My Pretend Girlfriend

My Pretend Girlfriend Chapter 5 - Dance With Me?

Chapter dedicated to LeighD123. For her endearing support that spurred me to update!

Saturday came. The day of Sophie's party had arrived. Venus looked herself in the mirror and sighed. It was going to be a long day today. Although Chase would be with her, Sophie would be there too. But just thinking of being together with Chase made her face flood with heat and her stomach tight. She looked down at her hands. The hands that had lately came into contact with Chase so often. Venus still hasn't forgotten or got over yesterday. The moment when Chase's lips were almost touching hers. His lips were so symmetrical and perfect. Venus' mind raced and she thought, could it be that he had actually wanted to kiss me? "No way. Stop dreaming," she told herself. She took a last glance at the mirror before heading downstairs. 

Mars and Venus met Chase outside Sophie's house. Wait, to call Sophie's living quarters a 'house' is an understatement. Behind the tall iron gates that blocked easy entrance, a long drive-in led to the white marble mansion that towered before them. Venus' jaw dropped while Chase rolled his eyes at her reaction.

"Hey brother! I missed you so much!" cried Mars, leaping towards Chase for a bear hug. 

"Shut up Mars, you just saw me yesterday. Hey Venus," he said, smiling widely.

"Hey Chase." Venus knew she ought to be saying something more, but for the life of her she couldn't think of what it was.

The gates opened, prompting them to walk in. Throughout the walk, Venus stole glances at Chase's way and to her bewilderment, Chase was peeking at her too, and turned away with a blush on his face when she caught him looking. After ten minutes of walking, they finally reached the house. Close up view, it was humongous. 

"Finally! I feel like I've just walked a mile. I can never get use to this," exclaimed Mars when the butler opened the door for them. "It's such a hassle to get to the house. I wonder how Sophie does it everyday."

"Well, I suppose there would be a chauffeur to drive her to the door," Chase pointed out.

Mars let out a scoff. Chase continued. "Despite the luxury, I would prefer living in a normal home which would get me home immediately." he said, glancing nervously at Venus again.

Venus tingled inside just a little. "Same here." 

They looked at one another for a few quiet seconds. It seemed like so much longer to both of them.

"Well well well. Are you guys talking behind my back?"

 All three of them spun around to see Sophie walking down the winding staircase, looking as glamorous as ever. 

"Of course not. Who would be a outrageous to talk bad around the almighty Sophie?" Mars said, walking forward to take Sophie's hand to plant a kiss on it. Venus wanted to laugh so badly. "And in her house? No freaking way. But anyway, happy birthday." He placed a present on her hand.

"Thank you, Mars." she replied with a curved smile. She walked towards Chase and Venus.

Venus smiled politely. "Happy birthday Sophie."

"Hmm, thank you." Sophie replied, tilting her chin and looking down at Venus from the tip of her nose. Venus noticed that she has really high cheekbones.

Chase passed a present to Sophie. "A small gift. From Venus and me."

"A gift from the two lovebirds, I see," she said with a smirk, turning away. Behind her, Mars mouthed a "She didn't say thanks." and stuck out his tongue at Sophie. Venus giggled.

"So," Sophie said, spinning around. Mars straightened his face and twirled around. "Follow me upstairs. That's where the real party is." She puffed out her chest proudly.

"Behind you, princess." said Mars, returning the fake-st smile of the century.

Upstairs, Venus scanned the ballroom, decked in strobe lightning, spinning reflective balls that hung from the ceiling, and dim blue lights. Teenagers crowded the floor, dancing wildly to the beat.

"You know what?" yelled Mars. "I say it's time to party!" With that, he ran towards the middle of the ballroom and disappeared amongst the crowd of sweaty, moving bodies.

Venus heard Chase clear his throat and looked up expectantly. His eyes absorbed the pounding flashes of light like velvet, deep flat and luxurious. "So. Do you want to dance with me?"

"I can't dance well!" Venus said, laughing, much of her nervous excitement still in her voice.

"You don't have too. Look!" he pointed to the mass swirling erratically on the dancefloor. He pulled her onto the dancefloor. Leaving her with no escape, Venus started to move her body to the beat. Soon, she was dancing as wildly to the contagious beat. It was hot and sticky, but she didn't care. She was having a ball of a time.

"This song is wicked!" she yelled over the crowd. 

"I told you you didn't have to dance well!" Chase shouted back. Like her, he was sweating profusely and grinning a mad smile. The glints of gold in his brown eyes danced when he got excited. 

Venus threw back her head in laughter and felt free. Suddenly, the music softened and slowed down into a ballad. She felt a hand slipping around her waist. She looked at Chase as he drew her in closer to him. Her hands wrapped themselves around his waist as she rested her head against his chest. Listening closely to his heartbeat, moving slowly with him. Around them couples slow-danced. The noisy dance floor had transgressed into a hushed silence. 

At the moment, Venus felt intoxicated, transported, and electric, all at once. 

Venus thought of the many times Chase came to their house to play. The three of them - Chase, Mars and her - would squeeze together on the sofa watching films together. Venus in the middle, Mars on her left, Chase on her right. She remembered how she paid careful attention to every little movement Chase made, be it raising his hand to rub his nose, shaking his feet, or fingers creeping over to steal some popcorn from the box she was holding. All the little details about him that she would bury in her head in the day, and dig out at night on her bed. It seemed so surreal that she was in his arms now, as with he was in hers. Tears sprung to her eyes.

When the music came to an end, she pulled her head away from Chase's chest. She could see the arousal in his eyes. They had taken on a darker hue, almost a warm color. 

"Thank you for the dance," he whispered. Then his face fell when he saw the tears in her eyes. "Wait! Are you crying? Did I do anything wrong?" he asked anxiously. 

"No, you did nothing wrong. You were prefect. Thank you for the dance." With that, Venus went up on her toes and kissed Chase's cheek. Her stomach knotted up after she realized what she had done.

"Oh my god. I'm sorry!" she blabbered. I kissed him, she thought. On the cheek, but it was still a kiss. What would Chase think? I don't even know if he likes me.

"N-no, no! It's alright, really." Under the dim light, Venus could see that Chase's face was scarlet red. Was he blushing? 

Chase raised his hand to touch Venus face. His palm had a cooling sensation against the fiery heat of her cheeks.

"Excuse me?"