Evanescent

6 | P A I D

His hand was on her lower back as he guided her into the fancy building. She couldn't help but look up at the ceiling in awe.

It looked like something straight out of Europe. The ceiling was painted with intricate details and in the center was a massive chandelier that sparkled and glistened under the lights. Everything was just so pretty and luxurious.

"Wow," she breathed.

"Fantastic isn't it," he chuckled as he led her through a crowd of well dressed grown men and women.

Rosa suddenly felt underdressed. She didn't fit in, not one bit.

Everyone was older and more experienced. She was sure that if someone tried to have a conversation with her, they'd have to stop short. She wouldn't know what they were talking about.

She tried to act obvlious to the stares coming from all directions but she couldn't help but press in closer to Andy.

Her head was up high however and she walked with her back straight so people would know they couldn't mess with her.

"Don't worry. Everyone's just shocked to see someone so naturally beautiful walk through here," Andy whispered into her ear and she immediatey looked to a plate of shrimp and cocktail sauce as the blush rose up on her cheeks.

She wasn't used to the affection.

Her eyes fell on the few women glaring from a corner and she noticed how their dresses were over the top with tiny crystals glimmering off of them. Their makeup was done to the max and their hair was pulled up as if they were to attend their own weddings. Or maybe their funerals.

Did she look too simple?

"Lets go take a look at the art over here, sweet heart."

She nodded and let him lead her towards a wall of amazing paintings.

Her eyes traced over each one in awe. She could tell whoever painted these put a lot of time into them.

The amount of layers in the landscapes must have taken hundreds of hours to dry.

"You like art?" Andy asked as he continued on and she quickly scampered to his side - just as he wanted.

"Yes. I do actually. I've never been good at it myself, but I like to watch people draw and paint." She was beggining to realize that by the way she talked, she was making herself seem even younger.

"Hm, i'm sure you can," he said as he came to a stop in front of a black and white photograph. The frame was two sizes bigger than the actual photo. "You seem to have a lot of passion for art."

"Ye-"

"Andy!" A woman squealed as she gracefully slid over to them, her heels clicking on the polished tile. How she didn't slip was a mystery to Rosa. "Who is this darling girl?"

The woman seemed nice at first but then she seemed more nosey than anything by the way her blue eyes examined Rosa.

"Serra, hello. This is my sweet heart, Skye."

Rosa - well Skye tonight - gave a small friendly smile. "Good evening miss."

"Oh how sweet. My," she laughed as she placed an manicured hand on Andy's arm. "She seems quite young for you. Kind of a-a..." she trailed off and Rosa sighed.

"A gold digger?" She asked blankly.

Serra visibly flinched as if someone had just come up behind her and slapped her. "Oh no d-"

"That's what you were going to say. That's okay. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion it's just... we must learn to keep our mouths shut sometimes."

Serra looked visibly wounded while Andy seemed to be holding back laughter.

"Skye, how about we go and have a taste of that food over there. Okay, sweet heart?"

Rosa looked up at the bald man and smiled slightly, a bit of excitement rushing through her at the thought of good food. She'd been running off of beef ramen noodles, egg and water for way too long.

She was ready to indulge in some overpriced foods.

___

Rosa excitedly counted the money Andy had given her, plus a tip for being so good at convincing people that she wasn't just there against her will. Another few dollars for being such good company.

She placed them onto her heavy bed spread as she counted under her breath. "Two hundred. Four hundred. Six hundred. Oh my gosh, eight hundred dollars. In one night. And I wasn't murdered!"

She fell back into her bed with a squeal, her arms and legs splayed out as she smiled to herself.

She grabbed the teddy bear her dad had bought her when she was six years old. Well, it wasn't a bear, it was a big dolphin. She'd had it for ten years now and it always comforted her when she didn't have her parents there to comfort her. It reminded her of how much they loved her.

Her arms squeezed around it as she placed a kiss on its head like her father had done so many times before. "Dads gonna be okay, Dolph. He'll be alright."