FOURTEEN: ...POUR VOUS

DANICA

I walked into the house without thinking twice about that choice.

"Hello?" I called out, but there was no response.

I looked around to see if anything had changed. A lot of things were out of place. It was dark, cold, empty.

I glanced at the spot where the bodies of my parents laid helplessly. They weren't there. No one was.

A wave of nausea and dizziness hit me and I wondered how I got there in the first place. I ran towards the door. I couldn't stay there any longer.

All the memories were circling around me. Haunting me.

I screamed at the unbearable anger, pain and irritation.

I twisted the door knob, but it was locked.

I hit the door desperately with my fists, deafened by my own screams.

"Danica"

I pounded my fists harder and I could feel my throat burning.

"Danica!"

The house was shaking, the entire building was going to collapse and then I would be trapped there forever.

"Danica, it's just a dream."

I couldn't breathe. I cried desperately looking for a way out.

"It's not real. Come back to me. I'm real and none of it is."

My eyes snapped open and I sat up, breathing heavily.

It was morning.

"What the fuck, Asher?" Neil asked storming in.

He held me. "Just breathe," he repeated until I had calmed down.

I was still terrified and I was still crying.

Neil stormed out again.

Asher reached out hesitantly and held my arms.

"It's not real, Danica. You're safe now."

The voice from the dream.

I hugged him and buried my face in his chest, trying to control my sobs.

I pulled away as my eyes landed on his tie.

"What happened?" I asked as memories started to flood my mind.

I looked down and noticed I was in a shirt and sorts.

Neil rushed back in handing me a glass of water and pills. I swallowed the pills and drank the water desperately trying to ease the burning sensation in my throat.

He glared at Asher. "I told you she needed to rest,"

Asher frowned.

"She was having a nightmare. I had to calm her down," he replied, frustration evident in his voice.

My mind drifted as I tuned them out, recollecting the events that had occurred only a few hours earlier.

I slipped on my robe once and wrapped a towel around my hair.

I sat quietly, trying to calm my nerves as Alice worked on my hair.

I was going to meet important people and I was certainly afraid of making a fool out of myself.

Maybe the night would go well. What's the worst that could happen, right?

She moved and stood in front of me, running her fingers through the makeup products as if trying to decide the look she wanted to create.

I didn't think she would mess up my face but I couldn't help it but wonder if I would get those looks. The looks I remembered too vividly. A voice at the back of my mind reminded me almost reassuringly that I would.

She lined my lips and tapped two different lipsticks on my lips before blending the colors with a small brush.

She gave me a satisfied smile before saying, "give me your phone."

I shrugged and handed it to her.

She giggled and took a picture of me with a creepy smile.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked.

"You're making me more nervous than I already am."

She ignored me completely and handed me the dress excitedly.

I rolled my eyes and took it, disappearing into my closet.

I stepped into the dress cautiously and stepped out of the closet. Alice pulled the zipper and smiled at me.

She took a few more pictures before handing me the phone. She was almost bouncing from one foot to the other like I child.

My jaw dropped as I stared at the picture in disbelief.

That's me? That can't be me.

"I know, I know, I'm the best," she said, flipping her hair.

We both laughed as I walked back into the closet to search for a pair of heels I could actually walk in.

There was a knock on the door before a voice that said, "just open the damn door!"

I smiled as Jay stormed in excitedly, and I could already hear the soft music coming from downstairs.

"We're late," Sam said glancing at her watch.

"Good. We can make an entrance," Jay replied.

"No way, can we just go now and find a place to sit? I really don't want to make a scene," I said running my fingers through my hair.

It was a miracle how straight and soft it was, cascading down my back.

"You look amazing," Sam said leaning in for I hug.

Her dress was short, hugging her skinny body, with spaghetti straps.

Jay decided on a short body con dress too with sleeves.

"So do you," I replied sincerely.

Neil walked in, seeing as the door was wide open. I smiled warmly at us and Sam turned red at his complements.

"Yeah and Danica, Asher's looking for you," he seethed. I nodded, ignoring the sudden change in his attitude.

"Guys we're all late, there are guests down there," Sam said.

"Okay, okay. Let's go."

We all walked out of my room, Jay leading the way.

Sam walked by my side and Neil seemed distracted by the person he was texting as he walked by my other side.

My heart skipped when we got to the stairs.

All I could think about was tumbling down and being humiliated. I snapped out of my thoughts when my eyes landed on Asher as he also made his way up the stairs.

My heart beat quickened as my brain processed just how absolutely mind numbingly handsome he looked in that suit.

I didn't realized I had stopped walking until I sighted the people I was walking with further in front of me than Asher.

