Broken Storm Part One Page 2

  ‘Keiko, how was work last night?’ Jenny padded into the kitchen, yawning as she spread her arms wide. She was wearing a large white shirt. It was not hers; it belonged to the guy on the coach.

  Keiko spooned her cereal into her mouth, pulling the paper towards her.

  She was trying to ignore Jenny. It wouldn’t work.

  Jenny walked up and flopped into the chair opposite Keiko, she rested her slender legs on the table, her calves defined with long lines as she bounced her toes up and down. ‘Complete disaster then?’

  Keiko winced.

  ‘You didn’t get fired, right?’

  She shook her head. ‘It wasn’t fun though.’

  Jenny gave her a commiserating smile. ‘Sounds like you need a distraction.’ She yanked her legs from the table as she leaned forward, her shirt bunching up over her arms. ‘James and I are going to this mucho exclusive party tonight, why don’t you come?’

  Keiko frowned, placing her spoon down neatly. ‘If it is mucho exclusive, how am I going to get in?’

  Jenny fobbed a hand at her. ‘James knows the guys working the door. Said he could get me and a friend in easy. And considering you did fill in for me last night, I owe you.’

  Keiko went back to eating her cereal.

  Jenny leaned forward and grabbed the bowl from her, little trails of milk spilling over the cheap plywood of the table.

  ‘Hey,’ Keiko protested.

  ‘I know you hate parties. But why don’t you give this one a go?’ Jenny softened her tone. ‘Come on, Keiko, it’ll be a total hoot. Can you imagine rubbing shoulders with the city’s high and mighty? It could give you tons of ideas for Journalism class. What do you say?’

  Keiko wanted to say that she hated parties, and that she would leave it at that.

  But maybe she did need a distraction.

  Maybe she also needed to get out there. She just went to class and worked. That was the sum total of her life. No boyfriend, no ambition, nothing.

  Maybe Jenny could see Keiko’s interest, however small, and she latched onto it.

  ‘You can wear that knew bra,’ she winked. ‘I’ve got just the skirt and heels. You’ll look great. Come on. Plus, when else are you going to get to try French Champagne and Italian truffles? You always love to cook, and you’re always going on about flavors. But let’s face it, unless you land a rich boyfriend, you’ll be shopping for cans of soup for the rest of your life. I hear they’ve got this cordon bleu chef, fresh from Paris. Come on.’

  Keiko sunk her teeth into her lip and she stared over at her roommate. Jenny had a very encouraging smile on her face, and the more Keiko looked at it the wider it became.

  ‘Fine,’ Keiko managed.

  ‘Brilliant,’ Jenny tugged her bare legs off the table and walked off into the other room without a word, leaving Keiko to think over what she had just done.

  It would, no doubt, be a big fat mistake. Keiko and parties did not mix. It was a recipe for cruel and total embarrassment, and considering what had happened last night, Keiko really didn’t need any more of that.

  Chapter 4

  This was going to be a mistake, Keiko was sure of it. But she couldn’t back out now. Because not only was she wearing her new lacy knickers, but Jenny had an arm clutched firmly around Keiko’s elbow and she was pulling her towards the front doors.

  James was by their side, and he nodded at the two powerful-looking bouncers, who grinned back and chatted briefly about the latest football results.

  ‘This is going to be brilliant,’ Jenny said in an excited whisper, locking her arm even tighter around Keiko’s elbow.

  It was going to be something, but Keiko really doubted it would be brilliant. Embarrassing, most definitely, a waste of time, probably, and no doubt something Keiko would ultimately regret.

  Jenny tugged her all the way into the party, not letting go of her once. ‘All the city’s elite are going to be here.’

  Which meant that there was going to be a fantastic audience for Keiko to stuff up in front of.

  Despite how awkward she felt, at least there was one thing she could enjoy. The building was a large one, and it had a great bank of windows that looked out onto the street. It was opposite the park, and Alice could see the clean and neat row of trees that lined up along the outer wall. Right now they were buffeting around in the wind. It was picking up stronger and stronger, and she could hear it roaring around outside. As she watched the leaves in the tops of the trees pulling around in the gale, it calmed her.

