Chapter 32 – Birthday Pt one

Harmoni

If you had told me a few months ago that I would be dancing in my room with a hairbrush as a microphone, singing my head off with Emily, I would have asked you if you were high.

Emily and I were getting ready for my birthday party this evening, and we were doing it in style. Since William had asked me to be his girlfriend, I hadn't been able to wipe the smile off my face. It was unbelievable, mind-blowing, incredible, and any other synonym. It was many different shades of wonderful.

We had kept our training going in the morning, sparring more than usual, stealing kisses left and right. I mean, could you blame us? We were both hot and sweating half the time. I'm surprised kissing is all we did in the training room.

"Can you stop daydreaming and tell me what you think about this dress?" Emily asked, pulling me from my dreamy thoughts. I turned around to see Emily in a beautiful silver dress that clung to her body like a second skin and stopped halfway through her thigh. She looked absolutely beautiful. Well, if you smudged up the frown that resided on her face. Her hands were on her hips, imitating a mother scolding her child for misbehaving.

I couldn't blame her, I had been on cloud nine since our date and couldn't wait for the next one. Well, tonight barely counted since he was technically going to be partly working.

It had taken me hours to convince both William and my dad to allow me to organize a birthday party. After everything that had happened, I wanted to be able to celebrate. Although it wasn't the best moment, I thought it was also important to celebrate the fact that we are alive.

The shooting had been more than two months ago. I wanted to give the school something else to talk about. Maybe it could help everyone move on from what had happened and bring back some normality to the students.

The only reason my father accepted was that there had been no more incidents of kidnappings since the tragedy at my school. It had been the longest gap since the kidnappings started. Some were even saying it might mean the end of this terror. Moreover, William would be there by my side the entire time.

I had asked to rent out an entire club for one night and invited the entire school. The club would be vetted beforehand by Benjamin's company to make sure no one within the staff member was a threat, and all entrances would be guarded by extra security we would hire for the evening. I mean, if this wasn't the safest club that night, I don't know what would.

"So?" Emily asked, getting impatient by the minute.

"You look amazing, Em! Keep the dress, you wear it better anyways,” I told her truthfully. I didn't see the point in letting a dress like this gather dust in the back of my closet when Emily could be the one wearing it. I had bought this dress years ago and never wore it once. I never had the occasion and didn't feel comfortable in it. I mean, honestly, why bother wearing a dress you have to pull down every few minutes because it climbs up your thighs.

Emily smiled from ear to ear at my comment, coming to grab me in a bone-crushing hug. "You're the best! Now, what are you going to wear?" she asked, curving her eyebrow questioningly.

***

Walking into the club, I glanced at my reflection in the glass door. My nude dress went down mid-thigh, showing off my long, recently shaved legs. The upper part of the dress was diamond-shaped while it flowed freely from the waist down. I could see the wind blowing through the trees and brushing up against the exposed skin of my backless dress.

The music blasted through my ears as I crossed into the club. Some of my classmates were already there, dangling their bodies on the dance floor. Did I mention we were a good half-hour late? I know it's my own birthday, but we didn't expect the traffic, sue me.

Dropping off our coats at the wardrobe, we joined them. It was time to make a grand entrance.

Let's make it a night to remember. That voice in my head cheered.

My eyes met the ones of William who was standing across the dance floor, watching me with a wide grin on his face. I had been dancing with other students from my school for about an hour now. He had texted me saying work was running late and that he would be joining later.

I returned his smile naturally. This night was amazing. The only thing that could make it better was a dance with my man.

As if reading my mind, he strolled towards me, never breaking our eye contact.

Although the music was booming and the lights were moving throughout the entire room, I couldn't see any of it. All I could focus on was the handsomely dressed man slowly walking closer to me.

Taking one last step, William found himself standing right in front of me. I could feel the heat radiating from the closeness from which he stood, my head had tilted up to keep gazing into his eyes, still enchanted by the silver-blue eyes piercing through me.

His hand reached out, gently grabbing onto mine as his head bent down, making me feel his breath on my ear.

"Are you having a good night, Princess?" he murmured in my ear, making a shiver run down my body.

"I have a feeling it's about to get even better," I answered, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down to meet my awaiting lips.

William slid his hand to the low of my waist, resting on my bare back. Butterflies erupted in my stomach when the warmth of his palm spread through my lower back. This man was heightening all my senses and by the look in his eyes, he knew it.

The music suddenly changed to a slower song. Turning my head to look at the DJ, I chuckled, shaking my head when I noticed Emily giving me an enthusiastic thumbs-up before grabbing Jessie and joining us on the dance floor.

"I'm not sure if she did that for us or herself," William whispered through his mesmerizing smile. I laughed at his statement. I couldn't answer that either.

"Do we really care?" I teased, bringing my voice down to a sexy whisper, as my hands trailed down his muscular arms. Did I mention how sexy he looked in his brown pants and white shirt?

His throat caught at my words, while his hand tightened on my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"Have I mentioned how you're the most beautiful person in the room, Princess?" he said, as his eyes translated how he truly believed the words he was voicing.

"You just did,” I grinned, feeling like a superwoman with just one compliment. "Look who's talking, you've had every girl in the room drooling over you since you walked in,” I wasn't lying, I could see the envious look I was getting from my classmates.

"I only care about one, and it just so happens she's right where she should be,” he smoothly said, placing a chaste kiss on my reddened cheeks.

We swayed to the music until the song came to an end. This moment felt right, like the world around us had disappeared. I wish I could freeze this moment and capture it in a memory box for a rainy day.

Once the music returned to its previous upbeat rhythm, William and I detached ourselves from each other. I turned my head, only for my eyebrows to shoot up through the roof in surprise.

I couldn't believe my eyes, Emily had done it. On my right, stood my best friend, making out with Jessie. You go, girl!

William

Harmoni was quite intoxicated by now. She was dancing on the floor with a girl I had come to know as Amelia and a few other girls I recognized from her cheerleading team. I was about to join her when my eyes caught a glimpse of a blonde, but not just any blonde.

This couldn't be right, it couldn't be her. Could it?

My eyes followed the blonde, while my feet started moving in that direction. From the few inches of her face I managed to catch, they looked so similar, nearly identical twins. I needed to make sure. I had been looking for her for such a long time.

Once I was close enough, I called out to her.

"Stella!?" I screamed over the loud music of the club.

The woman didn't turn around or answer my calls. I was about to reach her when a man I hadn't been paying attention to bumped into me. By the time I regained my line of sight, she was gone.

"Dammit," I cursed. Now I would be constantly wondering if it was truly Stella. I sighed as I was reminded of how much I missed my sister.

Walking back to my position, with a heavy heart, I looked through the crowd for my drunken brunette. The longer I searched, the faster my heart rate went. Where the fuck was she?

“Does anyone have eyes on the princess?” I asked into the mic I had been given when I entered.

“No, we thought she was with you,” I heard Benjamin answer seriously, a pinch of panic discernible in his voice.

“She isn’t!” I responded angrily. Angry at my team for not keeping a closer eye on her but mainly angry at myself for getting distracted, by... well by nothing. Fuck! My heart sped up at the realization of what was going on.

“We lost her! Find her. Now!” I screamed.