I had put my dress on after the makeup artist had done my makeup and admire myself in the mirror. I loved the feeling of knowing you looked good. I put my heels on as I filmed a few videos and took pictures before deciding it was time to go downstairs.
Dustin and Brandt had insisted on staying to see the final result and take pictures so I allowed them. My parents were also downstairs with them. As my makeup artist did my final touches, Miranda barged in frantically. She was Amari's date and she was very panicked for some reason.
"NEVAEH. You've got to fucking help me. My makeup looks horrible. I just went off and my makeup artist cuz she did me dirty." She said looking fed up. She was wearing a tight fitted red dress which outlined her figure making her look beautiful. It was sparkly and flowed at the bottom. Her hair was done up into a cute bun.
"Okay sit down and chill out. Emma you wouldn't mind fixing her makeup would you? I'll pay you extra?" I said hoping she would agree
"Sure no problem Nevaeh. I have some spare time."
"Thank you so much girl honestly. Sorry for the inconvenience." I said as I sent her $50 immediately.
"Thank you so much Emma. Honestly you're a life saver." Miranda said as Emma got started in her right away
โโโ TIME SKIP โโโ
Miranda's makeup was finally done and we were supposed to walk done with our partners. Amari and Miranda went down first since he was the older sibling.
*Third Person*
As Nevaeh walked out of the room, Alex's eyes widened as he caught sight of her. His breath hitched as he looked at her in her elegant dress. His heart raced captivated by her beauty as he wondered how lucky he must have been to end up with her. As she walked gracefully out of the room, she radiated confidence and happiness.
Time seemed to slow down as he took in every detail from the delicate gown to the way her hair cascaded in soft curls around her shoulders. In that moment he couldn't help but feel like the luckiest boy alive.
"You ready?" He asked as the girl nodded her head.
*Nevaeh's POV*
He held his hand out as I lightly grabbed it walking down the stairs as he helped me so I didn't trip. As we got to the bottom of the stairs, we walked into the living room, seeing everyone's reactions.
Everyone stood in awe at us as we smiled at each other. I saw Dustin snapping pictures like a proud mother as we posed. I swear I saw a tear fall from my father's eyes so I decided to call him out.
"Aw are you crying dad?" I said as I walked over to hug him
"No, it's just hay fever" he said as I laughed into his shoulder. I then hugged my mother as her eyes swelled up
"My baby. You're all grown up now." She said as I felt my eyes burning up. I refused to let a tear slip though since I was not about to ruin my makeup.
"What the hell! You guys didn't cry when I walked down" Amari said hating
"Guess we know who the favourite is now" I said pissing him off as he rolled his eyes.
I grabbed Alex's hand as we made our way outside to the limousine in the front. My family was very extra for no reason because there was no need to hire a limousine for this event. As me and Alex smiled at each other, I squeezed his hand reassuring him.
We had got to the venue and I was pretty sure it was bigger than last years. Since we were the hosts we had to get there earlier so when we entered the hall it was eerily quiet.
The room radiated an aura of elegance with its high ceiling adorned with sparkling chandeliers that casted a warm golden glow over the space. Tall, arched windows lined the walls allowing sunlight to filter in and illuminate the polished marble floors. I knew that when the sun was going to set and allow the moonlight to take over, it would set a different atmosphere.
โโโ TIME SKIP โโโ
Me and Alex had unfortunately been ordered to stay at the entrance and welcome people in. I hated this job as I was forced to make the awkward small talk with distant family that I hadn't seen in years. As the crowd slowly began filling up the ballroom, my eyes set on Shuji and a pretty girl stood next to him. I don't know how he managed to get past us without me seeing him.
Their hands were intertwined and they seemed to be in deep conversation. Her features were delicate and framed by her silky hair that danced around her shoulders like a halo. Every movement she made seemed graceful which made me have some type of respect towards her already.
As the arrival of people started coming to a close and the hall became filled, I asked the security guard to close the door. The air was alive with the soft murmur of conversation and the gentle rustle of silk gowns as couples made their way across the room, adding an enchanting atmosphere of the grand ballroom.