  The wind always did that. As it rushed on by it almost felt like it took all of her worries and hangups with it.

  Jenny did not hesitate at getting herself and James some champagne, and she even grabbed a red wine for Keiko, despite the fact she hardly drank.

  All Keiko wanted to do was find a corner, preferably close to those incredible windows, and let herself be taken away by the view of the wind rushing through the city street outside.

  She did not get her wish. Jenny, with James at her side, proceeded to chat up every single guest that crossed their path.

  For someone as intensely shy as Keiko, it was excruciating, and if it hadn’t been for the wind, no doubt she would have mumbled her apologies and run-off to the bathroom to hide.

  For the most of it, Keiko kept quiet though, sipping occasionally at her wine and grabbing at the fancy canapés whenever they wafted past.

  And she did enjoy them. Jenny had been right about that. Keiko loved her food. Flavours, quality ingredients, just exactly the kinds of things she couldn’t afford. In fact, it was when she walked off to get a truffle-oil-infused goat-cheese soufflé that she came back to see Jenny and James hanging around a new guest.

  A man. In an incredible suit, a suit that matched him perfectly.

  Because he was handsome. The kind of handsome you didn’t get in the real world. A powerful jaw, sharp, incredible eyes, and cheekbones to die for. He was tall and broad, though his muscles were in proportion, making him look strong and capable, but nowhere near like a steroid-stuffed bodybuilder.

  He barely acknowledged her as she walked over to them, glancing her way, maybe offering an affable smile, but then getting back to standing there, one hand clutching his wine, the other stuffed in his pocket. He looked bored, thoroughly bored.

  Keiko found herself scratching at her arms distractedly, playing with the long straps of her purse, making sure she didn’t spend too much time staring at the guy.

  ‘Keiko, introduce yourself, don’t just stand there, socialize,’ Jenny said, her words slurring together slightly. She had already consumed several champagnes, after all. And even though the girl could handle her alcohol, there was a limit.

  ‘I,’ Keiko began. But then she stopped. The guy really didn’t look like he cared.

  ‘Come on, say something interesting about yourself,’ Jenny tried.

  Keiko’s cheeks naturally became redder. Her hand clutched a little tighter around her purse straps too. She looked down at her feet, then slowly up at the guy beside her.

  Though he flicked his gaze her way, that was it.

  He really looked like he preferred to be anywhere but here. It was a sentiment she could understand.

  ‘Come on, Keiko,’ Jenny tried again.

  Knowing Jenny, she was just going to keep on pushing and pushing.

  ‘There’s nothing interesting about me,’ Keiko managed in a small voice.

  ‘Hold on, there is something interesting about you, isn’t there? Didn’t you tell me you died or something?’ Jenny, standing a bit too close, the scent of alcohol strong on her breath, nodded at Keiko.

  Keiko’s skin paled, her hands clutching tighter over her purse.

  Yes. Yes she had.

  But this was not the kind of thing you talked about at parties, right? With a wine in your hand, a soufflé in the other, you didn’t turn to the incredibly attractive man you had just met and start off with the story of how you had stopped breathing as a child.

&nbs
p; But the two men turned towards her. James had a crumpled, questioning look on his face; the other man looked unmoved.

  ‘Go on, Keiko, tell them how,’ Jenny encouraged, gesturing at her with her half-finished wine.

  God Keiko hated it when this happened. She writhed whenever she was put on the spot. Especially when there were men involved.

  Feeling her cheeks spike with heat, Keiko swiped at her skin with the sleeve of her jacket.

  ‘It was back in Japan, right?’ Jenny’s voice was slow, pointed, and leading.

  It was clear she was not going to let up.

  ‘Ah, yeah,’ Keiko managed. Her voice shook badly. It sounded like a wind shaking through her throat. She let her purse drop on its strap. Taking a sharp breath, clutching her free hand tight over a bunch of her skirt, she let her gaze dart over James and the other man.

  James’ interest was starting to waver, and he gave Jenny a curled grin.

  The other guy was still looking her way. He did not look interested though. Polite, yes, but it was clear he didn’t care if she spoke, stammered, of popped.

