From Mine to Ours

17 - Part 2: Let's Party!

Contrary to popular belief, the party is not filled with wines no one can pronounce, nor is the playlist of slow dances being played through the speakers. It isn't quite like a club or anything of that manner as there is a bit of class mixed into it. However, this event was created by Jennifer herself as a congratulations to her team for our hard work throughout the year. Meaning the yearly theme is fun, joyous and relaxed. Any and all honorifics are dropped, status is foreign as soon as one steps into the room and inviting personal loved ones is highly encouraged.

Lucy and I share a look once we stand at the entrance of the company, heavily guarded by our regularly stationed security guards and additional pairings of rather intimidating men standing on the sides leading towards the front door. One could argue this is a bit extreme, but at the end of the day, as casual as this event originally started out to be, some celebrities and other people who are typically used to being guarded in one way or another in public, do attend this party.

The others start trailing slowly behind the three of us, most likely not expecting the warm welcome. Heck, I'm not used to it, this is only my second time attending. If it weren't for the comfort of my employee identification card burning a reminding hole into my back pocket, I would've turned right back around at the neutral, yet warning, expression thrown at us by some of these men here.

Unlike my friend and I, Cadence struts right up to the two men checking people before entering the building with profound confidence, leaving the two of us in her looming shadow. She calls after us, telling us that two of the guys should go in with her, while I should take the third and Lucy can go in with Jas.

Looking behind us at the three men walking particularly slow to soothe an obviously nervous Asher, I suggest that Cadence take Sebastian as he's the most familiar with this setting and I'll take in the two others instead so they can comfort one another while I handle signing them in. I can tell she wants to argue with me on this, but I'm more than ready to put my foot down on this matter. She can be petty with me all she wants, but if she's the cause of anyone else's discomfort, I won't stand back and watch. I'm sure Lucy feels the same as she, too, is used to her behavior by now, the others definitely aren't.

I tilt my head at her, silently daring her to fight with me on this. This shouldn't even be a big deal, we just need to get inside! Her eyes shift behind us and I hear the sound of more footsteps coming up behind us. It's your choice if you want to cause a scene, Cadence.

I visibly see her scoff and her hand gestures for Sebastian to follow after her. I sigh out in relief, looking back at him and nod once I notice he's waiting for some sort of reaction from me, probably looking for some form of reassurance if I have to guess, before retracting his form away from his lovers. He mimics the bob of my head as a 'thank you' I assume, but I'm honestly not too sure.

After letting Lucy and Jas know they can go ahead, I walk back to the two men who I'm apparently now in charge of safely getting through those doors. I feel like I'm in some sort of action movie...

"Don't worry, Ash, they're simply doing their jobs of keeping everyone safe, I know we'll get in easily," I hear him mutter under his breath, bending lower to his ears. Asher simply nods, looking down at the steps and rubbing the palms of his hands together.

He looks up at me at the sight of my hand reaching into his line of sight, "it's okay, I'll be the one talking, they just want to see who enters and leaves the place," even though I don't want to be the talker in this scenario.

He looks past my shoulders, presumably seeing the others having already gone inside, "okay- yeah, okay, I'm sorry," he rubs a hand down his face, not noticing the subtle shake of my head.

"For what?" I smile down at him from the second step I'm already standing on. His eyes find me again with surprise at my nonchalance. I feign confusion, my upturned lip never faltering, and I turn on my heels to go up the few steps left to climb in hopes they would follow after me. I don't want him to apologize to me for something like this, I would go as far as to say I understand his anxiousness right now. So no, I don't want him to say he's sorry when he has nothing to be sorry for, I just want him to know that I have his back. We are friends after all...