Chapter 3: Sienna’s Panic

Cameron asked me for a dance.

While I was enjoying acrobatic shows and a man that pulled out a fire-breathing stunt, Cameron walked up to me and asked for the honor of a dance. I look to Nora. She must have seen this played out a thousand times between him and me. The usual charade of will-they-won’t-they nonsense. Cameron was my serious boyfriend of three years in Cambridge. I’m not sure who fell out of love first or after which time we broke up. But the physical attraction still stubbornly lingers.

Cameron is part of the polo club, and that is the reason I am here. In fact, all our friends here met in a college polo club. I quit a long time ago. When I flew back to New York soon after my graduation, there was no need to continue the sport. My focus was on my career.

He has always been a good dancer. His one hand is on my waist, and one hand is holding my palm. I let him take the lead. The blinking blue, white, and yellow flash in the ballroom starts to make me dizzy. I hold on tightly to him

“What are you doing after the ball?” He whispered.

“Back home where I will be sleeping. Alone.” I replied curtly. That one time in the restroom should be enough for today. I don’t want to see any more of him. That one time in the restroom shouldn’t even happen.

“Will you really be alone?” Cameron holds me closer. His voice was gruff. He tries to keep his cool, but it doesn’t work too well. I know the root cause of this question. He doesn’t trust me. And I don’t trust him. I lost his trust completely in the last ball we attended together that I left with someone else.

“I have work to do, you know.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Yes, I will be alone with my laptop. I need to work.” His jealousy is what I despise. We have an agreement. He doesn’t own me. It all will be done soon enough. Can’t he just keep things civil?

After the song ends, I excuse myself. There is too much tension between us, and I need a drink.

A bar can probably heal this headache.

“I see you got back to Mr. Grumpy again.” I hear a familiar voice while I am waiting for my drink. I sigh. Of course, it is…

“Kyle Kingston. I believe you just grant me a rare pleasure of your presence.” I turn around to see my partner in crime at all the parties. His well-groomed neck-length wavy brown hair, chiseled jawline, scruffy beard, and poetically sweet and melancholic eyes make him a heartthrob wherever he goes. The man is a gentleman womanizer. And strangely, I have never found him attractive, and he shares the same feeling for me. Kyle is my best friend. And our shenanigans are legendary.

“What is this disgusting politeness, Sienna?” He chuckles and drinks from his glass. He finishes it in one gulp and orders whisky on the rock from the bartender.

“Where is the girl?”

“What girl?”

“The girl who was about to take your clothes off on the dance floor a few moments ago.” Kyle smiles and drinks some more once the whisky is served.

“Probably still in the car. She said she wanted a nap after all the drinking, and you know….” He shrugs. I put on a mental note to get that twenty quid from Nora later.

“Not in a rush to go back?”

“A man needs his drinks. I’m thirsty. And don’t distract me. How are you and Mr. Grumpy?” He refers to Cameron. They never got along, and for good reasons. Kyle almost got punched at one point.

“We are just being casual. It’s ending soon. I’m flying back next week. It has to end. I’m bad at long-distance relationships. And never with him. I’m going back to Sophia.” I said that with all my determination. Everyone asks me about Cameron, and that will always be the answer.

Kyle sighs. He looks at me thoughtfully.

“And how’s sweet Sophia doing?”

“Good. She is busy. You know, growing her company and everything.” I sip more drink from a cocktail that has too much vodka in it.

“I will miss you. Don’t stay there for too long. London without you is boring.”

“I’ll be back after a few months. I just need to sort out something there.”

“Will you move back to the states for good once the work here is done?” Kyle asked with concern. He always wants me to be in London forever, which is impossible. It is my second home, but not where I want to settle.

“Yes, but not soon. I haven’t planned anything in detail. We will have to wait and see.”

We discussed work and meeting up later in the week before Kyle excused himself to go back to that girl in the car. He told me he will drive her to his house. I think Nora was right on her guess, too, so no one wins the twenty-quid bet after all.

As the clock strikes midnight, I say goodbye to all the friends that I know and go to the cloakroom to grab my coat and purse. If I sober up a bit more, I can look up the presentation my personal assistant sent me.

The weather is cold outside even though it is just autumn.

I tap on an app to call a cab. It is a blessing that my apartment is not too far from here.

“Are you really going to leave without saying goodbye?” I look around, and there he is. His eyes are forlorn. His cheeks are flushed from alcohol. Cameron is standing against the wall and looking at me. 

“Goodbye,” I say dismissively as I glance at my phone screen and look for the cab that should arrive in mere minutes.

“Why do you have to be so cold?” He marches towards me, fuming. Not again.

“It’s not going to work between us, and you know it. Nothing is left between us, Cameron, other than casual flings.” I said matter-of-factly. The same words were explained to him countless times.

“That is a lie! You can’t be kidding that all we are doesn’t matter to you at all!” His voice got louder, and people around start to look in our direction.

I grab his hand and pull him into a more private location. We went through this time and again. And the more I talk about Sophia, the worst his temper becomes. He knew when he signed up for this. He should know better that I don’t belong to him.

I walk out angrily. If he does not listen to reason, why should I stay?

As I am about to open a cab’s door, I hear Cameron calling me from a distance. I would have ignored it if he doesn’t yell…

“Sienna, HELP!!”

I turn. Cameron is lying on the ground, clutching his stomach.

I run to him and gasp as I see his white waistcoat soaked with blood.