Chasing Starlight

Chapter 16 - Noel

It was Christmas eve, her father had spent the last few days with her. They passed the time talking about Samia's work and students, playing cards and making food. Every time she asked him about his work, he gave a vague answer or changed the subject. She was getting suspicious, but afraid to press him when she rarely got to see him. She figured it may have just gotten more stressful lately. They had spent the day making cookies together, and she felt her heart ache with happiness.

 Late in the day, they heard a slight knock on the door. Puzzled, Samia went to answer it after shrugging at her father, signaling she wasn't expecting someone. A delivery courier stood in the doorway, looking quite like Santa Claus from the amount of parcels stacked around him. 

"Name?"

"Samia..Wait, what is all this? I haven't ordered anything from anywhere." 

"A delivery.. I'm guessing someone made it on the Nice list this year." He chuckled at his own cleverness, and held out his clipboard for her to sign. 

Still gaping, her father came up behind her and had a similar reaction. 

"Samia, I thought I told you to stay away from shopping with a credit card.." 

"What? No, this isn't me..hold on, who is this from?" Samia questioned the courier. 

"Dunno, doesn't say. Just has Samia Hawkins at this address, so if thats you, just sign here and I'll be on my way if you don't mind.." He shifted and looked around him at the growing darkness. Samia shook her head, realizing she was pointless holding him here on Christmas Eve, on what was probably the end of his shift. She mumbled an apology and signed the sheet, Merry Christmas-ing him in return as he left. 

She and her father hauled in the packages and after a long confused look at each other, she grabbed the smallest one and opened it, hoping she'd learn more about who sent all this stuff once she opened them. Inside was a small necklace box in eggshell blue wrapping paper, with "Tiffany's" printed in flowery golden script on top. Some thought in the back of her head said that it was an expensive jewelry store she had heard about, her heart thudded as she cast a perilous eye over the package. She peeled the wrapping off and opened the box, a small card fluttering out with it. She leant over and picked the card up, silently reading the inscription. 

Make sure you wear this collar, my kitty, I would hate for you to forget who your master is again.  -R.

"Honey, who is it from, does it say?" Her father leaned in over her shoulder, and her heart leapt into her throat. She quickly stuffed the card into her shirt, turning to him with a quick lie on her lips.

"It's from the school...They send a pretty lavish gift set to their faculty each year...haha..I didn't think I'd get one since I'm not a full teacher yet." She pressed a false brightness to this, trying to hide the wild beating of her heart and her racing mind from her father. Inside the box was a delicate silver chain with a small ring pendant studded with diamonds that sparkled and winked in the dim light. She felt an urge to toss it away or hide it, but had to pretend to enjoy it in face of the lie she told her father. When all the gifts had been opened, she had a stunning and simple cocktail dress, all black with a scoop neck and satin that glided under the touch and a elegant slit in the skirt below; an engraved fountain pen set with what looked like gold, and a basket of delicacies from aged cheeses and wines, to chocolate and gold leaf covered strawberries. What the hell IS all this shit?  Samia furiously thought as she pantomimed being excited for her father who was puffing up with pride and joy at what he perceived as his daughters success and acceptance. 

Several hours later, her father lay snoring on her bed, after sharing a bottle of wine from the basket together. She sat cross legged, staring at the gifts that literally sparkled before her. They looked completely out of place in her shabby apartment, and certainly didn't feel like they could even belong to someone like her. Moreover, they pissed her off. Rory had clearly sent them to mess with her, try to buy her off with expensive gifts like bribing a pet to let it come near with a favorite treat. She snorted at that thought. As if I could be bought with such cheap tactics. Soon as school starts back up, I'll find a way to return all this rubbish.  

Almost in response to that thought, her cell phone began to ring. Scrambling to answer it before her father woke up, she leapt up and walked further from the bed.

"Hello?"

A silky ice cold voice replied, "hello kitten, I trust you got your Christmas gifts I sent you?"

Anger filling her body with warmth, she stepped outside onto her balcony, glancing at her sleeping father before shutting the door. 

"Of course I got all those ridiculous gifts, what the hell am I supposed to do with them? I don't want any of it!"

"Oh yeah? Not even the wine or food?"

Samia pursed her lips and stood silently for a moment. 

Rory laughed on the other line, "That must be a yes."

Samia shook her head, ignoring his remark.

"I want you to take all this back, I don't want it." 

"Hmmm.. Why should I?"

Samia groaned in frustration, it was like going in circles. 

"Listen, if you don't take it, I'll throw it all out, I swear I will."

Rory laughed again, making Samia want to throw her phone over the balcony just to not hear it. 

"Okay kitten, lets make a deal. You be my date on New Years Eve, and I'll take back what you don't want." 

"Are you kidding me?" She couldn't believe what she heard, "I won't be your date, it's against school rules for one, and for another, I don't want to go into the New Year with such bad luck!"

"I don't remember giving you an option, kitten." His voice chilled her, cool and low as it bit back at her. "You can keep it all, or toss it all, and I can remind the headmistress of certain indiscretions you've had, or you can agree to my terms..my pet." 

Samia didn't reply right away. Anger, and exasperation filling her. In the silence, she realized her feet were without shoes and absolutely soaked and frozen. This relevation aggravated her even more, and she spat out consent to his request, just wanting to end the conversation and nurse her feet and pride. 

"Pleased to hear that, you seem to be learning my kitten."

"Fuck. You." She hung up and slammed the door open and stomped inside. Stopping herself when she remembered her father was sleeping just a few feet away. Luckily the alcohol had put him a deep enough sleep to not stir with her entrance. Wrapping herself up in blankets, she tore into the rest of the basket, cursing Rory and his arrogance with every bite and sip until sleep took over for her too. 

Rory heard the phone cut off after her cursing him out, and leaned back with a smile playing across his features. He was tucked into a quiet corner of the Christmas gala his mother and father had thrown for their various business interests. After several hours of boring introductions and petty competitions of intelligence that various associates sought to throw at him as some sort of self satisfying 'test' , he finally couldn't take any more and sought a few minutes of solace alone in the corner parlor that wasn't being used. He hadn't planned on contacting her, not about the gifts at least. He sent her most of the standard things he would send the women he dated, they all usually squealed and fawned over such trivial things for weeks. Her anger, was exquisite. The only thing he sent that was an unusual addition, was the food and wine basket. The woman was constantly eating, he figured there was no way she would be able to ignore the treats in the basket with her appetite. Her silence when he brought it up almost brought tears of merriment to his eyes, he wished he could've seen her face. 

 Seeing her face was something he seemed to think about often, especially after the Equinox Ball. He still couldn't puzzle out the last of her expressions at the end, she seemed so faraway, despite all his torturing of her right up until then. The thought of her soft and pale skin, flushing and tensing to his touch, absolutely captivated him. It was this thought that drove him to call the number he had acquired weeks ago, something as  trump card for his games should he ever need it. The New Years Eve date came spur of the moment, he wished dearly to see her, wrapped up in rage or fear or disgust, her eyes looking full on at him. He wanted to push her limits even more, and fill her with thoughts of him. He smiled as he returned to the party, finally ready to rejoin the mindless charade that his parents put before him, thoughts of Samia lingering as the night wore on.