Chapter 14
Why is it always me?
Alena
We bustled out of the club at about midnight and started the short walk back to the hotel. The cool breeze was a relief on my flush skin, which was still burning from the thought that Lewis was here, and after the embarrassing encounter with Claude were I tried to pretend I was German. What a night. I had spent the last half an hour telling Billie and Arabelle what had happened.
“So...what do you think of him?” Arabelle asked me.
“Well he’s very good looking–”
“Drop dead gorgeous” Arabelle countered.
“And he was charming and confident–”
“And gorgeous”
“But, he seemed slightly arrogant–”
“But he was beautiful”
“Alright Arabelle we get he was extremely, excessively attractive! Jesus we all flaming saw him!” Billie snapped. I carried on while Arabelle and Billie glowered at each other.
“And big headed”
“Hmmm never good, did you see his body guard? Man now he was–”
“If you say gorgeous one more time–” Billie interjected.
“I was going to say spectacular” Arabelle countered.
“Yeah right” Billie muttered under her breath. I drifted away from the conversation and just focused on the image of Claude that I still remembered from the club. He had light gold hair; it couldn’t be described as blonde because it seemed more intense than just your average yellow colour. It was almost like sunshine bottled; a pure deep colour that was more than a nondescript yellow. It fell in loose curls to the nape of his neck, and he had a slight side fringe as his hair parted more to the left side. It was cut with layers, and looked well cared for, without any spilt ends in sight. His cream skin was flawless and looked like in had been carved to the finest detail, with a straight nose and full lips. His eyes were unforgettable. They were emeralds dazzling in light and around the pupil were the silky lighter green; like a Jade. And how anyone could forget that cheeky grin which was heart stopping. He was head about a head taller than me, and he wore a purple t-shirt with a black waist coat over it and black straight leg jeans, with shiny black pointy shoes. He was athletically built as he wasn’t that muscular, as in a body builder, but I could see the muscles on him arms and through his tight top. And I wasn’t going to complain about him wearing that top again; if I ever saw him of course.
“So Alena, would you die for him?” Billie asked me dramatically.
“I barely know the guy!” I replied quickly, I was caught off guard.
“That doesn’t stop firemen and women risking their lives for strangers.” Billie countered.
“Well, I’m not a fireman or woman, so the answer would probably be no.”
“For now” Billie winked at me. I shook my head, and walked up to the hotel entrance. Arabelle pushed on the door, expecting it to swing open; instead she walked straight into it.
“The only comment I have for that is tit” I grinned at Billie’s face, a mixture of pity and exasperation, all aimed at Arabelle.
“Oh shhhh you!! I would die for someone to get us into this god damn hotel” Arabelle replied.
“But if you died then you couldn’t go in, so what would be the point in that?” I replied grinning.
“Oh shut it smart arse!!”Arabelle snapped. She then reached down her bra and grabbed her phone, just as a group of drunken male tourists walked past, they wolf whistled and yelled “Show us ya tit’s love!” Arabelle replied by sticking her finger up at them which sent them into a chorus of laughter.
“You have impeccable timing Arabelle” She just rolled her eyes at me. She started scrolling through her contacts, and then called one of them.
“Hey André, erm we are kind of locked out, I was hoping you could maybe open the door?” we then heard the muffled sound of the reply, and then Arabelle answered.
“On my clock it only says....yeah I probably forget to then okay, thanks see you in a minute bye!!”
“Please tell me that that was not the porters’ number you just rang” Billie pleaded.
“Well it came in useful didn’t it?” Arabelle exclaimed
“You haven’t even been here for 24 hours and you gave your number to someone, I hate to see what you’ll do by day 7. HATE TO!!” Billie winked at her, I laughed and Arabelle just scowled at Billie.
We waited in a comfortable silence for about 5 minutes, each complementing our own thoughts. Then a shadow appeared on the glass doors, and we heard the locks undone and the door was held open for us.
“We were expecting you, a young man told us you would be here in 5 minutes” he smiled and we walked up to the stairs. He locked the door after us then led the way back to our room. What man had told him that we would be here?
