Serena Mclane's P. O. V Apparently for me, watching Amelia and Greg flirt was the highlight of my evening. Being dragged from one person the next with a monotone Damien to listen to people gush in falsetto tones of how happy they were for us, wasn't as much fun as one would like to think. Right now, I find myself nodding my head to an over enthusiastic man who works for my father. "His criterion with which he does things is simply marvelous. Marvelous I tell you! You are such a lucky daughter to have a great man's blood running through your veins." He says, wonder and longing running through his words. Oh if only he was a great father as much as he is a business man. However I find myself nodding and smiling as if my entire being depended on it. Smile and nod. That's all I seem to be doing with these people. I'm being as much fake as they themselves are. A pity really. Luckily the mans wife calls to him and with one last word of how great my father is, he scurries away from me and moved in the opposite direction. Quickly, I try and look busy as if I'm trying to find someone so that no one else approaches me. Even Damien–who so valiantly told me to stay by his side– disappeared off somewhere, an hour or so ago My eyes land on a man lying in the shadows right at the very back of the garden, leaning against a tree. For some reason my feet make my way towards the silhouette of the person. My gut telling me it's merely Damien while my brain tells me to run off in the opposite or at the very least to grab a heel in my hand so that I can defend myself with it. I block the gruesome part of me out as I see other people loitering about there as well. If it's not Damien, I won't be in harms way because of all the people and anyways why would there be someone threatening at such a party? I mean it's a dinner held by parents for heavens sakes. Not some club where people do whatever they can to get off on some sort of high. I shake my head at my train of thoughts and step–hesitantly yes– into the slight gloom of shadows. I can make out Damien's build and better yet his clothes so I make my way towards him but stop when he spits out something in a chilling voice, one he hasn't even used towards me. I try to to sharpen both my eyesight and hearing to see who he's talking to and what exactly he's saying but end up failing with the latter. I can see the glow of the phone pressed up to his ear but that only arouses my curiosity more. What is he saying? Stepping closer, I can only make out faint words but I can't even understand them. Wait. Is that even English? The only distinctive word I can make out is being repeated over and over again. I try to strain my hearing without stepping closer and then he repeats the word. 'Famiglia' My eyebrows furrow as I try to think over what that word means. Why is it that the one language course you take on school never benefits you in a situation because another language is being spoken? Luckily Sarah took Italian while I took French back in school so I know a few words. Like 'famiglia.' I'm nearly certain it means family. Damien snaps into the phone once more before ending the call and whirling around all in the same second. While I still remain there frozen and not being able to move. Why is he so fast? Damien's hard look lands on me and immediately his face falls blank. "Serena." He says stepping towards me. "Sarah's not here." I try to joke, trying to take the attention away from being caught red handed at trying to intrude on his phone call. Upon hearing me, he gives me an oblivious look as he steps even closer. "Who were you speaking to?" I blurt out. You idiot. You stupid, moronic, idiot. What happened to you trying to change the subject? Damien stares at me and I get the hint that he isn't going to answer me. Well then. Awkwardly turning around, I step back into the gleaming lights and make my way away from him. My eyes scan my surroundings and I see no one where I want to go to and so with a spring in my step I make my way towards the left side of where Damien currently stands. Stepping even further away from him and further into the shadows, I let memory and habit guide me as I make my way to my little sanctuary. Just a little light steps in from behind the shed, enough to illuminate my objective. My hands reach out and grasp the coarse thick fading rope of my little swing. Grasping it tightly in my hand, I let a content smile slip on my lips. At least some things remain constant and never changing such as my love for this place. Sitting my butt down on the hard uncomfortable swing, I kick my heel slightly into the ground just enough to sway gently back and forth on it. The wind tugs pleasantly at my hair and I have a sudden urge to kick my heels off and sway further and further with more energy as one would do say as a kid in the park but as always, I refrain my myself. There has to be a time and a place for everything. Pursing my lips, I close my eyes and for once just don't think. I shut my over analyzing brain off and concentrate on the soothing emotions I feel from an object such as a swing. How pathetic can a person be? Footsteps making their way towards me, makes me snap my eyes open and I wait for Damien to enter into my field of vision. Who else can it be? Only he knows that I come here. But when the person steps into what little light there is, I know for a fact it isn't Damien. This man is in his mid fifties with slight wrinkles lining his eyes and mouth, the dead giveaway though is his flaming red hair that still stands out. "Dad?" I croak out in surprise. My father immediately snaps his head in my direction before he takes a step back and pauses. "Serena." He says in an odd voice. My heart warms at the thought of my father remembering this place. But does he really? Or did he just come here trying to find someone he couldn't find anywhere else? "What are you doing here?" He asks as he hesitates but then takes a step further towards me. I clear my throat as I smile slightly. "I uh. Needed to think abut certain things. Needed some peace and quiet." I say shrugging. I wait for my father to say something but he doesn't. "What about you?" The hope in my voice is apparent; For him to say that he actually does come here as well from time to time because he misses this place and cherishes the memories we had as father and daughter. "I was looking for you actually." That's not what I was hoping to hear but it immediately makes me perk up in my seat. My smile widening just the teensiest bit. "Tell Damien," my smile drops and I let out an inaudible sigh, "That I'll be needing that file back. He can't try and cross me but the owner of the company has already come in to an agreement with me." With that he turns around and leaves, not even a second glance back. My lips part in shock as I watch his retreating back fade away into the darkness. Before I know it, all the previous flood of emotions hit me head on. There I sit, on a swing like some five year old, trying to hold back tears. I do my hardest to stop them from pouring out but I can't help it. Not even a second later do tears start to slip down my face as I try to hold back sobs. Thinking over and over again of how I'll never get my father's approval. How I'm just a pawn in a game to him that he can move and play about with till his heart is content, not even caring about who or what I myself feel.