CHAPTER 14 : I'M THERE BY YOUR SIDE, EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT

At Viveria's Apartment...

Jackie: Vi, I really think you should wear some light clothes so that they don't put pressure on your ankles, also wear sandals and not sneakers.

Viveria: I just really wanted to dress up because Dew won the audition. He totally deserved it. However, now I'll just have to make do with my mini skirt and tank top. Also, you know sneakers are my love.

Making a puppy dog face requesting Jackie to allow her to wear the sneakers, she heard her phone ringing.

Incoming Video Call : Dew

As Viveria picked up the phone, Dew was very excited and hyper.

Dew : Viv, my darling! Come soon. We are waiting downstairs for you. It's my party, the host can't be late. Also, do tell Jackie to come dressed up as a girl and not as one of the dudes.

Jackie immediately snatched the phone and gave a murderous look to Dew.

Jackie: You know what? How about I dress up like a dude, come downstairs and force you to wear one of Viveria's dresses?

Dew ( looking horrified at the threat) : I was just kidding, I swear! Dan, help me man, she will kill me.

Dew turned the phone towards Daniel who looked equally murderously at Dew.

Daniel: I will sure cheer for you Jackie. Go ahead! I don't even care for him.

To this Dew gave Daniel a look stating 'you broke my heart' and to which Daniel gave him a shrug indicating 'I don't care'.

Dew : Viv, my love. You are the only one who can save me. Come soon, otherwise you might find my corpse lying in the car. Daniel is going to kill me. ( pretending to be scared)

Viveria: Don't worry Dew, no one can touch you as long as I'm here. Give us 5 minutes we will be down with you guys.

As, Viveria got up to go down, Jackie supported her by holding her arm.

Viveria: How am I supposed to go down so many stairs? It was pretty painful when I climbed.

Jackie: Do you want me to call Dew or Daniel, one of them can surely carry you. Or should I call Xavier? ( giving an evil grin)

Viveria slapped Jackie's arm and continued to go down the stairs slowly. It took a total of 15 minutes to actually get down. As they stepped outside, Daniel and Dew both came out to help Viveria get safely tucked inside the car.

Daniel: Vive, if it's paining too much. Then let's not go today. we can celebrate it some other day?

Dew: Not happening. Please tell me Viv, you will make it. I have invited half the school to the party. Don't do this to me. ( giving her a girlish pout)

Viveria: I'm fine guys. Its just a minor injury. I'm okay. Of course, I'm not missing your party Dew. It's always my favorite.

Dew hugging Viveria leaning forward, from the back seat. Daniel, intentionally started the car and Dew lost his balance and fell on Jackie's lap. Jackie immediately shoving Dew roughly aside, pushed him away with a shrug. Dew miserably fell back to his seat with an admiring look.

Dew: You got muscles girl. But why did you push me so hard?

His question remained unanswered as they reached the nearest venue, Bob's Party Place.

At Bob's Party Place...

There was a great crowd of young teenagers who were hanging out together, a group of young adults along with some of the Walstrom High students who were invited for the party. Few couples were sitting at the tables, there were some families that were in the restaurant area. Some men were drinking at the bar.

Bob's place was pretty huge and had different sections for different celebrations.

As the four of them approached their booked section for the party, Viveria saw a familiar face. She was not sure, but she thought she saw Drake. However, first she would do what she was here for. As everyone settled down, they raised a toast for Dew. Some had wine, others beer glasses and some had col drinks.

Dew: Thank you so much guys for joining me here at Bob's. It means a lot to me and I know for most of you it's not an ideal place for a party. Viveria's leg is still not okay, so I really wanted to celebrate someplace near. Also, I promise, once I bring the actual trophy for the Fashion Show to Walstrom High, I'll throw a bigger party than this.

As Dew drank his first glass for the night, Daniel gave Viveria a look. Both Daniel and Viveria did not like drinking.

However, Daniel is still used to alcohol because of the family business meetings. Viveria on the contrary was firm on her stance of no drinking.

She didn't have anything against those who drink, she just didn't prefer it herself. To give Viveria company even Daniel was drinking cold drink. He was aware that he would be the one driving everyone home, so he had to stay sober even more.

As the party was in full swing, Viveria excused herself to go to the washroom. Jackie was about to get up to help her, when Dew pulled Jackie down, to have another drink. Viveria motioned that she can go by herself. Daniel had gone outside to attend an important business call.

As Viveria carefully walked towards the washroom, she could feel a weird sensation of being followed. As Viveria braced herself for fight with maybe some drunk pervert, she turned around to see that it was Drake.

Drake: Hey! Sorry to scare you. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry to have bailed on you last minute. It wasn't intentional. I heard you fell down? Are you okay, now?

Viveria: I'm fine. And it's okay. I managed pretty well without you. I would have, however, appreciated if you could have at least informed me when you felt you couldn't turn up.

Drake: Yeah. Sorry about that too. So you are here for Dew's party, right?

Viveria : Yes.

Drake ( with an innocent look): Want to join me for a drink?

Viveria ( feeling weird): No.

Drake: Sure?

Viveria : Yes.

As Drake turned around and went back to his friends, Viveria went to the washroom.

As, she came out of the washroom and was about to go back to her friends, a very drunk guy just casually walked past her, touching her inappropriately. Viveria felt awkward and angry at the same time.

Viveria ( pretty firmly): Watch where you are going, Mr. !

Drunk Guy: Hey sexy, you talking to me?

