Believe: A Billionaire Romance

Chapter 35 THE CLOSING DANCE

Rumes' POV
Closing my eyes, a scene full of raindrops and misty smell filled my senses. I dreamt of it, I screamed in it.

There were people on other tables, and excited, nervous, I was sitting on a table, my dark hair wet from the rain. The café was full of people, on their laptops, with their lovers. The bright colours of the had dulled from the weather. I had looked everywhere- she hadn't come yet.

She will.

I tried to console myself. Of course, she will. I had flown in from another state. She could definitely come to visit me in a café four blocks from her home.

They had all been so curious- everybody I knew.

Who was the mystery girl, Jay?

Even I didn't know. She was a mystery to me, and I had come so far to solve it. I knew who she was, how she was. But there was no face I could give to her.

She had wanted to see me in person, the first time, and I had obliged.

The waiter was approaching me, and I could sense something was wrong. My heart started beating faster- a dark mass moved behind him.

"This, sir, for you. The lady wanted you to have it."

Scenes were flashing before my eyes, now. The white piece of paper I still had, a momento.

With numb eyes, I read it.

Sorry Jay, I played you. Thanks for coming, by the way. Let's never meet again.

I woke up, breathing deeply. I had seen death, I had witnessed betrayal, but I had never been heartbroken.

And it seemed like all three of them had happened at once to me. I hadn't loved someone I wasn't supposed to.

All the people close to me in my life had been my responsibility first. I had to love them. It was like I was never given a choice.

And then when I was- this happened.

People I loved out of responsibility, but who I had come to ultimately love.

I never thought I was in love with Cassy. But, the hatred I was feeling towards her told me different. The numbness. The deadness. If I didn't feel strongly about her then, why would I feel strongly about her now?

The only people you could really hate are the ones you really loved.

What has she done to me?

Over and over and over again.
***
"I thought you were coming with Cassy?" Dad asked me, arching his eyebrow.

"I wasn't. The timing didn't work out."  I lied bluntly.

"Oh, pity! I was going to introduce her to all my friends."  He slumped a little on his wheelchair.

I am going to puke. "What would you do that for?"

"She is such a lovely woman. She is definitely going to catch someone's eye." He waved fondly at one of his friends.

"You wanted to set up my date with your friends' sons? Those worthless thugs?"
I was boiling with contempt. What the hell was wrong with my father?

"Well, you wouldn't be interested in her, now, would you?" He gave me his full attention now.

"I suppose not." I bit my tongue to stop me from saying anything more.

"I guessed so. Too simple for you, huh?"

I glared at him. He was trying to tempt me. I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Mr. Clark! Where is Cassandra?" A slender hand gripped my arm. I looked down on it, scowling. Natalie immediately removed it.

"Sorry, but where is she? She was supposed to be your date, wasn't she?"

I stayed silent.

"Mr. Clark, please! I have to give her proper credit for her work. Look at how beautifully she has done everything. She has to stand there right next to me! So I ask again- Where is she?"

"She couldn't make it."

"What?! Why?!" This woman was literally shrieking down my ears.

"I don't know!" I sort-of snarled back. "I have no idea."

With a stubborn air, she lifted her chin, and hmph-ed her way back into the crowd.

"The party is going to be over soon. You better see off to the unrequited guests."

I looked around, everybody was dressed in a bold colors, making a striking contrast with the pastels behind them. Hand in hand, they were all dancing, drunk and sober.

I had to still close the dance. Searching for Mona, my eyes caught sight of the one person I didn't want to see.

Cassy was here.
***
"And now, like every year, the hosts will close the dance. And, I will not be one of them, because I don't want to embarrass them with my fantastic dancing skills."
A roar of laughter filled the hall as my father spoke from his wheelchair.

The hosts did not mean just me- it meant all the people who had worked to pull off this ball, and their dates, if they had one. Or two. We didn't judge.

The hosts usually didn't, except me. Because the media would have spread the news that my manly parts got cut or something if they didn't see me with a date.

It was the last dance- and it ended the way it started. Like the first dance, I was supposed to go on the stage first, followed by other people.

Except that now, I was not the only one opening the closing dance. I literally had my company's army.

I hadn't looked at Cassy, being careful to not let my eyes wander there. But I knew her head was down, and she didn't look at me, too.

As the song started, nothing but a beautiful piano melody, I took Mona to the centre of the stage.

She was an excellent dancer but there was nothing here. I couldn't feel the joy, the passion, the want, that I could feel when I danced with Cassy.

The rest of the hosts joined me. And we changed partners.

I was dancing with Natalie now, and I almost laughed at how she was dancing. She almost stumbled and fell on me.

I thanked God as we changed partners again, I was dancing with some girl I gave zero fucks about. She went okay, and I was glad that unlike Natalie, at least she wouldn't embarrass me.

The third and last time we changed partners, I had wanted anyone but her, but with how nicely my luck was going, I obviously got her.

She almost paused when she saw I was to be her partner. I could literally see her brain going, 'Oops.'

I took her hand, there was no time for this drama shit, and almost pulled her close to me, but I remembered at the last moment, I couldn't do it.

My fingers lightly grazed her slender waist and she shivered a little, before looking away.

She looked beautiful. Drop-dead gorgeous. It pained my eyes to see her, and yet, I couldn't stop looking.

A twirl and close again.

So close it pained, so close it hurt. So close that I never wanted to lose her. And, yet, I already had.

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