MayBurn Launch Event (One)

Nicholas is sitting at the table which is meant for his family: His dad, Ethan and him. Ethan and his dad are greeting and conversing with a few businessmen and some of Henry Wilson's friends who are at the event.

Nicholas doesn't have anything to say to them, so he maintained his position at the table. Sometimes some of these businessmen would request to see Nicholas and his father would direct them to the table to have a word or two with the young fellow.

That barely happens so Nicholas doesn't find it as a problem. The only problem he has are the businessmen who brought their daughters along. Worst of all, the ones who follow their fathers to have a word with Nicholas.

In no time all the chit chat and businessmen reunion was over and the event officially began.

Henry Wilson went up to the podium with his fingers wrapped around a glass of wine.

"Tonight we've all gathered here…" Henry Wilson started off with a brisk smile over his face.

"…To celebrate the official launching of the new company I built myself"

While Henry Wilson spoke, Elizabeth was wandering around, paying no attention to what he said. It's not like what he's saying concerns her anyway. She finally stopped at the buffet, where the sumptuous meals were kept. She had seen it from afar and she drooled when she pictured herself eating them.

She further watched the people at the event. Everything about this place is captivating. She had never been to an event like this before.

The aroma of the turkey, chicken, shrimps and other meals hit her nose. She immediately shut her eyes to hold herself back. When would the food start being served? She thought.

She stares at the meals even more, her eyes catch glasses of wines and fruits sitting on a table.

Henry Wilson was still speaking and everyone's eyes were on him, except those working.

"Today is about the new company and not about me or my sons, Ethan and Nicholas"

"But I want both of them to come up here and say a word or two" Henry Wilson said with his eyes on Ethan and Nicholas.

Everyone equally move their eyes towards Ethan and Nicholas who were sitting at a table together.

Ethan energetically bounced to his feet and tugged on his blazer proudly. The invited guests begin applauding as Ethan found his way to the podium. Leaving Nicholas still at the table.

The guests quizzically stare at Nicholas who is still sitting.

A hand rests on Nicholas's shoulder, its Derek's.

"Get up there Nicholas" Derek whispered into his ear and then he adjusted Nicholas's jacket.

Nicholas instantly gets up and joins his father and Ethan at the podium. He hates the fact that everyone's eyes are on him.

"These are my boys, Nicholas and Ethan" Henry Wilson pointed and the guests applauded even more.

"They will be in charge of the new company, but that's news for another day…"

"Come to the mic and say something to the guests" Henry Wilson instructed.

Ethan immediately approached the mic stand.

"Good evening and welcome beautiful Ladies and Gentlemen" Ethan started off in his British accent.

Nicholas stared at Ethan as he spoke, he doesn't have any intention of saying anything. Ethan might as well speak for the both of them.

Nicholas looked away from Ethan and to the guests. He doesn't want to share eye contact with anyone so he looks behind the guests.

To his surprise, his eyes catch something fascinating. He vividly sees his white colored track hoodie on someone. The same jacket he had been mad about giving up over a silly girl is here at this event.

It can't be his jacket, perhaps it's someone else's or maybe he misses his jacket so much that he's seeing things. However he doesn't look away. His eyes were still on the person who had the same jacket as his. He hasn't seen the person's face because she has her back towards him. The person picks up grapes and eats them, the figure chewed them and drank a whole glass of wine to digest the grapes.

That behavior is certainly inhumane. Why on earth would his father invite someone like that to the event? The figure is putting on a white dress, with a white jacket that's similar to his.

His eyes notice something he hadn't noticed sooner. The eccentric color of her hair, it's similar to that of…

Elizabeth instantly turns towards the podium, unknowingly revealing her face to Nicholas.

Elizabeth looks at Ethan who is still speaking, she stuffs a lot of grapes in her mouth and chews them like an animal. She doesn't think she's worth anyone's eyes at this party, so she behaved as though she's invisible.

She placed another glass of wine between her lips, she immediately takes the glass away from her lips and sniffs it. She wants to be sure it isn't alcohol. After the confirmation she gulped it down. She can't have alcohol and have what happened last time repeat itself. God knows what she did when she got herself so drunk the last time.

Nicholas gazed at her, a bit surprised that she's at this event and a bit satisfied that he's found her.

Nicholas watched her every move. He wants to get down from the podium and approach her, this instant. All he needs is her name, and then he'll mess with her record.

