I Choose All of You

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Jeremiah's bright blue eyes stayed on mine. He was ecstatic. I've never seen him so happy.

I wiped the corner of my lip, "Jeremiah, this is very sweet but-."

"-Oh! You like those tart desserts right? I can get some! I think I saw them on the table, in the back!"

"No! Jeremiah! It's seriously okay," I laughed.

"No," Jeremiah eyed me firmly and handed me his glass, "I'm going to make this night as perfect for you as possible. You deserve the entire world, Bug."

He ran away again and disappeared into the party.

I sighed deeply and spun on my heels.

"Leo," I called out.

I kicked my dress out with every step so I wouldn't trip.

"Leo?" I seethed through my teeth.

I frantically looked around for him, but he was nowhere to be seen. I found a door inside a dark corridor and leaned my ear against it. It sounded loud. Perhaps the back entrance to the party. I backed away when I noticed a dark figure in the shadows.

The figure spoke sweetly, "I've been looking for you."

I took some more steps back, so the figure could show themselves in the light. To my surprise it was Roman. He approached me and tilted his head back.

"This isn't a good time," I said firmly.

The allure of the man was like gravity, pulling me into him, but too much has already happened tonight. My head was about to burst.

Roman chuckled, "You're looking for Leo, right?" "How did you know that? Do you know him?"

"Well, yes."

I grew steadily more confused, "How?"

The man shrugged and leaned in close, whispering, "Because I'm part of the Resistance, my dear. It's a secret of course, but I know I can trust you because you're part of them too."

He backed away with a smirk and I stared at him. Roman. The mysterious famous beauty, one fifth of the boyband, is a Resistance member??? Are they all Resistance members?

"It's a different sector than the branch you are in, but it's true," Roman casually told me. "Anyways, Leo didn't look like he wanted to be followed. He seemed fairly upset."

I sighed and looked down at the floor between us, "You're probably right..."

Roman hummed, "Why don't we go inside. Since you've left the party, you seem to have gotten more upset. Why don't we chat for a bit instead? Get your pretty mind off of whatever is bugging you."

I nodded my head and Roman opened the door. I walked inside and noticed we were backstage. The music and laughter was muffled from behind the thick curtain.

Roman shut the door behind us and sat down atop a large speaker box. I mimicked him and sat on the stage steps.

I watched his eyes trail down to the two champagne glasses in my hands, and he scrunched his nose.

"How do you even drink that stuff," he asked intrigued, "And two for that matter."

"Oh," I exclaimed and sat one of the glasses down beside me, "Well, they both aren't mine, but it's just champagne. What are you drinking?"

The man swiftly placed his red liquid-filled glass on the floor behind him and smiled softly, "Oh... I don't think it's your taste."

"It's just red wine," I laughed, "Is it too bitter or something?"

"No. I think it's fairly sweet."

I furrowed my eyebrows at his weird behavior.

I opened my mouth to ask him something, when the curtains got thrown to the side. A troubled looking Prince Kalum stood beside me.

"There you are! What did you do to Jeremiah," Kalum asked bewildered.

I stood up at his sudden outburst, "What are you talking about?"

"He's acting strange. He couldn't find some dessert and then started begging the staff to bake it for him. He won't-," Kalum glanced around me, "Why are you even back here?"

"I was talking to Ro-." My words got lodged in my throat as I glanced behind me. Roman was gone. Along with his glass. All traces of him were nowhere to be seen. "That's strange," I whispered to myself.

Kalum groaned and grabbed my hand, "I can't have you losing it too. Come with me."

The Prince led me out from behind the red curtain and into the party. He adjusted his hold on me, so my arm wrapped around his and he leaned in, "He's freaking out the guests so please do whatever you can to calm him down."

I nodded my head, "S-sure."

The crowd parted a path for us, as we bee-lined to Jeremiah. Once we got to him he immediately pouted down at Kalum and I's interlocked arms. 

 "What are you doing with my girl," he asked, folding his arms at Kalum.

Kalum looked taken aback and released me. He grabbed Jeremiah's shoulder tightly, "Keep your voice down. You can't be saying stuff like that with so many people around, Jeremiah. People might hear you."

Jeremiah shed himself free of his brother's grasp, "Let them hear. I am done with this whole competition thing. I want Sarah."

Kalum blinked at his little brother and seethed through his teeth, "What?"

"I am falling for her."

My eyes grew wide. He just said that to Kalum's face. I glanced between the two boys, as they had an intense stare off. It looked as though they were having a heated telepathic conversation.

Kalum eventually broke his stare and gestured to the crowd of girls waiting nearby, "Go dance."

"No. I only want to dance with her," Jeremiah motioned to me.

Kalum bent down for Jeremiah to hear, "If you aren't going to act your part, then leave. Before mother returns and sees you acting like a child."

Jeremiah and Kalum continued to have a hushed argument.

"I'm going to the bathroom," I awkwardly excused myself.

Neither of them broke eye contact with each other, and I backed away slowly.