41 Swim

My breath hitches as I pull into the driveway. I pull the key out of the ignition as the car hums off, grabbing my bag, keys and phone, I open the car's door, exhaling deeply. I lock the car with the key and trek slowly to my condo door. I push the key into the key hole and unlock it, stepping in and taking off my shoes.

I hear shuffling in the living room as I close the door, my bare feet carrying me to Austin. He sits up, rubbing his eyes and shoving the covers off him. I dump my bag on the couch, hanging my head low as I wait for a real scolding.

"You weren't home last night," he starts, his striking blue eyes staring at me with questions marks hanging around. "What were you doing?" He finally drops the bomb, his long fingers grazing across his light stubble.

"I'm sorry, but I can't say." I look up at him, pleading with my eyes. He runs a hand through his raven black hair, making him look ten times hotter than he did when he just woke up, with bed hair and all.

"You can't do that April, you don't come home, you don't call and then you tell me you can't say where you were. I was worried and scared, I was this close to sending out a search party April, I couldn't sleep, I was losing my mind, I-" He closes his eyes and I walk to him, taking his face in my hands, my thumbs run across his stubble, loving the way it pricked my skin.

"I'm sorry, but I promise I was fine, I just had to get a few things done quickly, that's all." I explained and he nods, closing his eyes. "Don't ever do that again, please." He begs and I smile, pressing my lips to his. "I promise." I whisper against his lips, my forehead pressed against his.

"Have you eaten since last night?" I ask as I pull away, taking off my coat. He smiles sheepishly at me and I roll my eyes, hanging the coat on the coat hanger.

"I'm going to go make something, you go take a shower." I say as I walk into the kitchen, reaching for the sink. I wash my hands and grab the apron, tying it around my waist. I pull open the cabinets, grabbing a pack of spaghetti. No time to make it from the scratch.

I put it in the pot, breaking it in half and pouring water. I turn on the stove, placing the pot on. "Babe, your mom's calling you!" Austin yells from the living room and I turn to him. "Answer it, tell her I'm cooking."

I grab the peppers and rinse them, grabbing a knife. "What do I sa- Oh she hanged up, whew, your mom is very scary, all mom's are, oh shit she's calling again." I just chuckle at his panicking and start chopping the peppers, I've noticed that Austin hates seeing the peppers in his food, he won't eat it anymore.

"Your mom is asking what kind of food you're making." He whispers as he approaches the kitchen, his hands the mic part. "Just some normal spaghetti." I reply, waving him off. I hear his retreating footsteps as I finish slicing the onions. I grab the bowl of garlic sauce and meatballs I made yesterday morning front he fridge, I close the fridge door and turn to check if the spaghetti is soft enough.

"You know April, I expected more from you, just normal spaghetti on a fine morning like this, I thought you'd go all out." Mom scoffs from the phone and I roll my eyes.

Of course she'll say that, she has the help from everyone at the house and I'm here, and besides, didn't she check the time, this is 11:36 am. I don't think it'll even be considered breakfast or lunch, brunch maybe. And, she also doesn't know that I'm just entering the house now.

"I'm sorry ma, I'm just rushing, I'm really hungry and I don't think I can go for grand now." I can almost see her pouting. "Alright, anyways, Chase is going out with Fayette and he might not be back home until a little after his curfew, I allowed him an hour after so don't scold him for it." She explains just as I finish straining the spaghetti.

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask, grabbing a pan and placing it on the fire, adding a little oil and letting it heat up. "Because you're baby sitting tonight. Ethan and Brooke are going out for dinner, May and Devin are going to see his parents, Kira just doesn't want to do it and June is staying over at the twins." She chirps.

I add the peppers and the onions, letting it get for some time before adding the sauce. "Well what are you and dad doing? And who am I even babysitting if no one's home?" I exclaim, turning the spaghetti back into the pot after it's fully strained.

"Your job is just to stay awake until Chase gets back and see if he's alright, and myself and your father are having a night out with Gordon Ramsay, ooh, I can't wait!" She squeals and I quirk an eyebrow. Austin's eyes for wife as he hears this.

"Mom, this isn't the first time you're meeting him." I deadpan, stirring the sauce and adding a pinch of salt, some rosemary and thyme.

"I know, cut me some slack Temari, can't your mother fangirl over a really cool celeb?" I stare at the phone with a kind of look. Mom using slangs is not a nice thing to hear, especially with her English accent.

"Whatever mom. And I'll be there to wait up for Chase, you guys have fun, without me." I sigh, pouring the sauce into the pot with the spaghetti.

