Power or Love?

Chapter One

     I wake up to the annoying sound of me alarm playing a ringtone my friends made for me back in 2019. Seeing as I was only 17 when it was made and now it's 2023. I turn it off whilst getting up to go to the bathroom. I look in the mirror to see all curls sticking all directions.

     " Welp, looks like I'm taking a shower, " I said turning the water on and hopping in.

     As soon as I hop out of the shower I get a call from my boss.

"Euphoria! There's a nice ball going on tonight and I got you a ticket under the companies name. It's a masquerade. I'm having the make up crew and our wardrobe design over. They'll be over 5 and a limo will pick you up at 7:30. Your article for this will be due two days after today. Ta ta!"

    The phone hung up abruptly and I sighed. My boss, Jeremy, was a bit special. He always did things his way. I had a lot of time before the make up crew would be here... I'll just watch a Marvel movie. I scan my massive collection and choose Captain America: the first avenger because young Sebastian Stan is a must.

I watch the movie whilst eating left over pizza from the night before. I drift off to sleep.

~time skip~

I wake up to banging on the door to my apartment seeing the time is 5:00 pm. Well then. I run to the door letting the massive team in. I have a guy come over who I'm all to familiar with.

"Sammy! My main hair dude," I say smiling and hugging the tall blonde man wearing a crop sweatshirt in December.

"Euphoria! Babe! Sit your pretty as down so my team can get to work. Maybe we'll make you look good enough to attract a hot celeb tonight," he says giggling at the expression on my face.

" You know I don't do one night stands Sammy. "

" But Euphoria! When was the last time you got laid?"

I stop to think for a second before I let it out.

" Two years....," I say drifting off as I feel Sammy begin on the up-do he'll be putting my jet black hair into. A short girl with purple hair comes over and starts working on my make up. I sit in that chair for what feels like forever but was only an hour and a half.

I get up and go over to the rack holding all the dresses. I settle on a pink one along with what looks like a rose gold mask.

     The colors sit wonderfully upon my light brown skin. Sammy put my pass to get inside in the pink clutch purse he hands me. Then a white floor length petticoat is wrapped around me to protect me from the cold outside. When 7:30 approaches, I make my way downstairs knowing I'm gonna need to get used to my heels. The limo driver opens my door and I get inside with a thanks.

    We finally reach the venue and I make my way inside approach the man check tickets. He looks at my ticket and nods whilst punching a whole into it. I make it inside finally and reach my assigned table for dinner. I look around noticing the name tags on the table. I see famous couples sat with one other famous couple. I then notice people who I know are single sitting with another single person. I become tempted to see who I was placed with but don't check the name tag seeing a man in all black with a nice head of brown hair approaching. He wore a white mask to contrast his black suit.

     " I was told that the other seat at this table was mine. Luckily, I'm being sat next to a beautiful lady, " he says his voice sounding quite familiar.

" Sebastian Stan by the way. You are? " He asks offering his hand.

" Makenzie Steel. Journalist watching the party, " I say. Most of the time if I introduce myself to someone at a party for work I use my middle name instead of my first so they can't make any connections.

    He kisses my hand lightly and begins to make conversation with me before dinner comes. We eat together, laugh, and talk for a lot of the night until a slow song comes on.

     "Makenzie, would you dance with me? " He asks in a gentle voice with a charming smile holding his hand out for me to take.

    " Hmm, I guess. I don't think I could turn down such a charming smile, " I say taking his hand allowing him to lead me out onto the dance floor. He places one hand on my waist and the other is still holding mine. I place my other hand on his shoulder out of instinct.

    " So, Makenzie, I know it's usually rude to ask a woman's age, but may I know? "

    " It's fine. I'm only 21. Just turned 21 in July. How old are you? " I asked him already knowing the answer.

    " Turned 41 in August. You're making me feel old sweetheart," He says but I linger on the way sweetheart rolled off his tongue. We dance quietly and eventually we're closer than when we started. Sebastian whispering funny things about the other people dancing into my ear and me holding my laughs in.

    " Makenzie, may I kiss you? " Asks Sebastian as the slow song comes to an end. I feel my face become more pink as I not silently. He leans down and I feel his soft lips against my own. He pulls me as close as possible by my waist and wrap my arms around his neck. When the kiss finally ends, I say the words I never thought I would.

    " Would you maybe want to come back to my place? "

Now, I wouldn't have asked this question if I didn't have the five glasses of wine that I had. 

    Sebastian stays still for a second then a mischievous smile comes to his face. 

     " I'd love to go back to your place. "
With those words we rush back to the table grabbing our things and rushing outside to hail a taxi. We get a taxi and I tell him my address. Sebastian lightly grabs my face to have me kissing him again. He then moves down to my neck and begins to kiss along it.

     We get inside my apartment and I show Sebastian to my room while I go to the bathroom to remove all the make up and hair pins from my hair. I take my dress off and take the hair clips and bobby pins from hair allowing my hair to fall down into curls. I remove the mask and make up and walk out in just my black lace bra and underwear.

   " Wow. You're so beautiful. " Says a boxer clad Sebastian sitting on my bed. I walk over and climb into his lap, straddling his legs.

   " Pfft. Not really but you can say all you want. " I say kissing his neck feelings his hands go underneath my ass.

    " You're beautiful in my eyes and I'm going to make you feel beautiful. " He says laying me down on the bed...

DISCLAIMER: this book is half au kinda not at the same time. I'm also not saying that Sebastian sleeps with random pretty girls he meets. Its a book not real life. Heck if he did in real life i honestly wouldn't care. Just enjoy the book.