Viveria realized that the guy was very drunk. She still felt that the guy had intentionally touched her inappropriately.

Deciding otherwise, she didn't want to talk any further with the guy. As she was about to go, the drunk guy caught her by the wrist and seemed to corner her.

Drunk Guy: I thought you were talking to me? What happened? You wanted to say something?

Viveria removed her hand from his grip, she was fuming by now.

Honestly speaking in such situations, though it is very easily said that girls should fight back and immediately cause a scene or something. It is really easier said than done.

At a moment when a girl is cornered, she often doesn't want to cause a scene or call for help because of two reasons- One, the societal horror of maybe someone trying to hurt them, flashes into their minds and they feel numb to do anything or Two, they don't want to create a scene or something because they feel like that would just show that they are actually scared of the offender.

Viveria, however, fell into the third category. She was a fighter and thus, though, her hand was itching to slap the guy, she still remained calm and decided not to lose her composure.

Viveria ( clearly stepping away and firmly looking directly at the guy) : Do not touch me again! You are drunk so, please, just leave!

The drunk guy actually gave her a shrug and went away. Viveria, on the other hand was still feeling pretty awkward about that incident. As she turned around in a hurry to get back to her friends, she dashed into someone's chest.

Worried, it might be another drunkard, Viveria hurriedly pulled back and no thanks to her ankle, she began to lose her body balance, she was about to fall on her back.

She felt firm hands holding her shoulders and preventing her fall. It was Xavier! And God! he was looking so handsome in a casual top and black denim.

Viveria realizing she had suddenly zoned out, removed his hands.

Xavier ( looking worriedly into Viveria's eyes) : You okay?

Viveria felt her pulse rate increasing. Only Xavier had this effect on her. No matter how much calm and practical she wants to stay when it comes to him, there is always this part of her which imagines how good it would actually feel to be with him.

As Viveria was silent, Xavier held one of her shoulders again and asked: Hey! Viveria, you okay?

Viveria's mind jumping back to reality, she immediately responded: Yeah, yeah. I'm totally fine. Thank you for helping me from falling.

Xavier ( returning to his casual demeanor, looked at Viveria with a smile) : You know as per the doctors say, an injured person should not go running around playing Wonder Woman.

Viveria was now totally back to reality with Xavier's comment. He always knew how to spoil a super romantic moment, that did seem to exist in Viveria's head.

Viveria ( giving him a fake smile) : Yes, I know. But do you know, that doctor's also say, that you must help the injured rather than make fun of them?

Xavier leaning in closely towards Viveria, staring into her eyes.

Xavier ( intently looking at her): Do you want my help?

Viveria felt weirdly excited and scared. Scared because of the incident that had just happened few minutes back, had still been bothering her. Excited because whenever, Xavier got this close, she was always afraid that she would fall more deeply in love with him.

Viveria ( pushing Xavier away a little) : Why do you always invade my personal space? Do you think girls like this proximity play?

Xavier : Well, I don't always talk to girls this close until and unless I'm flirting with them. However, you are the only exception.

Viveria did not know how to react to this statement. Was Xavier telling her that he was flirting with her? Or is he telling her that he would never flirt with her? Damn! This mental guy has issues and some extreme level of confusing skills.

Viveria ( realizing she was too hyper to continue the conversation) : Whatever it is, I need to go back to my friends. See you later.

As Viveria started to walk away, Xavier had a disappointed look.

Xavier ( murmuring to himself) : Even I'm your friend, why don't you just hang out with me, instead?

Viveria heard Xavier mumbling something and turned around : Did you say something?

Xavier ( quickly faking a smile): No, just be careful with that leg of yours.

Viveria : I will be. Bye!

As Viveria limped and went back to her friends, Xavier had never felt so amused before. He was pretty impressed by her tonight.

Flashback....

Xavier had come to the place, to hangout with his friends. He had no clue, that Viveria was also there.

It was only when, Xavier had noticed Drake, walking away from the washrooms, with a weird smirk on his face, that Xavier had felt an urge to go and see what was going on.

To his surprise, he saw a drunk fellow dashing with Viveria. He saw the guy touching Viveria inappropriately. He felt anger rush in his body. Clenching his fist he was about to intervene, when he saw that Viveria had a determined look on her face.

He quietly observed the whole thing and somehow felt good about the way Viveria had dealt with the situation.

He never knew there was this side of hers too. She truly was different than other girls. She was really a fighter!

However, he had intentionally stood quietly behind Viveria, knowing fully well that she would dash straight into his chest. And when it did happen, he didn't know why but he felt like giving her a hug!

Xavier ( immediately thinking to himself) .What the hell is he thinking? What's wrong with him?

As Viveria had started to talk with him, he realized how much he had gotten used to their sweet bickering. He really enjoyed teasing her and somehow, it was becoming a habit. A habit he was growing fond of.

Is he really falling for her? Does this mean that he likes her?

As he was thinking this, Viveria had declared that she was going back to her friends. That's when unintentionally he felt a need to stop her and ask her to keep on talking with him.

Xavier ( softly murmuring to himself) : Even I'm your friend, why don't you just hang out with me, instead?

However, this was against his nature to sound desperate. He was Xavier Derozio, after all, he had an image to protect.

Returning to the present....

Xavier really didn't know why or how Viveria had slowly started to create a small space in his mind. But, he was sure that whatever was going on between them he definitely doesn't mind.

Will Xavier get the courage to decipher his feelings for Viveria Or will Viveria never know what truly awaits for her?