Forever

Chapter 8 (Raya's pov)

What the hell was he doing here?!
I mentally panicked, as I stared at my reflection in the mirror,taking a few deep breaths.

What should I do?!
Just go with it, Raya.Theres no way he looked you up.

I took a breath,and walked outside, looking up and down the hall before making my way to the lobby. I needed to get the hell out of here, despite what my brain was telling me. What if scenarios played in my mind one after another.

And none of them turned out well.

I know I'm a coward. I proudly acknowledge that fact. But I did have a reason to run. My mother was a grief counselor, who also talked people out of suicide, gave them something to live for.
Unfortunately, sometimes showing someone in that mindset that you care can be, well....dangerous.

They can latch onto you in an unhealthy manner, it can turn into obssession, and possibly, eventually...

Murder.

It doesn't always happen, in fact, I'd like to say it's a very slim chance that all of this happens. It's just that my mother happened to be the one of the unlucky few.

You'd think I'd take steps to avoid getting in the same situation, but I'm an idiot with a soft heart. The downtrodden, the bullied, all people in pain, they all pull at my heartstrings, and I want to help them. If I wasn't this way, I would've never met Max, and I'd have been alone all this time. But now, in this  moment, I was severely regretting this attribute.

I finally reached the door to the reception hall, where, to my luck, Simone was standing, with her tongue down her boy toy's throat.

Ugh. Disgusting.

I continued out the door, taking a breath of relief, and looked up at the wall,where a painting of a rich madame and her husband were hanging. If I remembered correctly, it was her family that had this place built in the first place. For a moment, I wondered what she would think of our winter gala, but quickly brushed off the thought.

You're supposed to be escaping, aren't you?

I sighed to myself, and turned down the hall. I walked as fast as my heeled feet could take me, while I heard the door to the ballroom creak loudly behind me.

He's following me. Why is he following me? Shit shit shit! Don't get murdered Raya.

"Wait a minute! Raya!"

I froze.

Oh no, he did look me up. You're a moron Raya,of course he looked you up! You know, age of technology and all?

Fuck!

Yeah, I'm getting the hell out of here.

Hell hath no fury like a woman trying to escape from a potential murderer.

I gathered up my dress in my fists, and prepared to make a run for it, but he was unfortunately, too fast and too tall. I felt his warm  hand curl around my arm, and I was whipped around against my will.

"Hi."he breathed, with a warm smile and a twinkle in his eye.

I had to play this just right so nothing bad happens. Think Raya, think!

" I was just leaving."I answered monotonously, while I mentally kicked myself.

"Really? It seemed to me like you were running away from me."

That's because I was.

"Oh, no, I wasn't ." I stammered,"can you let go of me?

His eyebrows arched for a moment, and he let go of my arm, my skin tingling where his hand made contact. A look of sadness crossed his face for a brief second, but quickly returned to a neutral expression.