CHAPTER 16: THE DAWN OF BETTER THINGS?

Monday, 31 December 2001

He called. He really did call. I couldn't believe it. Well, he did say he would call, then again they always said that anyway. But he really, really did call. AND he asked me out.

"Are you doing anything for the countdown tonight? Do you want to go watch the fireworks?"

Oh my gawd. I was practically screaming like a teenager inside. A guy was asking me out. Okay, okay, that hasn't happened for a long, long, long time. You couldn't blame a girl for being so excited.

So, who was he?

Last night would be a good place to start...

----------------

Which dress to wear?

Hair up or hair down?

Which shoe?

Does my handbag go with my shoe? But it doesn't go with the dress!

Did I have too much makeup on?

I frantically checked myself over and over and over again in front of the mirror. I had worn a long black evening dress with a low back and had thrown on a greyish silver pashmina to complete the effect. Did I look okay? I think I must have adjusted the pashmina a hundred times, trying to make it fall across my shoulders more naturally.

Calm down, calm down, I told myself. It's only Bowie.

Yeah *right*. It's only Bowie. *Hello!* It's Booow-ie. Who was I trying to kid?

I jumped at the sound of my phone ringing.

"Hello."

"Hey, Flo. I'm downstairs. Are you ready?"

No, I wasn't! I mean, yes I was but I wasn't. Arghhh! He was early. I glanced at the clock. Oh. No, he wasn't.

"Be down in a sec," I screamed into the phone before throwing the receiver back onto its hook.

One last look into the mirror - my hair in place (I had decided to let it down) and no unsightly lipstick marks on my teeth. Okay, okay. Deep breath. Let's go.

I let out a silent whistle when I saw him. He was leaning on the side of his car, smoking a cigarette while waiting for me. And boy, did he look good. He was wearing a dark blue 4-button suit and red shirt under. Stop drooling, Flora.

He stubbed out the cigarette when he saw me approach him.

"Wow," he gasped as he looked at me - his eyes a mixture of surprise and wonderment. "You look stunning."

I felt myself blushing at his compliment. "Thanks," I murmured.

"Well, let's go then," he said as he opened the passenger door for me.

------------------------

"Oh Flora! How are you?"

"Gosh, I haven't seen you for ages!"

"Are you married? Is this your husband?"

I cringed at every single superficial question directed at me. Forcing myself to smile, I shook hands with them, gave the obligatory hugs and cries of, 'Oh my gawd! It's so nice to see you again!' Ugh. How I hated all this fakeness. It was like everybody was only there to see who had done better in terms of snaring husbands or boyfriends or how far up the corporate ladder you had climbed or how much money you were making now.

Bowie was an absolute darling though. He held on to me protectively and was extremely quick with his replies.

"Have long have you known each other?" they would ask.

And he would answer with a smile on his face as he wrapped his hand around my waist, pulling me close to him, "For a very, very long time now."

I couldn't help but feel terribly happy that night. There I was, with Bowie by my side. A rather protective, and caring Bowie too, if I may add. Which I must admit, was a bit of a surprise. Not to mention odd as well.

"Are you feeling cold?" he asked when he saw me close my hands around the cup of hot Chinese tea.

"Do you want another drink?"

"More abalone?"

"Let me walk you to the ladies."

Was it my imagination or was he more attentive than normal? I mean, sure, he was usually Mr Nice Guy and all but it felt uncomfortably weird tonight. It was like, he was truly trying to please me. Then again, maybe he was just playing the role of the date. Yeah, that was it. Stop jumping to conclusions, Flora Lee.

So anyway, there we were, congratulating the bride and groom when they came over to our table for the toast, when 'it' happened - not that I knew exactly what 'happened'.

There I was, one minute, holding up my glass in a toast and the next minute my bum had hit the floor most ungraciously and I had some large creature crashing right on top of me.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm really, really sorry."

"Flo, are you all right?" Bowie was immediately by my side.

I felt the heavy weight lift off me and a hand came into view, offering to pull me up. All I had going through my mind at the moment was how fast I could wish myself to disappear from this ballroom. Everything was going so well before this. Now, I only wanted to run away and hide from the embarrassment.

Then I noticed who the hand belonged to.

"I'm really, really sorry. Are you okay?"

If I was a cartoon character, I was sure there would have been little love hearts blinking in my eyes and spinning around my head. I felt as though I was on a cloud and twirling away in the arms of this...this...wondrous creature before me. Absolutely gorgeous. Tall (that always gets me). Dashing. And a smile that could kill you over and over again.

