Chapter Four: Fruitful Awakening
I run down the long street, my feet hitting the water beneath them. I listen to Danger by Migos and Marshmallow. It gets my heart pumping to the beat of a Cherokee drum. I turn the corner and stop, the light red. I push the "walk" button and wait impatiently in the rain for the light to change. I check my watch—8:35 AM. I need to be home by nine. I have time. The light changes, and I turn left, leading me down the street and in front of Joe's, Coffee, Beans, and Café.
I walk inside, feeling thankful for the heat that immediately bombards me. I make my way up to the counter and order.
And I know, I'm at my rival's coffee shop. It's weird and unfortunate. Sue me.
To my surprise, Atonia is working. She turns and makes her way toward me, smiling slightly.
"Are you okay?" I ask worriedly.
She nods, but I can tell some things off. I shake my head and give her my usual order. I decide on four of their homemade lemon bars and a large hot vanilla chai tea with an extra shot of vanilla. I hand her my black card, and she grabs it harder than anticipated.
"What the hell is going on?" I whisper harshly.
Now I'm irritable. I don't want her treating me like shit because she's in a bad mood. We had such a good day yesterday. What could have soured her mood in less than twelve hours?
She shakes her head. "Nothing."
"No. No! I'm not tolerating that. Tell me what's going on." My whisper intensifies into a normal voice and almost a yell.
"It's nothing." She stops, looking from side to side. "I just have to work tonight." She furrows her brow, a small 'v' forming between the two.
She looks as if she might cry. I shake my head and grab her hand.
"It's going to be okay. Don't worry. We'll figure something out." I whisper and kiss her hand softly. "Don't cry."
She shakes her head and wipes her tears away. She sniffles and smiles.
"It's okay. I didn't really want to go anyway. I'm not interested." She gives me a reassuring smile and goes to make my tea. She makes it rather quickly and hands it to me. I grab it tentatively as I see the smoke accumulating out of the lid. I grab a couple of napkins and my bars and make my way out of the shop. As I do, I trip over my shoe and begin falling. Before I even think, I drop my lemon bars and attempt to grab hold of something. To my surprise, I found something—something sturdy.
I smile and laugh, relieved. I turn and still, as I see what my hand has grabbed hold of. I look up at the magnificently made body until I find his face staring directly at me. Markus Viscidi.
Fuck! My heart skips a beat before I notice, and seven beats have gone by—by the time I do. I begin to panic, feeling as if my throat is closing in on itself.
"Breathe," He murmurs.
I cough and let out a huge breath. I turn toward him, giving him a nervous glance. I look him over, confused and discombobulated. I'm not sure which is worse, his tantalizingly brazen smell or his gorgeously made form. I shake my head and bite my lip nervously. My head is spinning in circles, and my body is out of control.
"Fuck," I'm breathless and heated.
I feel my entire body heat to dangerous proportions. My cheeks are flushed, my hands clammy and tingly, and my body shakes in fear.
"Breathe," he says quietly.
I simultaneously inhale and exhale. It takes me about a minute to regain myself, and once I do, I turn towards him and smile. At the same moment, I remember where I am and what I'm doing. I jerk out of his grasp and fall back, but to my surprise, he catches me again, grasping me from behind. I flutter my eyes open, letting out a soft breath. I shake my head and bite my lip. I look into his deep-seated grey eyes and find myself lost in a sea of forbidden desire.
"Breathe," He whispers.
I feel his cool breath whisp across my lips. Yummy. He smells of Forest Axe Body wash and a matching chalone. It's a heady mixture. It makes me dizzy.
I slowly feel my body levitate without my workings and find he's standing me up. His right arm is still wrapped tightly around my ass, squeezing it slightly. His pupils narrow and dilate within the same second, sending me into a whirlwind of lust and arousal.
I nod.
"T-Thank you," I whisper.
I know damn well I smell like sweat and rain. It's not a very nice smell.
