Chapter 1 - Bothered

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Evaki

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Two days ago

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"Ow! Ow! Let me go. Let go!" I yelp, grabbing Tory’s hand and prying it off of me. What the hell? Is she trying to make my heart stop? She laughs, and I smack her arm before scooting up on the sofa and letting out a breath of relief that is short-lived as the pain intensifies. What the hell am I doing trying to go to a party when I should be heading to the hospital?

"I can’t go, Tory," I defeatedly confess, looking at my throbbing ankle. “Damn you, Paris," I exclaim in anguish, making Tory laugh again before getting up and heading out of the room, saying she'll be back. She’s cruel.

A moment later, she returns with her foot spa, and I frown, looking at the purple stuff in it.

"What’s this? I’m not letting you practice any more voodoo on me. I need a doctor," I complain, narrowing my eyes at her as she places the foot spa in front of me before trying to grab my foot. “No, didn't you hear what I just said?”

“Shut up, and give me the foot. You're going to love me when I'm done," she says, grabbing my foot, and like a fool, I let her submerge it in the strange liquid.

"Do you feel that? I told you, I’ve got you," she says, as my eyes droop close, feeling relief from the pain. But I ignore her question, muttering, "I don’t know why I’m letting you do this to me."

"Because you want to go to the party."

"No, I don’t."

"Liar! You want to see him again. I know you do. You can’t lie to me," she says, and I open my eyes, blushing. It’s true. I want to see him again even though I shouldn’t, considering he’s the reason for my anguish. I was busy drooling over him and not watching where I was going, and I slipped and fell, and now I can’t walk. If I had known it would be this bad, I would have gone straight to the doctor on my way from work, but it didn’t hurt this much yesterday. It’s only when I woke up this morning that I realized I was screwed.

My ankle was swollen, and it felt like it was on fire when I tried to move. I wanted to go to the doctor, but Tory said she could fix me, and because I’m a fool, I trusted that someone who’s not a qualified doctor and knows nothing about medicine could help me. But in my defense, she did help me with the terrible back pain I had been struggling with for months.

"Isn’t Paris a girl's name anyway?" I ask, recalling the gemstone green eyes I’m dying to see again, even though he’s clearly out of my league, considering he’s my boss’s brother.

Paris Iraklidis is Antonis Sarris, Tory's boyfriend's younger brother. Anton is our boss and one of the top ten wealthiest bachelors in the world. I’m a software engineer, and so is Tory. She and I grew up together, and we’ve been best friends since we were little, but her family relocated after a psychotic family started spreading absurd rumors about them.

A guy who lived three houses down from them broke into their home and was caught by Tory’s father. The guys escaped after trying to attack and harm Tory’s father and failing. After that, rumors about Tory’s family being beasts surfaced. They said they were ritualists who practiced witchcraft, and the whole community turned on them. I will never forgive the Smiths for starting the rumors.

My mother and Tory’s mother were best friends, and my mother tried to tell everyone that they were good people and that the rumors were false, but no one listened. The Smiths were ashamed that their son broke into someone’s home and tried to steal and hurt someone—that’s why they made up the baseless rumors and used their status as community leaders to turn everyone against Tory’s family.

No matter how Tory’s parents tried to tell everyone that Mason was lying, no one believed them. Instead of dying down, the rumors spread like wildfire. People were coming up with ridiculous theories, and Tory and her family started fearing for their lives after receiving death threats. That led to them moving across the world, and I was devastated; I lost my best friend. We tried to keep in touch, but it didn't prove easy because of how far apart we were. We eventually moved on with our lives and lost contact until three years ago. The company I worked for sent me to represent them at a world summit, and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I bumped into Tory.

We exchanged contacts and rekindled our friendship. So much had changed in our lives; we were completely different now, but our love for each other remained. She was saddened to hear about my mother's death and how it occurred. It was just my brother and me. Everett was my twin brother; he’s the reason I’m here right now, halfway across the world. He, too, left me. He died in a skiing accident two years ago after being attacked by a bear. But a child playing nearby said it was a man who had turned into a beast. My mother was also attacked by a bear while returning from a night shift. She had called my brother and me to come to help her with stuff she had brought home from work. Everett was not home, so I went alone and heard a scream just as I came up the little hill.

