possible.”

He smiles, so charmingly that almost melts her into pieces. And she hopes he won’t notice that her heart trembles so bad right now.

For a second, he approaches her there, who still standing right next to windowsill, and with the naked mannequin which she holds on still.

He stares at her with his sharp, and yet charming blue eyes. It’s just that, his gaze looks so hypnotizing for her.

“Emilie…” he calls her name once again. “Are you sure?”

She stands in front of him, feeling a bit intimidated by his hypnotizing gaze.

“Uh, sure, of course. Don’t wait for me. You’ll get bored, Jack,” she chuckles.

“When I ever get bored, looking at your pretty face, Emilie?” he teases her.

She quickly giggles and shouts, “Oh, are you teasing me?! You already have a girlfriend now…”

Jack nods for a second before he says, “Yes, I have a girlfriend now. And everyone knows that anyway. But I really like teasing you, ever since we were still in college. Didn’t you remember?”

Emilie stares up, trying to remembers those days. And then she glances at him again, and chuckling along.

“Hmm, yeah, I remember though. You were just so annoying back then. But I forgive you anyway,” she teases him back.

They giggle concurrently.

Then he smiles again at her and says, “Okay then. I see you there soon, Emilie.”

Now Emilie can breathe easier. Then she nods. And as her eyes follow his step toward the entrance door, she waves her hand at him.

Behind the glass window, her eyes still follow him walking down in the parking lot. As soon as he leaves with his black sedan car, Emilie takes a long breath for a second. She tries to calm her trembling heart. It’s just so crazy. She tries to look cool, but still, she feels just miserable.

It’s him. Jack Alienski.

She knows him ever since they were studying in the same college. But of course, she recognizes this feeling so well. It is not love at all. She is assured about it.

After all this time, she only admires him secretly, because of his good-looking face and his manly figure that looks so tall and muscular.

She knows her place. Her best friend maybe still has a heart for him, even after they broke up last month. But now, everything turns chaotic for both of them. Emilie feels the sympathy, but she can’t do anything to involve herself in their relationship that is already messed up anyway.

And now, after a month of fighting and breaking up, they regain some sense. Emilie doesn’t have to feel bother by their relationship anymore. It just that sometimes she pities her best friend, if she still secretly in love with Jack after all the bad fight with him.

But there is only one woman to be blamed for all of this chaos that’s been happening. And Emilie knows that woman too well that she just doesn’t want to think about it for now. And not when she is still working in her boutique. It may badly distract her concentration.

And soon, she finishes her work before getting ready to meet all of her friends at the café.