He tilts his head to the side before letting go and looking me up and down. He runs a large hand through his hair, inhaling softly. He looks back down at me, his eyes disciplined and sturdy. Yet stoic and unreadable. It's a mindfuck of emotion. It fogs my brain and mumbles my thoughts.
Abruptly, he bends down and grabs my lemon bars. He hands me two of them while keeping two for himself. He looks me dead in the eyes, silent and mysterious, and abruptly turns away and makes his way back into his car, leaving me barren and confused.
I look down at my two lemon bars and my cup of tea and look back up. His assistant stands awkwardly in the middle of the sidewalk, avoiding eye contact. I smile a small smile and return home to Dad's.
Once in the shower, I clean thoroughly, washing every fiber of him off of my sensitized skin. I inhale the heavenly scent of Dove soap before continuing between my legs. I begin a forward motion, my fingers gliding softly over my clitoris, stimulating the feverish need to be taken by him. I close my eyes, feeling the heated feeling of pleasure building inside me, intensifying with each thrust of my middle and forefinger. Before I know it, I'm coming long and hard in the shower. I shudder and shake, breathing in the foggy air. I fall to the floor and cradle myself softly.
Fuck! That was a lot! Shit!
I continue my search on Markus Viscidi. I need to know everything about him. Everything! Unsurprisingly, I find myself looking at his photos just as I did last time. I shake my head, the irony not forsaken me. I bite my lip as I continue to look, speeding and saving photos. I stop as I find something that startles me. It's a photo of her, the blonde woman I saw outside La beaute pour vous the other day. I shake my head, my mind spinning. I know I don't want to see this, but my curiosity out matches my sanity. I continue looking through the photos and stop as I see the photo I regret seeing. It's a photo of Markus with Platinum Blonde. He has his arm tightly wrapped around her tiny waist.
I feel a flood of jealousy overwhelm me, cornering, suffocating, taking me whole, and leaving me barren and lonesome. Still, before I can adequately react, Dad enters the room. I close my laptop quickly, place it next to me, and try and act nonchalant. He has a glass of Pepsi in hand. He walks over to my bed and takes a seat. I breathe evenly, attempting to control my unstable pulse. He looks me over, his hazel eyes narrowing.
"What are you doing?" He asks, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
I shake my head.
"Nothing. Don't worry." I say and pat my thighs.
One thing about me is that I'm a terrible liar. It's horrible, and Dad knows that. He can sense a liar from five miles away. He's incredibly intelligent. His intelligence scares me at some point.
He tilts his head to the side before arching a brow. He takes a sip of his pop before looking me dead in my eyes.
"You've gotten the job." He murmurs. I give him a confused look. "Everest." He clarifies.
I still. A knot forms in my throat. I smile and nod, attempting to act as natural as possible.
But like I've said before, I'm a terrible liar. And Dad knows this. He's incredibly intelligent.
"I-I see." I stutter nervously.
"You start in a week or two." He speaks.
"O-Okay." That is all I can say.
"Good," he says, his eyes lingering. "Are you sure you're alright?" He asks.
His look is dangerous yet scheming. I can't look him in the eyes, or I'll fold.
Shit!
"Good," he says and, without another word, stands up and leaves the room.
Unfortunately, he keeps the door open. Obviously, he's done this on purpose, but knowing that, I also decide to leave the door open. I'm not going to give him the satisfaction. I chuckle, open my computer back up, and continue looking at his photos.
He would be a really sexy character in a romance novel. But of course, I can't use his actual name. I'll have to change it.
I exit out of Google and grab my notebook. I begin writing notes about the characters and plot points.
I finish writing my notes for the first few chapters and decide a break is needed. I've decided on complete relaxation therapy. I walk into my bathroom and grab three things: a face mask, an incent stick, and a lighter. I walk back into my room and set the products down. I first light the incent with the lighter and place it on an incent holder atop my bedside table. I then take the face mask out of the plastic, throw the plastic in the wastebasket near the bed, and sit down. I plate it on my face, absorbing the cool, wet sensation into my skin.
