Chapter 32 - Flaming Stares

Chapter 32 - Flaming Stares
~ Daniella ~

If I’m in a movie, I would consider myself in the film Cinderella with how I looked like wearing an almost similar royal blue ball gown. Imagine this was what Suri demanded on the designer for me to wear. The design was tweaked with a plunging see-through neckline that showed a bit of my cleavage. I didn’t need to wear any jewelry on my neck for it had a pseudo-necklace that was made of the same glittering fabric. I could easily say that I definitely looked like a Goddess now; a Goddess looking for some damage — in a certain man’s heart that is.

Suri had her own gown, but it was her preferred mermaid style in gold beads and an empire cut neckline. It was definitely a different design as compared to mine, but a majestic creation nonetheless.

My knees felt like jello when I stepped inside the Presidents Hall, the one that held Ms. Elaine’s wedding reception. That was two hours ago. Vincent was with me, steadying my balance. He wore a black suit with a bow tie, looking even more handsome. I had expected that he would be one of the most eligible bachelors on the crowd, but because of his steady left arm around my waist, not one maiden tried to approach him. We almost looked like we were a loving couple because of it, but Vincent and I knew better.

He was actually giving his own President a test on how much he’d be able to hold his temper and patience which, in my own opinion, was actually working.

Erik had been sending us death glares every second for the whole one hour and that’s after he briefly showed a jaw-dropping shock because of my unexpected appearance. From the time he saw me step inside the hall, to the time Vincent led me to the Club table, and to the time I stayed there while the Master of Ceremony talked, he showed a scowl — the closest jealous expression I could compare.

I sat in between Enrique and Suri. Amano was next to her, then Rohan and Karl. They were equally in their favored modish tuxedos.

Yes, we were the host of the party, but imagine us actually looking like Olympian Gods and Goddesses sitting in a golden rectangular table in a sea of gaping mortals. VIP guests sat in their round tables that were set-up like a horseshoe. It was a plated dinner, but refreshments and pastries with two servers were stationed in each corner of the hall, drawn against the painted black damask wall where all guests can choose freely.

The ballroom hall was magnificent in its entirety. It was totally different from how I decorated it in Ms. Elaine’s wedding reception. There were dim lights of different colors directed to the dance hall. The ceiling was basically draped in white, silvery linen attached from the grand golden chandelier to each of the arched doors. Amaryllis flowers, white and blood, and a combination of the two, bunched up in bronze vases stood in each sides of the entryways. Round tables were dressed in white gold (what looked to be Persian) table cloths. The dining wares had the same matching colors and designs. Laid in the center pieces in each tables were three-tiered excessively rhinestoned cakes — or what looked to be rhinestones.

Our cake in the Club table wasn’t like any of the others. It was special. Four-tiered, rhinestoned, and had a golden arch at the top that housed the symbol of the Fancy Pants Club. Macarons of different colors adorned the sides too.

We were situated in the elevated part of the hall. Directly below us was the dance floor while at the right side was the center stage where the host stayed.

I was in awe with all of the presentation and secretly, I was happy that I got on time to attend the ball. No thanks to Erik by the way.

But speaking of which...

My jello knees were long gone. It turned stiff with his visible ogling.

He kept a constant heavy-lidded eye on me over the passing hours. Even when he was asked to make an opening statement for the party; even when he was asked by many VIP guests for a dance (which he constantly declined); even when he ate; even when he was conversing. He observed my every move. Observed my eating, my breathing, my blinking. He observed me as I became the hottest ping-pong ball, passed down to every man who asked a dance from me starting with Enrique.

I saw his conspicuous furrowed brows every time and it made me feel cold to the bone.

I wasn’t intimidated really. It was just a natural bodily response with me being human and all and not a true Goddess. It didn’t erase the need to confront and blast him a string of whys though. It was still there waiting to explode.

The good thing about all of these developments was that I was able to unnerve this insufferable man who made me worry for damn three weeks. I believe this was what Suri, Alec and Vincent was aiming for, and me of course, so we can possibly say that our revenge was a success. I was able to see his jaw drop for that matter.

However, as the night went on, I found myself uneasy of his withdrawal.

Of all the guests and the Fancy Pant’s Club men that approached and flattered me with their words of praise, Erik was the only one who didn’t. He kept a strict distance away from me — in the farthest seat of the Club table, next to Alec and Vincent.

Not like I would care.

But wait, I did, and it pissed me. Pissed me a lot. I tried my hardest not to show it in my face though. I kept on smiling to everyone, acting like I was having the time of my life.

What the fuck. He acted as if he didn’t even know me. He acted as if I have leprosy that to even make a simple contact would be detrimental to him.

The fiery stares he was tossing may have inflamed me in more ways than one, but still I longed for him to approach me.

I hoped, but that hope continued to drag on until the late final hour where the guests have grown weary from dancing.

I had grown weary too and full due to downing a couple glasses of fruit punch hoping to douse the fire that Erik had lighted inside me and hoping to cancel the embarrassment I felt from the trio’s constant teasing of our silent war.

