All of our demons

Ten: The price of a ball

The fresh air chilled the burn of embarrassment on my cheeks. I can’t believe I had just ravished him like that, I didn’t want to stop. I wasn’t willing to stop his hands on my legs and tangled in my hair felt too good. It was his fault he kissed me first, he started it and now I wanted to start it with his hand burning a hole through his suit jacket and my dress. I pulled the jacket tighter as a cold gust of wind blew rustling the leaves on the trees and the flowers in the garden. We had chosen to walk through the gardens, we both needed to cool off. It was calming the buzz of the party could hardly be heard from where we were. Surrounded by in the colourful garden the moon and the few lights lit up the pathway which seemed more like a death trap for any women in heals.

The flower bed were all protected from people trampling on them with short black woven fences surrounding them.

Greyson made sure to steady me as I almost tripped again the pathway was a narrow cobble path. Benches perched at the sides of the small floral gardens seemed more and more inviting the further I walked down the deadly path. Who would plan an event they knew women were going to be wearing heals to and not look at the gardens to see if it was suitable. ‘Carful.’ Greyson told me when I nearly went head first. He took hold of my hand and thankfully lead me over to a bench at the end of the garden.

‘It’s such a pretty garden, shame its impractical.’ He laughed at me.

After a few nice moments of silence and taking in the quiet Greyson spoke up. ‘Your cheeks are still bright red.’ I slapped my hands to my cheeks hiding my face, he laughed and I felt his warm hands pull at my wrist. ‘Don’t. It’s cute.’

‘It’s not cute, I’m so sorry.’ I was shocked by how hard he began laughing the boy beside me had become almost breathless wheezing with laughter. ‘W-What is so funny.’

‘You are too cute, and innocent.’ He took a moment to gather himself. The brown of his eyes glistened with amusement a pearly white smile only further brightened his eyes. ‘Mia no guy in the history of the world would want an apology after having and incredibly beautiful girl kiss them the way you just kissed me back there.’

My cheeks still burned with embarrassment for what we had done… or what I had wanted to do or for what I was about to say. Maybe I was stupid and insecure for saying this perhaps he thought I was an i***t and it was just fun for him to play with me and mess me up but I needed answers. ‘Beautiful? I’m not beautiful.’ I once nearly killed myself to feel beautiful to feel pretty all I wanted was for someone to tell me I was pretty and here Greyson Wilson was telling me and I would not believe it. Other girls would say I was fishing for a compliment I just wanted to know what he thought of me and where this was going.

‘Are you serious.’ He looked as if he was on the verge of getting pissed off. ‘You are the most beautiful girl I have even seen Mia, tell me you are not beautiful again and I will bend you over my knee’ His dead serious eye pierced mine his stare was intense and meant to intimidate me. Flushed my eyes widened trying to wrap my mind around what I might have gotten myself into with him, until the seizing panic rising up in me dispersed as he bubbled with laughter. ‘You should see your face, you looked so shocked.’

‘Because I am shocked you can’t say that right after my second ever kiss! It’s not funny Greyson.’ Somehow I still found myself laughing with him. The light and calming atmosphere around his felt perfect I felt like myself, there was no pressure to be anything other than myself. His eyes kept looking at my lips and before I knew it he was leaning in again. ‘What is this?’ I hadn’t meant to just blurt it out. I was not the type of girl that would just kiss and sleep with someone who meant nothing to me. I was never able to open up to anyone but with Greyson it was so easy. There was no judgment in his eyes when he looked at me evaluating food braking it down into categories trying to decide if I could eat it or not. We hadn’t been friends long but I felt so attached to him already. Maybe it was because of the way he treated me. He didn’t look at me like I was a problem or all I did was create trouble and drama.