  ‘It was during a storm, right?’ Jenny, taking a swig of her drink, actually patted Keiko on the back, pushing her forward slightly.

  Stumbling, tucking her hair nervously behind her ear, Keiko knew she had to say something.

  That’s what you did at parties, right? But why did it have to be this story...?

  The wind rattled through the street outside. There was a sudden gust as it turned over a trashcan, the metallic clang of it reverberating above the sound of the music.

  ‘I was a little girl. It was in Japan. I was staying with my grandmother. There was a storm. I ran away from home for some reason, I can’t really remember why,’ with her eyes turned to the ground, Keiko spoke in a staccato, breathy fashion. She just wanted to get this over. ‘There was this old shrine in the forest nearby.’ Keiko swallowed uneasily.

  The wind picked up outside.

  ‘I ah... I went to the shrine. It was mostly crumbled down. But there was this old statue. Anyhow,’ Keiko clutched at her wine glass harder now, her fingers slicking with sweat. Her heart was loud, reverberating in her ears. And if she bit down on her teeth long enough, her jaw shook from it.

  She didn’t like this story.

  It always unsettled her.

  Who cared if it was the one interesting thing that had ever happened to Keiko Teshi.

  ‘And,’ Jenny encouraged.

  ‘I died,’ Keiko blinked hard. ‘I mean, I slipped down into the shrine in the rain,’ she scratched at her cheek.

  ‘Come on, that’s not the coolest bit. Tell them about the statue.’ Jenny gestured again with her wine. She was not usually this crass. Outgoing and vibrant, yes, but the alcohol had obviously gone to her head.

  ‘Yeah. Um, I slipped down into the shrine. And, ah, there was a strike of lightning. It got the statue. It exploded. I ah, I got covered by the rubble. My grandmother heard it, rushed up from the house. Found me, resuscitated me and... yeah. I guess that’s the most interesting thing that has ever happened to me,’ she added under her breath.

  James, brow crumpled, nose crinkling up in amusement, looked quickly at Jenny. ‘Yeah right.’

  ‘Show him the scars,’ Jenny arched an eyebrow and nodded at Keiko.

  The scars.

  Keiko, hand trembling slightly, shifted her hair back.

  There was a large scar that ran the length from her ear down to the base of her skull.

  ‘Wow, okay, that does look pretty nasty,’ James shrugged towards her with his beer.

  ‘See, told you,’ Jenny smiled at him.

  Wow.... This was awkward. Keiko thought as she rubbed at her arm. At least Jenny hadn’t forced her to reveal the other scars though.

  One ran up her side and she would have had to pull up her top to get access to it. The other travelled down her back.

  ‘Who’s shrine was it?’

  Keiko looked up. The man, the rich one, the handsome one, the one who’s name she still didn’t know, was talking to her.

  He hadn’t looked interested before. Now his eyes flickered with something.

  ‘Ah, it was a family shrine,’ Keiko felt her cheeks begin to flush.

  ‘No, who was the shrine dedicated to? What spirit did it worship?’ he clarified. His voice was strong and curt.

  It made Keiko blush even harder. She was being an idiot again, wasn’t she?

  ‘Ah... Aiko, just some random wind spirit,’ Keiko shrugged her shoulders, rubbing at her arm even harder.

  Then she glanced up to see the look in the man’s eyes.

  It stilled her.

  ‘Where is your family’s property? Do they still own it? Is the remnant of the shrine still there?’ For a man who had hardly said a word to her before, he now bombarded her with questions.

  ‘I,’ she began.

  She never got to finish her sentence.

  One of the models that had been floating elegantly around the party sashayed over. She was wearing a fire-truck red dress, and as soon as she reached the man, she locked her arm around his.

  It took his attention for a second. A single second. Then he snapped his gaze back at Keiko.

  There was an intense edge to it, one that made her blush further.

  ‘Victor said you would be here,’ the model purred. ‘Is the great Chase Harlow ready to negotiate?’

  Chase Harlow. That had to be his name.