“I think I should go,” I heard Suri say after she placed the wine flute on the table.

Amano was quick to place a hand in both of her shoulders and asked her if she was sure.

I had the same question when I glanced at her.

“Yeah, I’m tired. I don’t think I can dance anymore,” was her weary reply.

I smiled at her and then diverted my attention to Amano.

“Go, I’m fine here.”

He nodded and then gently picked up his girlfriend who gave me an apologetic face.

“Don’t worry, I’ll accompany Daniella here,” was Alec’s announcement before they left the table.

Rohan had already left early reasoning he had a client appointment scheduled. Enrique was busy talking to Senator Mitchell’s daughter, Irisha, and Vincent was out in the painting gallery, discussing with a prospective buyer.

While Erik...

Well, he was nowhere to be seen which was a big leap already. I thought he’d never resign on his job being my ‘CCTV camera’.

“You know, for a Star of the Night, you look lonely. Why so?”

Once again, Alec teased me the moment he sat on Suri’s chair. He didn’t need to elaborate it for I know exactly what he meant.

I arched a brow at him and gave a wry smile. “I don’t think I look lonely at all with all those men asking me for a dance, Alec. Look at what happened to my feet, it aches a lot.”

Dipping my head, I touched one leg, right above the protruding kneecap, as if to prove my point.

“Hmm... Really?” I could hear his dripping disbelief. “I wonder... Is your feet really aching or your...heart?”

Slowly, I dragged my eyes back to him. He gave me a lopsided smile and in that moment, he looked like a gay bestfriend I have always wished to have.

I smiled back, although weakly, and sighed. With the slow violin music still playing, it reminded me of the emptiness in my heart; an emptiness that Erik had caused because of his deliberate avoidance.

Now I feel that karma just found me.

“Both,” was my sure response. I didn’t even care what Alec would think of it. Right now, I just felt that I needed to vent out my mixed emotions.

But grin he did and then stood up, leaving me frantically glancing up at him.

“Shall we dance then, Sweetheart?” he asked with a sincere face.

I shrugged my shoulder at him and replied, “I did say my feet is aching.”

“Yes, but at least I can get to distract you from your aching heart. Com’n, think of it as my second dance. You know I was cut off by Vincent on my first earlier.”

And distract he did, successfully.

I chuckled at his remark after I remembered the drama an hour ago. Both of them almost looked like two little boys fighting over a candy bar in the midst of a crowded space.

“Okay, if you say so,” I said as I took his proffered hand and stood up, ready to dance my loneliness away.

We rounded the long table and trod down the steps towards the dance hall. I was ready for my last dance of the night and I think so was Alec, but before we could make a last step out of the stairs, I felt a hand slid around my waist. My breath was caught in my throat when I was quickly pulled out of Alec’s hold.

“A second dance would be deemed too much, Alec. Let me,” I heard Erik say just as I raised my face to see his glower.

Shit.

Alec didn’t struggle at all. He even looked as if he expected this to happen. With a grin, he stepped backward and gestured his hand towards the dance hall.

Shit again.

“Go ahead Prez, the floor is yours,” he stated whilst bowing in surrender.

I squeaked mentally when Erik squeezed my waist.

“Direct your attention on me Daniella,” he spoke when I gave him a shooting glare. He wasn’t affected with it though as his face sported the same sullen one. “Come, my dance is long overdue.” He half-pulled, half-guided me to the awaiting spacious hall that now had cleared of dancers except for three couples doing a sweet dance.

I was speechless at first being that I was thoroughly stunned of the suddenness of our contact. Hours ago, I was silently thinking of how I go about approaching and interrogating him. With how he avoided me like the plague, I did not expect that he would actually initiate our meeting first.

When we were halfway to the center of the dance floor, I cleared my throat in preparation for my quick snide, but I was silenced when he voiced out first in a clipped tone.

“Why are you here?”

I was taken aback, but nevertheless, pissed off of his question. The hell.

“I’m a club member, I have the right to join the ball, Erik,” I answered.

He released my waist. I was relieved, but I realized he did so because he was attempting to position me in front of him. We stopped just a few feet away from a dancing couple. He took both of my arms and I let him without a fight, putting it over his broad shoulder. His hands followed inserting it around my back. Then he stepped to erase what little space between us. With our chest-to-chest contact, my heartbeat jumped and my breath hitched.

A small pleased smile appeared from his face, but it vanished as soon as it came. Just like a sick ghost.

Then he swayed and took me with him. Right and left. Back and forth. I swayed effortlessly amidst the ballgown’s length.

“This ball is insignificant. I’m asking you why are you here?” he started again, keeping his eyes on me.

I bit the inside of my cheek. “Damn Erik. I am the one supposed to ask you questions! Why—”

“You’re stunning in that dress, Daniella,” he cut me off.

I shot him a questioning look. “Are you bipolar?”

“No,” was his quick answer.

Still dancing, he guided me to step backward with outstretched arms, then he pulled me back in.

I hastened to sling him my reply. “Then don’t change the fucking subject.”

“Exactly.” His stare became hard as he drew me again, chest to chest, tightly. “Then answer me, why are you here? You are supposed to be in NY. You shouldn’t be here.”

