Don't Stop

1

I force a polite smile on my face and raise the tray of champagne higher. Women in fancy dresses and men in crisp black suits grinn at me, realizing who I was at once.

"Cassie, darling. What a pleasant surprise!" I turn around to find Mrs. Jenkins, holding her own glass of champagne. Her hair was white and wisped to the side in an odd fashion.

I smile at her wrinkly face. "Mrs. J, you look lovely this evening." I refer and look down at her gown. She flattens it.

"Oh, this old thing?" Mrs. Jenkins laughs. "I'm sure I look foolish. Look at yourself; you must have tons of young men falling at your feet, just begging for your attention. "

I shake my head. "Fortunately not Mrs. J, I'm not into that kind of thing, actually."

Mrs. Jenkins frowns. "Hm, what a shame. My nephew James would take a liking to you right away, oh he's an angel." She proclaims. "You should meet him, dear!" Excitement fills her eyes at the idea.

"I'm sure he is a lovely lad, but if you'll excuse me, I have champagne to serve." I say politely and raise the tray of drinks briefly. Mrs. Jenkins bids her goodbye to me and returns to mingle with her husband who nods in my direction with a wide smile.

It seems that nobody around me was in desperate need of champagne so I make my way towards the very back and set the drinks down on the bar that was empty. Looking around, I make sure my parents were nowhere to be seen, pick up a glass of champagne and brought it to my red stained lips, tipping it back.

"Thirsty?" I jumped at a male voice. Coughing viciously, a hand rubs my bare shoulder. "Oh my gosh, I'm really sorry." I place my hand on my chest and looked up. My eyes widen immediately.

"Mr. Hemmings! Um, I'm- I- uh, can I get you anything?" I clear my throat and press my lips together awkwardly.

"Yeah, actually." He smoothes his black suit and fixes his tie.

"Anything," I nod and clear my throat after setting my drink down.

"Never call me that again." Luke laughs and I tense. What was I supposed to do? My dad practically worked for him. My mouth opens but I say nothing.

He sobers up. "What's your name?"

"Cassie. Cassie Ellis." I look down.

"Ellis?" Luke asks confused, furrowing his eyebrows together. "You're John's daughter?"

I smile. "That's me."

My dad owns the biggest company for party rooms or ballrooms in the world. Five Seconds of Summer was a frequent customer of this location for parties. Tonight was a celebration for the new album release 'Don't Stop'. Although, it wasn't a crazy, alcohol drinking, beer pong, type of party. It was a formal event. Therefore I was wearing a black mid-thigh length tight dress along with a pair of sparkly silver pumps. The hairdresser my mother hired curled and pinned my hair back in a fancy matter.

"What are you doing here?" Luke snaps me out of my thoughts and I met his gaze.

"Well, sometimes when my father is short on servers, I help out." He looks down at my dress.

"Then what are you doing back here?" I begin to panick. What if he tells my dad and he loses business? "It's fine, I won't tell."

"Honestly?" Luke nods at me. "Drinking the champagne nobody wants." I grin and he laughs.

"So," He looks behind me. "Want to dance?"

"Oh, I-" I begin to protest.

"C'mon, a pretty girl like you can't serve drinks at a party like this." Luke holds out his hand.

I hesitate. "Please?" I take his hand and he leads me out to the middle of all the people slow dancing.

Even with my heels on, Luke was still taller than me. Luke grabs my waist and pulls me close; closer than I thought he would. I tense slightly. He intertwines out fingers together and held them out at a distance.

"Relax," His thumb rubs my waist where the hem of the dress was. I breathe out deeply and look up at him. Luke begins to move me around the dance floor and maneuver through the others dancing as well.

While spinning in circles I catch my mother's face which had a grin planted on her lipstick stained lips, just like mine. I roll my eyes at her and she laughs.

"Everything alright?" Luke looks down at me.

"Mhm," I nod with a smile.

"Has anyone every told you that you have the most beautiful blue eyes?" He holds me in a gaze that I can't break away from. I wanted to swim in those deep blue irises. "No?" I shake my head. "Well then people must be too blind to see it."

Finally, I muster up all the courage I could and brake away from his stare and fixate my eyes on his black tie.

"Cassie?" Someone calls my name and I look towards the direction of the voice. My father walks over to us with a champagne glass in his hand. "Oh...Mr. Hemmings. Why aren't you with the other lads?" I break away from him and he lets go of my waist.

"Why, I couldn't leave your beautiful daughter standing all by herself. She looked in desperate need of a dance." He grins.

"Did you need something dad?" I interrupt.

"More champagne for the guests. They drink it like its water. Do you mind getting some from the storage fridge, honey?" He begs.

"Sure thing, I'll be right back." My father nods and hurries off to some other place. I look towards Luke. "Sorry," I apologize and he smiles.

"Don't sweat it. I'll be here when you get back." I nod and push my way through the crowd, trying not to stumble over my own heels.

Finally, I make it to the kitchen and exit out the back door. The storage room with the fridge wasn't far. All I had to do was walk down the garden path. My mother added the garden last year. She's always had a green thumb, but when it came to me, I could make a plant die by just looking at it.

The garden was marvelous and grand: it was filled with bright colors and assorted patterns. My mother had a bit OCD about her flower organizing. No one was allowed to lay a hand on her babies. She wouldn't even let my father hire workers to maintain it. Apparently she could handle it and so far she was doing a good job at it.

I admire the strings of light hanging about and walk on towards the storage room. A bit of a rustle of leaves moves behind me. I look to make sure I was alone; I still was.

I shake my head and finally make it to the door of the storage. It's a little heavy but I pull it with all my strength and it unlatches. There was another noise behind me but this time I ignore it. It probably really was the wind and I'm freaking myself out just by thinking about it.

"Boo." I gasp and clutch my heart. I hear laughter. Sam's behind me and I groan.

"Sam, I told you to stop doing that and leave me alone." Sam was the son of my father's business owner. So I had to play nice with him when my dad was around but he isn't here now. Sam has always been a pain in the ass and always tries to make things sexual when we both know it won't happen. I really hate being alone with him. "Come to help with the bottles?" I ask, even though I know he didn't.

"Actually, I came for you." He smirks.

I sigh, "What do you want Sam? Can't you just move on? I don't like you like that. Like, at all."

"You do and you will." Sam put his hands on my waist and corners me up against the wall.

"Sam," I say. "Stop this, right now."

"I don't think so, Cassie. I think we should continue." His lips nibble on my neck.

"Get off of me, you asshole!" I demand louder.

Sam tries to start sliding his hand up my dress and gripping my thighs but I squirme underneath his weight.

"Hey!" Someone shouts and footsteps get closer. Sam was so close to me; I couldn't even see who was coming to my rescue because of how tall he was. "She said get off her." The voice growls.