‘It’s whatever you want it to be. I would really like i-’

‘A word son.’ A tall man shadowed in the distance hidden by the blossom tree. My fluttered I knew that voice had heard it before squinting I tried to focus my eyes to the tall stranger in the darkness. With dark eyes that almost glowed he stared Greyson down matching Greyson’s own glare. ‘Now’ the demand in his gritty voice made me want to obey his every command. This man seamed intoxicating just like Greyson, I wanted to wrap myself up in Greyson but that man I wanted to please him in another way. He radiated authority and my body and mind were pulled to obey. I wanted to make him proud, to follow him, he had the presents of a king. A leader who demand attention. I couldn’t put my finger on where I had heard his voice before. I felt Greyson tense up beside me when this man who must be his father demanded his attention.

‘Where’s mum?’ Greyson stood up and moved so he was directly in front of me blocking my view of the man who now stepped out of the shadows

‘It does not matter where Rose is right now.’

‘Where is she?’ Greyson gritted out at the man. I tried to manoeuvre myself so that I could see Greyson dad and his unpleasant exchange with his son. My view was blocked again he didn’t give me a chance to see past his back.

‘Not keeping me distracted enough to know that you brought that human girl with you to the ball.’

That human? That’s rude. ‘I thought I gave you clear instructions to stay away from her’

I pulled on Greyson hand smoothing the hurt on my face as much as possible before I stood up. ‘I’m going to go find my parents it’s late, They probably will want to go home soon.’ I was on the verge of tears the way this man regarded me was as if I was nothing but dirt on his favourite pair of shoes. Greyson kept hold of me when I tried to move away from the two testosterone pumped men.

‘yes I think that would be wise of you Mia’ This man knew my name.

‘She’s not leaving until I take her home, we will talk at home dad.’ The man sighed, shaking his head I still was not able to clearly see his face with all Greyson’s attempts to block me from him. ‘I warned you Greyson and don’t think getting your mother on your side will change my mind. Have a good rest of your evening.’ He shot one last warning look at Greyson before glaring his eyes on me. Greyson only moved allowing me to see his father when his back was turned to us.

‘Wow, you’re dad really doesn’t like me’ I breathed out I didn’t even do anything to this man yet he seemed to despise me to my very core.

‘Well you’re dad doesn’t like me.’ He was trying to be funny but I wasn’t amused in the least.

‘He’s not meant to like you. You are a sixteen year old boy hanging around his only daughter and if you think my dads bad just wait till you meet Masson.’

‘Seventeen year old man’ he corrected me. ‘And who the f**k is Masson?’ he approached me closer stalking closer till there was no space between us and no air in my lungs.

‘My brother, I told you about him. Didn’t I?’ I could have sworn I had.

‘Come on, lets go back inside.’ He lead the way holding my waist steadying me on the cobbled path. Once we had arrived back into the ball room it seemed much less busy apparently a lot of people had made there donations and gone home. ‘I need another drink’

‘I-I don’t think that’s such a good idea.’ He scoffed and me and proceed on his route to the open bar. ‘you shouldn’t have any more you have already drunk a lot’

‘Five or so drinks is nothing, I can polish of bottle after bottle.’

‘why would you want to do that? ’His eyes darkened and not with lust his face became haunted like he was afraid. He kept knocking back drink after drink like he needed it. Like it was air filling up his lungs. Like it was the only thing keeping him sane right now.

I never understood the appeal of alcohol what was the point in it. To have fun? If you needed substance to have fun then was something wrong with you or the people you were with. I get a glass of wine with dinner to take the edge off but this wasn’t normal for a teenager to need to drink this much.

‘I’m going to need it if I’m to face my father later.’

‘why, he looked really mad he’s not going to… hurt you right?’ Greyson laughed at my accusation. Shaking his head he looked down at me swallowing the last of his most recent beverage.

‘No, he wouldn’t dare lay his hands on his kids like that, he loves us we are… his pride and joy. But what is about to go down tonight, I don’t want to remember.’ His eyes flashed again with fear and his posture changed. I wanted to go back to how we were when we were dancing when it was just us or when we were kissing consumed in each other we had such a good start to the night after we got over him being late.

