Chapter Eight: Jahmar

Lucian stood just outside the cubicle in the ladies' room, waiting for Elize.  Soon the ladies' room opened and a woman aged 50 and over entered. She looks kind because of her angelic face. But Lucian noticed that, unlike her beautiful face, the woman's behaviour was bad, it was so obvious in her actions that she was just pretending to be kind. Lucian shook his head.

There was a slight shock to the woman's face when Elize came out of the cubicle. The woman raised her eyebrow and look Elize from head to toe. As if she was mocking Elize. But Elize noticed the way Veronica was looking at her, she walked up to the sink where the woman was.

"7,208 bucks..." said the woman.

Elize looked at the woman but did not speak. She just kept staring at her dress and even stroking her curvy as the woman looking at what she was doing.

"350,000 pesos is the value of the wine my husband has just given you." The woman said she looked at Elize head to toe. “Which doesn't suit you.”

The woman raised an eyebrow noticing Elize smiling.

"Mr Elizalde shouldn't have done that," Said Elize. "My fiance has already ordered Screaming Eagle Cabernet 1992."

The woman's eyebrow raised but Elize continued.

“Have you tasted the most expensive wine of Screaming Eagle? That’s our favourite when we travelled, it’s just worth 500 bucks, would you like me to convert it into peso? Just kidding! My fiancé gives me the best of my clothes, jewellery, car, food, everything I want, even with... "Elize brought her face slightly closer to the woman's then whispered. The woman's face is shocked and she opened her mouth. "That's how we love each other, screaming is the thing we love the most..” said Elize meaningfully while she giggles and bites her lower lip.

The woman did not speak just staring at Elize who was fixing her hair. The woman seems envious.

“What about you, Miss Veronica, do you still have intimacy with  Mr Arturo?” asked Elize

The woman did not reply, instead, she looks away from Elize and stares into the mirror.

“Did I say something that wasn't right? You seemed annoyed and envious.” Elize added

The lady seems to be getting mad at Elize.

“I haven’t introduced myself, ” Elize said smiling.  "I'm Ariana Ledesma."

Elize held out her hand to the woman, she was looking at Elize's hand.

"My hands are clean,"  Said Elize

The woman accepted Elize's handshake.

“Erik was right, you seem young all the time. He said you're a beauty, but not as beautiful, young and fresh as me.” Elize giggled. "Anyway, I'll be the first one out. Nice to meet you, Miss Veronica. ”  Smiling Elize said then walked out of the ladies' room.

Lucian followed Elize. ‘You're an excellent liar. Everything you said to your woman sounds believable.’

There are two bodyguards outside the ladies' room. Elize saw that the East was seated at Arturo Elizalde's table and that they spoke with joy. Elize nodded to East a bit and Lucian noticed it. Lucian frowned. East stood up.

“Sorry, hon, I've kept you waiting.  We met Miss Veronica at the ladies' room and we were chatting. ” Elize said holding East's shoulder

East hand is wrapped around Elize's waist. Lucian's got eyes on East and Elize. If they both seem sweet to each other, you'll think they are in a relationship.

'They are great pretenders and a liar.’ Lucian thought

“Let me introduce  Mr Arturo Elizalde. He's the famous A. Elizade.” East said. “Sir, this is my gorgeous fiancée Ariana Ledesma. ” East introduces Elize

"Pleasure to meet you, Ariana," said Arturo.

Elize thought Arturo had just shaken her hand, but he approached her and embraced her, then whispered in her ear.

"You look so beautiful, Ariana." Whispered Arturo.

Elize smiled while Arturo distanced himself from her.  Veronica came towards the table.

“Your fiance, Erik, is very beautiful. My advice to you is, when you get married don't have kids first, appreciate and enjoy each other, first.  You know what I mean Mr Rivera. ”  Meaningfully says, Arturo. "And keep an eye on her, she might get stolen from you."

East chuckled.  "I know what you mean, Sir." East even drew Elize's body closer to his to make them look sweeter.

“Hon, we have to go?  They are waiting for us by now. ”  Elize said to East

East got a glimpse of his watch. "Yeah, we could get into traffic." East turned to Arturo. "We'll go first, Sir." East shook hands with the man again and then confronted Veronica.

East used her signature seductive smile on Veronica. “Sir, I haven't met your wife yet. Erik Rivera, Ma'am. ” East took Veronica's hand and kissed it

“Your beauty has never faded, Miss Veronica. I don't ask why you're always up at night, Sir. ”  Smiling East said

Arturo laughed. "If the woman beside me is as beautiful and sexy as Ariana, I never get to sleep.”

East laughed at what the man said. “I get what you mean, Sir, it happened to me every night. "

Veronica stared at East, Elize noticed her.

