Page 39 of Bastian

Now I am standing next to the bar, finishing a glass of champagne, hiding like a coward. One thing I am not, but I am when it comes to him.

I’ve been longing for the day I would stand face to face with Sebastian and show him the woman I became. Not because I need his approval, fuck that, but because I need him to see that even though he broke something inside of me, I am still standing. Yes, on most days, I wish I could turn back time to the night we first met and erase him from my life, but then I remember that in erasing him I would lose the most precious little human in this world.

In my world. No matter how far she is.

My Ellaiza.

Because as much as I loved her father with all I had, his daughter became a part of me. The purest part. Something I thought I would never have.

Gulping down what’s left of the bubbly liquid, I place the flute back into one of the trays when a server passes by. Taking a deep breath, I focus on putting myself together. I’ve come too far to break down now when it has barely begun. Gathering myself. I breathe through my nose and lift my head to take in the people around me. God, I hate these social events that do more for the rich than they do for the ones who are in need. The rich assholes dressed up to the nines in their most expensive outfits, drinking, dining, and kissing ass all night while bragging about their latest purchase, or even worse when they go on and on about the kid they just adopted from a third-world country. Most people adopt children out of the goodness of their hearts, but the ones I’ve come across only do it to make themselves look less like the rich and self-centered assholes they really are.

Judgmental?

Very much.

I don’t even filter myself anymore.

Sometimes being spiteful and judgmental does wonders for your soul.

It’s almost therapeutic.

Then I remember I almost had the chance to tear a new one into Sebastian, but I didn’t get the chance. I couldn’t. Not with Ellaiza standing there.

Not once since I parted from her have I stopped trying to catch a glimpse of her beautiful face, but I never thought I would get the chance here. Sebastian doesn’t usually does not bring her to these kinds of events.

This is new, and I was blindsided.

The tyrannical bastard pulled one over my eyes without even knowing I would be there.

“Fuck,” I whisper under my breath as I stand motionless, staring at the guests laughing and dancing like they have no worries, as if their perfect lives are always… perfect.

How boring.

Moving slowly, I let my feet guide me, trying to catch another glimpse of them, but neither Sebastian nor Ellaiza are anywhere to be found. The building is packed with security, so I’m guessing getting close to either of them will be a challenge.

A part of me, the masochist in me, needs to see her, even if it will hurt like a bitch to see her sweet face light up for me in recognition.

Her sweet smile.

The one she would give me every time I kissed, held, or gave her a cupcake. All the times I told her I loved her, even when I was scared to do so.

It will surely cause me more damage, but hell I am already broken so what’s another hit to an already shattered heart?

When I decide to go for it, I feel a tug on my pants, and when I look down to see who is pulling on my very expensive suit, my heart stops right along with the rest of the world. Everything stops, and all there is… is us. “Ella…” I breathe out, feeling my heart ache, but at the same time, beating abnormally slow. Because that is her effect. My Ella has the ability to stop the world for me.

Her beautiful face, the face that changed so much since I last kissed it, looks up at me, rendering me speechless. Her eyes look bigger, and her nose is still adorably cute and small, but her lips look just like her father’s. My heart soars when I take in her long curls that fall to her shoulders. Those curls made me fall in love with her, along with her smile. The two missing front teeth are a slap to the face of all the things I missed while she was away from me.

Christ, this hurts.

I thought I had time.

I thought I had to crawl or fight and give one hell of a fight to be able to see her again, and she is here. Here, holding onto my leg with the brightest smile on her face. Smiling at me just like she used to when she was little. As if she knew that she was safe with me.

What should I say? Shit.

Just like the first day I met her, Ellaiza Kenton sneaks up on me, leaving me defenseless.

Does she usually do this? Runoff and talk to complete strangers? My heart races when all that could go wrong with that scenario crosses through my mind.

---