Enora:“Oh my God! Nicky?!”She walked in and I took a deep breath. That was a relief. What was she even doing here? Was it just me or was she getting out of her office a lot more? Seeing her three times in a day had to be some kind of record.She stood there, looking at Anthony and me. Her eyes darted back and forth and her lips slowly stretched into a smile and then a giggle.“Oh, my God. I knew it! I knew that there was some kind of weird tension between the both of you!...”“No! Nicky, it’s not like that…”“Yes, it is! I totally saw it. You two love birds nearly kissed. Oh my God!”My face burned and my scalp prickled while Anthony stood next to me, his head turned away and his hands in his hair as he blushed with embarrassment. This was not how I expected today to end.“So… Are you two an item or are you still living in denial?”“There is nothing to deny, Nicky–”I took a deep breath. I looked so guilty. I had to pull myself together.“–There is nothing to deny because we aren’t
Nathan:The room was drop-dead silent and I sat there in silence relishing it all. The shock on Anthony’s face, the confusion on Enora’s.“Congratulations on your new role. I would have loved to go over your new work contract but I believe that we owe that delay to a certain lady.”I watched her shrink into her chair with embarrassment. Such a scared little kitten. I was slightly upset by this afternoon but it still didn’t take away the fact that she was a cute little thing.“I will have my ‘secretary’ draft the contract and send it over to our legal team for review.”She shivered again and I felt a smile rise inside of me. I would punish her later but after I fix that little attitude of hers first.“Well, since we have gotten all that covered, I guess I will be taking my leave. Miss Lopez?”We both stood up and walked towards the door, leaving Anthony still as speechless as before.I left the room and as I turned around, my kitten was not at my heels. I took a deep breath, suppressin
Enora:I needed a shower. Today was way too crazy. Anthony, Mr. Wright, Nicky, the promotion...The list felt endless. I needed to freshen up and lie down.As I grabbed my towel, my phone rang loudly in my purse.Urghh!!What the hell? Couldn't I catch a break? It was a Friday!I fished for my phone and gasped.Anthony? Why was he calling me? My heart skipped a beat. I had bothered him already. Barging into his office like that... I should have been more considerate. What if it was someone else?"Hey, Anthony. What's up?""Hey. How are you?"His voice was calm and soft. My heart rate went down a bit. He wasn't mad."I'm alright. Just about to take a shower.""Great. So that means you are still making it to Gina's party."The phone nearly slipped from my hand and I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach.I had totally forgotten!"Uhmmm... Yeah. Yeah, I am. I'm just... freshening up."Fuck! How could I forget it so soon? We had lunch just a few hours ago. She told me about it and I
Nathan:“Mr. Wright, dinner is ready.”The cool evening breeze blew against my skin. That cool shower was exactly what I needed.My towel was around my neck and I dried my hair. As I did, I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself. I had really let myself go. I needed to hit the gym again. Those push-ups every morning weren’t enough.“Is Enora already at the table, Maria?"“No, Sir,” she answered from outside the door.“Well, go and get her from her room and get her to come down for dinner.”“Uhmm… that will be a problem, Sir? You see, she dashed out and said that she was going somewhere. She didn’t tell me exactly.It felt like the world had lurched to a halt. Enora had left? How? When? She didn’t even tell me.I took a deep breath. Where the hell did she go? God, that girl was becoming a handful. Fuck!My fingers ran through my wet hair as I tried to think where the hell she could be.She had better not be at Anthony’s place. Damn! The thought of it made my skin prickle and
Enora:I gulped hard. Why did my stomach pick this time to tie itself up in knots? I was hopeless. I thought I was trying to be normal but I was acting so weird. How many minutes had even passed by and I had still not said anything to him?This was so awkward.“Enora? Are you okay?”My heart skipped another beat. He had said something else and I was still mute. How bad could something like this get?“Uhm.. Yeah, I’m alright. I just… I’m just a little nervous. This is my first party in years. The last one I went to was a bit of a disaster.He grinned and my stomach did another flip. It had to be the alcohol in the drink. Why was he looking so hot all of a sudden?“Uhmm.. the drink? What sort of alcohol is it?”He looked at me with a raised brow and my heart plummeted again. What did I say this time?“It's… not alcohol. It is just a fruit punch. The alcohol is for… well… later,” he said with a wink.My face burned a bright red and my ears felt hot. I was so nervous that my tongue wasn’t