“We are leaving, Sir. Nice to meet you here. ” Said East

All three left the restaurants, with Lucian, then went directly to the car.

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

Dark was standing on the roof of a condo, beside the soul he was about to collect. The soul turned to Dark and kind of surprised.

"Dark, what are you doing here?"  Jahmar asked in shock

"You?  What made you do it?” asked Dark.

They looked at the bottom of the building where everyone was in a commotion, the ambulance had arrived and there were police.  Dark grabbed Jahmar by the shoulder and now they were at the bottom of the building. Everybody was in a hurry to get on the stretcher and put the corpse in the ambulance.  The medics passed in front of Dark and Jahmar.

“What's going on here, Dark? Did you know?”  asked Jahmar

"Jahmar Santos, cause of death: Suicidal, time of death 10:30 pm."  Said Dark

Jahmar furrowed. “I’m dead. I did it.”

"I will pick you up and deliver you."  Said Dark

"You're a Reaper?"  Jahmar asked in shock

Dark looked toward Jahmar. “Why have you done it?  Did you know that Trans has problems with the backlog and that you add yourself up? Humans are easily get attached with emotions?” Dark said with annoyance

Jahmar had no idea what he was talking about.

"Why did you do this?"  Dark asked again, calmly

"He fooled me."  Said Jahmar

“Didn't I already tell you? You still haven't listened. Haist, you are annoying, Jahmar. ”  Dark said irritated

Dark grabbed Jahmar by the shoulder and they were no longer at the bottom of the building. They are in a bar.  And in front of them is Jahmar's and a woman. They kissed as they sat at the table.

"That f****** ..." Jahmar said angrily

Jahmar was about to confront his boyfriend but Dark suddenly spoke up.

“What will you do?  Do you think you can do anything else now? ” said Dark. "You're a dead man, Jahmar."

Jahmar turned to Dark. As usual Dark's face was still serious. He turned to his boyfriend again. He spoke with someone on the phone.  Shortly, the man was stunned.

"He knows what you've done," said Dark.  "See how he reacts."

Jahmar looked in on his boyfriend. The man turned down his telephone and held it at the table.

"What's the matter, baby?" asked the woman.

“Jahmar is gone.  He took his own life,” he said.

The woman was also surprised to find out.  "When?"

"A while ago," he said.

Afterwards, the woman laughed.  "Why?"  the man asked

"We got a condo, baby!" the woman said merrily.

The man didn't know what the woman was talking about.

"Baby, have you forgotten that Jahmar's place and car are named after you?" said the woman with joy.

The delight was already visible in his face. Jahmar laughed slightly though he was tearful.

“It's a good thing I've arranged my documents last day.  I've been thinking about what you told me. ”  Said Jahmar.  "I'm stupid because I still did it. I committed suicide for someone not worth my life."

Jahmar was crying, Dark just stared at him. “What did I do? How is my family?  Mama will be sad, maybe Papa will be attacked.  What will happen to my niece? Who will pay for her therapy?”

“Didn't you think of them before you did this thing? If you think you got away from trouble, what about the people that love you? Those who accepted you despite your personality and flaws?” Dark asked

Jahmar kept on grieving. He regretted what he did, but it's late his body was broken.

"I don't know what you went through, but you've made a permanent decision. You chose what you thought would be easiest, but it wasn't. You choose the hardest one. You've just scratched the surface, and it's already much too late to look back with regret." Dark said.

“W-what is going to happen to me, Dark?” asked Jahmar

Dark touched Jahmar's shoulder again. When Jahmar blinked, they were somewhere else.  A blank area and with an iron door. They walked together until they came close to the door.

“I can’t answer your question, Jahmar,” Dark said

"When did you find out the truth, Dark?"  Jahmar asked

Jahmar and Dark are similar in height.  He belongs to their team and one of the best players. He has a muscular body because of their daily training, so nobody else knows who Jahmar is in their group except Dark. Right from the start, he knew Jahmar was a woman in the soul.

"In your opinion?"  Dark asked

Jahmar was laughing softly and still crying.

“If I only knew, Dark.  I was so taken by my feelings, by so much pain and sadness. ”  Said Jahmar

Dark checked his watch.  “Pray, Jahmar.  Don't stop praying. ”

"I feel like I'm suddenly nervous," Jahmar said. " I can't believe you're an - Dark Angel.  Thank you. ”

"You should go in now.”  Said Dark

Dark opened the door and Jahmar began to step forward.

“Dark,” Jahmar said.  Dark looked at him. "I'm glad because you're the last person I've seen before this."

Dark smirked then shook his head.

"See you again, Dark!"  said Jahmar.

Jahmar walks through the iron gate.