Freneza Vivo - 2.3

"Where's Ava?" ask Ryan to his manager, Mr. Louis.

"Ma'am in the VIP room with a special guest. You want me call her, Sir?" ask Mr. Louis.

"Oh no. It's okay. I will go there..." told Ryan.

"Mr. Louis, he is looking for his friend..."
"Sir..." greet the sales girl when see Ryan at there. Ryan just smile back.

"Steve!" greet Ryan when saw the man behind the sales girl.

"It's okay, his my friend. You can go back to your work..." told Ryan.

"Sorry, i'm a bit late. Have something to handle it before come here"
"Let's go now. Ava already meet him. They at VIP room right now" told Ryan.

Ryan goes with Steve to the VIP room.
When he comes in, he stands when looking at the situation is tense in the room.

"What already happen in here, guys?" ask Ryan weird when look Ava and Zoe stiff, gazing at a man in front of them.

Ava and Zoe look to Ryan with full of surprised.
They seem uncomfortable and feel awry.

"Ken, what happen?" ask Steve.

"Ava, Ryan... "
"Can you give me a few minutes? Leave me with this guy..." Zoe ask them calmly.

Ava try to say something but Zoe look to her with a full of hope.
She really hoped Ava understand her situation.

"Please..." said Zoe gloomy when see Ava still don't want leave them.

Ryan seemed to understand what was going on.
He pulled Ava hand and take her out.
Steve also followed them when get sign from Ken.

"Ryan...!" shout Ava mad when they already out of that room.

"What!" He gazed at Ava. Tense.

He had to do that to make sure Ava calm down.
He did not mean to be angry at Ava.
But he knows the Ava's behavior that is sometimes out of control.

"Ryan... i'm so sorry. I also don't know what happen just now" told Steve.

Ryan like to say something but stop when see Jenny come with someone.

"Why you let him alone?" Steve mad.

"Sorry sir, Mr. Ken ask me to drop him first. I park the car quickly and come here but i don't see Mr. Ken in here. When i ask, they also don't know where he is..." explain that guy.

"Steve relax, i'm sorry too. Is not his fault and not your fault too, i think is a personal problem. And i'm sorry again if  maybe we cannot cooperate for this time" said Ryan honestly.

Steve look surprised and see Ryan face then Ava  for confirmation.

"But why?" ask Steve. Shocked with Ryan decision.

Ava release her sigh.

"Jenny, please be make sure nobody use VIP room right now"
"And you can go back at your place" said Ava make a order.

When Jenny walk out Ava look to Ryan.

"Ryan, i'll think we must talk.. And Steve can you please bring Jack back now" ask Ava.

"Not right now. Let them settle they problem first" told Ryan.

"But, who's Jack?" ask Steve weird and look to Ryan.

"Ken real's name..." said Ryan and sigh.

"You already know him?" ask Steve still not understand what just be happen right now.

"Yes, and i don't know why his here!" said Ava serious and look to Ryan. Resentful.

"Looks, i don't know this can be happen"
"At a first meeting, coincidentally he told about Zoe's novel and told me he is her fan"
"So, today on purpose i ask Zoe come to meet him. As her fan's"
"It's just for good intentions"
"And i don't know that Ken is Jack..." explain Ryan.

"I really don't understand anything right now..."
"What exactly is happening?"
"And Ryan, do you know we already make a deal?"
"You can not cancel it as you please?" told Steve.

***

"Zoe..." call Jack slowly.

"Ken, ah?" Zoe said with her smirk. She lift her head.

"Have so many name in this world, why you use that name? Ken...?" ask Zoe.

"Because that name remind's me of you..." said Jack slowly without facing Zoe face. 

He don't have strength to facing Zoe right now.

 Zoe just laughs when hear that, while nod her head.

"For what? For what is it all?"

"When you decide to leave me just like that, is mean you want to forget me..."

"Not to remind's of me..."said Zoe with sarcasm

"That's all worthless..."said Zoe again.

"Zoe..."

"I'm sorry, so sorry for what i'll already did" told Jack. 

"Is not what i wanna hear right now, Jack"
"Your apology is not worth it..."
"It can't change anything..." sigh Zoe then she look back to Jack.

Jack stooped stiffly.
He was stunned with Zoe word.

"Why you come back? Why after more than ten years? Why now?" ask Zoe decisive.

Jack speechless. What should he told? what reason that he had?

He slowly sees Zoe. From head to toe.
Everything does not seem like the old one.
Zoe is in front of him now, not Zoe he has ever known.
This Zoe very different from the girl she met last time.
Spoiled, cheerful girl with a smile and easy to crying.
The girl in front of him have a very strict personalities.
Her tone is firm, her style, her eyes' gaze... really different ...

And she very calm, when faced with him.

Does she not miss me? Like how me miss her so much?
It was a question mark in Jack's mind right now.

Is she really forgetting me?
Really forget about me that she once promised a lifeblood?
Do I have nothing in her life anymore?
Is there myself have no meaning for her anymore?

"I'm sorry..." told Jack again. Sad and disappointed.

"I don't know why..."

"But suddenly i've just miss this town..."

"Miss my old friend, my past, my place..."

