A Promotion Party

    "I will not go" I exclaimed to Linda on her excitement about Austin's party, stepping out of the ADC premises.

    "But why? He invited us because of you only, Please Helena, I want to go, it would be the most classic party I have ever attended, CEO, Partners, everyone will be there" Linda replied, stepping with me.

    "Yeah, all those people, whom I met last time as Austin's Girlfriend"

    "They hardly talk to you personally, they are not gonna ask you anything"

    "But I don't want to recreate all those memories. Also My gut feeling says Denver will also be there."

    "So, this is the main reason," Linda said, sarcastically.

    "Whatever, I am not coming, this is final" I replied in a rude tone.

    "What if I ask someone if he is coming or not." Linda asked, stopped moving.

    "Bad Idea" I replied, turning to her.

    Before I could stop her, she called Stephen, and put the phone on speaker.

    "Hey Stephen," Linda said, shushing at me.

    "Hello, actually I forgot the timing Austin said about Friday, and it's not a nice idea to call him to ask, can     you please tell me" Linda asked, overacting to be normal.

    "9 pm. Seminar Hall" Stephen replied normally.

    "Do you who all are coming, I mean I would dress accordingly"  Linda asked looking at me.

    "Only few guest, some officers and few friends of promoted people of ADC, maybe that's it," 

    "And anyone from the agency?"

    "You must be asking this for Lucas right, no he is not invited. His boss may have been invited, but he never comes, not even in important meetings, so the party is impossible., but though Lucas is not coming, please dress yourself sexy for me." Stephen laughed.

    "Ha Ha, thank you, Bye" Linda immediately cut the call off and looked at me smiling.

    "Fine" I replied, smiling a little.

                                                                                                ***

    "May I come in?" I asked Austin, standing at door of his cabin

    "Please", He put down the pen held in his hand.

    "I left some spaces, I did not get what to write so" I said, handing over him the form.

    "I will get it done," He said, smiling.

    "Thank you" I replied smiling back. 

    "So what color are you wearing tomorrow?" Austin asked, making sure if I am coming.

    "Its surprise," I replied, winking at him and leaving his cabin. 

    As soon as I reached to my cubicle, I received text from Denver "Control Room"

    I turned to the newly shifted Control Room. I saw Denver entering in, looking at me. I kept my phone locked on the desk, without replying to him. After a while I received another text from him saying "Control Room or 388"

    I did not want him to create a scene in my cubicle, I immediately got up and slowly moved towards the control room, I stepped in to make sure no one was watching me going into the control room. Denver pulled me in and Locked the door from inside.

    "Why the hell you called me here?" I asked, pulling my hand back.

    "Did you ask the same question to Austin too?" He said, moving closer to me, looking straight in my eyes.

    "Are you stupid?" I asked, figuring out, what made him mad.

    "I am warning you, stay away from that son of bitch" He held my hand tighter.

    "Why the hell do you care?" I asked him to move closer to him.

    "Because I don't like you being close to him, he is not the right guy for you" He replied, moving back and looking away from me.

    "Really? Then who is right for me? I replied moving more closer to him, He remained silent. Looking in my eyes.

    "Let me know the answer when you will get it, being close to Austin is my personal choice, and you are no one to get bothered with it." I said straight and left the control room immediately.

                                                                                        ***

    It's friday evening, I wore a red evening gown, and styled my hair the best I could manage after watching n numbers of tutorials on the internet. 

    I heard my phone ringing, It was Linda's, she was waiting for me with her car. I immediately kept my phone in my clutch and left the home.

    "Ohh baby, you are looking damn hot AF" Linda exclaimed, as soon as she got in her car in the back seat.

    "Same to you" I said, admiring her upside down.

    "Is all this for Austin?" She asked, winking at me.

    "In your dreams" I replied looking away from her.    

    We stepped in the Seminar Hall. everyone there were standing in their own group, it is kind of a typical boring formal party, where rich people call it classy one. We looked at Stephen from a distance, talking to someone, it is a great occasion to meet officers and take selfies to flaunt on social media. Or show how formal you are to get the next promotion to be yours. 

    "You girls look damn great, thank you for marking my words." Stephen winked at Linda, adn smiled at me. I smiled back. 