  Keiko frowned. Her lips crinkling over her teeth as her chin dimpled.

  She knew that name. Wasn’t Harlow that enormous conglomerate? They owned the building last night’s party had been in. And this guy had been there. If his name really was Chase Harlow, then... Christ, did that mean he was the Mr Harlow? Son of the recently-deceased head of the company?

  Keiko turned pink. She matched the color of her blouse perfectly.

  ‘Does your family still own the shrine site?’ Chase repeated his question, that same look in his eyes.

  The model tugged on his arm harder, not caring that she pulled his elbow right into her bust. ‘Chekov will only be here for tonight, Mr Harlow.’

  ‘I’ll be right over, I just need to sort this out,’ he said in a clear voice, but his attention did not seem to be fixed on the model; he was only half turned her way as his eyes locked on Keiko.

  For a girl usually as embarrassed and timid as she was, Keiko was finding this attention a little too much to bear. Just why was this man so interested in her?

  ‘Chekov does not like to be kept waiting,’ the model purred, though there was a harder edge to her words now, her smile plucking up to reveal her teeth.

  ‘Fine,’ Chase said through a frustrated sigh.

  Then he turned back to Keiko.

  The look in his eyes was... something else. Pulling open his jacket and grabbing something from his pocket, he handed Keiko a business card in a quick, flick of the move. ‘I’m a collector, and I have a personal interest in,’ he took an awkward, quick swallow that didn’t match his usual demeanor, ‘that goddess. Please give me a call.’

  And with that he let the model tug on his shoulder until she pulled him away into the crowd.

  James gave an awkward snigger. ‘What was that?’

  Jenny walked, or at least stumbled, over to Keiko and planted a hand on her shoulder, giving her a little shake. ‘That was Keiko getting the attention of the richest man in the city,’ Jenny said excitedly, her breath laced with the scent of alcohol.

  As Keiko held the card, she stared down at the clean, neat, gold lettering. Her fingers shook, just a little, then she quickly crammed the card into her purse.

  Why did this kind of thing always happen to her? Strange things, odd things, embarrassing things.

  Because Jenny and James were chuckling now, laughing at how weird Chase Harlow had gone around her.

  Great.

  It wasn’t long after that the Keiko excused herself from the party. Despite the growing wind outside, she walked ou
t onto the street, not even bothering to huddle into her jacket. She let the gale tug and pull at her, chasing away whatever embarrassment still lingered hot against her cheeks.

  Chapter 5

  The rain drenched her, trailing down her hair and dripping down the back of her collar.

  She did not bother huddling against it; let it rain for all she cared.

  The cool of it took the remaining heat out of her cheeks.

  Her heels slapping through the puddles, her hands in her pockets, Keiko walked with her eyes locked on the ground.

  That had been truly embarrassing.

  Again.

  She brought up a hand and wiped the water pooling along her nose. She let her fingers press over her eyes as she shook her head.

  She was going to walk all the way home, dump her wet clothes in the shower, and have a bath. A long one. One where she would stare at the mirror above the sink and confess her sins, inadequacies, and faults.

  There was a clap of thunder from above, and it rolled down the street, shaking the glass of the tall buildings around her.

  Keiko didn’t flinch.

  A gust of wind, hard and fast, rushed towards her. It howled, plastering her skirt against her legs, sending more water dripping form her hair down her back.

  She didn’t huddle against it.

  Men might frighten her, parties might give her hives, but the weather could not.

  In a way, she liked it. The rain and wind and lightning. She felt at home. She could have taken the subway or called a taxi, but walking through the elements was exactly what she needed.

  Keiko looked up, getting ready to cross the street.

  She saw a low, sleek, silver car turn down the road. It’s headlights, dipped low, flashed through the puddles, the red blink of its indicator reflecting off the wet glass of the building beside her.

  She thought nothing of it, until it pulled up just beside her.

  She walked past.

  The door opened.

  Someone called her name.

  It was lost on the wind.

  At that moment a shot of it raced through the street. It caught her skirt and hair and whipped them around her like a fan. Marilyn Munroe eat your heart out, at that moment Keiko felt like she was stuck in a tornado.