Till James Patrick March do us apart

(12) Friends?

There was lights flashing, people dressed up talking. They were all mainly in huddles and there was white flowers dangling down from the balcony above. I put on my black mask that then had a few black feathers on the mask. Then Liz and Tristan put on theirs. I glanced back at them and they both smiled.
"Enjoy" Tristan smirked and he walked off with Liz, holding hands. I wish I had a romance like theirs.... I gulped as I looked back into the crowd. I should probably go find my mum, then my friends. I walked into the crowd and a man walked past slowly with a tray. It had three glasses of champagne on the tray so I grabbed one and I took a small sip from it.
"Grace?"
I looked behind myself and I saw my mum. She was in a flower dress with some tights and her mask was just one plain white one that seemed to be made from a cheap fabric.
"Hey mum!" I hugged her and she cradled me, like a baby.
"What a dress you have on! I didn't know it be a party! You really out done yourself!" My mum informed me. I smiled at her and I saw my dad standing alone, drinking a glass. He wasn't wearing a mask, it didn't surprise me.
"Thank you. Yours is cute too... how is your bruise?" I looked over at her cheek and she covered it with makeup.
"Oh I'm okay, sweet pea. I promise. Now, I won't hold you for too long. I know some people want to see you" she smirked as she scurried away back to dad. Did dad not tell her what he saw me and James were up to?... sweet of him I suppose. I finished my champagne and I placed it down on a table.
"Ah Grace, you look just great"
I saw Will walking over to me with open arms.
"Hey!" We pecked each other's cheeks and I saw he was wearing a suit with a turtle neck on. His mask was Pearl white with some sequins on.
"I knew it was you the second I saw you in the dress." Will smiled to me as he held his champagne with two hands.
"You look pretty good yourself. To be honest, it looks comfy but it really isn't. It feels itchy. Remind me to wear a suit next time" I whispered to him. He chuckled as he took a sip from his glass.
"You would really pull off the suit look" he smiled to me.
"I know, don't gotta tell me twice" I put my hand on his shoulder and he adjusted his mask.
"When does the dance go on?" I asked Him as I put my hand away from him.
"In half an hour" he told me. I nodded my head and I bit my lip.
"Can I ask a favour?" I whispered.
"Oh yeah, sure" he suddenly seemed concerned and he leaned in for me to whisper in his ear.
"When you find me 'dead'... just make sure my mum doesn't see me" I whispered to him. He stood up straight and he nodded his head at me.
"You can count of me" he promised me. I smiled at him, he sounded promising and I chose the right person to hold her back.
"I thought I would see James with you" he asked, looking around to see if he can see James anywhere.
"Oh... uh, he's just taking ages. I went without him" I lied. I nervously laughed and Will snickered.
"Well, I saw your friends at the uh.. front desk?" He pointed over and I looked where he was pointing. There they were. Taylor and Breanna laughed between the two of them and had some tight dresses on - gold and silver - and it touched the floor.
"Okay thanks Will" I pecked his cheek and I walked over to them. They both looked my way and their faces lit up with glee.
"Oh my god! The bitch still stands with a goddamn sexy outfit!" Gasped Taylor. I laughed and we all hugged.
"I missed you girls" I whispered to them in our huddle.
"You stopped responding to our texts" Breanna told me. I let them go from the huddle and I remembered when I last had it and groaned.
"I left my phone with James" I pouted - it would be so awkward to ask it off him right now.
"James?" Smirked Taylor as she sipped her champagne.
"It's uh... nothing" I assured them. Breanna raised an eyebrow and planted her hand on her hips, giving me that sarcastic look.
"You guys totally fucked" Breanna smiled. Taylor burst out laughing and my cheeks blushed red.
"No" I responded, I felt a strand of hair fall out of place so I adjusted it.
"Okay, okay. Tell me about a few of these people" Taylor begged me.
"Oh okay" I looked around the room in hope to see anyone I know.
"You girls are so going to know him. It's Will Drake" I pointed him out and they both squealed.
"Oh my GOD!" Fan girled Taylor.
"It's a shame he's gay..." murmured Breanna. I looked back at her and smiled.
"He married a woman" I reminded her. She seemed shocked for a moment then looked back at him and bit her lip.
"Okay, who else?" Taylor asked me. I saw Liz and Tristan in a huddle so I pointed them out to the girls.
"The guy is Tristan. He's an ex-modeller and he's such a sweetheart but don't get on his bad side, I will pray for you honestly. Then there's Liz and UGH her heart is so admirable. She once helped me get ready for an event and always give me this sassy but sweet speech and always hooks me up with free drinks"
