Falling For Elegance /ONGOING/

Chapter Two

He looked at the water beneath him, it was dark and cold. There was nothing left for him anyways,he should end it all now and forget everything. Nobody needed him or cared for him at all.

He stood at the tip ready to fall, people had gathered. They were looking at him,some were crying telling him to come back and others brought out their phone taking pictures and videos. They didn't care,he also didn't care. There was no need to continue being hurt,he would end it all and take the pain away. He was about to jump when he heard someone talk to him.

She strolled happily along the walkway on the bridge enjoying the cool night breeze, she had gotten her salary from her part time job and was heading home when she saw people gathered with their phones taking pictures. Curious she squeezed herself through the crowds and saw a boy on the other side of the bridge about to jump. He was around 17, wore a white shirt and blue shorts. His brown hair covered his face as the breeze blew on him, she couldn't see his face well then walked closer, what was her trying to do? Jump from a bridge.

She continued to walk towards him slowly, thinking of what she was going to say

" Hey" she stood and folded her arms.

He looked at her and eyed her. What was she trying to do? There was no use talking him out of jumping,he had concluded,his mind was set and there was no one to change that

She walked closer and rested her arm on the slab. "Wanna die?" She asked without looking at him

"Go away" he said coldly

"Sheesh... You're really rude" she brought out a gum from her pocket and offered him. "Want some?" She smiled

What was she doing? She's definitely crazy. Why can't she leave him alone and let him do what he wanted to do

Oh...I forgot you wanted to die, you can't chew this" she said and opened the wrapper of the gum

"Just go away" He said

"Lemme ask you" she tucked her hair behind her ears "what's gonna change if you die now?" She asked

"Go away okay! Stop meddling in other people's business like an i***t" he said angrily

"Your manners" she paused and looked at him "are really poor"

He didn't say a word, he was going to jump anyways so there was no need listening to her crazy speeches

"I'm not telling you not to die,but I just want you to know that jumping off this bridge won't change anything at all. Everything would be as it has always been and your family... will live their normal lives as usual" she tried to give him an assuring smile

There was hurt,sadness and expressions she couldn't describe in his face. She felt sorry for him. Why would a young kid like him want to end his life like this.

"Think about your future,your dreams,think about what would happen if you couldn't fulfil your dreams. How it would go to waste" she continued

"I...." The words hung down his throat. He was crying now,but nobody cared for him, his family, they treated him like he never existed.

"It's okay,I know how you feel. Just give me your hand and you'll be fine" she said and stretched her hand to him. He grabbed it and turned to climb to the other side when his hand slipped.

She quickly grabbed him with both hands. The crowd gasped. A middle aged woman fainted. She held him tightly pulling him with all her strength,he was slipping

His heart was beating faster,the water was so dark and he suddenly began to fear. He didn't want to die anymore,he prayed with all his might.

"Please help me" he whimpered

"Grab my hand" she shouted. He grabbed her hands and she pulled him up. Damn he was heavy, she pulled him with all her might and he fell on top of her. He noticed her eyes, they were hazel. Her black hair was short and showed her full face,round baby face.

She pushed him off and laid on her back. She was exhausted.

The crowd cheered and clapped, appreciating her bravery.

He was shaking,grateful to be alive but at the same time scared. She saved his life,gave him a new chance to live and hope to live for. He turned to thank his saviour but she was gone, his eyes went to the crowd and saw no sign of her. The cops came and gently took him to take care of him. They knew who he was so without haste they discarded the crowd.

He felt something stuck on his shirt he checked it, it was her hairpin. It looked cheap,it was pink with fancy stones that had almost fallen off. He looked back hoping he could see her but there was no one, he didn't know who she was but knew he will find her someday.

Now he had something to keep him going.

*******************

He admired the hairpin in his hand,it had been fifteen years since he's had the hairpin. He remembered that night clearly,her face, her words, her touch,the hairpin. He had his parents search for the mystery girl that saved him but they couldn't.

He put the hairpin back in the silver case and got up. He had a dinner meeting with some clients,he checked the time on his watch Six fifteen. He had ten minutes left to finish whatever he was doing. He disliked being sloppy in his work and kept to time always.

Being a CEO of his father's company since the age of twenty two was a huge responsibility on him. He wore a black double breasted suit and sleek black shoes. Everything about him commanded respect,from his dressing to the way he talks. Nobody dared to go against him,seldom smiling all he ever did was work and enjoy himself whenever he felt to.

Rumors had gone round that he was an homosexual that liked men because nobody had ever seen a woman around him except his sister and mother. Some said he only slept with women and pay them off with whatever they requested but nobody knew what the truth really was.

His chauffeur opened the door of his white Lexus RX350, he stopped

"Thank you Martin, I'll drive myself"

"May I ask if there's any problem Sir?" The grey haired middle aged man asked

"Not at all,its something personal"

"Alright then sir,take care of yourself" Martin said and closed the door.

Martin had been the Van Doren's personal driver since Damien was a baby. Damien was just like a son to him,a son that he had watched grow into a fine young man. He watched him as Damien drive out and went inside.