As the doors closed with a loud noise, the hall came to a silence as everyone looked down at us. We had been given masks that fit our outfits due to the theme being masquerade.
As Alex held his hand out for me to hold, he guided me down the hall, to our assigned table, as I heard gasps from the guests. Compliments ushered around as I could hear murmurs taking over the hall.
"Thank you everyone for joining us for our 5th annual ball. Tonight we celebrate a tradition steeped in elegance and grandeur - the annual ball." My mother started as Alex and I looked at each other.
"What does that even mean?" He asked me cluelessly as I stifled my laugh
"As we stand here surrounded by the timeless beauty of this venue, let us take a moment to reflect on the journey that has brought us here together." My father continued. The same speech was said every year which was very unnecessary so I knew what to expect. I looked at Alex and fake yawned making him hide his laughter.
"The ball is more than just a glamorous occasion; it is a testament to the bonds of friendship, the strength of our community and the joy of coming together in unity.
Let us embrace the opportunity to create new memories that will linger in our hearts long after the night has passed." My mother said as I saw nods and murmurs of approval.
"So let us raise our glasses to friendship, to love and to the magic of the annual ball. May this evening be filled with laughter, joy and unforgettable moments that we will treasure for years to come. Thank you and let the night begin." my dad said as everyone raised their glasses
Me and Alex didn't have one but since the waiter was stood behind us I grabbed two and passed one to him as we tapped them together and downed them. Just because we quit smoking weed, doesn't mean we quit drinking.
As we downed the glass I could feel eyes on me, so I turned my head to see Miranda and Amari. Already knowing what they wanted, I nudged Alex as he passed two glass to them one at a time. He rolled his eyes dramatically as he passed it to them but they gave satisfied looks nonetheless.
I put the glasses behind me, back on the tray, as I saw my parent's attention get averted. Luckily they hadn't seen me or Alex either the glass and Miranda had warned Mari to hide it before they saw.
Alex and I had stood up and began to wonder around due to our boredom. We wanted to see what everyone's vibe was and what to expect this evening. As we walked, I linked arms with him occasionally greeting old friends and family members.
As my eyes wondered around the hall, I met eyes with someone, bringing back memories from my past. My breath hitched and a mixture of regret and unresolved feelings flooded my body. Despite the passage of time, their presence still stirred up memories of abuse and betrayal.
Their eyes gazed at mine with a menacing look, making me feel trapped once again. Panic took over paralysing my body drawing me away from reality.
I heard Alex's voice in the background fading out more and more as tears filled my eyes. It was a moment filled with tension, a collision of past wounds and painful scars I did not want to revisit. As I felt time freeze, I was brought back to reality when Alex put his arm around me stirring me from the area casually.
"Breathe baby, breathe" he told me as he intertwined our hands. No matter how much I tried I couldn't breathe. It felt like I was left to grasp for air in a sea of uncertainty. A whirlwind of irrational fears and thoughts took over me as I focused on Alex trying to take my mind off who I just saw. He led me outside as he grabbed both my hands looking at me in my eyes.
He pulled me into a hug holding my face lightly as I struggled to breathe normally. Seeing him brought back too many bad memories I didn't want to relive.
"Breathe Nevaeh. Look follow my heartbeat" he said as he placed my hand on his chest. It took me like 2 minutes to calm down but I was still in a panicked state so I took a seat on the steps, putting my hand in my face.
"You good?" Alex asked as he sat next to me
"Yep, just needed to get out of there. Thank you by the way."
"No problem. You know I've always got you baby. Now you wanna tell me what that was all about?" He asked me softly as I took a deep breath. I contemplated my decision of telling him as it could've gone two ways but I just decided to say it since he's waited long enough.
"You don't have to tell me if you're not ready. Just know I'm here to listen." He said as he put his hand on my thigh
"Nah, it's cool. I'm just thinking of how to word things." I said as I thought over how to start.