The sensation of relaxation washes over me, and soon, I'm in a deep and comfortable sleep.
I find myself being awoken by Dad. I take off the face mask, turn towards my bedside table, and see the incent is all used up and burnt out. I shake my head, sighing lightly. I turn towards him, my legs dangling off of the bed. He kneels in front of me, smiling lightly.
"How was your nap?" He asks honestly.
I nod. "It was fine," I whisper and then yawn.
"Okay, well, I need you to get ready." He says, standing up. He's approximately six-foot-three and towering over me. Sitting so low while waking up somehow gives me vertigo just looking at him. I shake my head, hoping the dizzying feeling will cease. Thankfully, a couple of moments later, it does. I blink rapidly and stand up. "Go apply your makeup. We've brought your supplies from your apartment. Come downstairs when you're ready." He says and makes his way downstairs. Thankfully, he closed the door this time. He's being nice now.
I roll my eyes, giggle, and enter the bathroom. I brush my teeth and wash my face. The facemask did me well, but there's nothing like washing your face with African Black Soap with Neutrogena Face Wash and Cream.
I dab my face with a hand towel before taking out my toothbrush and brushing my teeth. I finish up, swirl some mouthwash around in my mouth, and go back into my bedroom. I find my makeup bag and the dress and shoes I picked out lying on my couch in the sunken living room in front of my large California King Bed. I take a piece of gum from the candy bar and get ready. I grab my makeup bag, head towards the vanity, and apply my face.
I first apply some of my Neutrogena Foundation in the shade of Chestnut. I rub it in with my damp beauty blender until it blends flawlessly into my skin. I then apply some concealer and contour and blend that in as well. Once my nose and cheekbones are snatched, I spray my face with setting spray and begin on my brows. I decide on something flawless. Kylie Jenner-like. My brows are full yet styled. I finish with the brow liner and set my brows with concealer, intensifying the effect.
I then set my brows with a brow gel and begin rubbing concealer over my eyelids. I dab it with my beauty blender and set it with some setting powder. I place two pieces of tape at the end of my eyes, helping me line the eyeshadow. I then actually begin on my eyeshadow. I decide on a small, smokey dark brown look towards the ends of my eyes and a lighter brownish-whitish shade towards the middle. I finish with a pale gold over the brownish-whitish color in the middle and inside my tear ducts.
I rub on some blush and highlighter and continue with Runway Rogue—Get the Look—A Garnet Maroon Lip Liner. I pair it with a Showtime—A Warm Brick Red with Gold and Silver Shimmer Liquid Lip. I finish with setting spray and fan my face with a miniature portable fan.
I place all of my makeup back in my makeup bag. I then grab some makeup wipes and leave them on the vanity for later.
I don't like sleeping with makeup on. It ruins your skin. I want skin as flawless as possible.
I pass my bed and head downstairs to get my hair done. I find Ceri and Elise sitting in the great room and getting their hair done. I sit in the empty chair in the middle and wait for my turn.
Shit! I should have brought my phone. Thankfully, I see one of many house staff pass by and flag him down.
"Can you get my phone, please? It's on my bedside table." I stop for a second, wondering if it's there. It also might be on my bed."
He nods. "Which room?"
I frown.
He must be someone from the cooking staff.
"It's upstairs towards the left. It's the last bedroom down. And the door is still open."
He nods and makes his way up, still holding a pair of napkins in his hands. I smile and turn towards Ceri. She rolls her eyes, puckers her lips, and gives me an air kiss. A few moments later, the strange man returns downstairs with my phone in his hands. I smile, thanking him. He returns a smile and continues with his duties.
A woman with brunette locks, brown eyes, and a small, nice figure approaches me. She's wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a nice dark blouse, and a pair of dress shoes. She lifts my head and begins. It only takes about an hour. After my run this morning, I showered and washed my hair. I also got my hair done recently. It's newly relaxed, and my extensions are reinstalled. Everything is up to date.
