Never an Ever After

Prom Night (Part Two)

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YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL-RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS

CHAPTER FOURTY-EIGHT

ELLORA

Everything about this evening is nothing but magical and perfect.

Surreal is the perfect word for it.

From the simple things that should matter; The Dress, His suit. My hair, His slick hair that perfectly comb. My shoes, His pointy shoes that every step he took sends thump in my chest.

From the place, the emotions and the heart-racing touch he made.

And to the most important above all this is us.

At least, for me. We are perfect.

How I wished he feels the same.

We haven't done anything else since we entered here inside the event's place is to hold each other's hand. James is being a gentleman in all ways. And I have to thanked him for that. We danced, we talked, we laughed and off course, we drank. But I'm confident because James himself gives Demi and me a punch. Off course, true to her words, Demi didn't leave me alone with James and she closely keep her eyes on James and I. I don’t know why she suddenly became suspicious of James ’intentions towards me. But I feel that she really suspects James.

I’ll be sure to ask her about it when we come home.

I don’t want another but or if’s tonight.

I want to savor this night. Whatever may happen.

I just wanted this night to be perfect.

Then the dance we came.

The type of dance that people usually danced with in a romantic movies.

James offered his hands on me.

And I hold him tightly as he guides me in the dance floor.

This is it, the moment I have been dreaming off since I am eight years old. Yes, I fall in love with James Butler when he stood up for me to the bullies in the church.

That is when I feel my heart crushed and leap at the same time as he threatens all the other children who teased me back then.

Maybe that's why I also avoided the bullies in high school that I did because of him. Maybe a few still remember every word he said to the bullies many years ago "Stay away from her or you will pay the price." Back then, when the Hawthorns were not in politics here in Pennsylvania, James ’family was the most powerful. Maybe it's because of the financial stability they have.

That is when the first time I fell in love with someone.

But here we are, standing in the middle of the crowd. Guiding me every step of the way. Never letting me fall.

Our first dance.

I didn’t even hear the music around us, all I can lay my focus to is him.

The way his chiseled jaw flexes every time he smiled at me. his calloused hands wrapping around my waist and my hands.

Perfect.

He leaned closer to me “You want to come with me after this?”

I smiled “Where?”

"It won't be a surprise if I tell you right away where we're going."

I chuckled “Debatable.”

“So, you in?”

"Maybe, you're gallant enough to give me at least a clue where you're going to take me." I told him playfully, but my heart is beating loudly that I know he can hear.

“Let’s just say, somewhere Magical.” His smile grew bigger and I know I did too.

Is he going to ask me to be his girlfriend? What am I going to say?

I nod “Okay.”

“Can’t wait for this night to end.” He looks ahead as the event host starts talking in the stage, and I have to looked at him the way his voice growls.

I have to stopped doubting.

I’ve been waiting for this all my life.

The host graced us another song to dance, this time I know the song “King and Queen of Hearts by David Pomeranz” as soon as I turned around ready to have a dance with him again, he leans in closer to me “I will just go in the restroom for a moment.” He whispered.

I nod “Sure.” I didn’t let him noticed that I feel a bit disappointed. But he danced with me that’s all that matters, right?

I watched him jog his way towards the restroom inside the campus, when a hand circled around my waist from my behind.

I don’t need to turn around to see who it was, I even thought that he won’t be here tonight. Guess the school is lucky for Ronan Hawthorne graced this even with his presence.

“You are otherworldly beautiful tonight.” He whispers so close in my ear that the sudden twist in my stomach came back.

Otherworldly. That’s a very fancy words to hear.

I turn around and looked at him, unlike James he has this powerful and bigger aura in him that makes me punch in my gut.

He tilts his head and wear his infamous smirk towards me “Like what you see?”

“Fancy seeing you here.”

He grabbed me by my waist close to him and we both dance from the song that I expect I’ll be dancing with James.

He led every movement I made, he didn’t let me move on my own. It feels like I am a puppet that he’s using.

“I love those dress, looks good on you.” He whispered. James didn’t compliment my dress as he did, although he said I am beautiful, but it is less beyond Ronan Hawthorns words. It hits differently when he’s the one saying those.

What is wrong with me?

I swallowed hard “Thank you.”

“Too bad, you graced him with this kind of view.” I saw his eyeballs looking down at my cleavage.

I sighed “Pervert.”

His grip tightens on my waist “Do not go with him.”

I chuckles “Too bad, I won’t take an order from you, Mr. Hawthorne.”

“Just f*****g trust, me, Snow white.”

I shakes me head “That’s the problem though, I don’t trust you.”

"He has no good intentions towards you."

I chuckle sarcastically "Ronan, that man you're accusing is the man who defended me before from bullies 10 years ago. The man who hasn't shown me any harm in my whole life. The man who did nothing tonight but be a gentleman. So, tell me. Who among the two of you I should trust? I am sure you know the story why I don't trust you. I don't have to repeat it, do I? "

He chuckles “You f*****g don’t trust me, but you let me f*****g make you come in the ballet studio of my own Mother, did I?” I hear the mischievous tone in his voice.

My blood suddenly boils, I know he will used that once again against me.

“f**k you.”

I stomped my way out of him and follow where James walked by earlier.

as soon as I stepped outside, I feel I can breathe. You see, whenever I feel Ronan is within in my vicinity, I feel that he’s squeezing the life out of me.

“Yeah, the plan doesn’t change.” It is James.

He saw me walking towards him and he dismissed the call instantly.

He smiled at me and offers his hand that I gladly take “Hey, you okay?”

I nod “Yeah, Just Ronan being Ronan.”

He chuckles “He’s still messing with you?”

“Sadly, yes. I wished he just stopped talking to me just like what he’s doing for eight years after he went missing.”

“Be kind to him, maybe he has a trauma to a woman like you.”

I cringed my nose “Woman? Why?”

"He didn't tell me the whole story. From what I know, a woman kidnapped him before."

A woman? So, where is she?

The power that the Hawthorne have, even the small ants they will find it immediately.

Is she already dead just like the others?

The limousine stopped in front of us. His driver opened the door for us again.

“Ready to go?”

“Were leaving already? Won't we wait until after Prom night?”

“I have to drive you home at 12, right? I don’t want your Father roasting me for letting you home a minute late.” He chuckles and so I did because it makes sense.

I nod “Yeah, sure.”

We both hop inside the limousine and James opened up a bottle of cocktail of wine. He offered me a glass “Papa might smell that on me.”

“I promise he won’t.” he smiled.

I nod and take his offer and drinks the cocktail. I feel numb right after I drink and my nerves calmed down.

I see that the car is driving in a dark place “Where are we going?” as soon I snap my head on James direction, my visons turned rigid and blurry, my head starts spinning. “There’s- There’s something wrong with me, James.” That’s the last word I told him before everything turned dark.