Chapter 4
Yesterday after returning to the suit from the school where mom waited for me wasn't the highlight of my day. We talked for an hour before she got called to an emergency meeting, I knew it was real because you can't fake veins popping out of your forehead. We left on good terms, we promised no secrets and lies.
After she left I had a nice chat with dad over the phone. He called to check up before he went into a surgery. Then I worked on homework and Serena came by, we went to grab macaroons then we hung out at the suit.
Now I stand in front of the Palace Hotel, in the cold night waiting for Jace to arrive. He's ten minutes late. My bare legs will soon fall off if I don't get inside. My own date to the party is late, he may not even show at all.
I wait five more minutes but he doesn't arrive. A wave of disappointment hits me, I thought he was a fine guy but when am I ever right? I feel like a fool just standing here when my date isn't going to show up.
I walk to a cab as the former client pays the driver. He leaves and I enter the cab. I tell the driver the address and he takes me to my destination.
I pay the driver and exit the cab. I enter the lit up building, I could hear the music before I exited the cab. I take off my coat and hand it to the courteous employee who offered to help, he marked my coat and hung it with the others.
I walk into the party although I'm not in a partying mood anymore I still came. Mom even helped me pick out a dress even though it's just a classic black dress and pinkish nude heels, I still put effort into the outfit. My natural waves are loose and styled in soft curls.
"Lola" Blair huffs as she steps into my path.
"Lena" I correct.
"Same difference." She says and brushes it off. I slightly roll my eyes.
"Well. Thanks for inviting me" I say showing her my gratitude.
"Of course. Where's your date?" She asks inquisitively
"I don't have one" I answer and she raises her eyebrows.
"Everyone has a date" She says
"I don't remember the invitation stating a date is required" I remark. She furrows her eyebrows and gives me a hard look.
"That's because it didn't" She bluntly says. She bats her eyelashes and crosses her arms in front of her chest.
" Well then" I say and walk away. I'm not in the mood for this queen bee.
I stop by the refreshments table and grab a cup of lemonade. The first taste made my face scrunch up in disgust, it's sour as hell. I can't taste the sugar. It tastes like plain lemon, someone forgot to add the -ade. I toss the cup into the trash bin and continue walking. That wasn't refreshing at all.
I squeeze my way through a crowd and find Jace's sidekick, Logan. He's standing with a girl, possibly his date, he plays with his cup of lemonade and watches it swish around in his cup. He and the girl don't seem to be in any sort engagement at all, the girl looks rather bored. Jace is nowhere to be found, I actually don't want to see him.
I think I should just leave, there's nothing here for me anyway. I look away from Logan and the girl and make my way to exit.
"Lena" My name is called by a male voice.
I turn around on my heels and see Logan standing behind me. I raise an eyebrow as he stands there and doesn't say a word.
"Where's Jace?" He asks.
"He stood me up" I respond and continue walking out of the party.
I grab my coat and head outside. I don't want to be in there nor do I want to go home. Serena is on a date with Dan, I wouldn't have guessed it. Nate is back inside at the party, my only somewhat friends are unavailable.
I put on my coat and button it up. I could always explore the city but I don't want to risk getting lost. I can't even catch a cab yet, it's as if the drivers don't see me at all. Life was much easier in San Diego. It's the place where I grew
"Need a ride?"
I look to the side to see Logan standing there, he looks straight ahead. I look over to his other side to see if anyone else is standing there.
"Yes, I'm talking to you" He says as he looks at me for a brief moment.
"Just making sure." I say and hold up my hands in defense.
"Well I wouldn't be talking to Casper over here" Logan says, his voice laced with sarcasm.
"You never know." I remark. I see the corner of his mouth twitch up into a smirk for a second.
"So do you?" He asks "Need a ride" He clarifies.
" I don't know. It's hard to believe you're offering me a ride considering our last interaction." I say and he gives me a quizzical look. "When your scotch and suit had a nice convention" I clarify.
"I would hardly call that a convention." He says with his eyebrows raised.
"Well, you could call it whatever you want. The point is you and I were at each other's throats." I say
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I reacted badly, it wasn't a good day." He apologizes.
"It's fine." I say "You see how easy it was to accept an apology? Just saying" I add
"This is my last offer, do you need a ride?" Logan asks once more.
"Yes" I answer.
"Follow me" He says and I comply. I follow him to where a cab lies parked near a curb. I assumed we were going to get into the cab but instead Logan walked past it and to a limo.
I look at the limo in quite a shock, I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. His dad has his own industry, he's a Devenport.
The chauffeur, I assume, stands beside the limo as he holds open the door. "How was the party?" The man speaks.
" A disappointment." Logan responds
"Who's this young lady?" The man asks.
"Jim this is Lena. She goes to Constance." Logan says as he introduces us.
"Hi" I smile
"Pleasure to meet you" Jim says with a warm smile.
Logan gestures me to enter the limo first, my first impression of him is beginning to change. I thank him and slide in, he then gets in and Jim closes the door.
Logan takes off his coat followed by his suit jacket. The temperature outside feels like sub-zero but the inside of this limo feels like an oven. I unbutton my coat and take it off as well.
"Where to?" Jim asks from the front of the limo.
Logan looks to me and I answer "Palace Hotel, please". Jim nods and I thank him.
"Sorry about Jace, he's an ass." Logan says, apologizing on behalf of Jace.
"It's not your problem to worry about but thanks" I say with half a smile. "If you know he's an ass then why are you friends with him?" I ask
"If I knew that answer myself then I would tell you." He says.
"So you didn't know he was going to stand me up?" I ask
"No. Jace is unpredictable, you won't know what his next move is until he does it. When he asked you as his date I already knew he had one." He answers
"Arabella. I remember" I say, followed by a sigh. I should've known, I'm usually not naive and blind. I just got sucked in by Jace's vanity and accent.
"Don't worry. If anything he did you a favor by standing you up." Logan says and I raise my eyebrows. "That's not what I meant. I meant that he would've just used you for sex then leave you on a curb."
"Oh. Thanks for letting me know." I say. I still don't feel any better.
"The Palace Hotel, miss" Jim announces from the front, the limo comes to a stop and Jim exits the limo. He makes his way to the back of the limo where he opens the door. Logan exits the limo first then I slide out to the edge where Logan holds out his hand to help me up.
I look at him and take his kind gesture. "Thank you" I say as I drape my coat over my shoulders. "Thank you for the ride and not just that but everything else" I say with a small smile.
"Um. You're welcome" Logan says a little unsure. I turn to Jim and give him a smile "Thank you as well" I say.
"Of course, anything for a friend of Logan's" Jim responds and returns the smile.
"Well goodnight" I tell the two then head up the steps to the hotel. The doorman holds open the door and I thank him as I walk in.