Donatella:
After dessert, we moved to the formal living room, where we continued in conversation of various topics, many of which surrounded me. And us.
We're all about done now and we were just informed that my driver is here.
Darius turns to me. "I thought I was taking you home."
"I know." I smile. "But there's no point for you to drive to my house only to come back here."
"Of course there's a point. I like driving you."
I laugh and look to my left when his parents walk into the foyer.
"Donatella." His mother opens her arms to embrace me. "It was so wonderful seeing you in person." She pulls back. "You must return soon. We should have tea."
I nod and she releases one of my hands to smooth her own over the length of my hair before it touches my face.
She used to do that. Stroke my hair and my cheek. She used to pay attention and care to me whenever the other kids were around because, like now, I was a shy child and I never really got involved with playing with the others.
That's how it happened, actually.
My mom was worried because I didn't have any friends and when Darius's fifth birthday invitations made their way around first grade and it was one of the many others I refused to attend, she had no other choice but to at least try it.
And so I went, in my princess ballerina costume, as it was a dress up party and I was already very set on taking up ballet. She stayed with me for a while but at some point, she got a call and needed to run out for a bit.
I was distraught. I hid out beneath one of the marble staircases while the party went on outside. I was hidden by stacks of wrapped, boxed gifts and sat on a velvet pillow while I braided the pink ribbons of my sparkly staff. Once I had created a single braid, undone it and repeated this several times, I frowned and set it down. Looking around, I spotted a certain box. My gift. I could just take out what I got for him and put it back, right?
Standing up, I walked over and picked it up before returning to the velvet pillow and sitting back down. Removing the lid, I surveyed the contents within.
Just the last week, I had overheard Darius talking to his friends about what he wanted for his birthday.
"What do you want?" Lucas asked, as they sat at a table in the back of our classroom.
"I don't know." Darius shrugged.
"Yes you do." Angel argued. "You always know everything you want."
"Tell us." Madden says.
"I want lots of things."
"Like what?" Oakley urges.
"Like... a lLightning McQueen car."
"That's so cool." Oakley grins.
"Or a Lamborghini."
"Ferraris are way better." Lucas shakes his head.
"It's not your birthday." Darius mocks.
"Whatever. What else?"
"A big sword. A real one. Or... a tree house."
"A tree house?" Angel wonders.
"Yeah. Like, a super big one that has a bunch of stuff. Slides and stairs and loads of things inside. We could hang out there when we're at my house."
"That's what I'm talking about."
"I also want a lion."
"A lion? Like, a real one?" Lucas scrunches his brows together.
"Just because you're scared of cats doesn't mean that I am."
"I'm not scared of cats." He crosses his arms over his chest.
"Yeah, you are." Angel laughs.
"Shut up."
They continue to annoy each other until Madden speaks.
"This is about Dare's party."
"Right." Lucas takes the opportunity out of being made fun of. "Anyway, I don't think you're allowed real lions as pets."
"That's what mom and dad said." He sighed. "What about a lifetime's worth of popcorn?"
Reaching in, I took out the present I got for him. I knew it wasn't real, but I thought that maybe a stuffed lion would maybe count, right?
We got it custom made from Hermès. It's body was so soft and it's mane was even softer. It's eyes were made with sapphires and on the bottom of its front right paw, was his name in real gold.
I took my staff and untied the braid, removing one of the ribbons and tying it around the lion's neck in a bow.
A little later, I heard voices and Mrs Ford came in, instructing some of the staff to help move the presents someplace else.
I was frozen in place as I was revealed. I tried to move away but they had seen me and there was nothing I could do about it.
"Donatella?" Mrs Ford asked, brows drawn in concern. "Are you okay, sweetie? What are you doing in here?"
I didn't answer. I just clutched the lion and my staff to my chest.
"It's all right. Come with me." She held out her hand and I hesitated before going to her.
She kneeled in front of me, meeting my eyes. "Are you not having fun?"
What was I supposed to say? It wasn't anyone's fault. I just didn't know how to play with the others. They never seemed to want to play with me, either. But the answer was still a no.
"Would you like to stay with me instead of in here by yourself?"
The idea of having to watch everyone have a great time tugged at my chest but I also couldn't say that I wasn't growing excessively bored under the stairs. So I nodded.
She smiled and stood, bringing me with her and started to carry me outside.
"I love your outfit." She comments. "What are you?"
I blink and then go to whisper in her ear. "A ballerina."
"A ballerina princess?" She asked, tapping my tiara.
"Mhm."
"Well, you're the prettiest ballerina princess I've ever seen." She cuddles me closer before sitting down at a table with me in her lap.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." She laughed.
As time passed, I watched the other kids play and enjoy the facilities that had been placed all around the ginormous land, like a bounce house, jungle gym, a big playhouse that looked like a pirate ship, there was one that was a castle and there was even an area for bumper cars that were in the characters of the Cars movies.
Mrs Ford talked to me, keeping me occupied. She was really nice. And she made me feel special. Like there was a reason I was invited to her son's party, despite the fact that we had never spoken in school. Not even once.
