Never Again
🌷
“We each begin in innocence. We all become guilty.”
~•~
•E V E L Y N•
Quickly turning away from the sight, I followed Kat through the crowd, hoping that he didn't see me.
Not knowing why, but I looked back and we locked gazes. I couldn't look away, he was staring at me intently like a lion watching his prey.
Feeling a tug just as I lost my focus on Xavier. Kat was already pulling me with her. We then arrived at our booth, so I could take a seat.
"You wait here. I'll locate Mason and will get our drinks." I nodded and she strutted off.
As she left, I observed the crowd was dividing itself into half and was dispersing to their respective sides, making a void in the middle of the stage. A handsome man walked down the aisle with a drink in his left hand, looking right into my eyes. And to my surprise, the man was none other than Xavier Knight himself.
What was he trying to do? I thought.
Xavier was standing in the middle of the stage, while the DJ announced, "Ladies and Gentleman, with a huge round of applause, please welcome Mr Xavier Knight." A roar of applause erupted throughout the floor.
"What a precious night for everyone! You all know why?" The DJ asked.
"Nooooo!"
"Why?"
"What is it?!"
And several different questions were thrown to him. Chuckling, he said, "Well, embrace yourself for the performance of the night. Give it up for Xavier Knight!"
Okay, I was definitely not ready for this!
Knowing that Xavier could really sing, I shuddered. He once performed for me, and I was so damn happy at the time. No one ever did that for me like he did.
The stage was all set, mic ready, audience ready, and more importantly, Xavier was ready with his guitar.
Guitar! The guitar! It was the same guitar that I gifted him, on his twenty-fourth birthday, which he took to the nearby tattoo shop and asked the man to engrave my middle name 'Rose' on his favourite instrument. I still remember the words he said that day when I asked him why he did that:
“I live for you Rose and music, they have to be together wherever I go.”
Tears gathered in my eyes, I didn't know what he was trying to accomplish, but Xavier Knight you would be the death of me.
Sitting on the bar stool, tuning the guitar, he looked at me through the distance and hit the very first note.
“Oh, love of mine
With a song and a whine
You're harsh and divine
Like truths and a lie
But the tale ends not here
I have nothing to fear
For my love is yell of giving and hold on
And the bright emptiness
In a room full of it
Is a cruel mistress
Whoa oh!
I feel this unrest
That nests all hollowness
For I have nowhere to go and I'm cold
And I feel so lonely yeah...
There's a better place than this
Emptiness
And I'm so lonely yeah...
There's a better place than this
Emptiness, yeah......”
The moment his voice cracked, was the moment I realised, I was crying with him. The difference was, he was doing it inside and I was doing it outside.
Everyone was shouting his name, applauding for him, praising him, thanking him for the performance. When I looked at the stage, he was gone, again. No proof, nothing. DJ started his tracks and the crowd gathered, enjoying their time.
"Okay, I definitely need a drink," I thought to myself.
Proceeding to get my drink, I walked up to the bar and ordered a bottle of bear from the bartender. It took him a while to get back with my order but I just waited for him until he served my drink. I then felt a hand slip around my waist. I stilled as I felt someone pulling me against his broad chest.
"Who do we have here?"
Xavier's breath fanned my ear. I was about to escape his grasp when he swiftly made me turn around to face him. Our eyes met and my heartbeat quickened when I saw anger in them. His forest greens, matching my dress were glassy from having too much liquor in his system. He reeked of alcohol.
His face was only a few inches away from me. I wasn't scared of him but I was scared of what he was capable of doing to me. What surprised me next was that he smirked like he enjoyed seeing through me trembling from fear.
One word, just one damn word and I was melting into him. "Rose…" his voice trailed off as he was leaning into me.
Reaching towards my ear, "I always had an idea you were that kind of girl, Miss Williams." He sneered as he said my name.
"W-What?" I stuttered, and was confused. Xavier's sudden change of mood was really scaring me. My reply angered him even more.
"Don't be so dumb, Miss Williams." His jaw clenched as his words were now filled with disgust. "I know you're pretty good at giving satisfaction for getting paid. So what do you say? Want to get out of here?"
I clenched my fists as it dawned on me what he was trying to say. He thought I was whoring around for money?
His statement made me furious as I was shaking in anger. Xavier was still smirking as he waited for an answer.
Yes, I was roaming here and there to fulfill my needs, but I wasn't cheap! Next thing I knew, I lifted my arm to slap him, but he caught hy wrist in the air, twisting my arm towards my back as he pulled me to his chest. I was heaving with so much anger, that I didn't even notice the lack of distance between our bodies.
"Let go of me!" I screamed, trying to break away from his grasp. After a lot of trying, freeing my wrists from his grasp, I pushed him away. He stumbled a few steps back as he looked at me with an unreadable expression.
Needing to get away, I briskly walked past him. Managing to hit him with my shoulder as I left him standing there.
Making my way further into the crowd with a blurry sight from the tears that escaped my eyes. I spotted Kat and Mason, frantically looking around, maybe trying to locate me from the crowd.
