UPDATED: 5/30/16
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An obsidian sky colors above the castle-like home with many stars above it. Following the stone path, the limo door opens to let me out with my ravishing red and gold sleeveless Victorian dress. Stone steps lay before me as I walk up to the tall oak doors that open slowly to reveal an inviting red carpet.
One step at a time, I remind myself how confident I need to appear. With these tall gold stilettos and my deep mahogany lips, everything will go as I have played back in my mind: having the guests all stare at me in awe, wishing they could be me. Although, I know this was only something I could fathom.
I find myself halfway inside the corridor, stopping at the sight of a handsome man who stands at the top of the stairs. He wears a white suit with a gold tie and has golden brown hair that feather over his arched eyebrows. I follow his empty gaze that stares blankly at a big portrait of red roses, which sits on the wall next to the entrance of the ballroom.
Slowly, his piercing blue gaze averts to my caramel brown eyes that are emphasized with long fake lashes. No words are exchanged, but a bolt of electricity sends throughout my body. I stare back at the man with an apathetic look before looking at the painting he stares at. 'June Summers' is signed boldly and beautifully at the bottom of the velvety petals.
Before I could look back at the man, two gentlemen in black suits open the double doors to the ballroom. I walk in slowly with my chin held high and wait by the entrance, pretending to look around for someone to meet me, but I was really just hoping for someone to call out to me. Five, four, three, two...
Just when I count to one, I hear my name, "Miss Snow!" I tilt my head towards the left to see Jamason, my step-father's personal driver. Dressed to perfection in his silky blood red tie and black suit, he holds out his pale hand and bows. "The Swans are in a meeting right now and they have asked me to watch over you until it is time."
I nod and smile with a reply, "Thank you, Jamason." Following his lead to an empty table in the corner, by the tall glass windows, I look out into the beautiful large lake. The stars shine down to sprinkle glitter over the water, making it look enchanted. Jamason quickly seats me before tending to other priorities that Elijah, my step-father, has instructed.
My ears perk up as I hear my name being discreetly hushed as couples walk past me. I sigh as I continue to look out into the scenery, partly wishing that I was someone else tonight. No matter how beautiful I look with my long chocolate brown hair pinned up in beautiful curls and stunning outfit, my appearance will never disguise my dirty reputation.
"Miss Snow," a server bows slightly as he holds out a tray of sparkling wine. I grab one while sending a nod his way, assuming that he didn't want to have idle chat with me. I sip on the drink as I occupy myself by counting the stars. Enjoying a view like this was something that I never find myself doing with all the tasks that demand my attention at home.
"You're doing it again," my mother's stern voice slithers from behind me as she grabs my arm and squeezes it tightly. Looking at our reflection in the window, she wore a skin-tight black dress with her dark brown hair in loose curls, but her thin face is full of disappointment. "You need to stop this and socialize with others or else you'll always have this reputation haunting you."
I look down to my lap, tracing the gold outline of the flowers on my dress with my eyes. There is never a moment where mom would praise me, but I knew better than to back talk to her. She's conditioned me well to obey her and her peculiar wishes.
"Elijah has the other girls with him right now," she whispers in my ear, "and just like expected the president is waiting for your arrival at midnight. Don't you dare be late." Her bony fingers release from my arm, leaving a red mark, to rest upon my shoulders and massage me slightly in hopes to relax my flustered thoughts.
Instantly, my back straightens as I feel her touch. It's a surreal feeling that I don't recall experiencing much due to her choosing to be absent. Although, this massage is a relaxing feeling that's soothing my aching muscles from last week's business.
She bends down towards my ear again and says, "Don't worry, Blizzara. You'll be eighteen soon, so hope to expect the best then. Elijah hasn't told me what he has planned for you."
"Mrs. Satella Swan, how nice to run into you here," a voice came from behind the both of us. My mom greets the man and walks towards the corridor with him, talking as if she is a kind person.
Taking a deep breath, I relax my muscles as I think of my mom's last words. Turning eighteen is a day that I am most scared of, but I don't have much time until then. Elijah will decide my fate like he's been drilling into my head since I was a child.
Suddenly, I feel a change in the atmosphere when I see the white suit from earlier enter the ballroom. From the corner of my eye, I see a group of girls gawking at him while another group snickering towards him. Pursing my lips, I turn back to the window and begin to count the stars.
This was like every party I've attended: no socializing and waiting upon Elijah's orders for when he's ready for me. Doing this for years, I never imagined I would find myself bored and ready to get things over with.
"Excuse me," says a deep voice from behind me. Looking in the window I see the man in the white and gold suit staring at my shoulders, but I don't dare meet his gaze when I turn my head towards him. "Is there anything wrong with the engagement?"