He also stared at me seemingly taken aback.

He shook his head slightly, regaining himself.

"You look ravishing," he said with a smirk.

My heart can't take this!

I opened my mouth, nearly voicing a "th-thank you."

He handed me the tablet in his hands.

"Here. You'll need this to take notes. Anything I tell you to put down. And in case of any appointments or meetings. That's all you have to deal with. My other assistants can handle everything else that you're not qualified for," he said.

I took the tablet quickly before my hands could start shaking.

"Yes sir," I replied.

He nodded. "We'll discuss the rest later. Don't worry, they're all simple tasks."

He took a few steps closer and stood beside me, tilting his elbow. I instinctively wrapped my fingers around his arm as my wrist rested at the crook if his elbow.

One part of my mind suggested that we looked like the classy couple you may stumble across in a magazine. The other part reminded me that I was nervous and had no idea what would happen in the next few minutes so no matter how graceful Asher looked, I looked out if place on his arm.

We stepped past two unfamiliar guards who were at the door to the ball room and as soon as we walked in, I felt the quick change in the atmosphere.

Everyone stopped chatting and sipping their champagne and the live band had chosen that moment to finish the song they were playing.

The entire room fell so silent that I could hear my heels click as we walked quickly to wherever Asher was leading me. And then the looks started coming. People would stare, wide eyed, then frown and snap their heads away.

They started the next song from the list I remembered drafting out from Asher's playlist for Sam at the last minute the day before.

I easily identified the song as Rise Up by Andra Day.

The entire atmosphere was beautiful.

The purple lighting bounced on the polished wooden floor to compliment the peach table cloths.

The chandeliers were lit, creating a whole new vibe and all the maids worked the dinner party in a more formal uniform, walking around with fake smiles and trays.

A few people started to approach us once we had reached the front of the room where the largest table was reserved for special guests.

My eyes widened when I saw my name card sitting right beside his in front of our seats on the table.

Of course.

I let my eyes roam freely, scanning the faces of the guests.

A wave of nausea and devastation hit me as soon as my eyes landed on her.

Yvonne stood in a sorry excuse for a dress, laughing at whatever Neil had said. They just stood there, talking casually and the idea of it made me sick.

I felt Asher's palm on my back as he asked if I was okay.

"I need some air," I replied, storming out.

"Danica, what's up?" Jay asked concerned.

"Nothing," I replied, trying to sound casual. My voice betrayed me.

All I wanted was for her to drop it so that I could leave. I needed to get away before I lost it.

"Hello ladies," an all too familiar voice came from behind me.

My eyes closed briefly as I tried to regain composure.

"Look who flew in all the way from Paris," I said with the same sickly sweet smile she'd flashed me.

"I've missed you so much, Danica" she said giving me a hug and a kiss on each cheek.

I bottled up my anger and irritation.

"Who's your friend?" She asked looking at Jay and I knew she meant "get her to leave so we can talk."

Jay seemed to notice this.

"I was just leaving," she said, walking away.

My subconscious banged her head against the wall.

"Just who do you think you are showing up here. I have business with him and you don't so you have no right to be here," she seethed in a low voice.

My smile didn't waver.

"What kind of hospital let you come to a party anyways?"

"Can you please not do this here?"

I begged.

Asher showed up and I almost screamed in relief.

"Dr Anderson. Glad you could make it," he said sarcastically.

"I see you let this one walk around in public without a straitjacket. Careful, she might bite someone ear off," she said. I was taken aback by her sick joke.

"The only person that nerds a straitjacket is you," he joked in the same tone. We all let out a fake laugh.

"I don't bite. Unless you want me to," she said in what was meant to be a seductive voice.

We all stood there in awkward silence before Jay showed up.

"Can you guys come with me please? Its an emergency," Jay said.

"Well it was nice seeing you," I couldn't believe I'd just said that. We followed Jay outside and all the emotions I had managed to bottle up broke out and suffocated me.

"I couldn't stand seeing you all up in that toxic conversation. What tha fuck was that?" Jay questioned.

"I'm so sorry," Asher started.

"I completely forgot that she would automatically get an invitation."

He ran his fingers through his hair.

"Are you okay?" He asked, noticing how I struggled to breathe.

My vision became blurry and I felt the sudden urge to cry.

"Danica," my eyes snapped up at Neil.

He gave me a reassuring smile.

"You seemed dazed for a few minutes so we let you think things through."

I nodded.

"Here. Take these."

He handed me pills in a small cup and a glass of water.

"Everything is going to be fine. You shouldn't be alone so we can spend the rest of the day together," he said.

"Don't you have other business?" I croaked.

"I'll cancel my plans for you."