It's 7:30 p.m. and it's already dark outside.
I look at myself in the mirror. I am wearing my favorite dark pants with an off-white shirt and a jacket. My hair is usually very unpredictable and has a will of its own: today it has decided to be curly. Last of all, I have put on some mascara and small silver earrings. That will do.
I grab my bag with a bottle of wine inside it I got from our cellar. Don't worry dad, I'm just being a polite guest. I am excited about Lucas' party. He didn't tell much about it, other than he had invited some friends.
The small heels of my ankle boots clatter on the wooden stairs when I head down. Frank probably heard it and appears from the living room in the suit he wore the first time I saw him. I stay put on the first stair.
Why is he wearing his suit?
He notices my confusing look. As a reaction, he puts his hands in his pockets and smiles, almost unnoticeably, amused.
I angle my head a bit in uncertainty. "You're not coming, ri..." But I don't even finish my sentence when he starts nodding slowly.
I take the last step. "But I'm going to a party." I say in a childish way, because I don't know what else to bring out.
"What a coincidence, I as well." Now he's just taunting me.
"You're kidding me, right?" He stays silent. "You just looove making jokes, right Frank?" He doesn't move.
Goddammit.
Frank sits behind the wheel of my dad's BMW. He focusses on the road and let me sulk on the back seat. I refused to take place on the passenger's seat aside him, out of silent protest. Is he going to follow me around everywhere I go for three weeks?
Like he read my mind, he answers my imaginary question. "You have to understand I'm just doing my job." He looks at me in the rearview mirror.
I look back. "But do you have to 'do your job' all the time? Can't you just take a break for a couple of hours? Everyone needs those."
"I'm not taking a break, Giselle."
I sigh. "Look, I know my dad hired you because he thinks something may happen," I raise my voice a bit, "but nothing has happened, nothing is happening, and absolutely zero things are going to happen. We don't have to pretend I'm in any kind of danger anymore."
Silence fills the car. I can see his shoulders slowly going up and down while he breathes. In the rearview window, I notice a miniscule frown on his face.
After a while, he speaks. "Are you done?" I hold my mouth as he continues. "Because I'm not going to leave until your dad returns. Don't make it harder for yourself." I stubbornly fold my arms and look outside.
We pass nothing but trees and a handful of big houses. I know I can't make him leave, but does he have to accompany me everywhere? Even to a party? I stare outside for some more minutes until I understand I can't win this.
Fine, he can come if he wants. But I'm not going to let that stand in my way of having a good time.
Frank pulls over at the Duchoix' residence.
Strange... I haven't told him the address.
Light is coming from the windows downstairs and from one upstairs. I can barely hear people talk and laugh through the loud, but subdued, music. Frank has also noticed all of those things and without excitement he makes a remark. "It's going to be that kind of party, huh?"
I answer in a playful way. "Yes, I guess it is. Oh, but don't forget you also punched the host in the face." Sarcastically, I put up my thumbs at Frank before ringing the doorbell.
Have fun!
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