Everett | HS |

Three.

I don't like parties.

Ever since my early teenage years, I wasn't fond of them. Granted, I hadn't been invited to many, but whenever I was, I turned down the invitation. The thought of a packed room with sweaty bodies, false smiles, and people wanting to speak to you every damn second drove me crazy. But, I sat through this torture for Everett. Her big doe eyes were wide and alert as she tried her best to mingle, but nearly failed by keeping herself cooped up near the coat rack with a styrofoam cup in her hand.

I licked my lips every time her small fingers came down to wrap around the hem of her dress so she could tug it down her thigh as far as she possibly could without letting her small, perky breast poke through the top. "Harry, mate," a voice spoke from beside me; Louis. Louis was the music teacher, his classroom just so happened to be a few doors from mine. I knew he was going to ask me what it was that I was doing here, seeing as he knew about my extreme dislike for Maryann, but I had to come up with an excuse quick. "What are you doing here?" He asked with same goofy smile on his face.

"Everett is one of my best students," I said, shrugging my shoulders gently. My eyes were still locked on her beautiful, nervous face that took glances at me ever-so-often. "I just want to send her off properly," I announced. I smirked, knowing that they were going nowhere, and I would have liked it if Maryann had canceled this party a second after our escapade in the kitchen, but she said she couldn't. Her husband was expecting important people to show, and she would break the news to him after. I didn't mind when she did it, or how she did it, as long as she did it.

"Well, Maryann told Kim that she isn't leaving anymore," he took a sip of his drink, "which is odd because she was so adamant on this move, and now she's changing her mind?" He asked. I remained stoic, taking small sips of my drink and keeping my eyes locked on my baby girl, making sure no one went near her.

"Maryann has always been strange and quite dramatic," I hummed, "I wouldn't be surprised if this were all for attention," I laughed quietly, causing Louis to laugh along.

"That would explain the terrified and odd look on her daughter's face," he laughed. At the mention of my angel, my laugher stopped. She did look terrified, but that was nothing that should be made fun of. She was a small baby girl in a sea of adults that were not here for her. Only I was. "Poor girl," he went on. "Imagine being the child of Maryann Maxwell," he laughed. "Imagine being the husband of Maryann Maxwell," he laughed even harder.

"Her husband could buy us both," I
Mentioned, which caused his laughter to stop. And it was true. Ethan Maxwell was a pretty well-known lawyer in this wretched city, with enough money to own me if he ever found out what I was doing with his wife. I had a plan in motion to make sure he didn't, but I was still working out the kinks. "Why he's with that hag, I have no idea, but to each is own," I shrugged.

Louis has since walked away and I leaned further against the wall, watching as Everett began interacting with an older gentleman. He had a subtle smile on his face, while Everett's cheeks were pink and her hand came up to brush against them as he laughed. Probably referring to the hot-red blush lacing her pretty porcelain skin.

I have no idea why I began to get angry, but I did. My hands tightened around my drink and I cleared my throat as the blood trickling in my veins started to boil. I could see Everett shuffling away from him, but he shuffled forward, nearly backing her up against the wall. I gritted my teeth and pushed myself off of the wall before walking over to them, clearing my throat quietly. Everett smiled as soon as she saw me and moved around the gentleman to stand beside me. He turned around and fixed his tie, letting his eyes scan the length of my body. "I'll be going," he said.

"That'd be your best bet," I gritted, clenching my fist at my side. My face was burning with anger and I wanted nothing more than to smash his face in, but I couldn't in this room full of people. I didn't want to raise questions. I felt much better when he scurried away and Everett coward into my side. I wrapped my arm around her and sighed, sitting my drink down on a nearby round table. "I didn't mean to scare you, princess," I whispered. Her arms wrapped around my torso and my heart began beating wildly against my ribcage. I thanked God she couldn't feel it.