Chapter 13

Victory Celebration

There was a grand celebration at the Green Sand Bay Resort at night. Family members and friends of the team members were invited to attend the celebration along with some of the high profile and notable people of the community.

Aisha had offered herself for Jade’s makeover. Like a pro, she was dabbing, brushing, painting, and spraying on Jade’s face.

“This takes like forever…” Jade yawned while complaining for the third time.

“Shh… you must endure the sublime process of becoming alluring, beautiful and desirable…” Aisha drew out her words in a sexy tone.

Jade shook with laughter. “What are you talking about?”

“Be quiet Jade, if you want to look your best.” Aisha finished off by swabbing a bright cherry red lipstick on Jade’s lips.

“This is too red.” Jade pouted her lips like a puffer fish, feeling tad uncomfortable that the lipstick augmented her lips. She wasn’t used to having colour on her face. “My lips look swollen.”

“Hey, chillax. I’ll add gloss to soothe the red,” Aisha said, carefully brushed Jade’s lips with a pale pink lip gloss. It did make her lips looked less eye-catching, and juicier.

“That will do. You look perfect tonight. Romey is going to be captivated, mesmerized by your beauty,” Aisha said in an animated way, fluttering her lashes.

“Oh, come on.” Jade blushed.

Aisha helped Jade to set up her hair in an elegant updo with soft, loose curls on the sides. She placed a sparkly vintage hair comb to make her auburn hair look aesthetically attractive.

“Are you sure this isn’t a little too much?” Jade started to feel a little uneasy again. Aisha was darn serious in transforming her into something she is not. Being pretty is just not her thing. But then again, she began to think if she needs to change her sense of styling in the future. Pretty girls do have more choices (of men) as a matter of fact.

“Nonsense, this is not too much for a party. Believe me, there will be more women who will overdo themselves for tonight, you’ll see.” Aisha straightened up and packed her cosmetic accessories into her shiny pink makeup case.

“Wow, I look different. It’s a good different, I mean. Thanks.” Jade peered herself in the mirror, with a feeling of sheer delight. Mirror can’t lie, a little colour can really do the magic. Marteena was more of the body wellness and skin care mom, instead of fashion and style mom. She didn’t put much effort on primping herself. Jade had never seen anything other than a complete set of skin care products, stacks of masks, and only one lipstick on her dressing table. From anti-aging cream to Crystal water spray, Marteena did a spiffing job in nurturing her skin. It was a good thing having a friend like Aisha, who had the aplomb to beautify everything.

“I want you to look your best tonight. I really do. The rest is up to you to perform,” Aisha said.

“Perform? Sounds like a mission.” Jade got up from the dressing table, stood further away from the mirror so that she could see her dress in full length. She had bought a peach tea length dress, with a stiff price, half forced by Aisha. It was out of her range, but it was lovely and worth the price. It made her feel attractive with her prominent collar bones and her slender, toned arms. “Hate to praise myself in front of you, but I think I look pretty good in this dress,” she said to Aisha, satisfied with the overall outcome.

“Of course you do. I picked that dress for you,” Aisha said in a pure manner of candour. “Listen, darling. You don’t get much chance to wear anything like this other than drab, old uniforms. That’s why you should really take tonight seriously. Enjoy the night, hog the limelight, girl.” Aisha had been planning bosting moments for Jade and Gerome. She thought this would be a perfect opportune to impress Mr. Icy Cool and thaw his ice-bound heart. It was very sweet of her. She really wanted to patch Jade and Gerome up. Jade smiled at the thought of it.

“Be confident, and look into his eyes while you talk okay?” Aisha reminded while putting on her lipstick. She was wearing a chic silver empire waist dress, and a pair of shiny silver platform heels. What a desirable lissome body she has, Jade admired. “Let’s go babe.” She smacked her lips.

Please remove all hand jewelry for hand scanning was written on the sign. Jade wasn’t wearing any hand accessories, so she positioned her hand at a close distance (not touching) at the identity detector for scanning. Welcome, Jade Onyx appeared on the screen, showing that she could proceed to the next security scanner. All the attendants had to place their hand (at least two inches away) from the oval screen for a quick scan at the main door before entering the hall. It was a registration process.

“Thank you, Miss Onyx. Have a pleasant evening,” the young security guard said.

“Thanks.” Jade collected her purse from the security scanner.

Aisha removed her ring before placing her hand on the identity detector. Welcome, Farrawahaisha Thammecarlie appeared on the screen.

“Thank you, Miss uhh… Thammm...”

“You are welcome,” Aisha cut in while the guard was still figuring out her name.

“No one can ever figure your name,” Jade said, half laughing.

“He’ll figure it out by tomorrow.” Aisha giggled as they made their way towards the hall.

Nobody can enter the hall without first noticing the new-orb (big screens) on the ceiling. Imagine what it is like to have a lot of elongated hanging circular televisions suspended from the ceiling, moving in horizontal wheel-like motion. That is how new-orb works. Dozens of new-orbs were fixed securely on the ceiling, projecting different clips of today’s SOAR games simultaneously. Jade caught a glimpse of Gerome’s beautiful face shown for like five seconds at one of the new-orbs. A wave of chilling vibration fluxed across her body suddenly. Gerome looked so handsome when he was serious, in the game. She felt in love even more with him.

“Wow, this is grand. Can’t remember the last time I attended a party this grand,” Aisha said while stepping up to the vestibule of the function hall. The hall was filled with many people already, reverberated with the hums of happy chatter and laughter. Men and women of the polite society dressed in their best for the night. The girls found it quite entertaining to feast their eyes on beautiful people. Aisha was right, there were women who overdone themselves.