*********************

She walked down the walkway admiring the sights she saw. The night was cool and the air was cool. The house was too quiet and she was bored so decided to go to Della's house

Della's house was a few blocks away. She turned to the left and knocked on the door of Della's flat

The door was opened by a short chubby lady,she wore big black rimless glasses and her hair was knotted into two braids

"Alexia" She said in surprise and jumped on her friend

"Della" Alexia hugged her almost falling off

"How I've missed you" She said as she assessed her from head to toe. "Come on in"

"You've become chubbier, but I thought you were on a night shift"

"Hehehe, yeah. Got a call from Brigitte that Lee was sick, you know how little kids can be. He probably wanted to see his father" she chuckled and went to the kitchen

" where's he?"

"He's out with his father" Della replied as she poured cold juice in two cups. "So what's up with you?"

"Nothing much"

She looked around, the living room wasn't so big. Just comfortable for a single mother and her ten year old son.

"Probably tour around" she said

"That'll be great, there are so many places I wanna take you to" she settled the tray on the table and sat next to her "You'll definitely love it here"

"I'll look forward to that but aren't you gonna go to work?"

"I'm on a two week leave, today's supposed to be my last day"

"Ohh" Alexia said as she sipped her drink

"There's a new restaurant across...wanna go?"

"It's eight Dee"

"I know, Lee's not coming home tonight. He'll be staying with his father for two days so I have all the time to myself"

"Alright then, let's go"

"I gotta change, just a sec" Della went in and came back few minutes later wearing a grey sweatshirt and blue denim jeans. Her clothes fitted her chubby frame, she had a baby face that could be passed to be in her teens. She was twenty eight, age mates with Alexia. She had loosed her braids and let her blond hair fall.

"How do I look?" She asked spinning around

"Haha, you look like a high school teenager" Alexia said

They boarded a taxi to the restaurant, it was a twenty minute drive from her house.

The restaurant had just opened recently, beautifully designed and had lovely lights at night. It was a simple but elegant place.

They got down and went in, Cool music resounded from the speakers. It was the first time in four years that she had gone out to clear off the stress she was facing.

"Let's sit here" Della said as she sat by the glass seeing everything outside

Alexia sat opposite her, backing another chair. A young waiter came for their order

"I'll have uhmmm" Della said scanning the menu " A..." She continue to check the menu

"I'll have a bottle of coke" Alexia said looking at the waiter who was admiring her.

Her short black hair was tied up, she wore a sky blue polka dotted long sleeve that was slightly bigger than her size, black Jean and white sandals. She was beautiful, got her looks from her mother and intelligence from her father then she added her own trait of clumsiness.

"Is that all ma'am?" he said

"Yes"

Della kept checking the menu, indecisive of what to order when she sighted someone walk in.

Tall, strikingly handsome with blue eyes that were dark. His brown hair glistened showing signs of a properly maintained hair care. He checked the time on his wrist watch then went to sit at the table backing Alexia.

"What's with your mouth" Alexia asked

She had been looking up for minutes mouth open.

"I'll.... I'll....have just uhmmm" trying to get her eyes back on the menu " this" pointing to an order she didn't bother looking at

The waiter took the menu and left.

"Did you see him?" Della whispered

"Who?"

"Him, that just came in"

"How am I supposed to know who just came in? I don't have eyes behind my head"

"He's gloriously handsome" she rested her face on her palm and sighed

"Who?" Alexia was confused

"Him" pointing to the man sitting at her back.

She turned to see who it was but only saw his hair, he was backing her so she couldn't see his face better

"Whatever" she turned back

The waiter brought their order and smiled at Alexia

"He's an angel" Della said, sipping her lemon juice

"Can we stop talking about somebody else who might be hearing you?"

************

Damien walked in, no signs of his client yet. He was three minutes earlier though, they had agreed to meet by nine. He spotted a lady, she captivated his interests. Probably she was new because she didn't look like she lived in Stanes.

Her chubby friend sat opposite her staring at him. He was used to women staring at him since he was younger. His eyes fell on the lady's neck, soft and tender. Her hair was tied up, it was short.

He sat down backing her while waiting for his client, she looked like he had seen her before. Definitely she wasn't the girl from fifteen years ago, he couldn't see her face but her back view.

He checked the time on his watch, nine, the door opened and he saw his client. A grey haired man in his sixties.

"Good evening Mr Whitman" Damien stood up offering an handshake

"Good evening Mr Damien" he took his hand and they both sat down

"Here it is" he brought out a suitcase and put it in the table

"You'll have to sign the contract now" Mr Whitman opened the file on the table. "Here" he pushed the file to Damien

He took his pen and was about to sign when she fell on him spilling the drink on his clothes and the files on the table ruining them all.

He was angry, his clothes was a mess and she has ruined everything. He looked at the stained document on the table and straight into her eyes.

Mr Whitman looked at the mess then his face, he looked at her and she looked at him still on his legs.

This wasn't going to be easy.