Just Drabbles

Only one more to go after this!!!

Chapter 22: Alphabetic Love V

Reconciliation

"Thanks for agreeing to come with me Kory," Richard said in his most sincere and warmest voice. Kory sighed as she looked at the "Winter Wonderland" decorations that transformed the hotel's ballroom. Richard had asked Kory to accompany him to his father's holiday party. She looked down at her dress and grimaced, wearing formal attire wasn't on her list of favorite clothes. Heels certainly didn't touch the list either. Yet because the occasion called for it, Kory was swathed in a strapless, soft gold dress that shimmered in the light making her hair seem even fierier. It was of solid color until her waist where it flared out in a similar fashion to a ball gown yet no so much and split into an A-line opening. Instead of her legs being exposed however, there was a deeper gold that held dramatic swirls of silver. Her hair was layered and waved, face touched with neutral make-up.

Kory smirked as she remembered the look on Richard's face when he arrived at the café where she requested he meet her. His jaw nearly struck the ground when his eyes fell upon her.

"K-Kory!" He had exclaimed. "Y-you look…wow…" Still dazed, he absentmindedly handed her a single red rose.

Kory laughed. "Did you expect me to wear some dark drab creation that I made with blood, sweat and tears?"

Richard shook his head and before he could protest, Kory said, "Um, Richard. I have a confession to make." Her eyes remained on the rose as she twirled the thorn-less bloom in her fingers.

"What is it?" He asked gently.

"I'm not poor, despite me being a waitress and wearing torn jeans and shoes that are held together by mere threads."

"I never thought that you were poor Kory," Richard responded. "I kinda thought you worked to make ends meet, but not terribly impoverished.

Kory smiled weakly. "If it helps explain things, my last name isn't Anders."

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"It's Anadyr." Kory lifted her gaze to Richard's waiting for his reaction.

"As in the Anadyr family of Tamaran?" Kory nodded.

"That's the one."

Richard tilted his head in curiosity. "Why hide who you are?"

Kory sighed, "I-it's just….being part of a wealthy family had an unwritten meaning that you needed to show off extravagance." She started listing reasons are her fingers. "I went to a private school, only wore dresses, then my private school education became staying at home doing lessons with a tutor while have books balanced on my head to keep my posture ramrod straight. Then of course there's going to parties non-stop.

She shook her head. "I felt like a decoration, like my smile was fake. Being a waitress here at Rosewood café allowed me some freedom and privacy. Since this is a smaller city in comparison to Tamaran, I don't have to worry about people smothering me because of my family name."

Richard smiled, "Welcome to my world Kor, you're not alone in feeling that way, the feeling's mutual actually. Wanna dance?"

Kory stared at him confused. "Dance? Now?"

He returned her confused look. "Yeah, seeing we're at the party."

Kory then realized she was truly talking to Richard who had brought her out of her reverie. She coughed, hiding an embarrassed laugh. "Sorry, I kinda spaced." Looking down at the heels that adorned her feet she said, "Um, I don't think that's such a good idea."

He nodded and said, "Want me to get us something to drink?"

A shadow briefly crossed Kory's eyes. "I'll go with you."

Not noticing the quick change in Kory's demeanor, he placed a hand on her arm and led her toward the table laden with drinks meant for those under twenty-one like Kory and himself.

As they sipped hot chocolate and talked, Kory felt her tension begin to slip away. Unlike herself, Richard didn't quite have an easy life. He told her of his parents' murder. The story left her reeling. As time passed, Kory noticed Richard staring at her intently.

"Do I have a whipped cream mustache?"

Richard laughed and shook his head. "It's just that…in the light…and getting to know you, you just remind me of an angel."

Kory's eyes widened, the color slipping from her skin. She fought for breath and tried to maintain a grip on the porcelain mug in her hands. Richard's face seemed to change before her eyes. The welcoming blue in his eyes became hard, steel flint. The boyish, unruly mop of onyx locks turned into slick russet, his lopsided smile gone. Paul Zephyrus. A chill shot down her spine.

"What's wrong?"

Having no inkling of what was going on in Kory's head, Richard was surprised when her emerald eyes lost their sparkle and instead seemed to become frosted while glowing at the same time. "You would do well to never call me by that name of affection again." She put her mug back on the table. "I bid you goodnight Mister Grayson and thank you for the invitation for this event."

As she walked away, Richard reached for her, gently grasping her arm. Unfortunately that made things worse. "Do not touch me," Kory spat as she wrenched her arm away.

Sadness seeping through him, Richard felt confused and utterly alone as he watched Kory dart out of the ballroom. He sighed, having no idea what to do. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to give Kory an hour to cool off before going after her. Then he remembered her outfit, not to mention her emotional state. To hell with waiting for an hour. Despite Kory having a tough demeanor and being a certified black belt, he didn't want her walking around Gotham streets at night alone.

Within fifteen minutes Richard found Kory sitting forlornly on the floor of the Rosewood Café. The rose he had given her at the start of the evening was held limply in her grasp and her hair was swung in front of her face, but he'd bet ten to one that she had been crying.

Quietly slipping into the restaurant, Richard knelt in front of Kory, pulling her hair away from her face. "Kory please," Richard said in a quiet, pleading voice. "Tell me what I did wrong."

"You did nothing wrong," she replied in a near inaudible tone. "My reaction was uncalled for."

"Care to tell me what set you off?"

"Promise me you won't think me childish?"

Richard nodded. Kory trained her eyes on the wall clock. "It was when you called me angel." As the word passed from her lips, Kory shivered. Richard quickly pulled off his suit jacket and draped it over her bare shoulders.

"What's so bad about being called that?"

She wet her dry lips. "Two years ago I had a boyfriend. At first I thought he was the sweetest, most perfect guy there was. Within a few months he proved to me there is no such thing as perfect. He was rude, callous, possessive. I could not be with my friends. He insulted me at every opportunity he got making, me want to disappear. Everyone who knew the both of us begged me to break up with him, but I couldn't. He had some kind of hypnotic pull to him. Perhaps it was because he called me angel, but now that I think about it, there was always an underlying hint of scorn."

She shook her head. "I romanced poison, and nearly paid the price. I was a thing to him. He touched my body, not listening when I said I was uncomfortable, that we shouldn't take things too far. Finally one night, we were watching a movie when he slipped something in my drink. In my drugged state, I was able to break his nose and run, but ever since that night, I haven't been able to trust."

Gathering her courage, Kory looked Richard in the eye. "However two years later, I think I'm finally ready to start trusting again."

Feeling that magnetic pull again, Kory knew that this time she would be safe. But when her lips reached Richard's, she turned her head at the last minute so his lips brushed her cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"So you're not quite ready," Richard whispered back. "You will be one day. Baby steps."

Kory nodded as she let herself be enveloped in Richard's warm embrace.

One day soon….