Enora:“In last place we have…”My fingers were crossed. I had never felt this pressure before, except when I was writing my finals.“...Luke and Emily.”A sigh of relief escaped my lips and I could feel my heart beating normally. I don’t know why I was so anxious. It wasn’t like I was drunk and I was an adult with much more experience. If it was something I was uncomfortable with, I could have easily said ‘no’.Anthony and I were after Luke and Emily, placing us third and just a point higher than Emily and Luke. Bridget and Eliot were second and Gina and Nicky won the game.Soon the room was chanting and everyone circled a flustered Emily and an anxious Luke. What was the dare going to be?Gina gave Nicky a nasty smile and immediately, Nicky disappeared inside and emerged a few minutes later with a small box.“Here you go, Emily. Enjoy. And make sure you put in on.”Emily’s eyes widened and she shook her head slowly as she smiled. My heart was racing. What was in the box? Curiosity w
Enora:The party continued and there was wild dancing. The music was loud and fun. Anthony did some sick break dancing and took everyone by surprise. I was so excited that I was hopping on one foot and clapping like an excited little toddler. This was so amazing.Time flew by so fast that I didn’t even know that it was already past midnight until Bridget tapped me on the shoulder and told me that it was time we headed back.I pouted and took a sip of my drink. I was tipsy and the floor seemed to be moving beneath my feet.“Do we have to?” I groaned. I was just starting to enjoy myself and Anthony said he was going to show me his head spiny thing.“Come on Enny. We have to go. We didn’t make provisions to stay over and I have some work I need to get done at home. Eliot is going to drop us off.”My lips turned down at the corners, almost instantly, at the mention of his name. My emotions were on the surface.“Does he really have to take us home? What about an Uber?”“It’s too late for a
EnoraIt was Saturday and I lay in bed and looked up at the ceiling. I was up later than I usually would be.As silent as I was, my mind was working overtime. The events of yesterday still haunted me and whenever they took centre stage in my mind's eye, my heart skipped a beat.I was also supposed to move to my condo today. Emily and Anthony were supposed to help me but now, I was considering changing plans. I wasn't sure I could face Anthony after what almost happened.Urghh!I knew he liked me. He told me clearly and somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew he was going to try to kiss me and even with everything spelled out for me in black and white, I still chickened out.Something just clicked for me in that moment. I had had a great time with him but when he came to kiss me, something felt odd.He felt strange and those butterflies flew away. It was like they were never there to begin with.My phone was stuffed in my bag and on silent mode. He had probably sent me dozens of texts
Enora:The woman was relentless. Did she not know when to give up?“What are you doing here?”She took a step closer, her arm wrapped around her husband's.“Is that really any way to talk to a friend.”I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Friend? Pft! I’d rather be friends with a starving grizzly bear.Her smile didn’t waver and her eyes darted to Mr. Wright’s arm where he clutched the contract.“It seems that you two owe us a ‘thank you’,” she said softly, “We told you about the contract and now you have it. Congratulations.”My eyes widened slightly. What game were these two playing? Just as I was about to say something else, a guard walked in with our driver beside him. Finally! It was unsettling seeing the way Mrs. Vermont’s eyes would occasionally drift to the contract.Mr. Wright gave it to the driver and sent him on his way. All our eyes followed him until he was out of sight, through the door.“My darling,” Mr. Wright purred, pulling me close, his eyes not leaving the Vermonts. “Let’
Enora:All eyes turned to Mrs. Vermont and her mouth clamped shut immediately. I wanted to laugh but I swallowed it and it came out as a nasty croak that made Mrs. Vermont’s eyes darken.She glared hatefullt at me, grabbed her husbands armand pulled him off the stage. They disappeared into the crowd and everyone followed them as they walked to the exit.“Good riddance,” I muttered and smiled warmly at Mr. Wright, eho plnted another kisson my forehead.“Well, I guess we shall continue our party,” the host announced and the party’s lively vibe came back. A slow waltz was playing in the background and everyone made their way to their tables for dinner.“Would you please come with me,” our host said and the De Bances, Mr. Wright and I followed him.I clutxhed Mr. Wright’s arm excitedly. I was happy rtthat we won but even happier that I shut Mrs. Vermont’s mouth up. She was all prim and proper but completely lost it when she realized that she was in last place. It was a picturesque moment.
