Prom All Over Again

Aurelie watched as the waiters took away their plates. On the stage, there was a ballet troupe performing a number that Aurelie did not know. 

She watched as Nicolas took an envelope from the centre of the table. He opened it and reached inside. Auri watched curiously as he drew out a card. On the front of the card was the image of a teddy bear holding up a plaque with a QR code inscribed on it. He pulled out his phone and scanned it. He manipulated his phone for a bit and then turned the card over. There was a form on that side. Auri watched as he reached into the inner breast pocket of his coat and pulled out a pen. he began scribbling on the form.

What was he doing?

"He's making a donation," Sharon whispered to Auri.

Auri nodded in understanding. She took a card for herself and scanned the QR code. It led her to a page that worked like the cashout part of an online shop. She made what she thought was a handsome donation and then flipped over the card and inspected the form. It just wanted her name, the invoice number of the payment she'd just made and other personal information.

"I can make that payment for you," Nicolas said to her in a low voice as he offered her his pen.

"Thank you," Auri smiled at him as she took the pen, "But you pay me well enough I can do this on my own."

Nicolas nodded at her respectfully. When she was done with the form, she looked around wondering what the next step was. She noted that several people had gotten up from their seats and were socialising. The ballet dancers were walking off the stage and musicians with their violins, flutes, sousaphones, and cellos were replacing them and taking centre stage. They began playing a song as soon as they were settled.

"Just put it back in the envelope and leave it on the table in front of you," Nicolas told her.

Auri nodded in understanding and did as he told her.

"I want a photo with you," Lola voiced excitedly as she got up from her chair, "In fact let us all get a photo."

Auri smiled at her quizzically, "You want to snap a selfie here?"

"No!" Lola giggled, "There's a photo spot out in the main hall. There's a photographer and everything! He will take the pictures and then send them to us in digital and large prints if we wish."

"That's a good idea," Nicolas said as he pushed back his chair and got up.

Auri looked up at him. She carefully slid out of her chair and Sharon followed her. Lola skipped around her brother and to Auri. She then looped her arm through the other woman's.

"You're a model," she said as she steered Auri out of the dining hall and to the main ballroom.

"I hope this does not feel like work to you."

"Not at all," Auri said as she let out a laugh.

There in a corner, they saw a photographer taking pictures of a couple and a few people stood around waiting for their turn.

"Looks like prom all over again, doesn't it?" Lola asked excitedly.

"I never went to prom," Auri confessed before she could stop herself.

Lola stopped her restless fidgeting and looked at her. Auri knew the questions were coming. She hoped she would not have to reveal more than she was ready to. Her life was easy enough to investigate so she knew better than to lie.

"Never?" she asked in surprise.

"No," Auri smiled.

She was waiting for the question and not revealing anything without being prompted.

"How come?" Lola asked, "You are pretty enough. Or did you not look pretty at that time? Did you have a glow-up or something?"

Auri's smile grew with each word. By the time Lola was finished, it was a grin.

"I didn't have a glow-up," Auri was having a hard time not laughing.

"Then what?" Lola whined as she shook Auri's arm pleadingly.

"I was homeschooled," Auri revealed knowing full well that at this time Nicolas was listening.

"Since when?" Lola wanted to know.

"From fifth grade," Auri said with a smile, "I was having a hard time at home. I didn't want to be at school. I went into hysterics, so my father decided to just homeschool me."

Her mother had just left her. She had been afraid if she went to school she would come home and find her father gone too. It had taken a lot to trust him not to leave her too. It had been hard ever since to let him out of her sight.

Even as the pain from that time filled her heart and darkened her eyes, she kept her grin on. It did not falter. It stayed in place.

"That would not have worked with my parents," Lola said her cheer still at a hundred percent. 

"Right Nico?" she turned to her brother questioningly.

"Very true," Nicolas said drily, "They would have dragged us there by the ear if that's what it took."

He was looking at Auri as he spoke. She did not turn to look at him but she could feel Nicolas' gaze on her. She feared if she looked at him, he would see the shadow in her eyes. Thus far he was curious. He was holding back his questions.

"Oh good," Lola had a delighted smile on her face, "It's our turn."

She turned and looked at her brother and Auri. A calculating glint in her eyes.

"Since you never went to prom," her voice was slow and playful, "Why don't you have a prom picture?"

Auri felt the tension the words put in the air. She knew she had to be careful here. She took Lola's hand and pulled her towards the photographer.

"Come on," Auri grinned, "I'll take one with you."

She stood in front of the camera and with a protesting Lola.

"That's not what I meant!" Lola insisted, "I meant you could have a picture of you and Nico."

Auri looked over at Nicolas. Their eyes met.

"He could join us," she was staring right into those perfect green eyes, "Right?"

He smiled at her.

"Sure," he moved to stand beside her, "Ms Wilde… Join us."

Sharon smiled at them and shook her head.

"Oh, come on Sharon!" Auri pleaded.

"I'm not interested in showing up in any publication," Sharon told them.

Auri looked at her in confusion.

What publication? Auri wondered.

"This goes in a publication?" she asked.

"Yes," Lola said as she posed, "Now look pretty!"

Auri smiled at the camera and the photographer took a few pictures. When he was done, the trio moved away from him and another group took the place in front of the camera.

"What publication?" Auri was still wondering.

