Episode six:The kiss
1706 Words
Thursday morning Monica showed up again with all her stuff.
“Let’s get you ready for tomorrow!”
I barely talked while she did my hair and makeup. Just sat there thinking about Adrian telling me I couldn’t see my own mom. About how he treats me like I’m some kid who needs to earn privileges.
Monica wouldn’t shut up about the dinner party. Who’d be there. What to say. How to act.
“At galas you can kinda blend in with everyone,” she explained. “But dinner parties? Everyone’s watching. Every single thing you do.”
Great. Just great.
She showed me the dress I’ll be wearing tomorrow . Navy blue. Simple. Boring.
“Mr. Sterling picked this one himself.”
Of course .
Friday came . I’ve spent most of the day in my room. Tried not to think about Mom. About how I should be with her right now instead of getting ready for some stupid dinner.
At five I started getting dressed. The navy dress fit perfectly. I did my hair like Monica showed me. Put on makeup carefully.
Stared at myself in the mirror. I looked pretty. Expensive. Fake.
Six twenty I went downstairs. Adrian was waiting by the door looking perfect like always. Black suit. Hair done. He could be on a magazine cover.
He looked me over. “You look appropriate.”
Appropriate.
Whatever.
We got in the car. Silence again as usual his eyes on his phone., mine outside the window
“Remember,” Adrian said. Still not looking at me. “This is smaller. More intimate. People will be watching us super close. You need to seem comfortable. Happy. In love.”
“I know.”
“Last time you looked scared the whole night.”
My jaw tightened . “I’ll do better.”
“You have to. Catherine Westbrook is super important. Her opinion matters.”
“I SAID I’ll do better.”
He finally looked at me. “Don’t do anything to embarrass me
“Got it. Smile. Be fake. Play pretend.”
His eyes went cold. “Your attitude isn’t helping.”
“Neither is you treating me like garbage but here we are.”
“We’re not doing this again.”
“Doing what?”
“We’re here.”
The car stopped. Big house. Lights everywhere. Other fancy cars in the driveway.
Adrian got out. Came around. Opened my door and held out his hand.
I took it. Had to.
His hand felt cold. Or mine did. I don’t even know.
We walked to the door. His hand went to my lower back. That touch that probably looked sweet to everyone watching but felt like he was making sure I wouldn’t run away.
Catherine opened the door before we could knock. Red dress. Blonde hair perfect. Smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Adrian! Alina! Come in!”
She kissed our cheeks. That fake air kiss thing rich people do.
Inside was nice. Fancy. About twenty people with champagne glasses.
Everyone turned to stare at us.
My stomach dropped but I smiled anyway.
Catherine grabbed my arm. Pulled me away from Adrian.
I spent the next half hour Meeting people. Answering questions. Everyone judging me with their eyes even when they smiled.
“How’s married life?” some woman asked. She was older. Covered in diamonds.
“Wonderful. Everything’s great.”
“That mansion must be so different from what you’re used to.”
“It’s beautiful. Adrian’s been really generous.”
Her eyes got this look. Like she was thinking exactly what everyone else thought. Gold digger.
Finally we sat down for dinner. Long table. Fancy dishes. At least I knew which fork to use this time.
Adrian sat next to me. His hand touched mine on the table for like two seconds. For show. Then nothing.
The server brought food. Multiple courses. Wine I didn’t drink. Everyone talking around me.
I did okay. Answered when people asked me stuff. Smiled. Laughed when they laughed even when I didn’t get the joke.
“You’re so quiet Alina,” Catherine said. Her voice was sweet but her face wasn’t. “Tell us about yourself. Where’d you grow up?”
“Here. East side.”
“Oh how nice. What about your family?”
My chest got tight. “Just my mom. She’s sick but she’s getting better.”
“Oh I’m so sorry.” Catherine sipped her wine. “And your dad?”
“He died when I was younger .”
“That’s terrible.” She tilted her head. “So just you and your mom?”
“Yeah.”
“How lucky you met Adrian when you did. I’m sure his money has really helped with your
Everyone got quiet.
Everyone stared at me.
She just indirectly called me a gold digger
“I’m thankful for Adrian’s help,” I said . “But I married him not because of his money but love .”
“Of course.” Catherine smiled. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Yeah right.
Adrian’s hand found mine under the table. Squeezed hard. I didn’t know if he was warning me or trying to help.