Enora:We got to the main banquet hall just in time. There was a lovely murmur everywhere. Not too far away, a couple was talking happily and smiling with the host. There were some paper slips on the stage, and the couple were chatting excitedly amongst themselves.“...can’t believe that they won the competition…”“...heard they paid the host and his firm.”“You’re wrong. They have good ties with the host. That was why they won.”My heart was racing in my chest. Did they call out the results already? Did we win?My eyes searched the hall for sparkly, snobby Mrs. Vermont, and I finally found her standing happily next to her husband, chatting casually with another couple. From the looks of it, she wasn’t overly posh and was doing her usual flaunting of her diamonds.If I wasn’t mistaken, another game was played, and the couple that were chatting excitedly with the host had probably won. I exhaled and felt my tension ebb away for a moment. I guess there was still a chance that I could bu
Enora:My face burned red and I felt my breath nearly escape my lungs. I pulled myself away from Mr Wright’s grasp and fumbled with my dress, trying my best not to catch the eye of the couple that stood in front of us: dumbfounded and their jaws loose.“Uhmmm… e-excuse us.”I grabbed Mr. Wright’s arm and we hurried out of the elevator. I wish I could atomize and disappear. This was so embarrassing.“Why are you smiling?” I asked with slight annoyance, looking up at Mr. Wright’s beaming face and his bright brown eyes.He stopped and in one swift movement, he grabbed me and pinned me to the wall. My heart was racing. My face was still red, but the thrill of getting caught again made this even more exhilarating.“We can’t do this here,” I whispered harshly. “You are going to get us caught.”“And what is the matter with that?” he asked slyly, taking me in with burning desire, pressing harder to me and inching closer and closer to my lips. “Do you not want to be seen with me?”“I…”The wor
Nathan:I felt her body tense up and I smirked. Even when she didn’t mean to, my kitten was competitive and it was one of the many things I loved about her.“The winner of this competition is…. going to be announced at the end of the party.”“What?!”All eyes turned to Mrs. Vermont and she cleared her throat and hid her unruly outburst with a smile. I looked down at my feisty little kitten and she was giving her a nasty stare. I couldn’t help but laugh. She was such a character when he wanted to be.“Thank you so much for participating. You may join the others.”We all went down to join the rest of the audience. Mrs. Vermont was trying to keep her act together but her eye was twitching in rage.I heard a light giggle and saw my kitten with her hand over her mouth, smiling and fighting to keep in her next fit of laughter.“Funny?”She looked up at me and her face became serious.“I’m… I’m sorry. I just…”I raised an eyebrow at her and she pouted and exhaled in defeat.“Fine,” she sighe
Enora:The lively tango music filled the air and Mrs. Vermont was quick on her feet. Her jewelled heels peeked from underneath her dress as she stepped quick and her husband dipped her low, following her movements.She was one with the beat, following the music as her husband dipped her low and pulled her close in a sensual dance that made it look like they were making teasing love in public.The crowd wooed and clapped and I turned away in embarrassment and felt my face burn.“Looking away, are we, kitten?” Mr. Wright teased, grabbing my chin and making me look at him. “Does that dancing bother you that much?”“N-No,” I scoffed, nervously, still unable to look at the dancing couple. The way Mr. Vermont pulled her in close, his lips teasing her neck, his hand sliding up her thigh, it just felt… I mean… they should get a room.The lively sensual dancing continued with eccentric moves and spins that made my head spin.I took a deep breath and watched them and at an interval, Mrs. Vermon
Enora:Mr. Wright pulled me tightly to him and smiled warmly."Last I checked, me and you make a pretty good team. Want to do it again?"My body shivered in delight. Was that even up for debate? Of course, I wanted to dance with him again."We shall only be allowed three couples to dance together. And I shall draw at random from the box."My spirits slightly fell. I couldn't tell how many people had put their names in the box, but it was very likely that Mr Wright and I wouldn't be picked for the dance.The host put his hand into the box and swirled it around for a bit. My breath got caught in my throat as I watched eagerly and prayed that our names would be called. It felt like a one-in-a-million chance, but still, I hoped for the best."The first couple to be dancing will be–"He pulled out the paper and squinted his eyes."–Mr. and Mrs. Vermont."An elegant couple moved through the crowd and got up on the stage. Despite their masks, I could tell they were lovely and rich.Mrs Vermo
Enora:He looped his arm and I slipped mine through. He smiled warmly at me and I felt my heart flutter. For the first in a long time, it felt like I was living a fairy tale.He guided me inside, smiling warmly at guests and pulling me close when eyes wandered in my direction.My dress sparkled in the light and I turned heads as I walked by.I could hear whispers and gossip and a few men smiled and winked at me.I stole a glance at Mr. Wright and he seemed to almost read my mind and unlink his arm from mine and pull me close to him from around my hips."Wouldn't want any male thinking that you are available," he said with a whisper to my ear followed by a soft kiss than made many of the oggling male gazes turn away.I smiled. I couldn't explain the joy I was feeling. I felt like a beautiful damsel with my prince charming, walking beside me and keeping wishful eyes away.We got into the banquet hall and I nearly gasped. The ceiling was adorned with jeweled chandeliers that refracted th
Enora:I stared at myself in the mirror and did a little twirl. I still couldn't believe that I was wearing Versace’s most expensive dress. This was still like a dream.I raked my fingers through my curls and smiled. This was going to be a good evening. I felt it. Something just seemed right. The only thing out of order was the dozens of missed calls and angry texts from Anthony.I didn’t seem to care anymore. Normally I would call him back but my entire body was humming to Mr. Wright. I would close my eyes for a few minutes and I would see that look he gave me, etched in my mind's eyes. Even his voice resonated in my brain, saying that he needed me. It just felt… different.Those words, when he said them, I could feel the yearning dripping in every word. I saw him almost every day but he said them like he hadn’t seen me for a lifetime.“Deep breaths, Enny. No need to overthink it. He probably is going through something very… moving. I mean, he did just have a big fight with his daugh