2)

It's the afternoon of the party and I place the bow on Danika's gift before loading my stuff in the car. I feel a little nervous on the way to Chiara's house. Everything has been going so well though. Chiara has been so lovely. I can see us becoming good friends which hasn't happened in a while. Maybe I should shut it down. Go back to being alone. But they are all so lovely. I can tell there's tension with Danika and Addylin at the moment but everyone else seems to ignore it. It's blatantly obvious that Dominic is in love with Addylin but she doesn't feel the same. Sometimes I catch Chiara staring at Dominic but it disappears as quickly as it appears. It's the same look I catch Jared giving me. Gods above, Jared. He is so sweet and sensible and the biggest piece of eye candy I have ever seen. All I want is to reach up kiss his gorgeous lips. Run my tongue along his jaw. Leave hickeys on that caramel skin. And when he laughs. Fuck! I can't think of anything else. It's usually Chiara that makes him laugh like that. Sometime Dominic.

The whole group is just really close and I wish I could have friends like them. Maybe one day I will. Some secret part of me wishes it could be them but I squash that thought before it can grow into anything more.

I pull up to Chiara's house. More like a mansion. And she's waiting outside texting on her phone. She looks up as the car stops and has a big smile on her face.

"Hey." She beams and wraps me into a hug.

"Hey." It has been a long time since someone's hugged me. Touched my with any sort of affection really.

"Lets get your stuff and we can go get ready." She opens my back door and grabs my bags out the back. "What's this?" She pulls Danika's wrapped present out.

"It's Danika's present." I say matter of factly.

"What is it?" She has a sly grin on her face.

"You'll see when she opens it." I place the present back in the car and grab a bag Chiara placed on the floor while she grabs the other. We walk through her stunning house and up to her suite. She explained that she's an only child and her parents give her everything she could ever need. I don't think she's a spoiled brat though. She's actually really amazing.

"Set up wherever you want and make yourself at home. I'll just get the dress." She walks into her cupboard and I place my bags next to her desk. I check my phone and have 5 missed calls. Shit. Chiara comes out with two super pretty dresses.

"Wanna start getting ready?" She lays them on the bed and heads to her dresser.

"I just have to make a phone call." I wave my phone.

"You can go anywhere in the house. No one else is here." She smiles and I walk out the room and her suite. I wind my way through the house until I see massive doors that lead into a study. I head inside and close the door before leaning on the desk.

The phone rings once. Twice. Three times.

"Pixie." The booming voice sounds down the phone.

"Yes." I put my professional voice on but inside I'm irritated.

"I placed an order." He doesn't say more.

"Do I look like the fairy godmother to you? You placed your order 3 days ago. I've been busy. You are not my biggest priority right now." I say sweetly.

"Do I need to remind you who you're talking too?"

"You remind me all too often." I roll my eyes.

"Then show some respect little girl."

"Lets just remember who needs who." I snarl. "I think you should show me some respect Mr Texiera."

"You need me just as I need you."

"Without you I wouldn't be as well off but without me you would be nothing." I growl the last word.

"I want my order in 2 days, Pixie." He's angry. Good.

"That'll cost you extra." I say sweetly.

"How much?" I can tell he's cautious. He doesn't want me to know how desperate he is but I already do.

"2 million." I pick at my nails, waiting for him to say yes. He always does.

"EXTRA?" He booms. "On top of the 200 million I'm already paying you?"

"Time is money Mr Texiera. You are buying my time. Are you willing to pay?" A ping on my phone shows that he is.

"I always am." I can hear the anger he's trying to suppress.

"It should be delivered by tomorrow morning. I sent it already. It's lovely doing business with you Tony." I say with a Cheshire Cat grin.

"You bi-" I hang up the phone.

__________________________

"Dear gods above we look good." I say as Chiara and I stand in front of her floor to ceiling mirror.

"I knew we would but… WOW! We look hot." She says turning to the side to look at her arse in the dress.

"Why don't we go and show off." I grin at her. She grins back and we head downstairs.

"Which car are we taking?" I ask.

"Neither. We're walking. Its literally just down the path." She nods towards the path lined with flowers and trees.

"Okay?" I say cautiously. "Let me just grab the gift."

________________________

We emerge from the path giggling from Chiara's dirty joke. Some people are standing on the lawn of the most gorgeous old timely house with drinks in their hands or cigars between their lips. Everyone is dressed in suits or dresses, looking gorgeous. I feel so out of my depth here but I smooth my dress, put my business personality on and hold my head high so the crown I know always resides atop it, is regal. Chiara does the same thing but instead of becoming authoritative, she has an arrogant air of confidence around her. I can only imagine how we look as we enter the grande ball room through the open glass doors. Two beautiful commanding presences entering the room.