I remember seeing glowing eyes as she screamed at me to run back to the house. I don’t know how the Smiths did it, but they had something to do with my mother and brother’s deaths. My family was the only one who stood up for Tory’s family, and they hated us. They said we were involved and we were beasts, but because my mother’s family was one of the founding families in our village, not everyone believed that. They just thought Tory’s family bewitched us. After my mother was attacked, the Smiths started with their theory again, and I know they killed my mother and brother so they could prove they were right and clear their son’s name. I hate that wretched family, and thinking about them makes my blood boil.

I was relieved when I saw them loading their belongings and leaving four months later because I didn’t feel safe, but I had nowhere to go. I was suddenly alone in the world, and it was the darkest time of my life. I don’t think anything could hurt as much as losing my family. It broke my soul, and I spent countless nights praying not to wake up. I begged God to take me in my sleep and reunite me with my family. I never knew my father; all I know is the coward left while my mother was pregnant, leaving her to fend for herself.

Tory came after the funeral and suggested I move here, seeing I had nothing left back home; I didn’t even think about it and agreed. It hurt, leaving everything behind, but staying hurt more. The memories brought more pain than comfort. Maybe one day I'll be able to return—to reminisce without falling apart—but I had to leave for now. I had to run.

"Well, not really. The pronunciation is different. Plus, he isn’t named after the city of France," Tory replies, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"He isn’t?"

“No, Paris was the son of a king," she says, and I nod. I’m not big on mythology. “How does it feel now?" she asks, patting my foot dry, and I gasp, looking at my no longer swollen foot. How is this even possible?

“How did you do that?" I ask, still staring at it, astounded, and she says maybe she’ll tell me one day, winking at me as she stands upright. "Thank you. I can’t believe the pain is gone," I add, carefully getting to my feet, and she assures me it’s healed as I reluctantly step on it. It’s true. It doesn’t hurt at all; it’s good as new. I pull her into a hug, thanking her again, and she says we must get ready for the party since it’s already getting late.

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"Champagne?" Tory snaps me out of my thoughts, handing me a glass, and I take it. She makes a toast to my first night out in the town, and we drink to that. I've been here for three months, and this is my first time going out. Tory wanted to take me out a few times when she and Anton would be going out, but I always felt like a third wheel, and I would always decline. Plus, I haven’t been interested in anything, but this is a staff function, and I am staff, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself, so I can feel better about crushing on my boss’s brother.

I have never had a crush on anyone before; I’ve always felt relationships were not my thing, which is why I’m single. I dated a guy for a year after I turned eighteen, but something was lacking, something I couldn’t explain, so after I made him miserable enough, he broke up with me. But there was something about Paris when we locked eyes. I felt something lift; for a moment, my thoughts and body were not my own. I had a strange warm feeling that I couldn't put into words. It felt like I was breathing for the first time.

"Maybe coming to this party isn’t a good idea," I think to myself, or at least that’s what I thought until Tory asks why, bringing me back to reality and making me realize I said it aloud.

"I know you're not a social person, but you’re going to be fine. I've got you," she says, reaching for my hand before I can reply, and I believe her. I always feel safe with her around; it’s always been that way. She was always the fiercer one of the two of us.

The car eventually slows down, and I look outside the window to see us stop in front of a huge mansion.

"Is this Anton’s place?" I ask Tory, placing the empty glass down as the driver opens the door for us, and she says no.

"It’s a relative's place," she adds, stepping out of the car after me while I look in awe. Just then, a voice speaks on our right, and we look to find Anton walking up to us. He and Tory hug and kiss before he looks at me and asks how I’m doing. I tell him I'm good, and he compliments us. We head inside, and my eyes widen upon finding the place packed. Some of the faces I haven’t met yet, and Tory tells me they are from other companies our boss also owns. Anton escorts us to where he is seated before making a speech, seeming to have been waiting for us.

