CHAPTER TWO: AFTER-PARTY

Tap…tap…tap…tap…

Cloud frowned, taking another seep of his martini before raising his hand and snapping his fingers to get the attention of the waiter. After a moment, the waiter walked over, his expression bored. "What can I do you for, Mr Strife?"

The blond gentleman pointed to the air-conditioner on the ceiling above them. "That old piece of shit is dripping liquid. You really need to get your management to fix it."

The waiter remained sullen. "Would you like a change of table, Mr Strife?"

"Uh…no."

The waiter stared at him blankly. For a moment, they just stared at each other, wordlessly. Finally, Cloud gave up and motioned for him to get lost.

Tap…tap…tap…tap

He closed his eyes, trying to meditate. Make that damn noise go away. Suddenly, he heard the bar hushed to a soft whisper, and he opened his eyes quickly to see the lights dimmed. Someone on the far end of the other table whistled.

The curtains drawn and there she was, standing in the middle of it all. The band started playing. He took another seep of his martini. Finally, it was time for him to relax.

"Objection, your honor! My client had absolutely no idea where those drugs came from."

The courtroom was busy this Monday morning, as journalists camped outside the building perimeter, waiting for the chance to snap the scandalous photographs of the actor's demise, the defense lawyer, Vincent Valentine, was busy trying to prove his client's innocence.

"Mr Valentine, those drugs were found in his possession." The judge muttered, raising an eyebrow.

"I beg to defer, your honor." Vincent replied stoically. "In fact, my client was in the same room, where those drugs were found. It is not found on my client!"

Across the room, the prosecutor cleared his throat and stood up, walking over to the judge and handing him some files. "These files indicate that Mr Strife was tested positive after he was apprehended by the police the same night."

The judge turned to the actor, his eyes boring deeply, "And what do you say to that, Mr Strife?"

Vincent turned, and look at his client, who sighed and stood up, running his hand through his smooth blond hair which had been styled to spikey perfection prior to coming to the trial. "I plead not guilty, your honor."

Vincent slammed his briefcase on the table as Cloud raised an eyebrow at him. "I really hate that dick." The lawyer muttered, walking over to the corner of his office where a mini bar stood. "Want a drink? Scotch? Whiskey?"

Cloud chuckled as he sank himself down into the couch of his lawyer's run-down office. "Whiskey, thanks. Did you know his father is the district police head inspector?"

"The whole thing stinks of a damn conspiracy to me." Vincent replied, his eyes darkened as he poured two glasses of whiskey and settling them across the table from his client.

Cloud shrugged as he seeped the glass quietly, almost deep in thought. The lawyer broke his daydream when he suddenly asked, "And where the hell were you last night?"

"Huh?" Cloud blinked. "I was…uh…"

"You went to that bar again, didn't you?" Vincent sighed, finishing his glass of whiskey in a gulp and shaking his head. "Cloud, you need to keep your head straight. This is a crucial period of the trial. That prosecutor, Rufus…" his expression twisted into that of disdain, "He's got shit on you. A whole load of shit."

"I was sober in the courtroom this morning, wasn't I?" Cloud retorted, putting down his glass and crossing his arms. He could see his lawyer visibly stressed out. And why wouldn't he? When Barret first hired Vincent Valentine to be his defense lawyer, Cloud never even heard of the guy. Why would Barret hire a nobody to defend his case? Eventually, he began to understand the reason. Vincent Valentine was firstly, a close friend to Barret. The two used to go to the same university. Second, Vincent is practically broke after his recent divorce. I'm paying this man so that he can drink whiskey in the office.

"So?" Vincent bellowed, once again breaking Cloud's thoughts. "For fuck's sake, those police report has your named stamped guilty all over it."

The actor did not blink nor flinch. He shook his head calmly as if trying to talk to a little child. "And as I've told the entire courtroom, I was unconscious the whole time and when they found me, I believed I could have been forced to ingest the drugs."

"That's not a fucking case. That's nothing at all." Vincent stood up suddenly and started pacing the room back and forth. Cloud watched the older man with growing perplexity. Suddenly, the room erupted into a ringtone by Yuna's Hushbaby. Cloud widened his eyes as he watched his lawyer fumbled for the phone in his pressed jacket.

"Hello? Yes…yes I understand…yes he's here with me now." A pause. "Yes, I'll tell him."

When he got off the phone, his client was already up on his feet, walking towards the door. "Who was that?" Cloud asked.

"Your agent." Vincent replied as he flipped his phone shut and stuffed it back into his jacket pocket. "Sephiroth was spotted at the airport this morning when we were in the courthouse."

Cloud closed his eyes for a minute, as if trying to meditate. Finally, he reopened them and met with Vincent's dark eyes. His lawyer looked like he had not slept in days. "Well, guess we're all fucked then."

A waitress clad in a low v-necked vest in black high-waisted leather shorts, walked past them with a tray of mini test tubes. The tubes were filled with a metallic silver liquid, the likes of which Cloud had never seen before.

"Do you want to try one?" That crystalline voice urged him. He looked up to meet the emerald eyes of Aeris Gainsborough. She had a small smile on her rose lips and Cloud let his eyes wandered boldly down the champagne gold dress she was wearing. The flower embroidery accentuated her waist-line as the tube cutoff lifted her lovely bosoms. She looked indeed, like the Princess of GlitterHills.

"Only if you join me." Cloud teased. This was working perfectly, as Barret had predicted. The group of reporters, who were interviewing them before, had left to pester another new artiste, the young and virginal singer, Yuna. Finally, he was alone with Aeris. He had to play his cards right if he wanted his fame to soar high after this night.

Aeris grinned, motioning for the waitress to come around. She lifted two test-tubes from their holder, delicately swirling the liquid inside as she handed one to Cloud. "To your success, Mr Strife."

Cloud returned the toast. The gentle clink of test-tubes, and then the liquid was gone in a single gulp. Cloud swallowed, trying to keep a straight face for the sake of looking cool in front of Aeris. The truth was, the liquid tasted like shit.

The starlet appeared undaunted, licking her soft lips slowly, as if savoring the taste. "Mhmm…I love this music. Do you like music, Mr Strife?"

Over the din of elite paparazzi and celebrities in the club house of the hotel, Cloud could make out the faint melody of some jazz music in the background.

He nodded quickly. "Oh yes, I love jazz."

Aeris smiled, pleased with his answer. She took his hand suddenly, taking his test-tube and tossing it across the living room. Nobody seemed to notice. "Want to go somewhere quiet?" she asked.

Every bone in his body told him to reject her. She was clearly high on something. But as Aeris pressed her lithe body against him, her fingers swiftly running through his golden hair, her lush lips parting into a tiny inviting pout as she waited for his reply, there was only one thing Cloud could do.

He said yes.