"Mase…." My voice trembled when I grabbed him desperately from behind as he was standing a bit closer than Kat. Turning around to look at me and panicked when he saw something was wrong.
"I want to go home." I pleaded softly.
Pulling Kat to look at me as she was busy assessing the crowd, when she looked at me, I knew that she knew something was wrong. Without any further ado, they accompanied me until we were outside the club. Mason grabbed both of my arms and looked at me with concern.
"What's wrong? Did someone hurt you?" I shook my head. I couldn't hold back the tears as they slid down my face. It wasn't supposed to be like this again, crashing down again.
"Let's get you home." Kat led me to the car and Mason started driving to the apartment. When we got home, they let me change into my polka shorts and huge white tee.
Kat and I were now curled up on my bed as Mason was sitting at my side. I already had stopped crying so we just waited for sleep to come. But I knew they wouldn't let go of what just happened at the club. They were looking for an opening so they could ask me about tonight.
"I saw him singing," Kat spoke as I looked at her with my puffy eyes.
"What happened Angel?" Mason finally asked, the thing which attached me to Mason was the nickname he gave me years ago.
Angel.
Only Marcus, my elder brother was the one who used to call me Angel all the time. Mason reminded me of him when he first addressed me Angel. And when I asked him why was he calling me that, his answer was:
“My sister is supposed to be an Angel. I'd rather call you Angel than anything else.”
Those words surprised me as they were the same as Marcus'.
"Xavier." I managed to croak out.
Hesitating a bit, but I continued anyway. "He was drunk and told me that I'm a kind of girl who's whoring around for money." I closed my eyes so that I could instantly fall asleep because knowing Mason, he wasn't going to like what I just said.
"He said what?! That fucking bastard-"
"He was drunk. I'm sure he didn't mean it." I defended him. Xavier's words hurt but I tried to look for a more reasonable explanation. I convinced Mason that it was probably an accident. Those words he blurted out were possibly out of anger towards me.
I heard him sigh from beside me as Kat spoke, "That doesn't give him any right to disrespect you. You're too nice, Eve. Take care of yourself and remember you don't deserve any of this if you're thinking of that." She knew me too well.
"And if he lays one finger on you, I swear he will never be able to reproduce." Mason said, I then made a snort-like laugh when I thought about it. "You're being silly." I was lying on my back and looking at Mason. "I'm sorry about tonight. I ruined your surprise."
Pinching my cheeks sweetly, said, "Nonsense. Your happiness is more important to us, right honey?" He asked Kat, who pouted at him.
"Shut up and kiss her already." I held my laughter since I knew how much they were craving to be in each other's arms, but refraining to do so.
Smirking, he said, "Not in the presence of a kid, little girl. In fact, I would have pounced on her right away. "
I scrunch my face in disgust as Kat's face was red in embarrassment. "Well, who's the little girl you're talking about?"
"You, obviously." He said as I slapped his chest playfully.
Three of us laughed at the impossibility. Soon, we were both gasping for air from laughing too much. They never failed to make me feel better. A yawn managed to escape as I already felt sleepy.
"Goodnight. You both are the best." I giggled as I snuggled back to my sheets.
"We know, babe." Kat chuckled, tucking me in as it was her favourite thing to do whenever I used to feel low.
"Goodnight, Angel." Mason said, placing a kiss on my forehead as Kat switched off the lights and I went into the deep slumber.
Never Again 🌷 “Sometimes life has a cruel sense of humor, giving you the thing you always wanted at the worst time possible.” Lisa Kleypas ~•~ •X A V I E R• Would you call it bad luck or the worst timing, if you end up working with the same person you spent five years hating? Evelyn Rose Williams, the girl that I loved with every nerve fibre in my being. But now, I despise her the most. Immature, materialistic narcissist who just cared about herself, who played with each and every person's emotions as they were pawns in her life. The girl who could stoop down to the lowest, if it benefited her in any way. The girl once ruined my life, and I'd never let that happen again. After five years of messing with my head, why the hell was she back? Why couldn't she just leave me alone?! The frustration that was stirring inside me was driving me damn crazy. I saw her getting appointed as my secretary, all thanks to Chris. And after getting appointed as the secretary of the CEO of a mult
Never Again 🌷 “True love will triumph in the end-which may or may not be a lie, but if it is a lie, it's the most beautiful lie we have.” John Green ~•~ •E V E L Y N• Wishing that Sunday didn't happen because unfortunately, I had to face Xavier today at work. It was a Monday and I planned to avoid him like the plague. I wasn't going to indulge myself in his business until he apologized for his behaviour the other night. If he even remembered, I thought. I arrived at work at an earlier time, so I started to sort out all the files that needed to be signed and reviewed by Xavier. Engrossed in work, I didn't even notice him entering the office. He didn't usually bother addressing my presence, so today was no different. After a while, my phone started ringing. Looking up from what I was doing, answered the unknown number. Before I could even greet the person on the other end, I heard, "In my office, along with all the important files." And then he cut the call. Way too quick, M