Instantly, my eyes pop up towards him apologetically, hoping that I didn't seem to dislike the party. "No, sir, I'm just enjoying the view outside," I say quickly before snapping my head back to gaze upon the lake and the stars. I could feel my heart picking up speed as if I were in some sort of trouble---a feeling I knew all too well.
Continuing to count the stars, I try to erase the gorgeous pink lips that quickly turned into a smile when I replied to him. His blue eyes are much dreamier up close against his warm beige skin. Hearing a small chuckle, he continues to say, with his hand extended out, "Dance with me."
My eyes grow wide as I stare at his hand in the reflection, full of disbelief. No one has ever spoken to me at these sorts of gatherings, but as I analyze the guy it seemes as if he's not from this area. "No thank you, sir," I say unwillingly, watching his expression fall into surprise.
He takes his hand back and stares at me with his mouth slightly open, taken aback from the rejection of his kind offer. To be honest, I was scared. I didn't know who this guy was and if he knew who I really was... but he doesn't stop pursuing me.
He clears his throat and looks around with his hands behind his back before he bends down towards my ear. "Rejecting the son of the host is a bold move, Miss," he whispers as he catches me looking at him through the window and gives me an alluring wink.
Flustered, I look at the people behind us in the window instead of his, noticing eyes look towards us in a discrete fashion. My heart beat pounded twice as fast as I sat there, not responding to his disappointed voice. Had I known before, I wouldn't have denied his invitation to dance, but I remember Elijah's stern voice that chills my body all over.
The chair next to me moves out and the guy takes a seat next to me, staring at my reflection in the window. I bat my lashes twice as fast as I focus my eyes on the moon. "What is your name?" He finally asks as his fingers lightly trace my thin wrist, following my arm to my neck where he stops and stares at me with his thumb under my ear and his fingers resting on the back of my neck.
I finally avert my gaze to his; assessing his beautiful ocean blue eyes that stare back at me, full of curiosity. There was no chance that I had with this guy, so my words came out a bit sharp as I replied, "Telling you who I am is just as good as you walking away." After saying that, I could feel a small pain pulse throughout my body.
He turns his head slightly, staring at me with interest. I watch his plump lips separate to say more, but Jamason interjects, "Miss Snow, Master Swan has sent for you."
Looking down in disappointment I stand up to follow Jamason. Unexpectedly the man in the white suit grabs my arm. At this moment, he knew my name and for that reason I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I stand idly for a moment, turning my head in his direction, but never making eye contact with him.
"Please," he pleaded in a soft tone, "don't go just yet." I could feel a small smile begin to form at the feeling of being wanted, but I knew I couldn't stay here any longer. Touching his hand, I place it on his chest with a smile before following Jamason to the doors on the side.
Keeping my head down, a huge part of me wanted to dance with him. The feeling I got from being with him was surreal, almost as if he were like my childhood friend, Darien.
"Ah, there she is," I hear Elijah's voice and hands rubbing together anxiously. He grabs my arm and escorts me to the customer as he always did. "How do you like her?" Elijah spins me around, but I continue to watch the floor and not daring to look up.
Hearing a moan of approval, the man states with his deep voice, "I like submissive women. Give her to me permanently." With those words I look up at him with scared eyes, never hearing a customer say such things before. The man was older with grey hair and an expensive silver tuxedo.
Our eyes met awkwardly, causing me to look back down quickly. "If you like her that much, you'll have to wait until she's eighteen to officially buy her from me. Tonight you may have her to your likings," Elijah states as his cold fingers run up my back before cupping my neck to choke me slightly.
All muscles in my body froze as I listened to his sinister voice. I wasn't sure what would happen to me when my birthday arrives, but I didn't think this would have been an option. "Change her into something move sexy," the older man states, excited.
With that said, Elijah spins me around to the door, whispering into my ear the drill that he's told me a million times before. Leaving me in a room with many assortments of revealing clothing, I stop and close my eyes to think of Elijah's proposition. All I could wish for was someone to save me.
I stop for a moment when I hear the door behind me creak open. "Shh," I heard from behind me as a hand grabs my wrist. I look up to see the familiar golden brown hair from earlier pull me out of the room, running towards the exit. In shock, I didn't know how to tell him to let me go---I didn't want him to let me go---or how to stop moving my legs.
Following the guy, we made it to the final exit that leads us outside. "I have to go back," I hear myself saying, but I knew if I did go back... I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself like I did with just standing next to this guy. Also, thinking about Elijah raised the pace of my heart, knowing that a whole world of trouble will be coming my way.
The guy shakes his head in disapproval as he tries to find the right words to say. Walking back and forth, his eyes never leave me. "Who are you?" He finally asks with his two blue eyes staring back at mine.
Without giving him an answer, I hear Elijah's stern voice boom throughout the estate, "Blizzara Snow!" With that, I turn around in defeat and begin to unzip my gown as Elijah guides me back to the room with a bruising tight grip.
Escaping this nightmare was only a fantasy.