As I scroll through my phone, I see a couple of news feed channels livestreaming tonight's gala. From the looks of it, some people have already arrived, but as I look closer, I see they're probably attendees working at the event. Absentmindedly, another woman approaches me, takes out a bucket filled with warm water, and sets my feet inside. I look towards the side of me and see that Ceri and Elise also have their feet inside a nice warm bucket. I smile and decide to make a Facebook post. I capture our feet inside the three individual buckets and take the photo. I captioned the photo, "Best friends who stay together, get their feet done together." I also hashtag "#ProminentGalaNight." I then post the photos.
They finish with our feet first. They've shaped, applied acrylic gel, and lined them. We've all decided on the same nail design: French tips with a pinkish base. They finish by rubbing moisturizer on our feet, something flowery.
My hair is next. They put some hairspray and comb it out with a wide-toothed comb, the curls bouncing effortlessly as they do. They finish by bobby-pinning my hair up into a lovely, curly updo. They spray it once more, bobby-pinning my bangs towards the side.
I turn and thank her, as do Ceri and Elise to their hairstylists. I go up the staircase and into my room to finish getting ready. I put on my new earrings and my new dress, and to my surprise, Dad makes his way towards me and zips up my dress. I make my way towards the couch and put on my heels. I strap the straps and finish—a spritz of Eucalyptus perfume on my neck and wrists. I also walk into it. I decide I'm done when Dad comes in and looks at me from afar. His eyes gleam with some unnamed emotion. I walk up to him and turn around. He zips my zipper and twirls me around.
He rubs his thumb over his lower lip, his head tilted slightly. He pushes my chest, causing me to take several steps back.
"You look beautiful," he murmurs.
I flush, embarrassment befalling me.
"T-Thank you," I whisper.
"You're welcome," Dad speaks and looks down at me. "You'll meet a lot of people tonight. Most you will be meeting for the first time. Some you may have come across."
"O-Okay," I wait a second before speaking, not wanting to ruin my makeup. "H-How is…" I'm unable to continue, but he understands.
"She's healing." Is all he says and makes his way out of the room.
I grab my clasp and place my lip liner, lipstick, perfume, mints, gum, face powder, and some eye drops. You never know when you're going to need some eyedrops. I grab my satin wrap and make my way out of the room and down the stairs. I stop as I see the sight before me. Elise looks beautiful—she's wearing ruby red lipstick, a beautifully custom-made red Mac Duggal strapless Cascading Ruffle Mini Dress with a large bustier, her breasts springing out of the seams. She matches the outfit with a pair of Christian Louboutin—So Kate 120 Patent Leather Pumps. Her hair is in a slicked-back high ponytail. Her long, straightened locks hang beautifully past her shoulders and down her mid-back.
She has a long black men's overcoat over her shoulders and a black clasp with red lining from Louboutin. Her entire outfit is custom-made. She's gorgeous!
Bethany looks like a delight. She's wearing a simple, slim-fit royal blue ball gown and a pair of Gianni Versace Metallic Crystal Chandelier Stiletto Sandals. Her black hair falls buoyantly down past her shoulders and down to her breasts. She's a model of perfection.
An absolute beauty. I think inwardly.
We stop as the paparazzi's cameras flash like crazy. Obnoxious yet important. I turn to look at Dad and see his hazel eyes are void of emotion. He has an unreadable look—his lips are in a thin line, his face calm yet focused. He runs his hand through his hair, his fingers fingering the strands harshly. I look towards Ceri and Elise and find they have the same look on their faces as Dad does. Calm yet focused. They're in the zone. Void of emotion. Fake smiles a plenty.
As I leave behind Dad, he turns to me and hands me a pair of aviator sunglasses. I quickly put them on and grabbed his hand, squeezing tightly. He squeezes back and leads us onto the carpet.