Never Again 🌷 “Just ask how I'm feeling, I want to say. Just ask and I may tell you. But no one does.” Melina Marchetta ~•~ ~FIVE YEARS AGO~ •E V E L Y N• Ever since I knew about the dreaded agreement between Williams and Knight, I had cried myself to bed every night. Seeing as Marc wasn't here to comfort and change my mood, I was left on my own. After I ate, I took a nice warm bath and retired to bed early. Never had I ever imagined that for the rest of the week after I agreed to meet Xavier, I would have to handle a lot of my school work to complete it early. As Xavier Knight would arrive from New York to here in California on Monday, I also had to finish off my school work for the next few weeks. Trying to smooth out everything by myself and by Friday night, I finally let out a breath I didn't know I was holding all week. My weekend flew by so fast. I didn't even get the chance to relax my nerves. I had to divert my mind from him as I kept dreading for Monday. Waking up a
Never Again 🌷 “To hurt is as human as to breathe.” ~•~ E V E L Y N• Engrossed in our previous memories, I haven't heard Mr Walker entering my office. "What are you doing inside your office during lunch time?" Mr Walker's voice reached my ears and I immediately turned towards him. "Mr Walker actually-" "Didn't I tell you to call me Chris?" She asked, smiling as I nodded in yes. "Yes Chris, I just finished reading our new project." I told him and he sighed, leaning in front of my desk as he placed his hands on it. "We don't work like that here, Evelyn. Besides lunch hours are prohibited to our workers, using it for work. Now, come on." He motioned her to follow him. "But Mr Walker… sorry...Chris wait.." before I could say anything further, he had already gone into Xavier's office through the joined door. Sighing, I dragged myself up from the desk and trudged towards Chris' office. The sight of two people greeted me who were sitting in front of his desk, one of them was Xavi
Never Again 🌷 “It was never my intention to cause you pain. Whether you feel strongly or very little, that does not excuse thoughtless behaviour.” Jacquelyn Frank ~•~ E V E L Y N• Everyone was already in the limo when Xavier and I reached there. As we went in Chris asked, "What were you doing so long?" At that moment I felt a bit awful that I was also making everyone wait longer. And to rub salt in my wounds, Xavier laughed cruelly and replied, "She was being a woman, they always take time." "Well, she cleans up nicely." Chris chuckled and commented. "Thank you." I smiled. I hadn't realised that Chris' secretary, Lucy, had also joined us until she complimented me, "You look lovely." "Thank you Lucy, you too." I replied genuinely to which she smiled and started reading the file in her hand. Suddenly the vehicle stopped at this large building, it was so different from any I've ever seen, it's upper structure protrude outwards and it was magnificent. Everyone exited the li
Never Again 🌷 “Like a movie scene in the sweetest dreams, I've pictured us together.” Jennifer Lopez ~•~ •E V E L Y N• If I had to explain what type of person Xavier Knight had become, I couldn't. The way he was looking at me felt as if it was real but it wasn't. All these emotions, the manner he spoke to me usually were in contrast to the manner he was speaking to me right now. "What happened to you?" He asked and kept me locked in his arms. "Mr Knight, I.." Not caring about his pretence, I just wanted to tell him about this unbearable itching and pain. The odd unpleasant feeling of passing out in the midst of the event started to haunt me. This tormenting feeling inside me was growing stronger and stronger minute by minute. I had to get the hell out of this party, before the situation got out of control. As Xavier was about to walk away, I stopped him, "Xavier, wait." "What's wrong with you, Williams?" His face turned a bit irritated at me for keeping him waiting. Sudde
Never Again 🌷 “It has been said, 'time heals all wounds'. I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.” Rose Kennedy ~•~ •X A V I E R• The wind blew my hair in a ruffled mess as I stepped out of my car. The weather was amazingly pleasant today, not too warm to cause me sweating, not too cold to make me shiver. But, when my eyes landed on the car stopped in front of mine, more specifically the redhead, my mood immediately turned sullen. "Thanks Kat, you're my lifesaver babe, I love you." She said to the person behind the steering wheel, looking towards her in a hurry. I wondered how someone being the braty ungrateful had learnt to thank someone. A sarcastic smile appeared on my face as I walked towards the building. Rose was rushing inside the building in full speed, this made me remember the other night when she got sick after eating those goddamn almonds, when I was seco
Never Again 🌷 “Only in the eyes of love, you can find infinity.” Sorin Cerin ~•~ •E V E L Y N• My breaths were coming out in gasps as I struggled to send oxygen towards my lungs. The nervousness was eating me alive, I've to stop and take a deep breath before looking at the little boy in Xavier's arms. "I miss you, Daddy." The little kid said, my eyes going from Xavier to the kid in front of me. Rather than looking at his son, Xavier was looking at my frozen state as he was trying to decipher my feelings. He has a son, I thought. Impossible! "Daddy!" The kid whined, breaking our trance as he followed his dad's eyesight to look at me. Beautiful, that's the only word to define him. He had an oval face, dark brown hairs complimenting his eyes. His eyes! Those enchanting, alluring eyes reminded me of mine. Exact replica of my eyes, light browns with green specks. Settling him down, Xavier tried to say, "Miss Williams, I think you should-" But I cut him off, showing my han