Discovering Scarlett

19 | Anticipate

If it wasn't for Natalia I wouldn't be on the guest list. I despised these types of events but since Thomas was included, I made an exception. He was just the man I wanted to see.

I slipped off my band t-shirt, exchanging it for the short dress. Looking at the mirror, then at Natalia I shook my head in disapproval.

She rolled her eyes, laughing as she wrapped the last uncurled brownish blonde strand into the curling wand. "Nothing wrong with showing a little skin. Flaunt those boobs and ass you were gifted with. Many people have to pay for it."

I analyzed myself head to toe. The dress fit perfectly and was a combination of feminine and sexy. A part of me felt confident and desirable. The other felt the need to cover-up. It wasn't so much the revealing factor of the dress, more that, it was something Thomas would have loved, down to the navy-blue color. Considering, I would be seeing him tonight it made me detest this dress even more. I tugged at the fabric trying to give it more length.

"The dress won't magically grow more fabric. What's your deal? Nervous about Thomas attending?" She questioned, as I threw the dress over my head and onto the floor.

More nervous about what I had sent twenty minutes ago and what I had planned to do tonight.

I couldn't tell her that. No one could know about this vendetta, not even my closest friend. I barged into my closet and slipped the black jumpsuit off the hanger. "I'm not worried about Thomas."

"Ahh, this must be about Elias?" She said, practically cooing his name. "What's up with you guys? You've been coy about the details."

"I'm not being coy. There's nothing to talk about." I replied, starting to feel guilty for being dishonest.

Tonight, was about creating the illusion that I severed romantic ties. In reality, I wasn't sure where Elias and I stood, so, for now, that's what this was, an Illusion.

Elias gave me validity and power to men that thought like Cain and Thomas. Without Elias, I'd revert to the insignificant woman that they thought of me before. I had made a mistake being bold. Vocal and brazen wouldn't win this fight but silent and deadly would. It was imperative that I appeared weak.

She playfully jabbed my shoulder. "Shut up. You clearly have feelings for him. It's written all over your face. I've been your best friend since kindergarten." She zipped up my jumpsuit glaring at me bug-eyed through the mirror. "I never even told anyone about the bag of chips you stole from Mrs. Carter's desk in second grade. I surely won't tell anyone about your undercover lover."

I laughed and mentally noted to work on my body language. It's not that I thought she wasn't trustworthy. I just needed to sell a story tonight and I might as well start with her. "Why are you being persistent about this? Is he attending this event? Do you want my approval to bust a move on him?" I dug into my purse and popped a mint into my mouth. "Go ahead he's all yours."

She narrowed her eyes at me while snatching the mints out of my hand. "Isn't that something you should know? Now that I think of it, I find it weird that you requested off these past days when you've never done that. Is something going on that you're not telling me?"

I stayed quiet. Her inquisitiveness these past days caught me off guard. She had never been the type to ask a million questions. Diving into my suspension and all the other details it entailed seemed too taxing at this moment.

"I-" She cut me off and enveloped me into a tight embrace. "Forget it. Tonight is about having fun." Stepping away, she concentrated on her phone. Seconds passed before she looked up at me, grinning like an idiot. "Elias and Alexander from Castellano Enterprises are on the list. Although, assholes didn't RVSP so who the hell knows."