By now, I've done this ten times. I should be somewhat used to it, but unfortunately, I'm not. Butterflies dance nervously around in my stomach, making me slightly nauseous. I shake my head and follow Dad. We stand in a line as the cameras take our pictures. I turn my body slightly towards Dad's and bite my lip. He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me to him, holding me tightly. I smile softly and warm up a bit now that I feel a bit safer with him by my side.
We walk down the carpet, keeping fake smiles plastered on our faces. Ceri doesn't dare smile. She hates this, absolutely hates smiling for them—well, she hates smiling in general, but especially with them. But she manages to keep her cool, keeping her stoney eyes peeled behind her glasses, narrowing them slightly as if to give them a hidden fuck you.
After fifteen minutes, we've decided we've had enough and make our way into the venue. Many people stand around small miniature tables and talk amongst themselves. I take off my sunglasses and hand them to the security guard beside me. He places them inside the pocket of his inner suit and keeps quiet. Ceri grabs both me and Elise and walks us around the room to a group of girls she knows fondly. I even recognize a couple of them, but in the end, they're all fake and beautiful. They talk about nothing meaningful. Just superficial shit. Not to me, anyway, but maybe to Ceri.
As we talk, I hear a loud voice call my name. I turn and find Brandon making his way towards me, a huge boyish grin on his face. I return the smile and give him a big hug. He pulls back and looks down at me, his baby-blue eyes warm. There's something there, however, something unnamed: fear, concern, worry? I can't put my finger on it. It doesn't matter. He pats my head and smiles at me, a reassuring smile that makes me dizzy.
I blink rapidly, attempting to get my thoughts in order.
"How are you feeling?" He breathes.
I nod.
"I'm doing much better," I whisper softly.
He nods and smiles but doesn't dare mention her name, nor do I.
I bite my lower lip as Elise pulls me away from him and towards one of the vacant hallways.
"What was that about?" She asks incredulously.
I shake my head.
"Nothing."
"Well, it didn't look like nothing." She whispers as a stranger walks past us.
I rub my neck nervously.
Elise has always had my back, especially with Brandon. At first, I thought she liked him, but in the end, she's just a true friend. It's rare in this society.
"Don't worry. He's just a friend." I say, reassuring her.
I bite my lip and turn around as I hear Ceri's heels clacking loudly behind us.
She raises her hands, irritation written all over her face.
"What the hell was that?" She seethes.
She takes a large sip of her white wine, practically drinking the whole thing; it was basically filled to the brim.
"No, but she has a point." Says Ceri. "Do you have feelings for him?"
I shake my head. "No. I—I don't know. I don't think so." I whisper, embarrassment enveloping me. "He's just been there for me. Ya' know, because of…her."
I don't dare speak her name. Not here, not now. Never!
I catch myself as I feel as if I'm going to cry. I shake my lip and bite my quivering lip. They quickly haul me to the women's bathroom. I get myself together and put in some eye drops. I always have some in my clutch. You never know when you'll need some eyedrops. I blink rapidly and wipe around my eyes, trying not to mess up my makeup.
When I've calmed myself, one of our female security guards makes her way into the bathroom. She looks around the room, analyzing the situation.
"Is everything alright, ma'am?" She asks, her eyes flicking from Ceri to Elise and then to me.
"I-I'm fine." I stutter nervously.
No. That won't do. She won't believe that. I need to be more believable.
"Yes. I'm fine." I say, my voice a lot more convincing.
She places her finger in her ear and quiets for a moment. She nods slightly.
"Your father wants you." She says and opens the door.
I smile and nod.
"Okay, I'll see you guys in a bit," I say, looking at both Ceri and Elise.
"No. He wants them, too." She speaks harshly.
I shudder slightly.
Fuck! I hope he's not mad. Fucking shit!
We tentatively make our way to the door and out of the bathroom. We walk down the hallway, our nerves rattled.
"D-Do you know what he wants?" I say nervously.