The girls smiled at me and looked back at Liz.
"Isn't she working for Will?" Asked Breanna.
"Yep. She hosts the best runways ever, apart from the models but That can't be helped, Will does that" I informed them.
"There's four others I know but they're not here" I sighed. ( James - Iris - Sally - Countess)
"So you really know some people here and it's no wonder you kept extending your time here, Will motherfucking Drake is here. Didn't you plan this thing with him?" Taylor asked me as she drank the rest of her champagne. I sighed and leaned on the front desk.
"Yep. He set it all up but we like, planned it on paper together" I informed them both - giving Will most the credit. I suddenly felt eyes on me and I looked up the balcony and I saw James. He was walking to the stairs slowly and he caught my eyes and looked away. He had a black suit on with a white shirt and white vest underneath. His mask was white and shimmered in the light, it looked expensive. He had white gloves on and he cleaned his cane for the event and he slicked back his hair.
"Hello? Earth to Grace?" Breanna wafted her hand in my face and it brought me back to reality.
"I just saw Kai and your parents, did you know they're here?" Breanna asked me, seeming concerned.
"Yeah. I made the guest list - I invited everyone who's staying at the Cortez and you guys" I told them all.
"I've seen a few famous modellers here too" Taylor told me, seeming confused.
"Yeah, visitors" me and Breanna laughed at Taylor and she rolled her eyes and dug her embarrassment in her alcohol.
"Well, who are you slow dancing with?" Taylor asked me.
"In all honestly, nobody" I emphasised on 'nobody'.
"What about that James guy! And you have Will" Taylor clicked her fingers at me and I rolled my eyes as I chuckled.
"Maybe... but not James" I said sternly.
"Okay well I'm off to go to the bathroom" Breanna hurried away and Taylor put her glass on the front desk.
"I'm off to go grab a glass and make friends" then Taylor scuttled away. I stretched my neck out and I sighed. I looked around the room and saw everyone having a good time. I noticed Kai was walking towards me so I flipped him off and walked the other way. I hit someone by accident and I heard their glasses hit with someone else's and a slight splash.
"Oh my god... I am SO sorry! I can grab napkins!" I apologised as I covered my mouth. The man I bumped into turned around and I saw it was James. I slowly removed my hands from my mouth and James gave me a nervous smile and cleared his throat.
"I can... still go get them napkins" I murmured to him. He put his glass on the nearest surface to him and smiled to me.
"It's quite alright. A bit of champagne splashed is all. No harm done" James assured me. I nodded my head slowly as I looked away, biting my lip.
"May we talk... alone?" James asked me and his face seemed desperate and I couldn't say no to a face like that. He really did want to sort this out. I shrugged my shoulders at him and I bit the inside of my cheek.
"Okay... yeah" I agreed. James smiled at me and held out his arm. I reluctantly took it and he guided me to the room behind the front desk. It was simply a small room full of envelopes and spare keys. There wasn't much of a light source either. The music faded away in the background as James shut the door and James removed his mask - I did the same.
"I want to... apologise for my poor wording, today. I was angry and I wasn't thinking reasonably. I do not believe what I said, It was my anger speaking. Please forgive me" James pleaded as he held my hand and gave me puppy eyes.
"I think I should apologise too... I was being unreasonable. I'm sorry James" I said to him. Without a word, he marched over to me and kissed me like never before. It was so passionate and desperate. I hit the wall and he didn't stop. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Me and James looked over and saw Taylor had pressed her face against the blurred glass and was smiling at the sight of me and James - her nose in a funny position too. I rolled my eyes and James let me go and grabbed his mask. I grabbed my mask too and I swung open the door.
"Why are you such a pervert?" I groaned to her.
"I was just saying the slow dance is about to happen and HI are you James?" She turned to face James and she held her hand out to shake.
"Why yes I am. James, Patrick, March" he brought her hand to his lips and kissed them. She giggled like a little school girl and she winked at me. I covered my mouth as I snickered. I played it off as like a sneeze or a cough.
"I've heard a lot about you" Taylor said to James.
"Good things I hope" James prayed. Taylor smiled at him and nodded her head.