"Alright so about 2 years ago, I met this boy called Daniel. Yes he's the one I saw earlier." I said answering his question before he even asked
"Okay so long story short we started dating and it was fun. We were seen as the 'it couple' or the 'perfect relationship' but no one knew how it was behind closed doors. We dated for around 8 months but the last 2 months of our relationship were hell. He started to get really demanding and persistent and shit but I just ignored it because I was a young girl falling in love for the first time. He started to become possessive, controlling and jealous so I my way of dealing with that was closing myself off to everyone around me."
I took a breath before looking up at Alex. He listened carefully as I spoke so I continued on.
"Dan became abusive but mentally since he was angry all the time. He never hit me... until that one day." I paused before continuing,
"We had got into a huge argument; worse than ever and I he punched me. I tried to get away but he dragged my hair back, tackling me to the ground. My parents had signed me up for self defence lessons so I knew how to fight him off despite the size difference. I kicked him in the balls, ran out the house and called my brother even thought we weren't really close at the time and somehow he managed to get there in 5 minutes even though the journey was 10 minutes."
Alex held my thigh tighter as I leaned on his shoulder as I remembered what happened afterwards.
"This is where I met Shuji. Amari ran inside and Shuji came to comfort me as I cried. I never cried in front of people but in that moment I let everything out. Apparently my brother and his friends had beat Daniel up but I don't know cuz he still won't tell me to this day what happened. The last couple of months were probably the worst times of my life. I felt alone and like there was no one to help me. It was easily the worst my mental health had been."
"Mari took me home and he questioned me about everything and from that day forward we became inseparable since he vowed to always protect me. I never told anyone about that day so you're the first person to know." I said as I blinked away the tears.
*Alex POV*
As she spoke my heart sank. I couldn't believe she had been through all that alone. Anger surged within me towards Daniel but I had to ignore it and focus on supporting her instead. I held her tight, wanting to protect her for any harm. My admiration for her grew immensely as I silently vowed to always be by her side and protect her from everything.
*Nevaeh's POV*
Alex held me as he clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He clenched his jaw shut making his jawline stand out more. I placed my hand on top of his to calm him down as he snapped out of his trance and looked at me. He sighed before opening his hand.
"I'm sorry that happened to you Nevaeh. Really, I am and trust me when I say I will always protect you. You deserve better than this and honestly you're so strong for going through this alone." He said as I placed my head on his shoulder.
"We should probably go back inside now." I said changing the sensitive subject as I stood up patting my dress clean. Alex got up after me and placed his arm around my shoulder leading me towards the entrance.
"Do I look okay? My makeup didn't get ruined right?" I asked not having a mirror.
"You look perfect as usual baby." He said as I smiled as we walked in
โโโ TIME SKIP โโโ
Me and Alex were sat at our table talking as we judged everyone around us. I think that was our new favourite hobby now. Anyways soon, my brother and Miranda came to join us followed by Shuji and his girl who we found out to be Milana.
Me and Miranda started a conversation with her and surprisingly she was actually very interesting. As we sat at the table, I could still feel Daniel's eyes meet mine from time to time but I just ignored it knowing Alex was next to me.
"So yeah after that I told him to shut the fuck up cuz he was obviously chatting shit bro and then he was like I'm being deadass and searched it up and it was actually fucking true. Miranda? Are you listening?" I asked her as I rambled on
"Looks like you have an admirer." She said as I looked at her confused
"What are you on about?" I asked as she motioned her head towards Alex who was staring at me from where he was sat. We held intense eye contact as he licked his lips. I can't even lie I folded so bad so I looked away first.
Miranda had gone to find Mari and Shuji and Milana had disappeared off somewhere so I sat on the seat next to Alex. I kept my distance since I didn't want to fold again and I fiddled with my dress.
"Why you so far? C'mere" he said as he pulled my chair towards him. His raspy voice gave me butterflies as I felt my heart skip a beat as my chair moved closer to his. He put his arm on my chair as he looked down at me. I looked away but I could still feel his eyes following my every move.
"So, you having fun?" I asked him as I was stilling blushing from before.