She stays quiet and leads us left and down another hallway. We stop in front of a large door. The security guard opens the door for us and leads us inside. I find we're in a small room with a group of guys standing in a small condensed circle. They turn as they hear us enter the room. I look around and find Dad standing among them, leading the group.
He turns and whispers toward someone. Unfortunately, I can't see who he's speaking to. There's a tall man standing directly in front of the stranger, but I can see the top of their head. They're tall. Their raven-colored, silky, pitch-black hair peaking above the man in his way. He seems to be one of the tallest in the room; besides, for Dad, he would be the second.
We tentatively make our way towards them. The man directly in front of him turns and moves towards the side, as do the others in the opposite direction. I can now see the man clearly. The man standing next to Dad. His large pale, grey eyes stared intensely in my direction. I flinch as our eyes make contact. His eyes narrow slightly, his pupils dilating. I shake my head and avoid his gaze. All I can think of was him and me in his elevator.
"Katharine, come over here," Dad speaks amongst the group.
Viscidi turns slightly in Dad's direction.
I nervously make my way toward the group of men. He, among them, looks at me, watching my every move.
I stand beside Dad. He wraps his arm around my waist and looks down at me. He looks around the group of me, making eye contact with every single one of them. He stops at him, his eyes lingering a bit longer than the rest.
"This is my daughter, Katharine," Dad says.
The men look at me, their eyes lingering from the top of my head, lingering at my breasts, and finishing down at my feet. I feel my feet tingle inside of my heels. I feel somewhat dizzy. Off balance, off-kilter. Something tilted. I need to sit down, and I think that Dad can tell; he tightens his hold around my waist and flexes his fingers. I shake my head, my head flooding with heat and confusion. A second later, someone else grabbed me and led me out of the room. I keep my eyes closed, worried that I might completely lose it if I were to see my feet walking.
I can hear Ceri and Elise following close behind me. We make our way back into the women's bathroom and place me down on the couch in the small seating area in the bathroom. My body immediately melts into the cushion. Soft and warm.
I find myself being awoken by the female security guard. I flutter my eyes open, looking around, confused and worried.
I must have fallen asleep. How long have I been asleep?
My throat is parched. Dry. She holds a clear glass of water directly in front of my face. I take it happily. I down the entire thing.
"Do you want another?" She asks, worry marring her beautiful chestnut skin.
I shake my head. "No." I sigh and shake my head, sitting up. "—But thank you."
I don't want to offend her. She seems nice and caring. I just hope to God she didn't tell Dad.
Oh, fuck! Dad!
We leave the bathroom fifteen minutes later and make our way toward the large, ornate dinner table. We're fed steak, greens, mashed potatoes, a side salad, and a wine of our choosing. I decided on a nice and smooth white wine. To my surprise, Brandon is sitting next to me. He eats his food hungrily. Elise and Brandon begin to argue, of course. They argue about the current state of our climate and politics. Both of them hate Trump, but they also don't like Biden. He's a bit too old to be running for office. I think. And honestly, in my opinion, I think we need a female president. Someone and something different for a change. It would be quite interesting to have a female in the office and, by her side, the first man. That's a bit weird, in my opinion. The first man.
They're also arguing about Brandon and James and which one of them is better. Personally, I prefer Brandon. I think James is a sociopath. He's nice, but he's somewhat odd.
I don't really know how to describe it. Or him, for that matter.
I take a sip of my wine and feel my body clench. I have to pee. I turn towards Dad, who's sipping his wine quietly, and give him a look. He rolls his eyes and tilts his head to the right.
"Walk down and make a right." He says and finishes off his wine.
I stand up and maneuver myself around the waiter, refilling Dad's glass. I bite my lip and push the door towards the women's room open. The bathroom smells nice. Soap and candles. The interior is nice and calming, all pale pinks and creams. It's a very nice place to relax. It's also different than the last one. The seating area wasn't as large.
