Just Another Cinderella

Chapter 7

Jasper's POV

 I've been surrounded by piles of papers asking for my approval on something that is so meaningless. I started having Evie drop Max off here instead of spending the day in the pint house. She still takes him to the play ground after school for an hour or two before he comes here. I started to give him work to do and I even let him be in a meeting with me, Mike, and two others. He wasn't interested at all, he just fell asleep and asked to see Amelia.

 For the past two days and I have taken Max to Elizabeth's everyday so he can see Amelia. He has been so sad that she hasn't been there for the past two days. I told him that she wasn't going to be there because she texted me that she wasn't. I told myself that I would leave her alone, but I found myself texting when I had a free moment. I was about to pull out my phone to text Amelia again when there was a knock on my door.

"Come in." I say loud enough for the person on the other side to hear.

"It looks like you got another of invite to Ms. Smokes Masked Ball." Janet says handing me the invitation.

 Dear,  Mr. Avery

You have been invited to the masked ball tomorrow night at the Smokes residence. We hope to see you there.

-Ms. Rebecca Smokes

I throw down the invitation and rubbed my face knowing I'll have to go for appearances. I told Janet that she was dismissed for the day, I stayed in the office for a while longer. Max had fallen asleep, I looked up at the clock to see it was a little past 8. I picked Max up and headed home for the night. I finally got Max back to bed so I could go to mine, I closed my eyes only to hear my phone go off to signal that I got a text.

'Hey, sorry I've been gone but I'll be working tomorrow. The girls have been telling me that Max keeps asking for me.' Amelia texts.

'Hey, it's alright. I'll bring Max around 11 for lunch.' I text back. 'How was your day?'

 I watch the three dots appear and disappear.

'Busy, what about yours?'

'Long. I guess I'll see you tomorrow Lia.'

'I hope I do Jasp.'

 With that I fall into a comfortable sleep.

 I told Evie that I'd pick Max up from school today, and that I was paying her extra for watching. I picked up Max and took him to the restaurant, he was jumping out of his skin. We didn't see Amelia for few minutes, so another waitress took our order. I heard Amelia's voice coming from the back.

"Shawn! I need three Max's, an Amelia, and Alfredo pasta salad." Her voice rang out.

"You got it boss." A Male voice responses.

 I watch as Amelia walk through the door to what was most likely the kitchen. She carried a tray of food to a table before coming over to us. Max jump up out of his set into Amelia's arms. With just the sight of Max made her face light up. She walks over to us and Max jumps into the air for Amelia to catch him and spin him around. She sets him back into his seat, I get up and pull her by the waist into a side ways hug. I kissed her cheek, I watched her face turn pink as she pulled away.

 She seat with us, Max told her all about school and gave her a picture that he made for her. After 10 minutes of Max begging to go up stairs, we finally did. I sat on the floor next to Amelia while Max played with the CD player.

"So, I was wondering if you're not busy, than would you be my date to a ball with me?" I ask Amelia.

 Amelia looks at me with wide eyes and blinks a few times.

"I... I-I...um..." She stutters, "I'm sorry I already have plans. I'm sorry." She says before leaving.

 I let Max  play a little longer before taking him to the park to play before we had to go to the office. I told him to leave his backpack in the car and he ran off to play tag with the other kids. I sat down at one of the empty benches while I watch him play. My phone start to vibrate in my pocket, I pull it out to see that it is my mother.

"Hey, Mother." I say through the phone.

"When are you bring Max over to see his grandmother?" She says.

"I've tried mother, but you were busy with the women's upper class society." I tell her honestly.

"Don't you dare take that tone with me!"

"I'm sorry mother. I'm drowning in work, I had to fire a few of my writers." I tell her and it's not a complete lie.

 The rest of the day was filled with work, Max wanted pizza for dinner. I order pizza for him and Evie, and left for the ball. I was already late due to me losing track of time while I was working. I rushed home to take a shower and dress in a suit. I chose a black button up, and decided that I didn't want to wear a tie so I left the top two buttons undone. I drive to Ms. Smokes home was long and hard to find with it being on the outside of town.