"Okay, so your mom hung up, and I'm starving." Austin groans, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

"You haven't had a bath, I'm rethinking even giving you food." I brush him off and he gasps, his hands on his chest in shock. "You won't feed me?" He limps over to me, his leg probably still hurting a little.

"Meh, I think you can go a few more hours without food." I cackle and he pouts, making grabby hands as I pull out a plate for myself.

"Babe, please, I'll take a shower hundred times a day, just let me eat this morning." He pleads and I laugh a little. I grab a second plate and dish on spaghetti for him.

Who am I kidding? I couldn't watch him starve, although it'll be fun for him to think it.

I grab the meatballs and stuff the plates with them. "Alright, I'll let you eat this one time." I say and hand him his plate. He grabs a fork, a smile on his face. We go to the island, a smile on my face as Austin twirls the spaghetti round his fork.

"I don't know what tastes better," he whispers, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. I quirk a brow at him, taking a big bite from one of my meatballs. "This spaghetti, or you baby."

°•°•°|°•°•°

I snuggle deeper into Austin, his fingers massaging my scalp and tugging lightly at my hair. My eyes are trained on the TV, scrutinizing gaze held on the characters. "Oh come on, that's a cheesy line and deep down you know it!" I roll my eyes at the blushing girl as she stupidly tucks her hair behind her ear.

Austin chuckles behind me and I look up at him, a silly smile on his face. "You do know that she can't hear it right, and besides, most people will die for a cheesy, corny, cliché line." Austin says, his fingers tickling my ear.

"Sadly true." I sigh, my back receiving the heat from his body. We're cuddled up on the couch, me watching TV and him partly watching and partly playing with my hair. I pull the blankets up a little higher, hugging the pillow tighter as the guy leans in, whispering another cheesy like in her ear.

"Have you gotten your outfit for the ball?" Austin asks, my hair tangled up in his fingers. I turn to him and make an innocent smile.

The ball is being hosted by Cosmo at his grand mansion and he invited my family, even though he's never met anyone of them, well except June. She was supposed to help me pick out an appropriate outfit for the ball, but I've pretty much been avoiding shopping for the longest time. If Macy and Mia were here, they'd both haul me into the trunk of their car and take me shopping.

"Well, I was planning on going this afternoon, but I'm just so cozy, and the twins and June are really busy, they're the only ones here that'll know what to choose, May will just go with anything fuzzy and cute." I explain and he sighs, placing a kiss in my hair.

"Well, you know Kai's going to be there, please try not to kill each other this time." I freeze as he says this, my eyes darting to look at something else, mind running.

"You okay?" He asks, culling my jaw. "Yeah, I'm fine, just sleepy." I fake a yawn and snuggle deeper, my eyes hanging low. He rubs my arm, his own crossing over my hip. He pulls me closer, his hands holding my hip in his right grip, out legs tangled together under the sheets.

"Sleep, I'll wake you later." He whispers softly in my ear and I smile, resting my head against his chest.

°•°|°•°

"April, are you ready to go? The ball starts in an hour!" Austin calls from downstairs, seeming agitated. I breathe again, trying to shove my leg into the heels. If this was a remaking of Cinderella, I'll surely be the stepsisters.

It's a good thing that was not my only option so I fling the heels behind me, grabbing another pair and slipping them on.

Perfect.

I pull myself up not so gracefully from the bed, praying that there aren't any wrinkles on the gown. I take a final look in the mirror, admiring myself.

The torso isn't that tight with a beautiful blue that looks like water, it blankets out in fluffy pillows, floral designs on the fabric. The heels aren't so glittery like the one May wanted me to take, but the gown covers it so if anyone really wants to see them, they'll have to get under a table or ask me to raise it up.

My hair is in a nice updo, a kind of Scottish braid or something as Darcy called it. Yes, Mia was still a participant in getting me dressed, apparently, I have no sense of fashion and I need help from all the icons to even get a nice sweater to go with the vibe.

"April?" Austin calls again and my eyes widen in shock, I almost forgot he was waiting for me. I waddle out of the room, still not comfortable in heels, I take a deep breath, grab my purse and walk towards the stairs.

Dramatic entrance commence.

When I look down, Austin's back is to me, his head down and his phone in his hand, like he's texting someone. I take that chance to walk down the steps very quickly, in a weird way but when he turns around, a smirk on his face with his brow quirked.

He loves to watch me, I've noticed it. The slight glint in his eyes, a mix of adoration and love, it's makes my heart warm and my legs weaken. I grip the railing a little harder, holding myself from not falling.

"Have you always been this beautiful?" He asks as I reach the end of the steps, taking my waist in his large hands.

"Are you flirting with me?" I giggle, yes giggle.