What is she doing at this event? Could she be a businessman's daughter too? Well, she isn't dressed like one and certainly doesn't act like one. Who is she and why is she here?

He didn't think he'd find her here, and putting on his jacket! She has the audacity to put on his jacket and step out to this event after what she did to him. She is definitely messing with fire.

Nicholas grits his teeth, burning in anger as he thought of what she did.

"Nicholas, do you have anything to say?" Henry Wilson whispered to Nicholas.

Nicholas turned to his father and sees that Ethan is done speaking.

"No" Nicholas shortly responded.

Nicholas moves his eyes back to where the silly girl was standing but he doesn't find her there. The place looks empty like no one was standing there.

Damn it! Where could she have gone? He hopes she hasn't left the event yet. Because as long as she's still here, he'll find her.

Henry Wilson assumes his position behind the mic stand.

"Nicholas has nothing to say, He barely speaks he's more of an action man" Henry Wilson said and the guests bickered.

"So you may both return…"

Nicholas already started leaving the podium before his father finished his sentence.

"You may enjoy the party" Henry Wilson said as he lifted up his glass of wine.

The small musical ensemble who are also on the podium begin an interlude, symphonizing with their instruments.

Nicholas doesn't return to his seat, instead he moves to the buffet where she was standing. He's going to find her.

When he gets there, he perceives the same cologne she was wearing at the party that particular Saturday. He got a closer scent of her lavender perfume when he pulled her to put his jacket over her.

And now she's here, with the same jacket. She absolutely has no fear.

Derek approaches Nicholas at the buffet.

"Nicholas, your dad wants to see you at the table" Derek informed him.

Nicholas's hands are in his pocket and his eyes wandering around.

"She's here" he whispered.

"Who?" Derek asked with a bit of confusion.

"The ginger-haired girl"

"The one who puked on you and has your jacket?" Derek asked to confirm.

"Yes"

"Hmm" Derek hummed.

He doesn't believe Nicholas's story of a ginger-haired girl. He thinks Nicholas probably lost his jacket and used a silly story to cover it up. Perhaps he doesn't want to be tagged as a careless person.

"Your dad wants you to meet a few people" Derek pointed at the table.

"Not until I find out who she is" Nicholas said. He walks away from the buffet and to the staircase.

Derek goes after him and they both go up the staircase.

"There are people waiting to see you" Derek pleaded.

Nicholas doesn't respond to Derek as he majestically walked up the staircase with his hands still in his pocket and his eyes everywhere.

While Nicholas was upstairs Elizabeth was downstairs busy exploring the delicacies at the party.

She has a glass of red wine in her hand, she looks at it and smiles. She hasn't even tasted the main meal but she's already getting full.

She lifts the glass to her lips, but before she could sip out of it someone brushes past her causing her hand to move and empty half of the content of the glass on her new jacket.

She immediately takes down the glass and looks to see who hit her, a waiter did!

He didn't even turn back to apologize. He just kept on walking with a tray of drinks in his hand. How much she wished she could empty the whole tray of drinks on him.

How is she supposed to perform with this jacket now? She looked at the glass of wine in her hand and then at the badly stained jacket. Red? Why red wine? She places the half glass of wine on a nearby table and tries using her hand to wipe off part of the stain so it doesn't get difficult to clean off.

She had already planned to perform with the jacket and now someone just ruined that plan. She feels mad at herself for having wine at that particular moment.

As she still struggled to wipe the stain off, a hand holding a handkerchief gently comes in front of her. She looks at the handkerchief and slowly looks up to see who it is. Her enlarged eyes befell something marvelous.

A young man, dressed affluently like the others. She had forgotten he offered her a handkerchief because she admired how blue and beautiful his eyes are.

"You may want to clean that off" his British accent sufficed.

Hearing his British accent made her completely numb.

"Hello…" he softly called.

He snapped his fingers and it made Elizabeth jolt out of wherever she was.

She clears her throat and accepts the hankie.

"Thank you"

She lowered her head and tried wiping off the stain feeling really cautious about the person standing in front of her. She had seen him somewhere at this party earlier on.

Isn't he the one who was speaking on the podium? She stood afar when she saw him, but now that she's gotten a closer look...?

Damn!

Ethan had been sitting at the table when he noticed a waiter cause a pretty girl to ruin her jacket. He noticed how cute she looked when she was distraught, so he had to come over and lend a helping hand.