I make my way into the middle stall and sit down. I let my body do its work, and as I do, I hear someone walking into the bathroom. Thankfully, I'm about done when they enter the stall next to mine. I wipe myself, flush the toilet, and walk towards the sink. I apply a shit ton of soap, loving the smell, and turn on the water. Once the soap has washed off, I make my way towards the dryer. The woman in the stall behind me flushes and makes her way out.
Fuck!
The woman who makes her way toward the sink is the same woman I saw Viscidi having sex with in his office the day of the interview. I wipe the rest of the water off on my dress and quickly make my way out. And instead of going back into the dining room, I make my way down the hall. I stop in front of a light blue curtain. The moonlight shines directly through the sheer fabric. I push through and find that I'm on a balcony. The moon shines brightly down upon me, lighting the darkening sky surrounding it.
I walk hesitantly towards the edge of the balcony and find I'm looking upon a large garden. There are dozens upon dozens of flowers: some roses, some tulips. There are also individual pathways winding through. On each side of the pathways are small, individual lights about two inches apart lighting the way.
I lean against the siding of the balcony, overlooking the beauty. And as I turn, I find that I'm not alone. There's someone standing beside me, about five feet away. Leaning over the way, watching the beauty as I am.
Holy Shit!
As my eyes adjust, I find he's the one standing beside me. His large frame looks almost unnatural looking in the dark. Long and lean. Almost animalistic.
"How are you?" He says quietly.
I'm shocked as he speaks. I wasn't expecting him to speak to me. Let alone even be in the same vicinity as I. It's almost as if it's a dream.
"I-I'm okay." I stutter nervously. "How are you?"
He tilts his head from the side, his body moving slightly in my direction. I can see his large, pale grey eyes shining brightly in the moonlight, even though both are unreadable and void of emotion.
"I'm fine," he murmurs.
I fidget from foot to foot, my nerves rattled.
I decide to move. I make my way around him, finding he's watching my every move. I find a stairwell leading down to the gardens. I turn my head and find he's following me… slowly…
I make my way down the pathway, the hedges five feet taller than myself. Roses. There are roses growing off of each thorn. Beautiful and glowing. I grab a fallen rose off the ground. It's somewhat crumpled and frail, yet its beauty is still evident in its grooves.
I shake my head and bite my lip. It's beautiful.
I turn and find him standing a foot away. I look up into his eyes. His eyes narrow and void. I can't get a reading from him. I shake my head and look back down at the flower. I lift it up, showing him. He tilts his head and takes the flower with his large, long fingers. He twists it between his fingers, looking it over. His brow arches, and he then throws the flower over his shoulder and picks a fresh one from the bushes in the same second. He looks it over, narrowing his eyes slightly, analyzing it. He looks back up at me and slowly hands it to me. I take it tentatively, my heartbeat hammering hard in my chest. Almost dangerously harsh.
I bite my lip and tilt my head. I lift the flower up to my face and inhale softly.
I've never understood the smell of a rose. It doesn't have a particular scent. Nothing spectacular.
To my surprise, he wraps his large fingers around my neck, lightly pulling me toward him. He leans his forehead to mine and kisses me softly—a nice small peck. Our lips meet as one. It's nice and sweet. Something I didn't know I wanted but I know that I crave.
He runs his hand over my ear, caressing my cheek as he does. Soft and sweet. Something that I wouldn't have expected from him. Everything about him shocks me. I shake my head and bite my lip, finding it quivers at the touch of his hand. He kisses my forehead, my cheek, and my lips once more.
Our kiss intensifies with each second. Soon, our tongues meet, hot and heavy, dancing amongst a singular dance only known by us. I'm not used to using tongue. I've never done it. I haven't even kissed a man before. Let alone a grown-ass man. His breath smells of spearmint and peppermint. A heady mixture.
I feel my body shake and numb. My head spinning around in circles. I feel somewhat nauseated and dizzy. I find my body slipping, my thoughts numbing, and darkness enveloping me.
"Katharine," he murmurs.
My eyes flutter open. I moan and look up into his concerned eyes.
"I-I'm fine," I whisper, almost inaudible.
