Falling all in you

Chapter 6: The Fount's Cocktail Party

At around 9:00pm, we arrived at the chic space and there was just the right amount of light, that actually made me feel so shiny and too damn good. There was a red carpet and the cocktail was on the second floor. The Fount's Cocktail Party beautifully written and placed hanging from the ceiling.

In attendance, I saw some familiar faces; editors galore toured the different sections of the complex, there were also different designers and celebrities from different professions turned up. Caviar and tater tot bites, we even passed by partygoers chatted about the week's highlights, where everyone was bopping off to next, and how they were going to get there. But it seemed like no one was in any particular rush. Everyone had their own conversations, everyone looked stunning in their best dressed.

The DJ spinning, having the time of his life in his booth and before I knew it, the Empire State of Mind song by Jay Z feat. Alicia Keys comes on. He's really giving everyone the soundtrack to match the vibe and feeling.

We saw Gigi chugging a tequila shot by the bar and we went running to her. "Gigiiiiiiii," we called out and she turned and screamed louder than both of us combined.

"Guys, you look amazing." Gigi said looking us up and down "You guys are killin'n it, Marsh with that vibrant teal dress and you," she said looking at me, "you better take someone home to get that gorgeous satin gown worth." We all laughed at that.

"What are you on about us, look at you?" I said, holding on to her hand as she moved back a little to let us fully see what she was wearing; she's looking like a total silver-screen siren in her shimmery beaded-fringe gown. "You look stunning" Marsha said raising her hands in the air hyping her up. "So damn fucking stunning." I said and we all laughed again. "Okay time to take double shots, just a warning if I disappear from time to time, I'm helping set up the girls for the show." We nodded. "Don't worry, go do your thing. We know where the bar is now." I said, raising my shot to cheers to their shots and in, it all went.

"Look, look, look there he is, with her." Gigi said, trying to use her head to navigate.

We spotted Carlos with Holly walking in and headed straight to Gigi's boss. They exchanged greetings.

"Oh wow, he looks so much bigger and tall in person." Marsha said, taking a light sip from her pina colada that she just ordered.

"Holly is a lucky gal," Gigi said sighing. "And lucky you, you've met and talked to him." She said looking at me."

"You met him? Of course you did. You're a fucking reporter ." Marsha asking and answering her own question. She grinned at me.

"Lucky? I wouldn't say that cause how we met was probably not the best way." I said turning to the bar and ordered myself another cosmopolitan.

We had a few more drinks, a few laughs, listening to wafting songs the Dj was playing. Then I excused myself to go to the bathroom.

After the bathroom, I wanted to get a breather before heading back to the girls. I had too much cosmopolitan and the heat is starting to boil up in my blood. There were too many people on the balcony so I looked for the exit door that leads to the roof. I texted the girls when I was on top that I was just getting some fresh air and they replied okay, they're just having a look at the collection being showcased.

The night looked beautiful and as I stood up there, taking in all the oxygen I need, a thought came to mind. Call Russell, and I did. His voicemail answered.... again. "Hey, I think we need to talk about what happened. We can't avoid each other forever." I hung up.

I slowly walked towards the fence, I couldn't see the view downstairs so I climbed onto the ground clearance just a bit further to see the view. Eh! Nothin special, I thought, just a lot of cars and too much light. But the view wasn't why I was doing what I was doing, I have acrophobia so I do challenge myself sometimes to gradual exposure to this fear. That's something not many people know about good old me. My heart felt like it was sinking just from the height that I was at. It really felt like I was already falling.

"You're not planning to jump off, are you ?" A voice startled me and I jumped. Someone was sitting at the other corner far end, his back against the wall. It was a bit dark but I still managed to make out the face. "Carlos," I said.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I could ask you the same thing. Attending a fashion cocktail party doesn't seem like it's in your forte."

"You don't know me." He paused. "But you're right, it's not. I like parties. The other kinds. But I'm here for a friend."

He continued "I thought they wouldn't have reporters like you here at this cocktail party,"

"Well I didn't come as a reporter tonight. I was invited ..... as a guest. And what do you mean reporters like me? Reporters that care enough to find out the truth about situations that matter?" I said, my arms now crossed over my chest.

He jumped down from where he was sitting and walked towards me, hands in pockets and I have to admit he looks dashing in what he wearing; a light pink virgin-wool suit and white T-Shirt.

He's at 3 feet of space from me. "Even if it means crossing the line sometimes huh?," he said.

I didn't respond to that comment because I understood what my job was like but it is what it is. "And were you eavesdropping earlier ?" I said

He grinned "oh Tanner, eavesdropping is by choice. I didn't have a choice. You were right here talking, my ears barely have space not to listen. Anyways, that conversation doesn't contain any information that matters to me. So consider it deleted from my memory." He narrowed his eyes.

I gazed down and just walked away from him, back to the roof fence. I hopped on and at that moment, I thought he was heading back to the party downstairs.

"Seriously, what are you trying to do?" his voice deathly quiet.

"Seriously, you're still here?" I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"Well, I don't want to be held accountable for not doing anything to save a life when I had the chance," he smiled a sphinxlike smile, making me more annoyed with his suicidal assumptions about me. "And just for the record, when I asked earlier about what were you doing here, I meant .... here... not the party. But now I know."

"Argh I'm not trying to jump off, okay. I have acrophobia." I said annoyingly.

"Ah .... an intense fear of heights and .... here you are. That makes a whole lot of sense." He muttered sardonically gazing down at the view. There's two feet space between us now. I bet he thought I was really thinking of jumping.

"I've read that the more you're exposed to such places, the more it helps you get over that fear," I said with my eyes closed and open from time to time.

"O-kay", I heard him whisper under his breath.

Argh just shut the fuck up and leave me alone, I wanted to say.

My phone rang and as I lifted up my right hand to grab it from inside my dress at the breast section, I lost balance seconds later because I was wearing heels, standing on the ground clearance of the fence, causing me to lose both my grip and balance, and fall backwards. It all fell too rushed of a moment because the next thing I knew, Carlos caught me before my body reached the ground and swept me up to his arms.

The phone was still ringing at this point. Being in his arms and my panting breathing didn't stop me from answering. It was Marsha asking where I was. "I'm coming," were the only words I was able to muttered out before I hung up.

He was giving me an irritating look. "See, you fell." Carlos shook his head and slowly settling me down.

"Thank you." I said straightening my dress.

I turned to leave but I thought it was weird that I just left him like that so I just said, "we - we should head back to the party." I muttered, breathlessly.

"After you," his gaze soften.

And we both walked back to the party quietly.