When it came time to open the presents, everyone gathered around Darius, who sat on a little throne like chair beside his father, who sat on an adjacent one. He was handed gift after gift, something great beneath each perfectly wrapped bow. There were announced gifts, too. Like Oakley Wilde's and Lucas Agosti's of the treehouse they spoke of, that would start to be built the following day, Angel Cohen's popcorn machine that was already in the home theatre, that made blue popcorn, Madden Drakos's of a real samurai sword and his dad's surprise present of a real working, though not a regular vehicle sized, Lightning McQueen car. The other kids oohed and aahed at each reveal and I grew more and more anxious when he got closer to mine.
My worst fear in that moment came true when he opened my box, only to find it empty. But then, I realised that i was still holding the plush lion. Though, that only caused the fright to intensify.
I clutched it to my chest and looked up at Mrs Ford, who offered me an encouraging smile. "It's okay, honey. Do you want to give it to him?"
I glanced over to see his confused face. He set down the box and stood from the chair, seeing if it had maybe fallen somewhere. It hadn't. As the other's verbally wondered what happened, his mom softly lowered me down and cupped my cheek, urging me to go.
Swallowing, I turned, only to find his eyes on me.
Taking a deep breath, I began to walk over to him, he didn't take his eyes off of me and it caused butterflies to crawl into my stomach because for every second his attention was on me, more and more of the children did the same.
When I finally reached him, around two to three feet away or so, I raised my shaking arms with the lion held in my hands.
He didn't take it. He just flicked his gaze upon it for a second before it returned to me.
Nerves taking over, I practically rushed forward, thrusting the toy into his chest. He took ahold of it when it came into contact with him and as soon as it was in his grasp, I stepped back again, folding my hands behind my back.
He blinked, and finally, looked down at my gift. His lips parted and wide eyes travelled back to me. Then, confusion replaced surprise.
"What's your name?"
The question hit me in my heart, piercing it with a sharp arrow that I had been a target of for a while, now.
I took another step back.
"I've never seen you before. Do you go to my school?" The genuine bemusement in his expression had that arrow twisting. But then again, it was probably my own fault that he didn't know.
I nodded.
"Are you in my class?"
I nodded again.
Really, I shouldn't have been but apparently I was very smart and so my teachers told my parents that I should try being put in the grade above. So I was.
He tilted his head. "Did you just move here?"
I shook mine.
His brows drew downward. "What is your name?"
"Donatella." I practically whispered. But he must have had super hearing or something because he heard me.
"Donatella." He repeated, as if testing the syllables on his tongue.
Neither of us moved for a moment and before I knew it, he was extending his arm, hand faced up.
I sucked in a breath, looking at it and internally panicking.
When I looked back into his eyes, he inclined his head, giving me that same sense of encouragement that his mother did.
Slowly, hesitantly, I placed my hand in his and immediately, he pulled me along. We stopped at the chairs and without words, he told me to sit. In the one that he was previously sitting in not four minutes ago. He helped me up and then moved onto the other chair beside it, where his father sat. He grabbed his dad's hand and tugged him off of the seat. Not forcefully, but he did it all the same. And instead, he climbed up onto the chair. So now, we were sat side by side and all of the other kids were staring up at us. Some with quizzical expressions, some with intrigue and the rest with downright shock.
I toyed with the tulle at the sides of my dress, gnawing on my bottom lip. A tap on my shoulder had me jumping and I spun to face him. He held out an object in his hand. My staff. Taking it, I saw his mom walk away in my peripheral vision. She looked over her shoulder as she did, a grin on her face and sent me a wink.
Now that I think about it, perhaps he was given the nickname because of his likeness for lions when he was younger.
"That sounds nice." I smile softly back at her. Looking to the side, I see his father watching us. I give him a small wave. "It was nice to meet you, Mr Ford."
He glances at his wife and then back at me and for the first time, i see the barest hint of a smile on his face. "And you, Donatella. I hope to see you again, soon." And with that, he gestures for Mrs Ford to take his hand and they walk away, leaving me and their son alone.
Turning, I meet his stare from where he's leant up against the left wall of the foyer. I blush and I'm not even sure why. I think it may be his eyes. His beautiful black eyes that seem so endless yet ground me whenever I look into them. Or perhaps it's just him. His beguiling appearance. His quiet, domineering presence that I always seem to feel before I set my gaze upon him.
He tilts his head and the corners of his lips turn up. "Come here." He says.
I do. I walk over to him and once I'm within reach, he brings me into his arms, kissing the top of my head. "Did you enjoy yourself?"
"Mhm." I hum into his chest. "Your parents are nice. You were all very entertaining."
"What, the bickering?"
"Yes."
"You'll get used to it."
I hope so.
"I really would've taken you home." He murmurs.
"I know." I lift up my head and rest my chin onto his chest so that I can look up at him as he does down at me. "You can take me home next time, if you really want."
He smiles fully now. "Yeah?"
I return it, nodding.
"Good." He taps the end of my nose with his before bending down and scooping me up.
"Darius." I gasp and quickly wrap my arms around his neck.
He begins the journey to the car and once anh Hoàng has the door open, he sets me inside, fastening my seatbelt and pressing his lips to my temple. "Goodnight, baby."
"Goodnight." I reply and then the door closes.
I keep my eyes trained out of the window. On him. He doesn't leave. I watch his profile as the car moves and once he's finally out of sight, I close my eyes.
The words were on the tip of my tongue.
I can only hope he feels the same, even after I tell him the truth.