He tilts his head from side to side, the sound of cracking coming from his long, stretched neck. He looks down at me, irritation marring his face.
"If you were okay, you wouldn't be drooling." He says acidly.
I freeze, my body numbing.
Shit!
I quickly wipe my mouth. I then feel my nose begin to run. He quickly takes out his handkerchief from his suit and hands it to me. I blow my nose, wiping harshly. I make sure everything is gone before I move the handkerchief from my face. He takes it from my hands and throws it ten feet away from us. I look at him, confused. Damn! He can throw.
"Markus," I hear a high-pitched voice come from behind us.
We turn around, and as we do, I find Platinum Blonde gliding her way towards us.
She's beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous.
She has long, thin legs, a small waist, and a slight frame. She looks me up and down, her blue eyes glaring harshly. Markus runs his hand through his hair, seeming somewhat angry. I look from Platinum Blonde to Markus and back again. She senses the awkward tension between the two of us and makes her way over. With her long legs, it takes her less time to make her way over towards us than I would have thought. She walks directly towards him and grabs him, her lips meeting his immediately. He stills, and so do I. I feel my heart stop, sadness enveloping me. I bite my quivering lip and make my way back down the pathway, leaving him and her to their business.
I make my way up the staircase, back down the hall, and into the bathroom. I quickly make my way into a stall and cry on the toilet—or almost cry. My tears are hot and falling quickly, but I haven't fully lost it. I grab a piece of toilet paper and dab at my fallen tears. I grab another and wipe my nose, cleaning it full of snot. I bite my lip and shake my head. I get myself together, cleaning myself as best as I can, and make my way out of the stall, flushing the toilet as I do.
I walk towards the mirror hanging above the sinks and look myself over. I look fine. My eyes are a bit red, but not too noticeable. I wash my hands and hear the bathroom door open. I quickly turn myself and see Brandon in the mirror. I turn quickly and make my way over towards him. I hug him hard, attempting to distract me from my face, hoping he wouldn't want to see my eyes if I were wrong about them.
I pull back, give him a kiss on the cheek, and make my way out of the bathroom. I walk back into the banquet and take my seat. To my surprise, my food is still here, waiting for me still. I immediately grab my knife and fork and dig in. Dad watches me closely, his eyes questioning. I find Elise making her way beside me, taking Brandon's seat from him.
"What the hell happened?" She asks quietly.
I chew and turn towards her worriedly. Her eyes are open and concerned. She narrows her eyes, eyeing me speculatively.
"N-Nothing. Don't worry." I say, attempting to reassure her.
I continue to eat, ignoring her stare. She blinks, pulls back, and turns towards the right. I turn with her and see Markus and Platinum Blonde making their way into the room. I turn quickly and continue to eat my food, ignoring them and acting as cool as possible. Out of the corner of my eye, I see them make their way towards their table across the room.
As we drive down the busy streets of Seattle, Dad, Elise, and Bethany stay quiet. They look at me through the dark and then the light gleaming in throughout the car from the street lamps passing us by. We take Bethany home first, then Elise. Once we're alone, Dad turns towards me, looking directly into my eyes.
"What happened?"
I turn towards him, confusion written all over my face.
"Viscidi," Is all he says. I shake my head and turn towards the window, ignoring his lingering question. "If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine, but just know that he's different." Dad stops and looks out his window. "He doesn't do romance."
My brows furrow, my heart accelerating. I breathe evenly, attempting to control my half-hazard breathing.
"I love you," he whispers.
I turn towards him, looking at his dark frame. Without taking his eyes away from his window, he grabs hold of my hand, holding me tightly. I press my free hand to his and rub it softly. He gazes down at my grazing hand and smiles softly.
"I love you, too," I say and smile fondly at him.
"I love you more." He says matter-of-factly.
I sigh and smile.
I know he does, and with that thought, I lean against my seat and close my eyes. I feel myself fall into a deep slumber, my mind slowing, my heart easing.
