Chapter 2

Johnathan escorted me into the ballroom. My staff deserves a raise for what they've done to the place. Not a single detail in this party was out of place. Everything was grand and screamed luxury. 

"You know," Jonathan says as he escorts me to the dancefloor, "You remind me of someone I used to know."

"Oh?" I asked. 

He nodded, his eyes losing their life. "You remind me of an old friend of mine. She's long gone, though," he says. He laughed as though he remembered something. "She was beautiful, kind, and fun. She… was a good sister. I never see her not smiling." Noticing my silence, apologized, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bore you with that sob story."

I smiled at him. "She sounds like you truly cared about her," I said, "It's nice to meet genuine people like you."

I wiped a stubborn tear from my left eye. I couldn't help it. Who would've thought I'd tear up after all this time? I thought I'd prepared myself for this. I guess I overestimated my "cold" heart. 

He shrugged it off. He pulled me in and we danced. Surprisingly, he's quite graceful. Who would've thought that Johnathan knew how to waltz? He twirled me around, pulling me towards him. 

"Hey," I said, "Aren't you breaking the rules by showing up maskless?"

He grinned. "Frankly, I don't care about my brother's rules. I'm just here for the fun."

I smirked. I didn't think I'd ever hear those words coming from him. I suppose that's because I could never picture them growing up. Unlike them, I'm stuck frozen in time. Unable to grow and change… 

"How do you know my brother anyway?" he asked curiously. 

I replied, "I met him a few years ago in Asia. Details unimportant." What a lie, what a lie, what a lie… I then added, "I'm more curious about you. Tell me something about yourself."

He smirked. "Fine. I'll bite. You're the mystery type," he said. 

We then went to a table far off from the celebrant. I suppose he didn't want to catch his attention right away. He then proceeded to pour us champagne, handing me a glass. 

"A la votre," he toasted. 

"Tchin-tchin," I toast back. We raised our glasses and drank. I suppose that it's no surprise how his alcohol tolerance got higher. He's young after all, and it's a fact that he's the life of the party. 

I put my glass down, staring at him—the birthday celebrant. He's taller now. His hair remained perfect just as I remembered it. He looks much healthier and more fit. Gone were the baby fat he had when he was a kid. He wore a white buttoned shirt under a black suit and a pair of leather shoes. His handsome angelic face was hidden beneath a black mask. 

Brandon stood there at the center talking to a group of young people. College friends perhaps. A glass of champagne in one hand and a woman's waist in the other. I wasn't informed he had a girlfriend. 

Noticing my stare, Jonathan chuckled in amusement. He looked at his brother and back at me. "What are you? His ex-lover or something?" he teased. 

I rolled my eyes. "It's nothing like that," I said shaking my head. I poured myself another glass of champagne and finished it in just one sip. "I'm just surprised how much he changed. He grew up quite well. I see he has a girlfriend too."

He glanced at the woman beside his brother. "Ah, that," he says, pointing at the mystery blonde. "That's not his girlfriend. Brandon doesn't have one."

"So who is she?" I asked. 

He replied, "A daughter of one of our business partners. He's just buttering her up. In other words, he's using her to get whatever deal he wants. He could get away with anything with that pretty face of his."

He'd use a person to get what he wants, huh? 

I found myself smirking. I don't know if I should be proud or disappointed. In a world of "use or be used" and "kill or be killed" he's thriving. I've decided. I guess I am proud. 

"And what about you?" I asked, "Don't you have a pretty face? Honestly, I find your face to be quite prettier than Brandon's." I've always thought that. Jonathan was always the pretty one. There was something about him that just drew people in. At the same time, the allure he possessed had a dangerous vibe to it. I suppose because he's so masculine, people could view him as a "bad boy" instead of what he really is—a kind-hearted person.

He grinned. "You know it's unfair that you've seen my face and I haven't seen yours," he says, touching the surface of my mask and caressing my face. "Why don't you grant me the privilege of seeing your beauty, Alexandra."

I felt the blood rushing to my cheeks. This is beyond embarrassing and as uncomfortable as it was when we joked about flirting as "kids." 

Jonathan, are you actually flirting with me? If you only knew who I truly am you'd be throwing up in embarrassment and disgust. 

"Well?" he says, "How about it?"

I gently pushed his hand off my face, trying to be as polite and gentle as I could; God knows I'm not. I smiled at him, saying, "I rather you didn't."

He raised his brows. "So the mystery continues, eh?"