I mean it's not like I've never done this before. Walked into a lions den. These people have no idea who I am but by the end of the night they will all be talking about me. I always leave a memorable impression on people. Tonight will be no different.

Jared and Ben are standing at the bar counter in their suits. They both turn as we head towards them. Fuck Jared looks good. His hair is stilled perfectly. He has a 5 o'clock shadow that makes him look a little rugged but like he belongs in here. Like a secret agent. I can't help but smile at that.

"Wow." He breathes out. "You look…"

"So do you." I bite my bottom lip slightly as we stare at each other intently. His eyes hold me captive. Everything else seems to fade into nothing. It's just him.

"What you drinking?" I pull my eyes out of the dangerous trap to his glass.

"Non-alcoholic champagne." He nods his head to the glass and then shakes his head with a smile. "It's revolting."

I laugh. "Lets taste." I grab the glass from his hand. Our fingers graze and I swear he sucks in a breath while I lift the glass to my ruby lips. My gaze through my lashes never leaves his face as I sip from the crystal cup.

"You're right. It's revolting." I place the cup on the counter and lean against it just as he is, my elbows propping me up.

"I take it your a real alcohol type of person then?" I ask.

"Yes. Not overly but I do enjoy a drink or two. But tonight, Aidan's mom banned us from drinking and we refuse to be on the receiving end of her rage. So we get this shit." He gestures to the glass. "And you? Do you drink?"

I pull my gaze from him to the near empty dance floor. "I try my best not to."

I don't know if he sees anything on my face or simply doesn't care to comment but he doesn't say anything more. We stand in silence for a while, just people watching.

"Do you wanna dance?" I ask abruptly.

"Yes." He stretches his hand towards me. I take it as we glide to the dance floor. Once on the dance floor he pulls me into him. In my heels I'm only slightly shorter than him so we are chest to chest. I wonder if he can feel me heart beating through the fabric of our clothes. Being this close to him, having him touch me, Gods save me.

We sweep around the dance floor. Each beat, each heart beat, each breath, each second of gazing into his eyes does something deep with in me.

The band plays the main theme from Assassins Creed and as the tempo increases so does my heart. Neither of us miss a beat, like this is what we were made to do. Where did he learn to dance like this?

As the song comes to a close I can't help but feel a pang of desperation for him not to let me go. He doesn't though. The next song sets the violins raging. And so we dance. And dance. And dance. Not one word being spoken. Never lifting the trance. There is only him. This stranger. This gorgeous man I can't let get any closer to me in case one of us breaks. But just one more dance. One more heart beat. One more breath of fresh air before going back to reality.

But it will never be just one more, will it?

"Faye!" Chiara pulls both of us from the trance. I take a breath and step away from Jared and towards her. She links our arms and leans in to whisper, "where did you learn to dance like that?"

"I picked it up over years of going to functions like this." I whisper back.

"Danika looks like she's about to have a panic attack." Ben says as Chiara and I get to the bar.

"She’s supposed to be having fun. It's her 18th birthday for fuck sake. She should at least enjoy it." Dominic looks concerned and a bit irritated. Jared joins us shortly after, leaning on the counter and unbuttoning his jacket.

"She's not having fun. Leigh-Anne planned the whole thing." Jared says.

"Well then! Lets have a little fun, shall we?" I lean over the bar counter to snatch two bottle while the bartender isn't there. I slip the one bottle into the little pocket in Jared’s suit lining. He takes the hint and holds it so it doesn't fall seeing as its too big to be supported by the pocket. The other bottle goes into Dominic's pocket and he does the same as Jared. I lead the way out of the ball room and around the corner to the untouched pool house. Pulling a pin out my hair, the untamed curls fall into my face. I lean forward and magically make the door unlocked. We head inside and flip the light switch on. It's clean and orderly but won't be for long. More people from our grade enter and someone connects to the speaker. Jared finds more bottles behind the counter and soon cups are being poured freely. Everyone starts drinking and dancing. Now this is a party. Danika and Aidan walk in. Aidan looks pissed while Danika gets a mischievous grin. I walk over.

"Happy birthday, Danika." I grin with my arms open, indicating the party that's now booming.

"Thank you." She whispers. But Aidan turns to me with a menacing snarl.

"What did you do?"

"I threw your girlfriend the party she truly wanted."

"With alcohol? My parents are going to kill me." He looks around the room at the half empty bottles of expensive liquor. "You do know that here the drinking age is twenty one right?"

Now I'm Irritated. "Well were I come from, the drinking age is 18 and the birthday girl is 18." I pour a drink, stand on the coffee table and raise the glass. "Cheers to Danika. 18 wonderful years of life. I hope you a whole heap of 18 more."

I down my drink and so does everyone else. I forgot how good alcohol tastes. Tonight is going to be fun!