“Err, what did this man look like? If you don’t mind my asking” I asked André
“Of course I don’t Mademoiselle, the younger one had blond hair, was about this tall” he put his arm about an inch above his head. “He had a waist coat, purple top” I stopped listening. Claude had been here. But why? And how the hell did he know I would be here? I shared a look with Arabelle, who was running through the same thoughts as mine. I sped up; we were on our floor now.
“Err thank you again André” Arabelle handed him a few notes, and he walked away. Billie fumbled with the Key card, after several attempts she had unlocked the door. I walked quickly in. It looked untouched. I ran into the bedroom, ignoring Billie’s and Arabelle’s loud whispers. And saw it. On my bed. Two lilac roses entwined, and a note on thick expensive card. I picked it up and read the careful, calligraphy style hand writing
Dear Miss Alena Ebony Akerly,
I finally found out your name, as I assured you I would. I can imagine your shock in reading this and you understandably have questions for the Hotel staff to why they permitted a stranger to enter your room, but what can I say, I can be very persuasive when I want to be.
I just had to see you again, I am enchanted by you, so if you would be so kind to meet me again tomorrow night, it will certainly quench the thirst you have given me. I have to attend a ball, and if you would attend it with me that would be most appreciated.
A few dresses will be arriving for you tomorrow sometime in the day while you are out with you fellow students.
Oh and if you refuse, I’ll have to collect you myself, and as I mentioned before, I can be very persuasive.
A limousine will collect you at 7.30pm, but at 4pm I will be collecting you personally to have dancing lessons, and to brief you on what will happen at this ball.
I look forward to seeing you again; let’s pray that this night is brisk.
Sweet dreams my dear Rose
Claude Chaumont
Underneath the note was a gold envelope, I opened it while Arabelle and Billie read the note. It was the invitation to the ball Claude was talking about.
“Oh how romantic!” Arabelle exclaimed
“I think I’m going to be sick” Billie replied
“Oh shut it you! Have you got your netbook with you?” Arabelle asked Billie
“Yeah, why?”
“Google lilac rose meanings”
“Seriously? It’s just a flaming flower! I could tell you what that meant! Alena it means he wants to get in your pants!! I’ll Google him while I’m at it; I swear I’ve heard that name before...” Billie carried on muttering as she fired up her netbook.
“How does he know my name?” I asked Arabelle.
“I don’t know, but he’s a mysterious one, you like your mystery novels Alena, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Arabelle smiled at me.
“Yeah I like reading them, not being in them” I countered.
“Well, that’s just hard luck” Arabelle replied.
“It’s just loading the page” Billie said.
“I’m going to get in my PJ’s” I pulled out some PJ shorts and a baggy top and walked into the bathroom. I had my tooth brush in here already, so I brushed my teeth too. I heard a shout from Billie, then Arabelle telling her to keep it down. I splashed some water on my flushed face, rinsed my mouth and the tooth brush and then stepped out of the bathroom. Arabelle and Billie had taken camp on my bed, and I sat next to them.
“Are you ready for this?” Billie asked me. I nodded, I picked up the roses that fell on the floor and placed them on the side table. Billie cleared her throat, and then began.
“Roses are the traditional gift given on Valentine’s Day, but they're well-received any time of year. The colour and type of rose does carry a meaning–”
“Just read the bit about the lilac roses, we don’t need their entire life story!” Arabelle interrupted.
“All right!!” Billie snapped, she cleared her throat again.
“Lilac Roses: Lilac roses indicate the sender has fallen in love at first sight with the recipient and is enchanted.” Billie stopped reading.
“Oh” Oh indeed. I stared at the screen.
“Well the other page has loaded, that bit be less, err, strange”
A number of hyperlinks appeared and the first site synopsis that appeared underneath the hyperlink read Claude Chaumont, the vice president of France was pictured visiting his father in hospital, the latest victim in the assassinations. The silence that followed was so tense you could cut it with a knife.
“Well, I knew I had heard of him before” Billie muttered. We all started to laugh. I smiled; trust Billie to make a joke out of it. Arabelle hugged me then went to sort out her own bed. I climbed into my bed full of questions that mostly centred on a specific one. Why me? Why is it always me? I couldn’t help the small flame of excitement that I felt thinking about Claude, but it was always dosed in water at the thought of the fact he was vice president, and acting president. And that it wouldn’t be him getting hurt at the end of this, whatever this is. I slowly drifted into an uncomfortable sleep.