“See? I told you. You look absolutely normal,” Aisha said, referring to the rather unusual looking women with huge shiny bangles, shiny necklace, and gigantic shiny earrings that looked too heavy for her wiry physique to carry. Her bright red hair glittered, and so was her odd looking silky ivory dress. Very much like a nightgown if you have to ask.

“Interesting,” Jade said, looking slightly befuddled by the rather amusing styling. More and more people were coming in, exhibiting their very own tastes of fashion. A group of young men even had their hair bleached in green and gold, presumably a tribute to the Green Sand team (Green Sand flag is in green and gold).

Jade caught a sight of her mother and father, talking with the gentlemen and ladies around their age. Marteena spotted Jade, and gave her a quick wave, seeming to be quite engaged in the conversation.

“Your mom and dad look busy,” Aisha said.

Jade shrugged with a faint smile. Rhu and Marteena were always being lionized whenever they attend parties. It was inescapable since Rhu was the leading commander of Velvet Army.

“They are expecting around a thousand guests at the party,” Aisha informed, looking around in different directions. “Do you see the guys?”

“Yo! Lovely ladies,” Lukah greeted from behind and made them jumped. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. I almost couldn’t recognise you two.”

“Luke! Wow, you look great!” Jade complimented. Lukah looked really neat, and snazzy with his tuxedo on. Born with that perfect chiselled face, he looks good even in rags. That guy is just so lucky, what a knockout. Jade was hyperaware that women from every direction were staring at them, for none other than Lukah, the real limelight of the party.

Don’t blackmail me, ladies. I’m not his girlfriend, Jade thought just for a laugh in the heart.

“Thank you! I love being in tux.” Luke smiled and winked at them. “You girls look beeeautiful too,” Lukah drawled with boozy-smelling breath. He was holding a wine glass in his hand and swirling it gently. “Actually, you girls need to wear something like this every other day. You know, something more feminine. Nobody will know how hot you look if you garb yourselves in boring uniforms every day. Especially you, doctor. Your uniform reminds me of... sick people.”

Jade couldn’t help burst out laughing. It was probably the alcohol that caused Lukah being irrationally sarcastic. But yes, to be honest, Aisha’s uniform does remind her of sick people.

“You know, Luke. What a shame, I do have some swell looking colleagues that I thought you might be interested in. But it seems to me that you don’t like doctors. What. A. Shame.” Aisha looked galled, but not in a serious way. They were used to Lukah’s giddy attitude. Lukah simply tuned out her comment with a vacuous smile, half-soused.

At this time Gerome and Judah were walking towards them across the hall. “Remember what I said,” Aisha whispered with a warning tone to Jade, which made Jade feel even more nervous. Pessimistic voices slinked into her mind. She began to feel intimidated by her appearance that she wasn’t used to. Jade could tell her ears were hot already while her heart raced wildly, thanks to the dynamic nervous system.

“Hey, congratulations guys! You guys were awesome at the game,” Aisha greeted with a bright smile.

“Thanks. You girls look waaaay gorgeous,” Judah said, and proffered a glass of wine to Aisha.

“Thanks, Jude. I really like you in suits,” Aisha said, as she took the glass of wine from Judah.

“Here,” Gerome handed a glass of wine over to Jade too.

“Thanks,” Jade said with a tiny voice, trying to hide her deep, jagged breathing. She wouldn’t want Gerome to notice her excitement within.

Whoa, he looks gorgeous tonight. Jade screamed frantically in her bubbling heart while taking a careful sip from the glass, trying to keep her composure as calm as possible. Somehow in those fractions of seconds she managed to secretly imagine her wedding day, with Gerome in that suit. It was so nice to see him in that sleek tuxedo. Aisha was right, you don’t get many chances to wear black tie apart from your uniforms.

“Err… where’s Aamali and Xara? I really want to see them. Come on,” Aisha put her glass down on the table nearby, and fastened her hands on Lukah and Judah’s elbows, leading the boys away from Jade and Gerome on purpose.

Jade and Gerome were left standing by the glass window, holding wine glasses in their hands respectively. The band was playing an old romantic song along with the sounds of clattering glasses and talking people. The moment was lovely and awkward. Both were waiting for one another to start the conversation.

“Y… you look wonderful,” Gerome finally uttered some words, bashfully. It must be harder for him to broach a compliment to Jade than playing SOAR. Jade was at her extreme degree of shyness. Gerome was unusually good looking tonight. It felt like his eyes were talking to her even though he was just looking at her.

“Thanks, you too.” She flashed a winsome smile.

Then what?

Clink his glass? Say something? Or just smile dumbly.

As more and more people mingled into the hall, the density of the room and noise level escalated. The music sank within the sea of noise, leaving a portion of its rhythm to be heard. The moment was quickly interrupted by a welcome speech by the mayor, and people began trickling into the hall in order to get closer to the stage. The four fabulous SOAR players of Green Sand were called to the stage for special pendants awarded by the president of the SOAR Club. Jade clapped along with the people and hadn’t notice that Aisha had mingled her way to her side.

“Jade, how did it go?” Aisha asked, leaning her head real close to Jade’s ear.

“Oh… nothing exciting, really. We didn’t get much chance to talk,” Jade said with a despairing look.

“Don’t worry, we still have ample time later,” Aisha said, full of hope.