Chapter 8: The invitation

The Welcome party was in the banquet hall of Olive Garden, the hotel that Tobias owned. This is where Erica and Marc had gotten married. The banquet hall was much smaller than the reception hall but its size still overwhelmed Lisa.

She had gotten herself a few new dressed from the signing bonus. Every employee at SolTech was always dressed their best. Lisa didn’t want to stand out in her baggy shirts and denim, her comfort clothes. She had chosen a blue cocktail dress for the evening that ran down to her ankles.

The white creeper painted on the side of the dress seemed to rise her body. She had let her hair loose that fell on her shoulders. Her heels were a little uncomfortable as she still hadn’t broken into them. After half an hour of acquainting herself with everyone again, she slowly moved to the floor-to-ceiling window.

The moon was bright and round. That was one thing she always kept an eye out for. The moon. It gave her peace. Whenever she was surrounded by people she would try to catch a glimpse of the moon and reorient herself.

Erica didn’t want to attend boring dinner parties. The office staff was too try for her. “Come over after you guys are done, we will celebrate through the after-party.” she’d texted Lisa.

Lisa liked this moment of peace. Soon, she’d have to get back to the mix. She couldn’t be standing isolated at a party that was in her honour.

The problem was everywhere she stood, she could feel his gaze. Even when she wasn’t looking, she know he was around. He hadn’t said a word to her all evening.

Should she ask him if everything was okay? He raced out of his office in such a hurry that it terrified Lisa. Maybe he did have a meeting. Was it something else? She wondered.

Ten minutes after the party was over, Lisa and Marc were in a car, on their way to Marc’s Apartment’’. Erica had wanted to celebrate her first day at SolTech. So he planned a little party of her own at their residence. Everything was set up. She just needed more time.

“Can you stall her for time? I need more time to set it up. All our friends are here. It’s going to be a blast.” read the text on Marc’s phone.

“Think of something. XOXO”

with that, Erica went offline.

“Erica said she is running late, she wants to drop in at her parent’s for something important. Do you want to get a coffee in the meantime?”

“Actually would it be okay, if I dropped by my apartment? I want to change into something more comfortable. And if I wore these heels for long, I think I won’t have feet to stand on.”

“Sure.”

Five minutes later, the driver pulled the car into Lisa’s apartment building.

“I will wait for you here, take your time.”

“Oh. Come on. Erica wouldn’t let me hear the end of it if she learned that I abandoned you in the parking lot. Come over, Help yourself to a beer, and I will be ready in no time.”

“Are you sure?” did she just invite me to her place?

He wanted to go. But something in him alarmed him against it.

“Of course, it’s not like you have never been there.” She said quickly.

Marc knew it was a casual invitation. She meant nothing more than what she had said. She was simply being hospitable. But, they’d be alone in her apartment. That might just drive him insane.

“Sure.”

Marc stood behind her as she opened the door to her apartment. He inched closer, and hesitantly froze in his step. It was at this moment that Lisa looked up, staring at the door.

She knew Marc was right behind her, but she felt his presence in a way she had never felt before. She felt as if a predator was eyeing her and she would melt in fear. A wave of excitement ran up her legs and her actions seized.

Taking a few seconds to regain her senses, the unlocked the door. They stepped in, Lisa turned out to close the door and was now facing Marc. Who kicked the door shut and didn’t his eyes off her for a second.

No thoughts came to her mind. His alarming senses had numbed. They stood there, with Marc trying to comprehend his next move when Lisa leaned in towards him.