Boundless [COMPLETE]

XV

"How many more parties are you going to host just to announce your new partnership with them?" I asked Mr Brown as soon as we entered the venue where the ceremony to announce his new partnership with the Everson's was supposed to take place. So many people were coming in and out and the reporters outside made me feel like I was an a-list celebrity.

"This is the official one to spread the word."

"Oh."

We stood in silence for the next couple of minutes. Judging by his behavior, he still had no idea about the fallout that happened between me and Ava, which I'm very glad about.

"I will get going then," I said before I departed to go towards the food stall. It was strangely the emptiest place of all so I decided to stand there for the time being. I saw Ava from afar and watched as she directly averted her gaze as soon as her eyes met mine. I sighed, knowing that it was probably going take a while before we decide to talk this out- if ever.

"I get that the food is the most important part here but you've been standing there doing nothing for the past 20 minutes. Are you okay?"

I looked up to see a beautiful woman with the features of a model standing in front of me. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled back in a bun with 2 strands left unaided in the front. She wore a sparkly, long silver spaghetti strap dress that perfectly fit her and brought out the gorgeous gray color of her eyes.

"Yes, I am okay. Thank you for asking," I smiled. She gave a friendly vibe and I immediately felt like I could trust her.

"Ember, I thought I told you not to walk away before informing me first," came what used to be my favorite voice on earth. I looked up to see Damian narrowing his eyes at Ember, having yet to notice my intruding presence.

"I know, I wanted to come entertain this lonely lady. I couldn't watch her standing sadly alone by herself," she responded with a pout. It was then when he finally noticed me standing next to 'Ember', as he called her.

"Hi?" I greeted as I awkwardly raised my hand to wave and put it back down. He didn't say anything back.

"So, what's your name?"

"Valerie, Valerie Anderson. And you're Ember?"

"Ember Carsen. Nice to meet you, can't say I haven't heard a lot about you," she commented. My breath hitched and I didn't know how to respond to that.

"I don't mean that in a bad way!" She immediately said after the awkward silence.

"That's okay," I said as I rubbed the nape of my neck. I hate awkward situations like this. Seeming to notice my uneasiness, Ember decided to start a new topic.

"So, out of all the desserts here, which one do you recommend most?"

"I haven't tried anything yet," I replied to which she laughed. "You stood there for 20 minutes and didn't eat anything?"

I shook my head as a smile spread over my face.

"I guess the smell is more than enough to tend my hunger," I joked back.

"Ah, makes sense-"

"Ember?"  A woman who was passing by stopped at the sight of her. "You're back!"

Ember gave me an apologetic look, making me nod back in assurance before she turned to talk to the woman. I didn't know whether to wait for her to finish her conversation or walk away. Damian, however, was waiting for her anyway so I decided to tell him to pass a message to her.

"Tell her that I really appreciated meeting her. She's a really nice woman," I complimented.

"She is."

Not knowing what to say afterwards, I mouthed a 'bye' and attempted to quickly walk away. However, I bumped into a stranger walking by who didn't spare me a glance and went flying to the ground. Before I hit the ground, however, I felt hands on my waist to steady me. Ignoring the butterflies I felt in my stomach because of that action, I turned around to thank the person for saving me from a bigger embarrassment.

"Thank you, Damian," I said while he made no movement to respond. Finally after what felt like forever, he retracted his hands from my waist and walked away. Ember gave me a questioning gaze to which I shrugged before she said her departing words to the woman who stopped her and followed after him.

I think I might actually need some cake now.