"The images will go on their webpage and will be sold to magazines and other similar groups," Nicolas told her gently as Sharon joined them again, "The money they make will go to the charity and the photographer."

"That's clever," Auri responded with a smile.

Sharon's phone pinged and she pulled it out of her clutch purse and looked at it. She swore under her breath.

"What's wrong?" Auri asked as she saw the panicked look on Sharon's face.

"I need to go," Sharon pressed her wrist to her forehead, "I cannot take you home and I don't want you in a taxi."

"Don't worry," Lola had a big grin on her face, "Nico will take her home."

She looked at her brother and asked, "Right Nico?"

"Certainly," Nicolas responded his worried gaze on Sharon, "We're going to the same building so it won't be a bother."

"Oh, thank you!" Sharon breathed out and then turned to Auri.

"I will talk to you later," she said and then turned to Nicolas, "Thank you again."

"Don't worry," Lola barged in, "It's not a problem. Besides we're supposed to be leaving soon anyway. I have an early appointment tomorrow. Right, Nico?"

Nicolas looked at his wristwatch and nodded.

"Yes," a frown formed on his face, "We should be going."

"Okay thank you," Sharon said as she backed away from them, "Have a good night."

She turned and rushed away from them towards the exit.

"Are you ready to go or do want to stay a little longer?" Nicolas asked Auri when Sharon disappeared in the crowd..

"I have nothing holding me here," Auri said with a smile.

"We'll say our goodbyes then," Nico said as he looked around.

He seemed to see whomever he was looking for because he smiled.

"There's our host," he said gesturing to a group of men.

Auri did not know who exactly who he was referring to. She fell into step with Nicolas and Lola as he made his way to the group of men.

"Diamantis," Nicolas said when they were within earshot of the group.

As the tall, slender man with sleek, black hair turned, Auri instantly recognized his face. He was the man from her catwalk debut. She realised at that moment the number of influential people who'd attended that fashion show. The Diamantis were old money. And this man seemed to look up to Nicolas. How influential was he?

"Nick!" the man had a big grin on his face and his arms flew in the air as if to embrace Nicolas.

"Are you having a good evening?" he asked as he lowered his arms.

"Yes," Nicolas wore a smile on his face but his eyes frosted over as he saw Diamantis run his gaze over Auri and then Lola.

"We have to be going," Nicolas told the man, "Thank you for hosting us."

"No problem!" Diamantis' voice boomed as he spoke, "It's always a pleasure to host you, Nick. You always have beautiful angels hanging on your arms."

Nicolas' smile became more forced.

"Thank you for hosting me," Auri said with a polite smile.

"No problem, my dear!" the man responded as he reached a hand to her and grabbed her hand, "When I host my next event, please make sure to expect an invite."

"Thank you," Auri said as she wrestled her hand from him.

She felt Nicolas put his arm around her waist. Diamantis let go of her hand and she fought the urge to wipe it on her dress. She felt like she'd been slimed. She wanted to wash off the perspiration the man had left on her skin.

"We must be going," Nicolas said his tone hard, "Goodnight Diamantis."

He turned and ushered the woman away from the man without waiting for a response.

"That was rude," Lola said when they were far enough, "But I approve."

"Mr Leroux," a man in a butler uniform asked, "Are you leaving?"

Nicolas looked at the man and nodded, "Yes."

"Okay let me inform the valet attendants," the man pulled out a handheld transceiver and then asked, "What is your parking number?"

Nicolas pulled out a ticket from his pocket and read off the number on it.

"Okay sir," the man said and began to speak into the transceiver.

Lola noticed that her brother still had his arm possessively over Auri's hip. He looked comfortable like that. She grinned and wondered if she would get away with taking a picture without him noticing.

"Your car is right outside, sir," the man with the transceiver spoke and broke Lola out of her thoughts.

"Okay thank you," Nicolas said and stirred Auri out of the building with his sister following behind him with a big smile on her face.

She was going to get that picture after all.

Reporters who'd cared enough to stick around until the end of the show were on the ready with their cameras. Their flashes began going off. Nicolas pulled Auri closer to him unaware or uncaring of the frenzy it caused.

"Mr Leroux!" they were calling his name, "Are you in a relationship with Miss Engel?"

"Aurelie!" some tried, "Are you seeing Mr Leroux?"

"Miss Leroux!" others picked a different tactic but Lola was quick to shut that down.

"No, I am not dating her!" she said as she skilfully looped her arm through Auri's.

The reporters laughed good-naturedly.

Nicolas let go of Auri and rushed forward to the car.

"But she is a good friend," she said as she struck a pose.

Auri looked at the young woman gratefully. Her relief was short-lived though.

"So, Miss Engel is your friend?" a woman asked from the sea of reporters, "Are there no concerns of nepotism?"

Auri heard Lola let out an outraged gasp. She felt the rage build within her and fought hard to keep her face blank.

"Miss Engel did not have any connections with anyone in my family or company before she signed with French Red," Nicolas' voice was hard, angry and unforgiving.

"With your statement you not only questioned her talent, you questioned my integrity and that of French Red."

Lola pulled Auri towards Nicolas' car and opened the back door. Auri slid inside.

He pointed in the woman's direction, "I will not take that lightly. Which tabloid do you work for?"

The woman said nothing but someone else took the liberty to tell Nicolas.

"I thought they had better hiring standards," Nicolas said as he opened the driver's side door and slid inside.

Lola rounded the car and slid inside after him.