"Mostly" she said and then she walked off. James looked at me and smiled, raising an eyebrow.
"Mostly?" He repeated. I laughed and I rolled my eyes as I put on my mask.
"Ignore her. We're on a timer, can only dance for like five minutes then I need to go die" I exclaimed. James held his hand out as he adjusted his mask.
"Never heard that one before" he responded. I laughed as I linked arms. He guided me out to the dance floor and he put his hands on my waist and I put my arms on his shoulders and we slowly danced to the music.
"The countess gave you a visit I see, from your dress" James whispered to me.
"Yeah, I don't know why after everything that she's done" I looked away when I remembered about the kiss and what she said to me.
"Maybe it was redemption" James suggested to me.
"Maybe" I responded. I finally looked back at him and I saw my dad just behind James, looking at me.
"Shall we do something just to annoy my dad?" I smirked.
"Oh?" James did his devilish grin. "I'm all ears" he leaned in to my ear and whispered. I kissed James deeply and I caught my dad staring - he chewed on his tongue and looked away - I smirked as I kept kissing James. I glanced around and I saw Taylor, Breanna, Liz, Tristan, Will, Kai and lastly, mum and dad all staring at us. I saw my mum clapped her hands and covered her mouth with pure joy and excitement and I heard Taylor whistle. James and I chuckled as we kept kissing, at this point it was just for pleasure instead of pissing off my dad and Kai. James growled in my mouth and I kept moaning slightly in his mouth. He pulled me closer to him and I quietly yelped and smirked as we made out.
"Alright cut it out you two!" My dad butted in. He stormed over and separated me and James. He stood in between us and held his arms it to us both to restrain us but me and James looked at each other and chuckled once we caught eyes.
"Oh so it's funny?!" My dad asked us both - he seemed speechless. I saw Taylor and Breanna storm over.
"What're you doing old man?!" Breanna shouted. The entire room fell silent and I knew it was all about to kick off.
"Stopping my daughter from showing us some live porn" spat out my dad. There was sudden gasps and whispers around the room and I took off my mask in rage.
"How dare you say such things!" James shouted back, hitting my dads hand away from him and my dad slumped his arms to his side.
"If you were a father, you would understand" my dad replied. It looked like James had something to say but Liz stormed over and shouted at my dad - interrupting what James was about to say and I wanted to hear what he was going to say.
"Excuse you! How very dare you come into the hotel Cortez and say such things in the middle of a party that you've now just ruined! Your daughter has been more successful than you in your entire, miserable old life. She doesn't need taking care of" Liz got extremely close to my dads face and pointed at him as she said that to him.
"Okay, break it up" Will walked over and he pulled Liz away. My mum hurried over to my dad and tried talking to him.
"Dear, let's just go back to our rooms-" my mum pleaded but my dad shouted and pushed her away.
"I AM TIRED OF NOT BEING RESPECTED!" He shouted. My mum cowered back and Tristan then jumped in, he marched over and he grabbed my dads shirt and pulled him close to Tristan as he told off my dad.
"Thats because you don't deserve respect you-" before Tristan could finish his sentence, I ran in and pulled him off my dad - James helped. My dad brushed off himself and I looked around the room. Will was talking to Liz, me and James were holding back Tristan who was pissed, Breanna and Taylor looking like they're about to slap my dad and my mum cowering.
"Girls, can you talk to my mum?" I asked Taylor and Breanna as I held Tristan. They exchanged looks at each other and nodded my head at me. I smiled at them then they walked over to my mum, comforting and talking to my mum and she was already calming down.
"Tristan my boy, calm yourself. I also want to demolish the man but we Mustn't" James informed Tristan. He was already seeming to calm down. I looked at the clock in the lobby and it was time to go 'die'.
"James, I will see you in room 16 and Tristan, you will find me in room 32" I whispered to the two of them. I trusted Tristan to let go of him and he just sorted out his blazer, he still looked angry and he stormed off. Liz hurried after him. I walked over to my dad who was standing alone.
"Dad-" he shouted over me.
"Get away from me" he snarled.
"Goddamn it, talk to me" I begged him. I crossed my arms as I watched him have a tantrum.
"What was that for?! You know how I feel about that man!" My dad cried to me. I rolled my eyes at his pettiness.
"Pull yourself together" I reminded him. He darted his eyes and me and he stormed off. I just shrugged my shoulders and walked away to room 16.