He couldn't let an opportunity to speak to a cute girl pass by.

"Sorry about the waiter, they usually don't behave that way" Ethan apologized.

Elizabeth slightly raises her head to look at him. Did a rich and cute guy just apologize to her? Even when he did nothing wrong.

"You shouldn't bother, I'll be fine. Please enjoy your party" Elizabeth said.

She feels really uncomfortable knowing that someone like him approached her, offered her his cologne filled handkerchief and also apologized for something he didn't do.

"Are you sending me away?" Ethan teasingly asked.

"What? No! Why would I do so?" Elizabeth quickly defended with her head up.

Ethan smiles at her instant reply. He notices that she's a bit bothered by his presence.

"You know what? I'll send myself away instead" Elizabeth smacked her lips.

She turned around and was about to walk away but he stopped her.

"No, please"

"I feel like you don't like that fact that I helped you with something to clean up"

"No it's not that… NO! Uhm, I just feel really awkward and… I should probably shut up" Elizabeth said.

Ethan smiles at her timidity and confusion.

"No please keep going"

He finds her voice rather soothing and beautiful.

Elizabeth turned around and began walking away. She thought he meant she should leave as she wanted doing that a few seconds ago.

He immediately held her arm and turned her around. She gulped down hard saliva. Why? She's meeting someone like this in such terrible conditions.

"Keep talking, you have a beautiful voice" Ethan stated.

Elizabeth awkwardly smiled. She clears her throat and remains silent.

"Do you sing? I would listen to your songs if you did"

Elizabeth feels a bit relieved and sees this as an opportunity to engage in a normal conversation with this fellow who looks extremely hot.

"Actually later tonight, I would be…"

Her phone rang before she could finish her sentence. She picks up her phone and excuses herself out of the conversation.

"Uncle Teddy?" she answered the phone call.

"Get upstairs right now… I need you to see something" Uncle Teddy said.

Ever since she left her uncle at the entrance of the event she hasn't seen him. She forgot her uncle is also at the event. Why wouldn't she? When she's in a place as beautiful as this.

"My uncle, he wants to see me" Elizabeth said.

"Maybe we'll run into each other again" Ethan said.

Elizabeth smiled and her smile made him smile. He watched as she walked away.

Perhaps he should call her back and tell her to take off her stained jacket.

Elizabeth walked away from Ethan and approached the staircase. She forgot she's putting on a stained jacket which inadvertently attracted attention to her. She didn't notice the people staring at her, all she did was think about the person who just handed her a handkerchief.

He's rich, cute, and sweet, that's a green flag, a big green flag. She feels bad that she couldn't get through a conversation with him.

As Elizabeth approached the staircase, Nicholas was still upstairs trying to find her. Derek has been with him, hoping Nicholas would eventually change his mind and follow him back to the party to meet the people his father wants him to meet.

But Derek's curiosity didn't let him pressure Nicholas hard enough. He also wants to see if this girl exists.

"Nicholas!" Derek called out.

Nicholas abruptly stops walking to hear what Derek had to say.

"Are you really going to jeopardize your business life because of a random girl?"

Nicholas uninterestedly gazed at him. He knows Derek is saying the truth. He didn't go earlier on because he was convinced she was still at the event. He hasn't found her, she must have probably left. Today definitely is her lucky day.

Ahead of Nicholas, a few steps away… Is Elizabeth. She is still lost in thought and unconscious of the world around her. She approaches Nicholas who is unaware of whatever is in front of him, he has his eyes on Derek who is expressing his thoughts and feelings.

She gently stares down at her hand which is still holding the handkerchief the person she just met gave her. It's a bit stained with the red wine she wiped from the jacket.

Wait! She suddenly thought. She's still putting on the jacket. She looks down to look at the stain again.

Derek see's how silent Nicholas is, he exhales and points ahead.

"Let's just go" he pointed.

Nicholas turns and faces ahead, before he could get a glimpse of what was in front of him, someone looking down crashes her head on his chest. Elizabeth who had her eyes on her stained jacket abruptly crashes into someone before she could lift her head.

She involuntarily traces her steps back as the person she hit didn't move an inch. Her head hit the person's chest which is slightly broad, and fortunately her head doesn't hurt. But for some reason she places her hand on her head and slightly grimaces.

She looks up to see who it is, her eyes widen when she sees…