Recklessly Bound

Chapter One

The party is vibe.

Occasionally, Kingstone family, a family friend of ours who happens to be in the same industry except in a bigger perspective, throws a party such as this. Kingstones and we have been close, in a manner, that Mr. Kingstone, John, is considered my father's brother, by five years age difference, they have been friends since they were twelve.

One would ask why they are still friends and not enemy through this evil industry. Well, the hidden secret is that while my father has a company, it is small. Kingstone Co. is five times bigger, much more successful and my father is not ashamed to admit it.

"They sure know how to make us stay here longer," Chris whispers beside me as we took our strawberries and hold it under the chocolate fountain. Before I can put mine in my mouth, Chris takes his out and offers it to me with his hand under it to prevent dripping.

Gladly, I take it before I do the same with mine and offer it to him. Chris laugh as I accidentally brush some excess on his lips. Shaking his head, he reaches with his finger and wipes it before putting the same finger in his mouth, sinfully.

"Oh, hey, I knew I can find you here," Mary Kingstone, John's wife said. Mary reaches and embraces me in a hug. She has been very fond of me since my birth. They never had a daughter. After Ethan, their only son, who is four years older than I am, Aunt Mary was never to conceive again. Therefore, when I was born, Mary has been always by my side, such as times when my mother would have a shift at the hospital and she wouldn't be able to take care of me.

"This is a great party, Mary," I say.

"Oh, come on, I'm not very good at this. This party is a mess. For example; where are your drinks, you two?" she tilts her head, examining us,

"We'll be driving, so..." Chris says with a smile on his lips. That's what caught my heart when I saw him first.

"Well, surely there is no excuse for you," Mary frowns and looks down at me.

"Oh, come on, aunt, I don't feel like drinking tonight."

"Oh, and you say this, four years after your allowed to touch a drink? How preserved for you," she then proceeds to take my arm and tangle in hers, "Now, if you excuse us, Chris, I'll be stealing her away," she tosses over her shoulder before taking me toward the bar.

"How's the charity going?" I ask her. Unlike my mother, Aunt Mary, or Mary as she prefers us to call her, does not hold a career. Her husband is rich enough that can provide for them both and some more. Coming from a wealthy family already, Mary was never required to hold a career other than her stocks and the management of her money. However, this did not stop her from being active.

She has been pursuing charity functions and fundraisers. Her work in donation and helping children is famous by many in Hollywood.

"It's been going amazing. Next week, I'll be attending your mother's hospital to see to the children with Cancer. There's just so much you can learn from them. These amazing children are going unnoticed and in pain, but they survive, so the least I can help them is give them a reason to fight."

"That's very nice of you," I say as I put my order after hers to the bartender. "Where's John?"

"Uhh, you know, somewhere with your father, discuss the business matter," she sighs.

"I thought you put 'no business in here allowed' rule?" I ask, giggling.

"Oh, I did. Who's listening!" she exclaims. Sighing, she leans over the bar and looks at the crowd, "And then we have Ethan here."

I turn around to look where she's looking, only to find Ethan standing with a bunch of men talking. Ethan was always the center of attention in a crowd. He was tall, handsome and dreamy. I would be lying if I say I have never ever daydreamed about him. Growing up with him, he was the first one who took my attention. After puberty, he started getting bulkier. His abs and muscles were visible from underneath his shirt just as they are now. I have spent restless nights dreaming about him asking me out. After all, I was once the person whom he would spend his times with her the most. And then, by the time we were in high school, his attention was no longer on me. He started avoiding our family gatherings; he wouldn't look me in the eyes. He would barely talk to me and like that, we started becoming strangers.