I opened room 16 and I crept inside and quietly shut the door. James wasn't here yet. I saw there was a small pile of clothes on the bed and they were comfortable clothes for me to die in and I didn't want to ruin this dress. I walked over and I picked them up, they had a note with it.

Collected these from your room
May your death be peaceful
- Countess

She really was one step ahead with everything. I got out the dress and changed into the oversized shirt and shorts. I hope ms. Evers can get these stains out. I decided to leave the dress in this room, I neatly folded it and left it on the bed.
"James, are you here yet?" I said out loud - if he wasn't here then I would honestly be talking to myself.
"Yes, darling"
I turned around and saw him slowly approach me with his cane.
"Are you ready?" He asked me.
"Yeah" I responded. He smirked at me and pointed to the bathroom. "Very good" he mumbled to me. I walked into the bathroom and the blood was still there.
"How can I make it look like I'm DEAD?" I pondered.
"I've done many murders in my time to do a task such as this" he assured me. He put his cane down and took off his white gloves and blazer. He rolled up his sleeves and dipped his hand in the tub.
"And the police will probably get involved... maybe I should change my death to a suicide" I added as he stood in front of me with bloody hands.
"It is your death, darling. The decision is all yours" James simply said. I sighed and wiped my eyes.
"I'll just stick with murder." I decided. James nodded his head at me and printed blood all over my shirt. I shivered from how cold it was.
"Are you okay, dear?" James asked me. I nodded my head as I closed my eyes and bit my lip.
"It's just cold" I informed James.
"Well, now we Must do your skin" James warned me. I groaned as I prepared myself for it. I opened my eyes and saw James had dipped his two hands into the tub and looked at me, waiting for when I'm ready.
"Okay" I nodded my head. He leaned in towards me and began to smear my arms with blood.
"Now I must do your stomach and neck" he told me. I was getting used to the blood being all over me so I was ready. I watched James dip his hands into the tub and walk over to me. He lifted up my shirt and smeared blood all over my stomach. He kept looking up at me to see if I'm okay.
"Now for the... worst part" James smirked as he dipped his hands in for the last time.
"Uh oh" I chuckled. He walked over to me and began to smear my neck in with blood. Suddenly, he pressed his bloody hands on my cheeks and kissed me again. It was a sudden and dramatic kiss and he was about to pull away but I grabbed his shirt and pulled him back to me. He covered the back of my shirt with blood as he touched my body all over with his hands. We both pulled away at the same time and he grinned to me.
"I believe you're ready" he whispered to me. We emptied the bathtub for ms. Evers to attend to, James washed his hands and dressed back up again and I waited for him in the hallways. He opened room 16 and locked it. He looked over to me and smiled.
"Let's complete the task" James instructed me. I smiled and nodded my head at him and walked to my room.

We smashed the light in my room, knocked the drawers down and smashed mirrors. I bit my lip so I would have a little blood trickle down my lip. James slicked back his hair once he finished trashing my room. I crossed my arms and stared at where I will be soon Laying on the floor... dead. James put his hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him.
"It's for the greater good, my darling" he assured me. I nodded my head at him and looked back at the spot on the floor.
"Go tell Tristan I'm ready" I murmured. James walked out and i laid on the floor.

"So now you're dead"
I tilted my head over to my bed to see the Countess sat there - smoking. I turned my head back and faced the ceiling.
"Yep... just waiting now" I informed her. "I left your dress in room 16.. thanks for leaving these clothes for me" I thanked her, not minding that she came into my room. None of it was much of any use anymore, except for the clothes.
"It's perfectly well, little mouse" I heard her stand up and slowly walk over to me in her heels.
"Happy death day" she said to me and left the room.
I took in breathers and waited for everyone to run into my room and I kept praying that Will can hold my mum tight, and I hope none of them die in the hotel.

I heard footsteps running, a lot of them. I quickly wiped away my tear and let my body drop - perk of being dead is that you don't need to breathe and blink. The only issue is seeing everyone I love mourn me.