Just the three of us...

Chapter 5 Alice

I feel myself stiffen slightly when Tag pulls me towards him, but allow myself to be wrapped in his warm arms. His chest is firm against my cheek, and he smells of smoke which makes me wrinkle my nose, but also underneath I can smell him, a slightly woodsy smell. Its nice. Comforting. I try and pull myself together, stop the sobs. I sniff wetly and pull back. 

"I'm sorry." I put my hand on the wet patch of his uniform. He shrugs. I sit down on the top step and he sits next to me. "My dad doesn't know I'm working, and the girl I saw....if she told anyone I'd have to leave...and I really don't want to." I pull in a shaky breath.

Tag stares at me, and I loose myself in the blue of his eyes for a moment.

"So your old man not a fan of the service industry?"

I shake my head. "It's not even that. He's not a fan of me doing anything remotely independent. He was away last week so it was easy to do this, but now...." I trail off.

"So...maybe just tell him you're doing a class or something? Something he'd be happy you were doing, but not interested enough to follow up on." Tag rubs his hand over his chin. I notice a small hole underneath his bottom lip, he must have a piercing there, and another on the side of his nose. 

"I'd always talked about going back to dance class?" I sound like I'm asking his opinion. "He wouldn't bother me about that." Tag grins and nods. I find myself grinning back, my original worry long forgotten.

We hang out for a few more minutes until it starts spitting with rain. As we part to go back to our own parts of the hotel, I feel a glimmer of hope that comes from meeting a potential new friend. 

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I nervously sit at the dining table waiting for my father to join me. The housekeeper fusses round, straightening cutlery and rearranging the flowers in vase. We both look towards the door as his footsteps clomp down the hall. He sits down without a glance towards me and dismisses Mrs Holmes with a flick of his wrist. She scurries off to the kitchen, leaving us alone. The horrible sound of him masticating makes my stomach turn. I push the food around on my plate a bit as I try to summon the courage to speak to him. I'd had the last two days off from work, so had been paraded around the clubhouse, filled with old men who suck down cigars and bourbon all day long. My hair still smelt funny. The Brentwood's had eaten with us at lunch, and Harrison had tried to kiss me as we left but I'd turned my head so he only brushed my cheek with his dry lips. His dad had slipped his hand down to cup my butt as he said goodbye, and I thought I was going to throw up all over his stupid suit. I shudder again thinking about it. If I marry Harrison, is that what I'm going to have to endure, a lifetime of being groped by my father in law?

I clear my throat and my dad looks up at me, almost as if he'd forgotten I was there.

"I've decided to go back to dance class?" again I made it sound like a question. "I mean...I'm going back to dance class. It's four days a week...."

He chews, scowling slightly. Then nods.

"It's for the best really, Alice. You need to look your best for your wedding night. Young eligible man like Harrison, coming from such good stock, you need to look as good as you can."

I feel my mouth drop. He really doesn't give two shits about my feelings. 

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"Hey you!" Tag waves at me across the car park. I wave back, unable to stop the smile spreading across my face. "I guess you came up with a good lie, huh?" He grins. 

I walk over to him, nodding.

"I'm currently dancing my fat ass off, or so he thinks."

Tag raises an eyebrow, and I spot another little hole. He looks behind me.

"I think your ass looks pretty damn good, to be fair." I feel my cheeks burn, and look at the floor. He chuckles, and nudges me with his shoulder. 

"Um....thanks?..." I mumble and slink off towards the changing rooms.