"Only cuz you're here." He said as he smirked. He knew what effect he had on me and it pissed me off so bad.
"Stop" I said knowing what he was tryna do
"Stop what" he said smiling
"So what can I instead you in having, sir?" I said as I looked at the variety of drinks
"Lemme get something heavy. Something that will make me forget this night." Alex said playing along
"Wow so you're having one of those nights?" I asked with a raised eyebrow
"Yes ma'am" he said as I smiled and grabbed a drink for him
As I went to grab his hand, someone else did too and our hands brushed past each others. I looked up about to apologise when my eyes were met with the same cold blue eyes which used to terrify me day in day out.
"My ba-" I started but when our eyes met each others the memories came rushing back but I refused to freeze up this time.
"Alex let's go." I said as I attempted to turn around but a hand on my arm stopped me
"Ah ah ah. Not so fast Nevaeh. Long time no see." He said as I felt like throwing up after hearing him say my name once again.
"Fuck off. I'm not tryna talk to you Daniel." I said with the same bitter tone.
"Wow still fiesty as ever. Listen how about you and I have a little catch up." He said as I looked at him with disgust as his hand reached for my wrist.
"Don't touch her" I heard as Alex say as he stepped in front of me forcefully removing Daniel's hand off of me.
"And who might you be. Another one of her boyfriends." He said as me and Alex both rolled our eyes.
"I'm her only boyfriend and what are you. A insecure little dick who likes to abuse and mess around with girls cuz he finds it entertaining. Go grow a pair and fuck off." He said as he came face to face with Dan.
"Don't know what's so good about her anyway. She a little whore anyways. No wonder she posts a new guy every week." I rolled my eyes and downed my drink feeling aggravated by his presence.
"And you fuck a new girl every week." I said as he tried to come near me
"Back up." Alex said as he put his hand out stopping Daniel from coming close to me. At this point, we had attracted a crowd and people were now averting their attention to the on going argument taking place.
"Ow what? What are you gonna do?" He said as he pushed Alex back. Alex didn't react since he knew we were at a formal event but Daniel decided to push Alex again. And again. And again.
Anger taking over, Alex punched Daniel knocking him to the ground in one punch as Daniel held his face whilst on the ground. Alex clenched his jaw as he saw the crowds reaction so I grabbed his hand stirring him away from the situation just as he did to me a couple weeks ago.
"I knew he was a dick but I didn't know he was that bad." Alex said as we had reached outside.
"Lucky you weren't in a relationship with him for 8 months." I said as we walked down the street.
"Fairs." He said as I held his hand
"You didn't have to defend me back there you know." I said
"I know but I wanted to. I told you I will always have your back Nevaeh." He said as I smiled lightly
"Come on. I've got something to show you." He said as he led me down the streets. We stopped at the shop as we wanted to sober up before doing something stupid that we would later regret. We also brought snacks as he led me to a field. It was quite late at night, almost 2 am.
We walked further down the hill as I started to see the view of the city come into place. The city lights illuminated the night sky brightening up the streets below us. I gasped in awe as I felt Alex looking at me admiring my reaction.
"Oh my gosh, Alex. This is beautiful." I said calmly as I hugged him. We sat closely on the grass admiring the city as the stars shone above us. I shivered quietly as during the night it got cold. I felt Alex take his arms from around me making me feel close but that was soon resolved when he gave me his blazer to keep me warm.
We sat on the grass and talked about our futures as the sun began to rise. Despite feeling tired throughout the whole night, the conversation flowed smoothly as the night sky changed into the morning sky.
"Nevaeh?" Alex asked me as J opened my eyes
"Mhm?" I replied looking up at him
"I've been thinking a lot lately and I really like you, a lot. You make me laugh, you understand me, and every moment I spend with you just feels... right. So Nevaeh, will you be my girlfriend?" He said as he smiled down at me
"No..." I replied as his face dropped suddenly,
"I'm just joking. Of course I will. What took you so long?" I asked making him laugh lightly as he lightly grabbed my throat pulling me in for a kiss.
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