Jonea spoke to Marlyn on the phone.
"You don't want to come to the winter festival?" Marlyn spoke as loud music sounded behind her.
"I don't know," said Jonea. "I don't really like crowds. I'd rather stay home and read a book under the covers or continue a pending painting."
"Oh, come on, Jonea! You should have some fun before you go back to that prison-like school. Right?"
Jonea looked lazy. She was only wearing a sweater and sweatpants while sprawled on the bed. Her head fell to the floor, her feet still on the bed. She looked at her room upside down.
"I just got tickets to an indie music concert downtown." Marlyn sounded very enthusiastic. "My crush became one of the band's guitar players. Come on, accompany me to come there."
Jonea thought for a moment. In the end, she couldn't refuse Marlyn's request.
"All right," said Jonea. "Incidentally, for the next two days, the restaurant is closed. My parents are going to the country to see Miller."
Marlyn was screaming with joy into the phone. Jonea had to move the phone away from her ear.
"I'll pick you up this afternoon. Okay?"
"No need, Marilyn. You'd go too far if you had to pick me up first. We'll meet in the town square at 8:00 pm."
Jonea turned off the phone and put it on the bed. Her cell phone battery was dying, but she didn't want to get out of bed.
The sound of the phone battery being almost empty kept bothering her. Finally, Jonea fell on the bed to find her cell phone again. She has yet to have time to read five incoming messages. Jonea pressed the message symbol.
"Unknown number? Who is it?" grunted Jonea.
She casually opened one of the incoming messages.
'Why do you keep ignoring my messages, Jonea? I'll be waiting tonight at the amusement park at 08.00 pm. Come on time! I prefer to do it now! Hunter–'
When reading Hunter's name in the closing part of the message, Jonea fell head first on the floor. Her cell phone was thrown to the floor and died instantly.
"What the hell is he? Where did he get my cell number? This sucks. Why should I go to the amusement park and meet him? Crazy!" she shouted.
The girl massaged her throbbing head from hitting the floor. Just as she was about to pick up her cell phone to charge it, she heard someone ringing the house's doorbell.
Jonea failed to take her cell phone and rushed downstairs.
"Well! Wait a minute," Jonea said as she walked down the stairs. "Who is visiting at this hour?"
Jonea opened the door without tidying up her appearance. She really looks as if it is even almost messy.
"Yes? Who?" Jonea pulled open the door partially.
She saw a beautiful woman with dark glasses standing in front of her house. Jonea suddenly gripped the doorknob very tightly and held back the anger in the back of her throat.
"Jonea?" said the woman while taking off her sunglasses. She reached out to Jonea, who was still firmly holding the door.
"I haven't had the chance to formally meet you. My name is Safira Ralf," said the woman.
Jonea stared at Safira's dangling hands. The hands are very slender and well-maintained.
Jonea really didn't want to return the handshake. But she knew how it felt to be ignored. With a soft heart, Jonea accepted Safira's greeting even though she was very annoyed.
"Jonea Fallon," Jonea replied coldly. "How did you get to my house? What business do you have in coming here?"
Safira smiled and looked very sincere. However, Jonea needs to trust the children of rich people like Safira, Ashley, and so on.
"Actually, I came to your restaurant. However, the restaurant was closed. One of the shopkeepers next to the restaurant told me you live not far from there."
Jonea let out a rough breath. "So, what do you need to come looking for me?"
"Just wanted to chat a minute. Can we go out for a cup of coffee? I will treat you. I think there's a cafe down there that looks interesting."
Jonea didn't hesitate to accept Safira's offer. There were also many things that Jonea wanted to confirm with the girl, especially about her relationship with Aland.
"All right," said Jonea. "Give me a few minutes to get changed."
Half an hour later, they were sitting in a cafe with a warm shabby feel. Outside, winter was chilling. Jonea wore a coat over her thick sweater and a hat covering her hair. The girl looks tomboyish and very different from Safira.
"Jonea," Safira started the conversation while stirring the coffee in her cup. "If I may say, you look very cool!"
"You insult me?" Jonea replied defensively. "Let's just say frankly that my appearance looks tacky and embarrassing. Wasn't that what Ashley said at your birthday party the other night?"
"No, really! If you were a man, you would look handsome. I definitely want to date you. Because you're a girl, there are actually lots of young men who will fall in love with you. You need a little change in your appearance. Then, you will look absolutely perfect."
Jonea didn't touch the americano at all on her table. She sat back in annoyance and folded her arms across her chest.
"Are you now a fashion observer? Just tell me directly what is your purpose in coming here?"
Safira started to get serious. She intertwined the fingers of both hands. "Actually, I came here to apologize to you."
Jonea was shocked by Safira's statement.
"I invited you to my birthday party. But I should have served you properly. I even failed to discipline Ashley for you to be humiliated like that. I sincerely apologize for that."
Jonea softened a little. "You don't need to apologize to me. Because Ashley should be the one apologizing. You didn't do anything to me." Jonea said softly.
"It turns out that what Aland said was true. You are a warm and kind girl."
Jonea's somber facelifted. She looked at Safira seriously.
"What did Aland tell you about me? This is a little weird. No man will ever talk about another girl in front of his girlfriend."
Safira laughed loudly.
"What is so funny?" she asked.
"Do I look like Aland's lover in your eyes?" Then, Safira fell silent and looked at Jonea lovingly.
"If you're not his girlfriend, then what? Aland even kept your photo, especially in his bedroom drawer." Jonea spontaneously expressed her feelings because of jealousy.
Jonea immediately covered her mouth. She was speechless. She shouldn't have revealed her secret to anyone else.
Safira looked surprised but then smiled knowingly. "So you guys have slept together? It was an unexpected advance."
Jonea raised her hand and shook her head. "No! Not like that. We didn't do anything. I did stay two days in his apartment. But, it was not on purpose." Jonea was very nervous and panicked.
She didn't want to tarnish Aland's good name. Moreover, to ruin Aland's love affair with Safira. According to Jonea, the girl before her wasn't too bad.
"No wonder Aland looks different these days. There really was something going on. I didn't expect it to be because of you."
"Really! I have nothing to do with Aland!" retorted Jonea.
Safira held her cup with both hands and felt the cup's warmth radiate to her palms. Then she took a long sip of her coffee.
"Besides apologizing to you, I came here and also wanted to ask for your help." Safira smiled tiredly.
"My help?"
Safira nodded. "Please stop Aland right now. He was planning to leave Blue Sapphire and come with me to Auckland. I don't want that to happen. Because I know Aland's life and future are here."
Suddenly Jonea straightened up and pushed back her chair until there was a loud creaking sound. "Aland is going?"