"Err...miss? You sure you okay?"

"Huh? Oh. Yea," I smiled shyly at him as I allowed myself to be pulled up. I vaguely remembered Bowie holding my shoulders as he helped me to my feet too.

"Why don't you watch where you're going the next time?" I heard Bowie tell him off.

"No, no. It's okay, really," I quickly said. "I'm fine."

He grinned at me and if it wasn't for strong legs on my part, I probably would have buckled over again.

"I'm Alex. And you are?"

"Flora."

I couldn't help it. I knew I was there with Bowie but my flirt mode had been turned on.

"And I'm Bowie," Bowie thrust his hand between us, interrupting our little 'moment'.

Alex joined us at our table from then on, sitting on the empty seat next to me. So, there I was, with Bowie on my left and Alex on my right. Two males fussing over and about me for the rest of the evening. I had to be dreaming.

I got to know a little more about Alex as the night wore on, but I also realised that the more I spoke to him, the more irritated and annoyed Bowie became.

"Your boyfriend doesn't seem too thrilled that I'm talking to you," Alex leaned into my ear and whispered.

My boyfriend? I raised my brows in bafflement. Oh no, he thinks Bowie's my boyfriend.

"Oh, he's not my boyfriend," I whispered back.

Alex just nodded and leaned back. I thought I had heard him say, 'that's good.'

Soon it was time to go. Before I got up though, Alex pulled me back.

"Hey, what are you doing for New Year's eve tomorrow? Want to go watch the fireworks?"

"Tomorrow? Fireworks? Watch?"

Oh great Flora. Now, you can't even string sentences together properly. How not to make a total fool out of yourself in front of guys - now that would be a course tailor-made for me.

A rather bemused grin crossed his face. "Yea. Tomorrow. Fireworks. Watch. So, do you have a number I can call you at?"

------------------

And call he did.

I was already going with the gang anyway and told him so.

"No worries. I'll call you when I get to Bintang Walk, okay?" he said.

Bowie seemed to be rather annoyed that whole night. Especially when I mentioned to the rest that Alex would be joining us as well. The others were pretty excited though.

"So, who's this Alex guy, huh?" Jess asked anxiously as she nudged me.

Bowie frowned and I heard him mutter under breath, "Nobody worth knowing."

I stole a quick glance at Bowie. He had been behaving rather oddly since last night. But I shrugged it off as my imagination again and didn't think about it any further.

----------------

Thank goodness for mobile phones or I never would have found Alex in the massive crowd of people. Talk about lots! I had never seen so many people congregated around one small miserable place. Never knew there were so many of us beings in Kuala Lumpur.

Anyway, we finally managed to fight our way through the sea of people - like two star-crossed lovers finally meeting after having gone through tremendous obstacles (okay, maybe not as dramatic as that then.)

"Phew! Hi there," Alex grinned when he saw me.

After the usual round of introductions, we went in search of a 'good' spot to park ourselves.

Jess kept nudging me and making eye signals. Gosh, didn't she know how to be subtle about things? As for Bowie, he was in a total state of moodiness. What was wrong with the guy? Louis and Jules were, of course, their normal selves. Actually no. I realised that Louis was constantly by Jess' side now. I nudged Jess and gave her the eye too. She frowned in confusion. And Jules, well, Jules was being Jules and surveying the area as usual.

It wasn't long before the whole street erupted in madness. The sky above became a kaleidoscope of colours. Bits of out of tune 'Auld Lang Synes' could be heard here and there.

"Happy New Year, Flora," I heard Alex shout into my ear and subsequently pull me into his arms in a hug.

"Hey, Flo! Happy New Year!" Jess and Louis yelled. As for Jules, he was nowhere to be seen. Probably hugging some stranger girl at the moment.

Then I felt a tap on my back and Alex's arm slipped from my shoulder. I turned around.

"Happy New Year, Flo."

Bowie leaned towards me and to my surprise, gave me a peck on the cheek. And I felt Alex's arm move across my shoulder's again as if pulling me away from Bowie.

Bowie looked past behind me at where Alex was standing and I swear I thought I saw his eyes narrow in annoyance.

Oh boy. I think I knew what was going on now.

Bowie was acting the way he was because of Alex.

Oh dear.

It couldn't be what I thought it was, could it?