 I had finally made it to the house, it was a very nice house. The front doors where held open for guest, I pick up a black mask off the table as I walk by. I look around when I felt someones arm wrap around mine. I look to see that it is a women in her forties or so.

"Mr. Avery, it is so nice to meet you. I am Rebecca Smokes and this is my beautiful daughter Hayley Smokes." 

 Ms. Smokes pushed the younger version of herself towards me. She was wearing a dress that was too short and showed too much for my taste. Ms. Smokes left to get us drinks and Hallie or Hayley or whatever continued to talk to me. I was looking around the room to find anyone that I know that I could use to ditch the girl that was talking to me now. That's when I saw her, her light brown hair was done in a messy bread running down her back. I had several images in my mind of all the different ways I wanted to pull it.

 I watch Amelia turn around and make eye contact with me. In that moment I saw panic in her eyes as she quickly turn away and started heading away from me. I didn't care what Hayley was saying I just followed Amelia. I followed her through the crowed people, through the kitchen of severs, she slips out of my view. I follow to the last place I saw her to se stairs leading up and around a corner. I claim the stairs until I reach what loos like the attic, but made into a bedroom.

 I find Amelia sitting on the bed in the room, she looks up and sees me than looks down. I walk over to her and sit on the bed.

"Why do you live up here?" I ask.

She continued to look down, "I used to live in the room that is now Hayley's, but after my papa died they moved me up here."

"Why do you live here? Why didn't you leave?" I ask more questions.

She still looks down, "My papa never wrote a will, so very thing went to Rebecca. The house, the cars, the restaurant, and even my trust fund that I don't have access to till I'm 25."

I lift her chin with my hand to see her face, "Come live with me." I say.

"You're crazy!" She says.

"Maybe I am." I agree.

"We're not together, we're known each other for about 3 months and we've gone on 7 dates." She argues.

"Than be with me, be my girl, be mine, Amelia." She opens her mouth to interrupt. "I think about you all the time, just having you near me makes my whole day brighter, and not to mention the fact that Max loves you." I say.

 She laughed at my last comment, she started shaking her head yes.

"I want to be your girl." She says smiling.

"Good, cause I'm taking my girl to this annoying ball I have to attended, so get ready." I told her.

 She gets up and grabs something before disappearing into what looked like a tiny bathroom. After about 20 minutes she comes out of the bathroom in a navy blue floor length dress that shows just a hint of cleavage. Her light brown hair was taken out of the bread leaving it wavey just above her waist. She pulled up the dress to show me a pair of converse she was wearing.

"I don't own heels." She says sheepishly.

"You look stunning either way." I say.

 I take her hand in mine and we make it back to the party. I got us some drinks and we talked some more, she asked a lot about Max and about her living with me. I told her that I had a nanny and that she didn't have to worry about taking care of Max. She shocked me when she said that she wanted to and that he could spend time at the restaurant with her if he wanted to. She asked about my job and work that I do all day, I told her about all of the annoying paper work I do all day and how I set up my office for Max to play in. 

"Do you want to dance with me?" I ask her.

"Yes." She smiles.

 I took her out on to the dance floor and pulled her closer to me by the waist. She locked her hand with mine as we slowly move together.The next thing I know she was pulled away from me. I look to see Rebecca holding her upper arm in a tight grip.

"What are you doing?" She hiss, "Go change out of that dress and get back to work."

 I pulled Amelia back into my chest making Rebecca release her grip. "Everything ok?" I ask.

"Of course, Mr. Avery." Rebecca says smiling.

"I wasn't talking to you." I glare at Rebecca. 

I place my hands on Amelia's hips and whisper in her ear. "Why don't you pack a few thing and we can leave when your done." She nods her head and leaves.

"You can't just take her like that." Rebecca says loudly.

"You might want to lower your voice Ms. Smokes, you don't want to attract a crowd." I say.

Amelia can back with two bags packed.

"You got what you need?" I ask. She nods, "Well lets leave."

We start to leave when I look back to Rebecca, "Thank you, Ms. Smokes for inviting us, but I'm afraid we'll have to be leaving now."

We that we leave to my house and our new home.