Oh, good, just the confrontation that I am looking for.

I gave him a frown. “I’m here looking for an explanation of your own questions Erik.”

He attempted to push me backward since the violin tune had crescendoed but I stood my ground, pressing my forehead closer to his cheek.

“You have ousted me from the Club without my knowledge. You have cut off my communication.”

I knew I stung him there for I noticed his jaw clench.

“You basically sent me to NY with a fucking assurance, but here now I discovered that you had abandoned me!”

Now, I felt like breaking as I remembered our time the day I left the chateau. I honestly felt that we have the same feelings. Was he just acting then?

“Why the hell is that Erik?” I spat out after I swallowed a good lump in my throat. We still swayed but this time, it was deliberately slower, almost as if we were just standing in place.

“I have already given you back the emerald ring. You don’t have any reason to return here,” he grounded, but although still related, it wasn’t really the answer I wanted to hear.

It sank my heart real good.

I lowered my head, braving back the tears that had suddenly threatened to slip in the corner of my eyes.

What more pain is there than to be rejected by a man you had come to care with? Or even worse, possibly love?

The feeling of being unwanted... shit, it definitely sucks.

“You’re right, I don’t have the reason to return anymore,” I whispered impassively, diverting my gaze to an open double door where it was cramped up with exiting tired guests.

Oh, how I wanted to run towards it now.

My arms dropped from his shoulder and then I clenched my fists as I stepped away from him.

He grabbed my elbow hastily though and that made me look up at him. “Daniella,” he whispered, eyes showing a complex struggle.

I dismissed it.

“Unhand me, Erik. I’m going home.”

With force, I pulled my elbow, but he didn’t let go.

Yes, with my sinking heart, I wanted to throw a litany of curses at him, but keeping my mouth shut seemed to better fit the situation. I’m done with him. I’m done with the Club. Whatever reason he had why he doesn’t want me here, I don’t care a damn to know anymore.

“The song is not yet done. Let us finish it first.”

“What for?” I cried out. “It is already clear that you don’t want me, why do we need to torment each other just to finish a song?”

God, how my lips just quivered.

“Please Daniella,” was his solemn request.

With my cheeks burning, I heaved a breath and fell silent, and that silence stretched on for minutes (or at least for me amidst the background violin playing) as I thought of a good response.

Erik tugged at my elbow. As oppose to his earlier possessive action with me and Alec, he was being a gentleman now asking for my answer.

With a huff, I squeezed my eyes shut. I felt him pull me against his hard chest then. His drumming heart was what I immediately noticed, more intensified now than before.

“Why are you doing this to me Erik?” I asked as we continued our calculated swaying.

Nothing. He answered nothing.

The only sound I could hear from him was his deep and unsteady breathing. I opted to remain silent in the end and focused myself on the rhythm of the music.

We swayed, turned and dipped over and over again until it was time to let go.

The moment the violin stopped, I felt my world stop too.

Over.

We are over.

I released my hands on Erik’s shoulder and stepped away from him, but his steadfast hold on my waist remained. He pulled me back against his chest (yeah, for the third time) and from there, he lowered his head to whisper in my ear.

“Stay, please stay Daniella.”

It was pained. Shit, it was pained.

“I thought you don’t want me here,” I answered, trying to sound as cool as possible in the midst of my ear and neck tingling.

“I want you here.”

I swear electricity just shot throughout my body when I heard it.

“Then why did you—”

“I don’t know how to handle goodbyes Daniella,” he interrupted. It had my heart jumping in an imaginary trampoline.

“I ordered Karl to block your calls because I was afraid Iopata would locate you through open lines. If there was a possibility that they knew of your connection to us, they might hurt you too.”

He kissed the crown of my head. I felt tingles coming down the whole of my body from there.

“For your safety, I did it. Even if it pains me, I decided to let you go. Maybe not now, but sooner or later, Iopata would discover the Club and I don’t want you standing in the middle while we exchanged bullets. You already did that the first time we met. I can’t possibly let that happen again. You are not safe here Daniella. I realized that although it was already too late, or maybe...no.”

He shook his head vigorously.

“Certainly. Yes. I knew since the beginning that you are not safe with me... that it is better you return in NY. I just chose not to face that fact. Yet you are here again...in my arms. You returned to me even when you have the ring.”

I watched as the said object sparkled when I lifted my ring finger close to my hips. I opened my mouth to speak my point, but then Erik continued.

“Daniella, I’m certain you will be in danger if you stay here, but—”

He abruptly stopped. I lifted my head to look at him and saw him appearing lost for a moment. Then, his cold eyes sparkled with something akin to determination.

“But what Erik?” I struggled to ask amidst my clashing breath.

“I’m too greedy...too selfish to let go of you now.”

Then he dipped his head, he cupped my chin, he raised my face to meet his for a kiss.

For an earth-shattering kiss.

Long wanted.

Long awaited.

My heart swelled.

I couldn’t be happier and I don’t even care that we were standing in the dance floor, vulnerable to people’s stares.