I look around as he does, my eyes desperately searching for a familiar face, but I don’t see him. Where is he? I turn to Tory to ask, but the mention of his name snaps my attention back to Anton. He says he has urgent business to attend to and won’t be joining us this evening, and my sluty heart hits rock bottom.

I feel Tory’s hand on mine, and I look at her to find a sad look in her eyes as she gives my hand a gentle squeeze, and that does it. I’m snapping out of this madness. He’s not my boyfriend. I don’t even know him. Why in the hell am I acting like this? Who am I right now? I return Tory’s smile and assure her I’m fine. Her smile widens, but the sad look doesn't leave her eyes. I have to snap out of this nonsense. She was looking forward to tonight, and I’m not going to drag down my best friend over some random guy. I’m not like this. Why was Anton even mentioning him here? It’s not like this party has anything to do with him. I also didn’t miss the hundreds of disappointed eyes in the room at the mention of his absence. It’s probably best he's not coming because it’s clear I’m not the only one who came to see him.

Anton comes back to our table, but my eyes widen when he starts explaining why Paris isn't coming, and I cut him off, narrowing my eyes at Tory. She told him? Now I feel even more ashamed. She gives me a guilty look just as the server brings drinks to our table and the music starts. I grab a glass and down it, without words to express my embarrassment. I can’t believe Tory just did that. Now Anton probably thinks I'm a psycho.

Two guys walk over to our table and introduce themselves, but I’m not interested. I want to drink until I don’t remember why I came here.

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Hours later

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"Do you want to dance?" Tory asks, getting to her feet and giving me her hand. I nod, taking it and letting her lead me to the dance floor. It’s just after midnight, and I have almost successfully drowned my sorrows in alcohol. “You know we can go home anytime you want, right?"

“Why? Don’t I look happy?"

“No, you do. I'm just letting you know," Tory says over the music, and I give her a reassuring smile. But it doesn't last long when a woman who looks fresh off a catalog enters, escorted by two males. "Who’s that?" I ask, looking at the glowing young woman in a shimmering gold dress, and I watch how she smiles looking at Anton, who gets up and hugs her.

“Stefania," Tory replies with a tone that gives me the feeling she isn't too fond of her, looking at them as the girl takes a seat next to Anton, and they start chatting. I open my mouth to say she’s beautiful, also noticing how everyone has quickly gathered around her like she’s some royalty; even her presence feels intense, but the words die in my throat when the green eyes I've longed for all night enter, causing an instant warm, swoony feeling in my stomach.

"He’s here," I whisper, letting go of Tory as my heart starts acting crazy, and just then, our eyes lock. He stops and holds my gaze, and I cease to breathe as everything fades to the background. But I’m snapped out of the trance by a hand on his chest, taking his gaze away from me. Stefania lovingly gazes at him, and they hug before she laces their fingers and leads him to the table. My hand flies to my neck, feeling a lump in my throat while tears pool in my eyes.

"I need to step outside," I softly mutter, failing to hold back my tears, and I run the moment I’m out of the hall. I slide inside the elevator, and I don’t even know what number I press before sinking to the floor and breaking down. What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I so bothered?

The elevator opens, and I get out and see stairs going up, and I take them even though I have no idea where they lead. They lead me to the roof, and I stagger, suddenly drunker than a few minutes ago, as I desperately wipe away my tears that won't stop falling, scolding myself for acting so crazy. But just then, a voice speaks behind me, and I freeze. I slowly turn around, still a crying mess, but my traitorous heart skips a beat, looking at the cause of my misery.

“Hi," he says, taking slow steps up to me, and the world and everything in it stops for the second time tonight, and the next thing I know, I'm taking long strides toward him. He meets me halfway and crashes his lips against mine. My hands fly to his neck, and I feel my left shoe drop as I wrap my legs around his waist when he lifts me up. I don't even look back at the shoe. All I can feel is him, and I want more. I want him to put out the fire he's ignited in my soul.