Dinner kept going. People moved on to other topics. But I felt everyone still watching. Still judging.
Dessert came. Chocolate something. I ate it slow while everyone talked.
Then Catherine spoke up again.
“You know what I noticed?” She looked between me and Adrian. “You two aren’t very touchy. Most newlyweds can’t keep their hands off each other.”
My face got hot.
“We like to keep things private,” Adrian said. His voice was smooth
“But come on. A little hand holding? A kiss? Something?” Catherine laughed. “You barely even look at each other.”
Other people nodded. Agreed.
“We’re just not into PDA,” I said. My voice shook a little.
“Oh please.” Another woman jumped in. “You’re newlyweds! You should be all over each other.”
“Everyone’s different ,” Adrian said.
“I don’t know.” Catherine leaned back. “Something feels off. Like you’re strangers pretending to be married.”
Everything went silent.
My heart was pounding so loud. She knew. Or guessed. And she was calling us out in front of everyone.
“That’s crazy,” I said. Stood up too fast. “Adrian and I are totally in love.”
“Then prove it,” Catherine said.
“What?”
“Kiss him. Right now.”
Everyone stared. Waited.
Adrian stood up too. “Catherine that’s not appropriate.”
“Why not? Unless you’re scared to kiss your own wife.”
We were trapped. If we didn’t do it everyone would know something was wrong. The rumors would spread. Everything would fall apart.
“Fine,” I said. Turned to face him.
Adrian’s jaw got tight. But he stepped closer to me.
I moved toward him. Too fast. My stupid heel caught on the chair.
I stumbled.
Adrian’s hands grabbed me. Pulled me against him so I wouldn’t fall.
We crashed together.
Our lips touched.
It was an accident. Total accident. Just bad timing and gravity and my stupid heels.
But oh my god.
His lips were so soft. Warm. Way softer than I thought they’d be.
For like half a second everything stopped. His hands on my waist. My hands on his chest. I could feel his heart beating. Or maybe that was mine. I don’t even know.
His cologne filled my head. Something expensive and clean and totally him.
Then I felt him freeze. His eyes looked past me. At something in the corner.
And instead of pulling away he pulled me closer.
Way closer.
His hand moved up to the back of my neck. Fingers tangling in my hair. His other arm wrapped tight around my waist.
He kissed me deeper.
This wasn’t an accident anymore.
His mouth moved against mine. Slow. Deliberate. Like he was trying to prove something to everyone watching.
My brain just stopped. There was nothing but this. His lips. His hands. The way my entire body felt like it was on fire.
He tasted like wine and something else. Something I couldn’t name but wanted more of.
My hands grabbed his jacket. Held on. Because my legs felt like they might give out.
The kiss got deeper. His tongue brushed against my bottom lip and I made this sound. This embarrassing little gasp that I couldn’t control.
Heat flooded through me. My stomach did this flip thing. My heart was going crazy.
For a second I forgot. Forgot this was fake. Forgot we were being watched. Forgot everything except how good this felt.
Camera flashes went off. Bright. Multiple times.
Reality slammed back into me.
Photographers. In the corner. That’s what Adrian had seen.
That’s why he was doing this.
The kiss wasn’t real. He saw the cameras and turned our accident into a perfect photo opportunity.
He pulled back slowly. His eyes met mine for just a second.
They were cold. Empty. Like none of that just happened.
“That should handle the rumors,” he whispered. So quiet only I heard it.
My chest hurt. Like someone punched me.
His voice was cold. Detached. Like kissing me was just another business transaction.
Something inside me snapped.
He stole my kiss
Before he could pull away I pulled him back to me
And kissed him
Hard
His whole body went rigid. Shocked.
But I didn’t care. This kiss wasn’t for cameras. Wasn’t for anyone watching.
This one was mine.
I kissed him the way I wanted to. Not careful. Not staged. Just raw and angry and real.
My hand fisted in his hair. Pulled slightly. His breath caught.
For a second he just stood there frozen. Then his hands moved to my waist. Gripped tight. Like he didn’t know whether to push me away or pull me closer.
I didn’t give him time to decide.
I pulled back. Just enough to look at him.
His eyes were wide. Stunned. That cold mask completely gone.
“That one was for me,” I whispered. “Not your cameras.”
- Writer
