“She’ll be here soon, just focus on the other ones. Look at them, they even have business cards!” He laughed.
“What could possibly be on it?” I wondered. “They don’t even work anywhere.”
I chuckled, watching as Atticus Logan excitedly spoke to my father, and the rest of the old men. He wore a red masquerade mask that only covered his eyes, but even from here, I could tell it was him. The men all laughed along with him, nodding in earnest at whatever tale he was spinning.
“You’ve made their year with this,” he said to me as his gaze followed the other students who were doing their best to socialize and connect with future bosses… as Thea should have been doing. My eyes narrowed and I checked my watch again. Anyone who was anyone was here, even the mayor.
“It’s the least I can do for them, with all the crap that I’ll be throwing at them next week.”
If they didn’t hate me now, come next week that would change fast.
“She’s here,” he said looking at the entrance, and my head whipped back.
“Wow.”
It was the only word that my mind could form.
She wore a fitted, off-white ball grown, with gold lacing. Her mask matched her dress perfectly, and with each slow step forward, I wanted to take one towards her. I found myself doing just that when Tristan grabbed onto my arm.
“You can’t just go up to her. She isn’t your date, she’s your student,” he reminded me.
She searched through the crowd and I wondered if she could find me. I needed her to know that I at least saw her.
Come on, I thought as she searched through the crowd, until finally, her eyes caught mine. Her lips turned up in to a smile, and I winked at her before mouthing; You look beautiful.
I wanted to watch her forever, but just as I had noticed her, so did the rest of her classmates, Mr. Logan being the first one. I knew they were allies… friends now, but it still bothered me how familiar they were with each other, and how she could laugh with him so easily.
“Careful now, your jealousy is showing,” Tristan snickered, before taking a sip of his drink.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Levi, my boy!” My father called out over the music, and I could tell that the liquor had gotten to him already. He came over along with a few of his buddies and put his arm around me.
Oh no.
“Ladies and Gentleman,” he called out, then waited as the music slowly as the volume of the music slowly died down. “Ladies and Gentleman, I will proudly proclaim that my son, Levi Roman Black, is the best goddamn criminal attorney in the state of Massachusetts. And furthermore, to the sons-of bitches that I know will need his help later on… you’re welcome.”
They all cheered and laughed, raising their glass to me. My father turned to me and shook my hand before being pulled into the craziness of the night.
“Well that was cute,” Dr. Sharpay London, smiled with a glass to her lips. She was, as always, dressed to kill, in a blood red gown and black mask.
“Long time no see,” I greeted her.
“Too long,” she whispered. “Dance with me.”
It wasn’t a question.
She took my hand, dragging me to the center of the room.
“Sharpay…”
“It’s the least you can do, after leading me on, and letting me go,” she smiled as we waltzed.
“Forgive me,” I said to h
er, as I searched the dance floor for Thea. But it seemed as though more people had joined us on the floor, and I couldn’t find her through the dense crowd.
“Not until you take me out on a proper date.”