Vehemently Yours,

26.Sincerely Desiring

The sounds of sultry music echoed in her ears as Rene and her dad walked into Nicole's house warming New Years party.

She saw the littering of people scattered all around the huge house. It was a bungalow, on the upper side of town. It had a homey environment emboldened with sweet taste of adult freedom.

"You are here!" Nicole's voice shouted across the room. She came running for Daniel, catching him in a hug.

Rene was sure to be surprised at their interaction but after she came back from Sebastian's place, she wasn't. At least not so much as she should have been. She knew now that there was more to Sebastian's story with her dad's.

She had finally asked her dad what actually happened between the two of them. Not that she got what she was looking for but she found a bit more than nothing-

"Rene, Sebastian and I have been friends since college and-"

"Wait. He says you were classmates."

"He says that to everyone." Daniel rolled his eyes.

"Okay. What happened?" She was eager to know which caught Daniel's attention.

"Why are you so interested? You never were before." He cocked his eyebrow at her.

Trying not to look like a deer caught in the headlights, she managed calmly.
"Now that I have spent some time with the man, I was just wondering. Inquisitive."

"Right. Okay, hon." Not believing a word she said, but he continued nevertheless. "Well, we were buddies over time and the next thing you know we are working on building a company together. Your mother was close to his sister, Nicole as well. All things were great but Sebastian had fallen into a wrong set of hands. Though, he didn't have the best childhood so it's not my story to tell but ever since he had gotten bitten twice, he has been extra careful with everyone around him. Even me and your mother."

"But-"

"That's it. Now, get dressed." Shutting her down, before she could sprew out more questions. She knew there was more to the story but she was hitting a big wall. A big story of a wall.

"Rene, you look nice." Nicole giving me a pleasant smirk.

Coming back to the present, Rene looked down her own outfit. A black tight v-neck blouse with skin tight jeans and black boots. Her hair was topped in a high bun and she wore only a glossy lipstick.

"I guess. Thanks. You too." Seeing Nicole's beige strapless dress made her feel less of a woman and more of a child in this party.

"Thanks darling. Now cmon in." Daniel moves in right behind Nicole, striking up a conversation with her while on their way to meet her husband. Looks like Rene was going to be alone for a while.

She stands in the middle of the drawing room with the strangers surrounding her, completely out of her league. They were all adults working in corporate offices with their fancy wives. She knew no one except her dad. Wow.

Thinking she should better move into the big kitchen and have a love affair with gourmet food that was laid out on the counter, she crashed into none other than Stephanie.
Great.

Stephanie looked at her like a person does to a trash. She pretend to think like she had forgotten her name when she saw Rene. "Uh- what was your name again? The one who follows behind Sebastian."

Her voice was cutting. She clicks her finger as if she finally figured it out. "Rihanna, right?"

Rene snorts.

Not only was Stephanie lame but she wasn't even smart enough to make a good come back. What did Sebastian see in her anyway?

Rene refused to indulge her so she just said, "Yes. I'm Rihanna, the famous pop singer. Now goodbye, commoner."