I leave my father's hotel room after dinner. He hasn't mentioned much about what's happening back home after I brought it up. Luckily the atmosphere had returned back to normal shortly and we talked around the subject all evening. He tells me we'll talk tomorrow, and I should go home and get some rest.
Which I fully intend to do... at some point.
There's no way I'm missing Mario's party.
When I get back to the house I walk up to my room, my two bodyguards are still on my tail and I give them a stern look to stop them from following me as I walk into the en-suite bathroom where I intended to take a long warm shower.
I see a long black bag laying across my bed waiting for me when I emerge from the bathroom ten minutes later. My name is embroidered at the top in gold threads.
Ferdinand Solace.
Well, that's the name I go by since I came to this country. America.
Apparently, I had to assume someone's identity, and this was the best my dad could come up with on such short notice. And that's how I got stuck with the name. It's been with me since the ninth grade when I was first brought here. I'm in grade ten now.
When I open it there's a navy button up shirt and khakis with a pair of black dress shoes inside.
I'm almost dressed when there is a knock at the door. I roll my eyes as I see Jason enter without waiting for my response, but I don't say anything.
He tends to do that a lot.
"What is it?", I ask as I close the gold watch around my wrist.
"The security team is in place for tonight", He stands stiffly and gazes at me, "we'll ensure your safe tonight sir".
I shaky breath passes my lips as I slowly make my way toward him, "Jason you need to relax", placing a hand on his shoulder I direct us both out of my room, "I know we've only been working together for a few weeks but, this is just a stupid high school party. The only danger I'll face is drunk teens throwing up on my shoes. No one here knows my true identity remember?".
I think I saw him smile a bit but don't take my word for it.
I don't know why Jason is always so serious. Victor has been with me since day one though.
Which is probably why we get along better. Though considering the nature of their job I guess it isn't hard to understand.
We arrive at approximately nine o'clock. You would think that was a tad bit early yet the way it seemed was as if we were late and only seeing the last moments of the party.
People were passed out on the lawn. I think I saw a guy lying down on the roof, I am not sure.
I've never really been to a party before. Well, none like this and the few I had been to were definitely not high school parties. They usually involved my dad, his business partners and formal attire.
This was definitely not a fundraiser or a business party though. Those, I could handle, but this? Suddenly, I wasn't feeling so well. I had to fist my hands to stop them from shaking.
"This is a bad idea", Jason mumbled beside me.
I was starting to agree with him. I mean even from the driveway I could tell that the house was packed and the loud music rattling the windows didn't seem so flattering either.
I was a second away from chickening out and demanding Jason to take me back home when my phone screen lit up and Ariadne's name stood in bold white letters on the screen.
She was asking if I was here yet. A broad smile broke out unto my face.
"Come on J let so", I said with a whole new enthusiasm, "let's get this party on the road".
I thought I caught a slight glimpse of him rolling his eyes at me but decided to ignore it for this once. And I headed straight for the door.
The first person I saw when I entered was Victor. In fact, he opened the door for me from inside and I was pretty sure that Victor didn't live here...
I stood there raising an eyebrow at him. He smirked at me and rolled his eyes before grabbing my upper arm and pulling me inside into the chaos.
"You can't manhandle me I'm your boss", I complained. As he pulled me into the house I could hear him chuckling even amongst the booming music.
The crowd parted for Victor's huge figure that towered above most of us normal people. Heads turned in our direction to observe the two dominating yet dare I say handsome guys on either of my sides, mostly girls were staring though.
Some did a double take. I noticed some people from my school. At one point I could've sworn they were looking at me. Maybe they were surprised to see me at a party?
I personally, preferred to believe they were ogling my bodyguards. Because that was more believable. Though still, I should have gotten uglier bodyguards. Just to be safe. If I'd known.
We made our way past the makeshift dancefloor where the music only seemed to get louder.
"Do you want anything to drink sir?", Jason shouted over the loud music. I nodded, "A soda would be nice". He disappeared into the kitchen a few moments later leaving just Victor and me. I doubt Jason would find any soda though.
My eyes immediately started to scan the place for Ariadne's face, but I couldn't find her anywhere.
"She's on the dancefloor with her boyfriend", Victor smirked at me with a teasing tone to his voice.
I playfully narrowed my eyes at him but before I could say anything a busty brunette approached him with a smile so dazzling, I had to squint my eyes to get a good look at her face.
"Hey Victor", Shelly I believe her name was, I think she was in one of my classes. She clung unto his biceps without any warning and Victor's eyes widened in panic at me. I snickered. "I've never seen you at one of these parties before".
Victor immediately composed himself like the professional bodyguard that he was most of the time and tried to pry her hands from off of him.
"That's because I haven't been to one before", he muttered uncomfortably but Shelly was relentless. I had to give her that.
"Oh, I see", Shelly smiled even brighter. "Why don't you come and dance with me then since this is your first party. I can definitely show you a good time".
My eyes widened as I smirked at Victor, and he only glowered back at me.
I wasn't being much help and watching this impending train wreck attempt at flirting happening in front of me was getting more and more interesting.
"I can't I have to stay with Solace," he began to explain, and her face contorted in a rather unladylike frown.
"No that won't be necessary", an amused smile broke out unto my face, "Go and have fun. Our other cousin will be back in a few minutes".
"You see, your cousin is fine right Solace?", Shelly smiled at me and began pulling Victor away without waiting for my reply.
Everyone at school thought Victor, Jason and I were cousins, how else were we gonna explain why I'm always hanging out with the same dudes all the time and we lived in the same house without people thinking we were gay?
Ha! Now that they were gone, I could go find-
I was about to walk into the crowd when her voice stopped me, "Hey Solace", I didn't move, nor did I try to see her but she wasted no time in walking straight into my field of vision. Only, she wasn't the girl that I wanted to see.
"Hi Nicole", I faked some enthusiasm, but I only sounded like I just had my tooth pulled.
"I thought you said you were busy tonight?".
I waved my hand gesturing around me in a duh fashion. Obviously, I was busy... Trying to fine Ari.
"Hey, you know what ", she says all of a suddenly staring from me to the dancing teenagers "I just had a great idea, we should totally dan-".
Before she could've said the words I dreaded, a blonde girl walked up to us and stood directly in front of me.
"Solace?", She asked.
I had no idea who she was but she seemed to know me. I nodded slowly as I stared at her suspiciously.
"Do I know you?", I asked back.
She smiled a brilliant smile, "Not yet" she answered. "My name is Delilah Decker I'm from Mt. Richards Academy".
"Oh", was all I said.
"Come on", she said shooting a pointed glare at Nicole who I had forgotten about completely, "let's go dance".
Then she pulled me away. Before I could comprehend what was happening my hands were being placed on her hips, her back was at my front and she was dancing dangerously close to me.
I tried to pull away but we had somehow become clustered in the tussle of dancing teens and there was no escape. I just swayed there awkwardly for a while. Wishing I had just stuck with my bodyguards.
That was the moment when I looked up and saw Ariadne staring back at me with wide eyes.