"Let's spice it up tonight." Nova's words filled the quiet elevator.
I raised a brow in confusion, "Spice what up?" I questioned, wondering what she was referring to.
"I'll show you when we get off." She explained as the elevator came to a halt. I wanted to know what she was up to tonight.
Once the doors dinged open I stepped off right after she did, following behind her through the almost empty house.
I assume most of the workers were at Donovan's party already.
She led me through a dimly lit hallway until we approached some stainless steel double doors at the end. "Totally not creepy." I lazily rolled my eyes as she held the door open for me. When I stepped through the doors I noticed the staircase leading downward.
They have an underground? and more importantly, they have stairs?
"Does the staircase go up to the sixth floor too?" I questioned as we descended down and Nova hummed.
"I've always wondered what you guys would do incase of a fire." I admitted, thinking that the only way they got up and down was from the elevator.
"Probably die," she joked and shortly after we made it to the other door at the bottom of the staircase.
"Ladies first." She motioned her hand through the door she was holding open.
"How kind of you." I smiled and walked through the door.
And when I heard the echo of my heels clicking on the ground beneath me, I wondered where we were.
But as I walked deeper the motion sensor lights lit up, revealing that the rather empty sounding area was actually a parking garage.
Which was far from empty.
My eyes darted around, noticing the various types of cars, some looking like they dated back to at least the 60's.
"These are all yours?" I asked Nova, walking past each unique car.
She smirked. "No, but we could take any one you desire." and upon hearing that I was able to choose from any of the following in here, my mind quickly went to the ones I had my eye on when I first walked in.
But as I walked further in, it was like I couldn't pick just one.
"Have you ever played Asphalt 8?" I asked.
A slight chuckle left her mouth. "Yes I have." she confirmed.
"You know that's what this looks like right?" I said, noticing that some of the cars in here were even in the game.
"I was going for a Tony Stark type of vibe." she further explained. But before I could respond a gasp fell from my lips.
"You guys have motorcycles?!" I breathed out seeing three of them lined next to each other.
Nova hummed in response, "Noah had bought one first and then he made me get one cause he didn't want to look stupid." she said.
You were definitely able to tell which one was Noah's and which one was Novas. Mostly because Noah's had a bunch of stickers plastered on it while the other one was just matte black.
"...Do you want to take it..?" Nova trailed off, and although I wanted to say yes, I ultimately didn't want to mess up my hair and makeup.
"We can't." I murmured, feeling disappointed that I got my hopes up.
Nova raised a brow, "Why not?" she questioned.
"I can't wear a helmet, it would mess up my hair and makeup." I explained.
"Oh." she said, "I might have something else you might like." she added walking across the parking garage.
I followed behind her, wondering what else she could have possibly had.
But when the beautiful sage green car came into view it was like the breath was sucked out of my lungs.
"You like Porches?" she questioned opening the door for me.
But I was completely speechless, "I haven't really thought about it until now," I forced out, sitting in the black leather seat.
"Hopefully I just put you on." she chuckled, shutting the door behind me and soon enough we were on our way to the party.
Which was extremely packed when we got there.
The streets were filled with people in various masks dressed in formal attire waiting outside the huge venue.
"All these people know Donovan?" I questioned as Nova maneuvered the sports car through the back alley.
She turned the wheel. "I have no clue where he might know these people from." she admitted.
It was weird how private and unknown his overall life is.
It was also scary how little his own family knew after his absence. It made me wonder who he really was outside of what he decided he wanted to share.
I was pulled out of my thoughts when Nova spoke, "Mask Malady?" she questioned handing me the sparkly emerald mask.
"Why thank you." I said grabbing it, opening the car door and stepping out. "Whose idea was it to have it be a masquerade?" I asked when Nova got out of the car after me.
"Donovan's once again " She said, putting on her matching mask. "I don't understand why a family dinner couldn't suffice," she nodded to the bouncer at the back entrance.
We made it inside the grand event, walking past the sea of pristinely dressed people with their identity concealed, along with people carrying food and drink trays.
Soon enough we were approaching the familiar group of people, conversing with each other.
"You guys are so late, we were waiting on you to make the toast." Nora said, slightly nudging Nova.
"What took you guys so long?" Noah asked shaking his head, but neither me nor Nova responded to his question.
And after a few beats Noah scrunched his face in disgust.
"Ew—" but before anyone else was able to hear Nova quickly placed her hand over his mouth.
"How about we do the toast my dear brother..?" she trailed off, forcing him away from the rest of the group.
"Don't put that hand on my face." He mumbled, as Nova brought him to a different location.
"You guys are genuinely gross, especially you Nova," Noah said when she finally took her hand off of his mouth.
"How am I gross?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
Noah raised a brow, "How are you gross?" He reiterated, "You're out here tainting my best friend what's wrong with you?" He said, grabbing my shoulders.
Sometimes they make me glad that I don't have any siblings.
She quickly narrowed her eyes, "Best friend?" she said flatly.
"Remember, I was friends with Mariah way before you were born, don't forget where you came from." Noah pointed a finger at her and she shook her head.
The conversation was quickly cut short when the sound of faint glass tapping filled the venue, indicating that they were about to make a toast.
Nova wrapped her arm around my waist, making her way to the double staircase with me by her side.
"Remember where you came from." Noah said walking past Nova completely.
Once we got to the foyer in front of the staircase one of the first things I wondered was, where Donovan was.
Only Nora and Damon were up there right now.
I shot Nova a questioning glance and she shrugged her shoulders, also not having any clue.
Nora and Damon stood on the staircase almost awkwardly as they waited for Donovan to come out, and when we walked out shooting everyone smiles and slight waves they finally began their toast.
His eyes darted around the crowd greeting various people from atop the staircase until his gaze fell on me.
It was like something darkened in his eyes.
Nova's arm was still wrapped around my waist, as she continued to listen to the speech.
As his gaze remained plastered upon me I found myself zoning in and out of what Nora and Damon were talking about.
It was odd.
Extremely odd.
Before I knew it, Nova's arm left my waist in order to give applause to the freshly finished toast and I broke his stare to begin clapping.
The rest of the night continued with Nova conversing with other people at the party as I tried to push the eerie thoughts of Donovan to the back of my mind.
And even though I didn't want to—
I was starting to see where Nova was coming from.