‘That’s not healthy.’ I said with furrowed brows.

‘Yeah? Well neither is starving yourself or sticking you fingers down your throat.’ His words felt like a punch in the gut and the heart.

‘I see my parents, I’m going home with them, thanks for a nice night.’ Asshole. Everything was going fine till his dad showed up and now he was being a jerk and I wasn’t going to be his punching bag. I was not going to be treated like this by another person.

Crossing the ball room I saw Bethany looking as beautiful as ever dancing with Killian. There was not a smile on either of their faces no twinkle in their eyes like when Me and Greyson danced. She was hardly touching him. I don’t think I have ever seen her more uncomfortable in my life. When the song ended I watched them separate as fast as possible until Bethany’s dad gave her a stern look. Her dad had always been a scary man and I don’t doubt for one second that he didn’t force her to go with Killian. There was a reason I didn’t want to go with him he was a pig. I’m surprised Bethany hadn’t pummelled him for asking her to dance but by the look on her fathers face it was his idea. Bethany’s dad Kevin had always been a skiving plotter I remember how he used to yell and threaten his business colleges over then phone when I stayed round there house. His blue eyes caught on Bethany’s when his wife vanessa gave him a drink. He lifted his head ever so slightly as if telling her to do something while sipping on his dark liquor. She shot her attention back to Killian and smiled. It wasn’t a nice sweet smile it was a poisonous one. A look filled with venom and promises. I watched as Killian looked down at her slightly before slipping his hand down to her ass giving it a squeeze to witch he received an echoing slap across the face.

I watched in shock as Kevin approached the two before Killian could make a scene about Bethany hitting him. It wasn’t long before the attendees of the ball to notice of the commotion going on and Bethany’s father dragged her out of the room. There was something about the way he grabbed her that made me shiver. I shoved and pushed past the crowd of people dancing trying to get to Bethany. We might not be friends anymore but it was clear that Killian grabbing her ass had upset her and in return had upset her dad. The hallway was deserted when I found them. Bethany’s back was pushed up against the wall while her dad seethed in her face.

‘He grabbed my ass dad!’

‘Keep your god dam voice down.’

‘He just assaulted me! I did what you asked I danced with him charmed him all night so you could solidify that deal with his dads business but I draw the line at prostituting myself out for your company.’

Her dad laughed. ‘So sleeping with money you have a problem with, but spreading your legs for that broke boy I’ve been seeing you around town with is no problem at all.’ I knew her father was a harsh man but I never knew he was like this. Bethany was my bully and one of my worst tormentors but what Kevin was saying about his own daughter too his own daughter disgusts me.

‘Bethany!’ I called out before I was even able to stop myself both of there head whipped to me Kevin taking a step back. ‘I finally found an angle for our project’ I walked up to her stepping between her and her father.

‘What the f**k do you think you are doing’ she hissed digging her nails into my arm as I pulled her down the corridor and round the corner.

‘Why was your dad being like that?’

‘None of your god dam business’

‘Are you okay?’

‘Yes I’m fine, you stupid bitch.’ I was only trying to help, whatever was going on didn’t look good. Turning her back to me she raced out of the venue into the cold.

My parents were deep in conversation with one of my father’s business partners so when I stood by their side my mum wrapped her arms around me sensing something was wrong. I kept it together as long as I could but as soon as we got out of the event and headed for the car I burst into tears. The way Greyson’s father regarded me as nothing then him constantly snapping at me then twisting the knife with his last comment. Not to mention Bethany being horrible when all I was trying to do was help her.

As usual our car door was opened for us to climb into the back just before getting into the black car I saw Bethany wrapped up in a slender boys arms, he had her head tucked into her chest smoothing her hair down before he kissed her head.

The driver blasted the heaters in the back of the car while I cried into mums shoulder. Dad looked at me with sorrow clenching his fists but said nothing.