"You finally noticed?" He counters, leaning in for a kiss. I turn my head, making his lips fall to my cheeks. "Hey!" He pouts, his brows furrowed.

"I have lipstick on Austin, I don't think I want June and the twins to skewer me before we even kick-off the ball." I explain, releasing myself from his hold.

"What are you saying Austin? The ball doesn't start for another two hours!" I gasp as I stare at the clock, turning back to glare at him.

"Well, I couldn't get you down here on time, and this is punishment for taking my hoodie out." He replies casually.

"But you love me wearing your hoodie." I furrow my brows and he nods. "I know." He turns to the kitchen, the dress shirt wrapped tightly around his body.

Austin's outfit is a very interesting one. He's wearing a white dress shirt, a navy blue waistcoat and baby blue pants too, with a tie that matches the color of my dress.

We look like a power couple... but without the physical power.

Austin sits at the island, a plate of chicken already there. He adjusts himself well, grabbing a piece of the chicken and biting into it. "Austin, what are you doing?" I ask and he turns back to look at me, a large bib around his neck makes me gasp in surprise.

"Where in the world did you buy that?" I shriek, staring at him like he'd grown two heads.

"It was a gift."

°•°|°•°

The car pulls up in front of Cosmo's mansion. The fountain was lit up, there were different cars splayed across the place, chatter and people moving around. Austin looks at me then opens his car door, stepping out. I open mine and step out too, careful of my heels and I shut it, walking to meet him. "You ready?" He asks, locking the car.

"Better now, or I won't ever go in there again." I reply, nodding my head and he lets out a small laugh, taking my hand and helping me to the grand doors where there are some weird looking people standing like in an old fashioned ball.

Cosmo really went all out, and I could see more of that as we stepped inside, there was a kind of roll call the when they add Lord and Lady to the front of everyone's name. It felt weird hearing 'Lady April Freeman and Lord Austin Henderson' as Austin led me to a kind of room that I wasn't in the last time I was here.

And I thought the grand living room and swimming pool was the end of it.

The ball room was enormous, a buffet as promised, a classical music playing in the background, live chatter and people with drinks, it was just woah. The chandelier that hung at the center of the room was brightly lit, the powerful scent of the food over powering the scent of fresh flowers. I try to make a beeline for the buffet but Austin pulls me back with a soft chuckle, my hand tucked in his.

I look up at him with pleading eyes and he smiles, "Later, after the first dance." He tells me and looks ahead, his eyes lighting up when he sees his friends. One of them which is Kai.

I gasp at her outfit, who knew she could actually pull of a nice dress, the burgundy fell out in folds, her eyes liked like that of a cat. All in all, she looked absolutely gorgeous.

I feel the cold metal against the skin of my thigh and fell a pang in my chest. It's sad that beautiful dress has to get ruined.

He pulls me towards them, Kole, Nigel, Jake, Kai, and River. They all look super hot, like models straight out from Abercrombie or something, I think that's what people say.

"Hey, meet my date, Lady April Freeman." Austin says in a fake posh English accent. I roll my eyes and smile at Kole and Nigel. "Hello." I greet and they mutter a greeting back, bright smiles on their faces, even Kai had a kind of smile on.

Creepy, I know.

"Where's the host?" Austin asks, looking up and squinting at the grand stairs.

"Planning a dramatic entrance." Kole replies, shrugging it off.

"Yeah, like Batman." Nigel adds, snickering. "I won't be surprised if he came swinging down," Jake states, sipping from his glass.

"Or if he came rising out if the floors." River yawns.

Okay, on a scale of one to ten, how dramatic is Cosmo?

"Ten." They all reply, even Kai. I realise that I said that out loud and I start blushing.

°•°•°|°•°•°

The boys weren't lying when they said Cosmo was very dramatic, he apparently had all the lights turned off. It started like a candle light flame from the top of the stairs, then a little light was put on around there and we could all clearly see sparkling diamonds, then a spotlight was put on him, just enough to blind everyone.

Very dramatic. Everyone was gasping, except these people here, they just rolled their eyes, going back to whatever they were doing.

The ball started an hour ago and I've been waiting to get my hands on the food. They sent some small finger food around but it's still not enough, I feel like a glutton but I have every right to!

Kai went upstairs ten minutes ago and my heart rate hasn't called ever since. Everyone seems calm and no one seemed to notice how agitated I feel, just how it should've been.

"Austin, I need to use the restroom." He looks at me, his hand that was holding mine and rubbing my plan pausing. "Just go back the way we came, you'll find the other restroom, or you could go up the way Kai did." He says and I nod, standing up.

"Go with me?" I ask "As long as you hold my hand." I look down, blushing a little and he smiles, standing up. "Is there a reason you're blushing like that?" He asks, leaning towards me and I smack his shoulder causing him to chuckle.

