Distract and Sedate | Hemlock Grove |

Chapter 5 | Upper Echelon |

Even dressed in expensive clothing, Emma feels like she looks poor. There was some way that all these wealthy people held themselves, the confidence and security they felt, that she couldn't mimic. Even the women she could tell had been paid to be there held themselves differently. They were wonderful actresses.

Roman had, as he said, sent her a dress and shoes over. Early in the morning, she gets a call from the desk attendant that there's a bulky, bald man that had something from her. She tosses it all on Jules' abandoned bed and goes back to sleep. It would, without a doubt, be an exhausting day.

She had been to most of the Godfrey Gala's growing up. It wasn't a choice, she was given and dress and taken there. This was completely different. For starters, this was not some gala in the middle of Hemlock Grove. This was in a city with over 1.5 million people in it. It was going to be crowded. Second, she wasn't a child being brought to enhance Olivia Godfrey's image. She was going as an adult with another adult.

It looks like she's going as his date, both are well aware of that.

On the car ride over he passes her a bottle of tequila from a brand she's never seen before. It's surely top shelf, way out of her reach. She sits in the backseat with him, sipping at the bottle before passing it back to him. She doesn't have anything new to say since the night before, neither does he.

"How did you know I'd be at my dorm?" She asks breaking the silence.

"Honestly?" He asks. She nods. "I knew your mom wouldn't be able to get you back and forth in enough time. Not with her schedule."

"Oh," Emma hums. He would think that through. "What is this for? Who are you raising money for?"

"It's like to help support STEM summer camps," Roman looks out the window. "I don't really know, I just get the tickets and go."

"Why don't you just donate instead of going?"

"It looks good for the company," he stares out into the streets. "Y'know, having a CEO there, take a photo or something." Emma nods to him, understanding why his PR person would want that. She leans her head against the window and looks out at the sun setting. Romans's hand pulls at her shoulder. "You're going to mess up your hair."

"Oh, thanks." She pats it back into place.

"Hey, hey, look at me." She turns to face him. His eyes trail all over her face. He raises his hand and presses his thumb to her lips.

"What are you doing?" She questions.

"I'm going to smear your lipstick," he explains in full seriousness. She quickly pushes his hand away and swats at it when he tries to return it. "Come on, I want it to look like you blew me on the ride over."

"Why?" She asks. His face falls when he realizes she's not joking.

"I just thought it would be funny," he swallows.

"What's funny about making it look like your friend sucked your dick?"

"I guess it's not when you put it like that." Roman looks forward and she pushes back into her corner. What Jules' had said replayed in her head. She always knew it looked strange, but she didn't think it

"Em," he looks over at her. She's still upset and he can't figure out why. She'd never pushed away his jokes. He thought she was in on the joke. She used to be anyways. "Em," he repeats. She looks over at him, eyes soft and brows turned down. "Forget it. Have a good time tonight.

Emma nods and turns forward again. Roman turns to wipe his nose under the guise of looking out the window. The handkerchief is ruined by the blood now. He tucks it into the pouch on the back of the seat in front of him. "Come on." He pulls at her hand softly. The sad look on her face has faded into a flat one. A blank slate for the evening.