Chapter 7 Bold Girl
1209 Words
Eric's POV:
The party was excruciatingly boring.
Zoe was draped across me, her smile saccharine and sickly sweet as she leaned in on her tiptoes, as though she were about to whisper something in my ear. I forced a polite smile and endured it with as much grace as I could muster.
Then, with a loud bang, the door was swung open.
Standing in the doorway were Cheryl and that guy who always seemed to be by her side.
As Cheryl walked towards me, my attention was immediately caught by her nearly translucent white dress—a red rose blooming amidst thorns, with black paint spiraling out from her left breast.
It was a flower, bursting with life, blooming from the depths of the abyss.
Cheryl seemed to have changed so much. She was cautious, almost timid, nowhere near the bold, carefree girl I remembered.
For a brief moment, I felt a pang of disappointment.
But then, at that instant, I realized that her inner self had never changed.
I couldn't help but think back to that party two years ago.
*****
Two years ago...
It was a Saturday morning, and we were supposed to head out to a party. But it wasn't until after breakfast that Cheryl finally dragged herself down the stairs, wearing nothing but pajamas and moving at a glacial pace.
"Cheryl, why are you dragging your feet? Do you want everyone to wait on you?"
Rachel's voice was sharp as she looked at her, clearly annoyed.
Cheryl, however, didn't seem to care at all. She slouched into a chair and casually told us it was fine if we went without her—she could catch up on her own.
"It's fine. We can head out first. Eric can wait for her, and they can come together later."
My dad, Ian, noticed the tension between Rachel and Cheryl and quickly intervened, tossing me the car keys.
"I got you a new car. Take Cheryl for a spin."
"Oh, Ian, you're spoiling her," Rachel laughed, glancing at me. "What if Eric wants to have a drink at the party today? A new car should be used to take a girl for a ride, not to ferry Cheryl around."
Cheryl just nodded, cutting up her fried egg without a care in the world.
'What? She doesn't want to go with me?' Seeing her ungrateful attitude, I felt a flare of irritation.
No, this was actually better. What was I supposed to do with a bratty little girl? I wasn't going to take her to an ice cream shop to get a strawberry sundae.
Ian glanced at me and said slowly to Rachel, "Eric doesn't drink, and he has a lovely girlfriend. They're in a stable relationship. We don't need to worry about them."
When Cheryl heard this, she suddenly froze and then burst out laughing, loud and unrestrained.
Rachel was about to scold her for her disrespect when she saw Cheryl sit up straight and become incredibly obedient.
She couldn't even move—under the table, I had her legs trapped in place.
Cheryl glanced up at me, her face filled with fury, but unable to express it—which, at that moment, almost made her look cute.
*****
Rachel and Ian left first.
The roar of the car engine outside startled Cheryl. In a split second, she jumped up and flung her milk at me.
I quickly dodged, watching the milk splatter across the floor.
'Bold girl.' I had to give her credit for that.
I raised an eyebrow, ignoring her furious glare, and walked over to the new car, jingling the keys in my hand.
I waited in the car for a couple of minutes, and sure enough, Cheryl didn't follow.
Oh well, the new car was much more interesting than my new stepsister anyway.
I drove to the estate and quickly blended into the crowd of friends, all but forgetting about Cheryl and what had just happened.
But Cheryl wasn't someone who could be easily forgotten. She always found a way to get our attention, in the most dramatic, bold, and unexpected ways.
At the peak of the party, as the crowd gasped, Cheryl rode through the garden on horseback, weaving through the shrubbery and charging straight into the party.
She dismounted with effortless grace and handed the reins to a staff member who rushed to her side.
I had to admit, Cheryl looked stunning on that horse—elegant and mesmerizing. All eyes were on her.
Including mine.
At that moment, I was completely captivated by the freedom and carefreeness that radiated from her.
I swirled my drink, about to step forward when, out of nowhere, a pair of hands grabbed my tie.
I wasn't surprised—I was always the target of attention at these parties.
I glanced down to see a woman in a glittering blue mini-dress, her curves impossible to miss. She yanked me closer by my tie, and as I bent down, she rose on her tiptoes to kiss me.
After the kiss, she grabbed my hand and led me through the crowd.
As we passed Cheryl, she just happened to look up. Our eyes locked for a brief moment, and then she let out a soft, mocking laugh, taking me in with one look before turning away.
Something in me stirred. 'Is she mocking me?'
"What's there to see in a little girl like her?" the woman purred, turning back to me with a sultry smile. She placed my hand on her hip and whispered, "Come on, let's go somewhere more fun."
She introduced herself as Rita and then led me to a more private, wilder dance floor.
After a song ended, the young crowd gathered around us, and we began playing a game. The rules were simple and crude: higher card, the loser removes a piece of clothing.
I drew a 4 of clubs, and Rita leaned in to remove my tie.
"Oh! That's cheating!" the crowd cheered.
The game continued, and the atmosphere grew more heated.
I wasn't having the best luck, but I didn't mind. After losing again, the eager eyes of the girls were on me as I took off my shirt and threw it over the back of a sofa, continuing to draw cards.
Rita stood up and climbed into my lap without hesitation, and I wrapped my arms around her waist in return.
This time, she lost.
Without hesitation, she stood up and pulled her dress down to her waist, her chest swaying slightly.
The crowd went wild, whistling and cheering.
She turned back towards me, pressing even closer and guiding my hand to her chest. "Well, I'm naked now. Can you cover me?"
How could I refuse? I quickly cupped them in my hands, feeling them just as soft as I imagined.
"Sure," I replied, catching her kiss. "I'll take good care of them."
Our breaths intertwined, and a rush of desire flooded my mind. I reached lower, my hand slipping between her legs.
Just as I closed my eyes, the sound of a camera shutter clicked.
I whipped my head around, furious, to see Cheryl standing there with her phone, a smug look on her face as she took the picture.
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