The only thing captivating about Crocus City in the night apart from beautiful sights and scenes were the many pubs and bars in the area.
The streets drifted with music from the guitars of roadside buskers once the local hawkers have packed up for the night. Emily held her camera tightly to herself and snuck inside a bar that looked less sleazy. Maybe she could find some inspiration for a new scoop and make some money.
Since her boyfriend Boyd was awarded a scholarship abroad, Emily had been saving up money to help with his tuition and she had work hard to make sure that her boyfriend could enjoy a comfortable life being so far away from home.
The upper levels of this bar were VIP rooms and at the center of the ground floor, a guitarist was strumming as he sang.
Emily never could drink. Two bottles of beer were her usual limit and for this reason, her superiors never asked her when it came to drinking parties in fear of the inconvenience of dealing with her.
She ordered one bottle and after a couple of swigs, she scanned the crowd to find couples swarming every corner of the establishment. She dug out her cell phone, thinking that she might call her boyfriend Boyd. But twice she tried, to no avail, just as before when she was on the plane, and she grumbled, "What is keeping him away from his phone?!"
She knew the time. It should be morning in Newley City by now. Is he busy?
She gave a hiccup and Emily upended her bottle and emptied every drop of its contents. Then she yelped at the bartender, "One more of this later! I'll be back after the bathroom!"
The bathroom was at the end of the corridor and she strode with her camera held tightly to her midriff.
The aisle was rather narrow and two persons coming from opposite directions needed to shift sideways to allow each other to pass. Emily hurriedly passed the men's room with her head down and she did not notice the door swinging open.
The door swung outwards, hitting her squarely.
Emily did not feel any pain, but she heard something cracking.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Damn it!
She peered down at once to pry off the cover of her camera lens. It really was broken! She could still hear how her chief had been urging her to take care of the camera before coming on this trip and now, she would not know how would she explain to him.
"Are you blind? Can't you see someone walking past!? How could you open a door without looking!?"
Emily went so livid and vented every shred of her rage on the person. But when she looked up to see those same beautiful eyes, she gasped with disbelief, "Why you again?!"
"It's you again!"
The two of them yelped almost simultaneously.
Emily nearly broke into curses. Why this scumbag again?!
She had only just gave him a slap across the face just a few hours ago and the encounter still frightened her. Afraid that she might do something to her, she stepped back.
"Are you doing this on purpose?!" Emily glared at him once she felt safer from a distance. "You broke my camera! You're paying me back for it and no buts!"
Simon stuck both hands in his pocket, his charming eyes peering lazily at her. "You walked and bumped into me for not looking at the way and now you're blaming me? Go ask the door for money if you want compensation!"
With that, he nonchalantly stepped away and bumped into her shoulder when he brushed past.
"..." Emily seethed so heavily when she was bumped into the wall that her chest gyrated up and down as she panted. She glared at his back, thrusting an angry finger at him< "ARGGHH! That's infuriating!"
Simon marched out of the aisle with swagger. A man came up to him and said, "I couldn't thank you enough, Dr. Chin! Your coming here all the way from Ice City for my grandmother's heart surgery saved her and for that, we really thank you!"
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