𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐱 || 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐤𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟕: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞. 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬. ●

My mental analysis was interrupted by a question asked by her.

—Are you having fun? —She dried her hands with a towel and began to retouch her make-up.

—Umm, yeah, yeah. —I shook my head, centering on the running water falling on my hands. —My first event of this type... still getting used to it. —I gave her a toothless smile, shaking my hands on the sink. —It's mostly difficult when I have to talk to people I have nothing in common with.

— Well, you have with me. —She replied, looking at me momentarily.

—Huh? —I snapped to see her.

— You can talk to me about this gorgeous piece of dress if you're done discussing the Amauri vote. —She grinned, reapplying her mascara.

—Oh, yeah, certainly. — That was the vote to re-discuss the Empire's weapon fund. One we fondly rejected, because some senators (just like the one in front of me) wanted to reduce it.

—I don't even know why there's even a discussion about it, when the solution is so clear...—Of course she started to detail her proposal to me, explaining why she thinks redirecting that money towards education and public health would be more beneficial. —... what do you think? —She asked me after almost running out of air at the pace of her speech.

—I want to know what has made you so nervous this evening. —I turned around and changed the topic, putting my hand on my hip and smiling with complicity. This was my moment to get all the dirt I needed. —It doesn't seem like you lose your cool so easily. You're out there, fighting the good fight on the pods... What are you all bothered about? —I frowned, crossing my arms on my chest and relying on the counter.

Her cheeks instantly blushed.

—It's nothing. —She started to look for something in her bag at an excruciating speed.

—It can be nothing if it's got you losing diamond earrings in the bathroom. — My best attempt at an honest smile was made and apparently it worked because she instantly fell for my act.

—It's just that... a person from my past is here and it's been a long time since I've seen them. —She waved it off, appearing like she didn't care.

—A person from the past? —I pushed, waiting for the answer I wanted. —A ghost?

—My ex-boyfriend. —She replied in a second, looking at me apologetically.

—Oh... so it is about an ex... —I giggled, returning to re-applying my mascara. —And what's so special about him?

—The break-up was really ugly. —She pressed her lips, playing with the tube in her hands. —It was not friendly at all... and this is the first time I've seen him since.

—So why don't you just avoid him? —I raised my eyebrow, looking at her through the mirror. Coded for: Stay away from my man.

—That's the thing... I was hoping we could reconcile. —She gave me a sheepish smile that froze my world.

Reconcile? The fuck?

—You want him back? —I frowned with possessiveness, quickly softening my gesture to maintain my act. —W-Why? If the break-up was so horrible.

—Please don't think I'm getting back into a toxic relationship. —She rapidly dismissed that idea. —He was so tender and loving during our time together... —She grinned to the floor while she reminisced about old times. —He's the best boyfriend I've ever had. He truly cared about me... and treated me like I was the only thing worth looking at. He knew how to make me feel loved and protected, like no one has ever had. —She pulled out one last brave smile before deflecting my scrutinizing eyes and coming back to fixing her makeup.