"You know, we coul-" he gets cut off by a couple walking up to us, the woman grabbing Austin and pulling him in for a hug. "My darling boy, how are you? You're so grown now!" She gasps and I quirk a brow. I really can't waste another minute down here. I wave at Austin and he sends me an apologetic look.

My heart thunders in my chest, my palms getting sweaty as I reach the end of the stairs at the top. I walk towards a long hallway, exhaling slowly and trying to calm myself.

I reach a door and turn the handle, pushing it open slowly. I see someone passed out on the bed and I nearly let out a scream but when I see that it's Kai, my hands reduce their shaking. I quickly shit the door, picking up the pace and turning another door handle. When I open it, I'm relieved to see that it's just the bathroom. I turn open the faucet, running my hands under he cold water. I splash some water on my face and let out a shaky breath.

What I didn't expect to look up at was Kai staring at me with a creepy smile in her face through the mirror. I gasp and reach for my thigh but she slams my head against the mirror causing it to shatter.

°•°|°•°

I let out a grunt in pain as I slide down, holding my head as the blood colors my hand. She looks down at me, her dress gone and replaced with a fitted shirt and tight pants.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." She tuts, her head shaking as she stares at my body in some kind of pity.

"You really shouldn't have come up here you know, I was starting to like you." She says in a cold voice and I adjust myself, sitting up and releasing a heavy breath.

"You just had to listen to Kai didn't you?" She asks, still watching me as I stand shakily. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to get rid of the pain.

"Shut up." I whisper and she narrows her eyes at me. "I don't have time for you, I still like you so I'm just going to leave you here while I go have fun downstairs hmm?" Meredith smiles, batting her lashes at me. "No." I ground out, holding the sink.

She rolls her eyes, pushing last me and walking out of the bathroom. I grab he ends of my gown, tearing the fabric so I can move a little easily. I clean the blood on my hands, my heels stepping over and cracking broken glass as I follow her slowly.

My head hurt, a lot, and trying to see clearly just made it hurt more, I am a hundred percent sure that there are priced of broken glass in my face, ones that stung and I can't reach. She turns the other way, not heading straight back to the ball room and I assume that she might need to get some stuff before she gets down.

I'm not going to let her get down.

I lock off my heels and swiftly follow her, my feet tapping against the floor in a soft patter, she walks into an open space, bending down and I pull out the cold metal that was underneath my dress this whole time. My hand grips the end of the small dagger as I walk into the open space.

She looks up at me and sighs, standing up and kicking the bag aside. "You never give up do you? Maybe that's even the reason why I like you more than any other person in this fucked up place."

I ignore her, walking closer with the dagger tightly in my grip. "Do you even know how to use that thing?" She questions, a worried look on her face. "Shut up." I warn, stepping closer to her.

Where she's standing, there's nothing to hold her if I pushed her, but how to get close is the problem. "You know, if you just let me go, I won't touch Austin." She bargains and I glare at her, pointing the dagger at her. "You shut your mouth about Austin."

"On second thought, it'd be nice to cut his face off slowly, chunk by chunk, just like I will do to your pretty sisters, especially the green haired one, she just irritated me to the core." She exasperates, rubbing her forehead.

I shake my head, trying not to believe that she might do it, but she can do it, but why would she?

I'm the midst of my thought, I feel the dagger slapped out of my hand and a smack to my face, pushing the glass deeper into my face. I let out a deep grunt as I fall to the floor, feeling the warm blood trickling down my forehead. "You should have listened, and payed more attention." She says in a bored tone and grabs the dagger, aiming it at me.

I was able to get out of the way for it not to do any serious damage but it cuts my arm, tearing the skin open.

I roll over, clutching my arm and her ignores me again, going back to her bag. I find that as an opening and rush to her, my legs finding a way out of her roundhouse with a fuck and I push her forward, she falls, smacking her head against the floor.

"I clearly underestimated you." She groans, flipping herself back up. She was back in position, her eyes narrowed on me. I reach for the dagger and immediately fling it at her, she dodges it, watching as it fell right down to the last floor.

"That was weak aim." She scoffs and when she turns back to me, I'm holding the bag in my arm, ready to toss it at her.

"Hope you know how to swim, bitch!" I yell and throw the bag at her with heavy force, her eyes widen and she tries to roll out of the way before it makes contact with her but she wasn't fast enough.

It collides with her and sends her down the building, a shriek as she fell, but I don't miss the haunting smirk she gave me before she hit the water.

"Kai!" I hear a familiar voice call out behind me and I whip around to stare at Austin looking at me with wide eyes.

Oh shit.