"Missing... yo...uuu..." said Jack hesitate and look at Zoe. Try to read her mind.

Numb.

When he saw Zoe still silent and waiting more his explanation, he continue his words.

"Then..."

"Steve told me someone offered me a good job. In here..."

"So why not? I've think, i should take this chance."

"They really give me a good offer. And much good for my career..."
"At the same time, i'll can see my hometown, my old friend... and...my... arhh..." Jack hesitate but Zoe just stand calm without facing him.

"So, what opportunity who will come again like this?"
"With my fit schedule, and my agency agreed it"
"Maybe just this once. Maybe we will not have it again..."
"I'll took that offer..." explain Jack.

"You know people like me, right?"

"From the past and until now..."
"We don't have many choice or chance... but just fate." Jack sighed.

"Fate... yeah fate. That has made me as I am now..." smirk Jack.

"Oh Please..."

"Don't blame fate..." Zoe grumbles.

"I'm not! i'm just said is my fate..."

"Maybe my fate not as good like others. But i'll never and ever blame others" decisive Jack.

Zoe just looking at the corner of the room. She don't want look at Jack's face.

She can feel the grief borne by Jack.
She knew what have Jack sacrifice to achieve who's he is right now.

Anger, hatred or revenge is not in her heart anymore. 

She already forgive him a long time ago.

Lex teach her everything happen in this world have a reason. 

No matter how strong she is trying to defend, if not her destiny ...  it will not be ...

"Zoe, i know...is my fault because leave you before..."

"And that also is one of the reason why i've back right now."

"I'll feel guilty of leaving you when you need me on your side"

"My life it was messy. I need tranquility."
"I need you to forgive me..."
"Zoe, please..." Jack try to hold Zoe hand but Zoe quickly avoid it.

Jack snapped.

"Zoe, i'm so sorry..."

"Truly from my heart, i'm very sorry what already happen to you"

"If you give me chance, i want fix everything. Everything..."

"So, please Zoe's, please help me to find my serenity. Only you can do that..."

"We can started back, build a new life... together and ever. I've promise for that" 

"Please Zoe... please, forgive me. Forgive me Zoe..." Jack was begging.

Tears flowed at both of them right now. 

Sadness... Regret... cannot with drawn with word...

People say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone...
Truth is, you knew what you had, you just never thought you’d lose it. - Anonymous

***

The situation in here so tense.
Ryan, Ava and Steve just sit with a silent.

Suddenly Jack and Zoe walk out and coming towards them.
Slowly and they look calmly.

Steve stand up to ask, but Jack already intercepting.

"I'm sorry guys, maybe my presence today was not timely perfect..."

"Ava, i'm very sorry. Truly said i'm not mean anything to came here. I'd not intend to be bad"

"I'll hope, we still can be friend like before..."

"And ...emm... Mr. Ryan right?" Jack look to Ryan.

"Yes i am and i'm, Ava husband" Ryan explained.
He stretched out his hand to shake hand with Jack.

"Ooo, congratulation about your married..."
"I'm happy to hear that..."
"Ava is a good friend, i'll think she can become a good wife to you too..." praise Jack.

"Yeah, She is..." Ryan smile back to Jack. Thanked for his praise.

"Never one tell me you also already married, Ava."
"Maybe Mia also getting to married, right?" joke Jack.

"She already married, Jack. She was the first among us..."
"Rex, Harry, Mil and Josh too, they are all married." told Zoe and try to smile.

"How surprisingly..."
"So, only me still alone, right?" laugh Jack.

The sadness that was be shrouded with laughter.
Jack try to hide his real's feeling.
While he was pained at this moment.
But he must hide his feelings neatly.
He must be strong!

Zoe was stunned silence.
Ava showed her annoyed to hear that.
Ryan just calm and hold Ava hand. Try to calm down his wife.
But Steve looks confused in this situation.

"Steve, we need to go now..."
"Why you look me like that, hah?" Jack rebuked his manager.

"No... nothing..." said Steve puzzled.

"So, Mr. Ryan see you next time"

"But at the right time, and in a better situation from today..."
"The room was in an uproar just now..." Jack tries to joke.

"And Zoe, please take care..."
"I'm very happy can see you today, and you also Ava..."

"Honestly, i'm very happy can meet you guys, again..." said Jack happily although there is sad tone in end of his words.

Jack squeezed Steve's shoulders and stepped away.

"Don't try to ask me anything..."
"Don't try to investigate what's going on today..."
"It's a secret between us"
"And this is not a request but a command!"
"Don't dare to break it! Understood?" Jack whispered to Steve's ear. His tone is low but firm.

"Jack!" called Ava. Jack's step stalled. He turned away

"Yups..." said Jack with his smile.

"Before. Now and forever..."

"I'm not your friend!"
"Take note that!" told Ava with her stern face and walking away from them.

"She never changes, right?" shout Jack and laugh. Steve looked at him weird.

"Let's go, Steve..."
"We'd not belong here..." told Jack and walk away. And left Steve's confusion.

Love me or hate me, both are in my favor.
If you love me, I’ll always be in your heart.
If you hate me, I’ll always be in your mind. - William Shakespeare.