I nodded. "I suppose it shall."

He agreed, nodding his head. 

Just before we could continue this conversation, a girl with ash-colored hair came up to us. She was much taller than me and she had a slender physique. From the looks of it, she seems to be quite pretty. 

"Johnathan, you came!" she says, pulling him into her embrace. 

I could almost laugh seeing the discomfort on Johnathan's face. 

She pulled away slightly and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I didn't think you'd come to your brother's party! Brandon said you weren't sure if you were coming. It's been months since your fight. Since it's his birthday, why don't you forgive him?"

Forgive him for what exactly? Brandon and Johnathan often fought, but they'd always make up after five minutes. This is new to me. Well, everything is new to me.

Jonathan coughed, pushing her off him as gently as he could. "I don't think it appropriate that you'd mention sensitive topics like that at a party," he scolded, looking at her with cold eyes—eyes I've never seen before. "And can't you see that I have company?" 

She turned pale almost immediately. She then glanced at me, examining me from head to toe. The look in her eyes was of disgust and annoyance. "And who might you be?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest. 

Jonathan replied in my stead saying, "She's a friend of Brandon; not that it's any of your concern. 

She arched her brow. "I know all of Brandon's friends and he's never mentioned this one before," she said, refusing to believe. 

"I'm Alexandra," I said in English, dropping my French. 

"Alexandra?" she questioned, "Like in the book?" She looked confused as she furrowed her brows. She looked at Johnathan, asking, "But isn't that girl dead?"

And just like that, the life in Johnathan's eyes faded, and anger, wrath, and rage replaced it. His cold voice became somewhat terrifying as he said, "That girl? That girl? How dare you call her "that girl"? She was family." He walked toward her, making her step back in horror. "You won't ever speak about her again, got it?"

She nodded before running away. 

Jonathan took a deep breath, taking another drink. Trying his best to control his anger, he closed his eyes for a while. I could almost feel his wrath. 

I put my hand over his shoulder and he opened his eyes to meet mine. "I get it," I said. 

"I'm sorry for snapping," he apologized, "I shouldn't have. I just didn't like it when people address her as "that girl." She was more than that. She was a good friend."

"You don't need to explain it," I assured him. "You're allowed to feel your emotions. You don't have to pretend that you're fine just because they expect you to. You can be angry."

"You sound like her," he pointed. 

Shit. I broke my character by speaking English. 

"She would've said that too," he said, smiling at the ceiling. "I think you would've been friends if you ever met. Well, actually, I'm not so sure. She was afraid of people and was severely socially awkward. She's extremely shy too."

I turned away. To my surprise, Brandon was looking at me from a distance. I smiled at him and raised my glass. 

He smiled, raising his as well. 

Perhaps it's time that I leave. I've seen enough, I danced, and I even had a conversation with an old friend. I think it's time to go. Staying here endangers them and I don't want that. 

"Sorry," I said to Johnathan, "I'm feeling a bit dizzy. I think I'm leaving early."

"But you just got here," he argued, "Stay."

His eyes reminded me of how his eyes were the day we last saw each other. I wonder… can he see right through this mask? It's highly possible, but I doubt it. Still, a part of me feels like he could sense that I'm alive. That I'm here. That I'm the person he's talking to. 

"Kid," I said, "I'll see you next time, okay?"

"You called me kid," he said, leaning forward to level with my eyes. He stared quite intensely, making my heart pound in my chest. He sighed, stepping back. "Impossible."

"Impossible?" I asked. Part of me wanted to know what he thought. Is our bond that strong that he could still feel me? Our connection… Our friendship… But part of me is telling me to forget about it. What's the point, really? He's not going to stay in my life anyway. Some things are better left unknown. 

"Never mind," he shrugged, "You should at least let my brother know you're leaving. He's right over there." He pointed at the dancing man. 

"You go on and enjoy the rest of the party," I said, pointing at the group who's been staring at him since we got here. I assume they were his friends. "I'll catch your brother in a minute."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Alexandra," he said, planting a kiss on my hand. 

I nodded. "It was nice to see you again, Jonathan," I said, leaving him to his friends. Before I could exit the room, the birthday song played, stopping me in my tracks. I turned around to see him standing in the middle of the room, his mask in his hand. There it was—his perfectly angelic face and the bluest eyes I've ever seen. My jaw dropped on its own. He's changed. He indeed grew up. And I suppose now it's time to move on.

Goodbye, Brandon.