    When your party is with the same people, you are working under, It's never a Party, it is just a formal meeting, only the difference is you dress by your wish.

    Austin looked at me, He was looking mesmerizing in a brown colored suit. He saw me from a distance, and immediately came towards me. We shared a hug, 

    "Don't make me fall for you again" He whispered in my ears and smiled. 

    I smiled back and remained silent. 

    I saw Denver coming from the entry door, he saw me hugging Austin. I immediately pulled myself back from Austin, remembering Denver's warning about staying away from Austin. I don't know why even I take his words much seriously.

    "Are you ok?" Austin asked, feeling a sudden movement of me.

    "Yes, you look great," I replied, looking away from Denver.

    "Glad, you liked," He said looking at me and continued, "You guys enjoy, I am coming back in while" He said to us and left. 

    I saw Denver coming towards me,  looking into my eyes, with a grumpy face. He wore black formal suit, with a red bow tie. His black clothes and grumpy face remind me of our first meeting in ADC. I couldn't see away from him, I looked back into his eyes, without blinking. I felt to be another world, like everything around me stopped for a while. 

    "Damn He is here" Linda whispered in my ears, her words brought me back to the party.

    I looked at Linda, angrily, she turned to Stephen immediately saying, "You said he never comes" pointing at Denver.

    "Who is he" Stephen asked with a confused expression.

    "Uuuggghhh" I whispered granshing my anger.

    Linda took Stephen away from me. Maybe to save him from my anger.

    Denver came near to me, but he did not stop, he passed by, ignoring me. I spinned my neck to his footsteps, before I could react, I felt vibration in my clutch.

    I saw the text "Bar Counter" on my phone. It was him, Denver, I lifted my head up, I saw him sitting at Bar counter, looking at me. I immediately went straight to him.

    "Why are you here?"I asked in a low voice, seating on the barstool kept beside him.

    "Because I am invited" He replied in a normal tone. Ordering a drink for himself, and continued "By the way, congratulations, you got promoted, your loser boyfriend is manager now." 

    I did not want to create a scene, I remained silent, and stood up to leave.

    "Hello Miss Helena," one of the major partners of the ADC, stopped me at the counter to talk.

    "Hello" I replied, trying to forget that Denver is seated beside me.

    "You are the most gorgeous lady of the evening" He held my hand in his hand and kissed. Denver immediately stood up and came towards us.

    "Hello Mr. Carter" Denver moved his hand forward, offering a shakehand to that Partner.

    "Hello Mr. White, it's pleasant to see you after so long, but glad you respected our invitation this time." He said with a fake small laugh, leaving my hand and shaking hands with Denver.

    "Yeah, I am here just for her, Helena"  Denver replied to him, pulling his hand back and looking at me, smiling.

    "Yeah, we have met several times" He replied to Denver, moving his hand back. And continued, turning to me, "You and Austin make perfect couple, I heard you guys are getting engaged" 

    "Yes, Soon" I replied, smiling. 

    "Give us a second" Denver replied to him, smiling.

     Denver pulled my hand and took me to the corner, away from the party crowd.

    "Leave, it hurts" I pulled my hand back.

    "This is the last time you allowed any man to kiss your hand, Mark it" Denver said, angrily moving forward to me and gnashing his anger on me.

    "I liked him kissing my hand, I enjoyed it. This is what we call the gentleman thing, Kissing hands and not pulling hands." I replied in the same way.

    "My ass gentleman, gentleman who leaves his wife at home while attending parties, and keeps roaming around kissing the hands of girls half of his age.' Denver replied, irritatingly.

    "Are you jealous of him?" I asked, looking into his eyes, with my hands folded, smiling sarcastically.

    "Why would I?" He replied looking away from me,

    "Fine, let me enjoy it then" I turned to go back to the party.

    Denver stopped me and pulled me closer to him, "This party is full of trash people, I won't let you be surrounded by such so called assohole gentlemen, we are leaving right now," Denver turn to step towards the exit, holding my hand, pulling me with him.

    "Haven't You heard what Mr. Carter said, I am here for Austin, not you, So I am not leaving unless he wants me to do so" I tried to pull my hand back, angrily, but I couldn't as he held it tightly, I stopped walking.

    "You will surely regret it." He removed his hand from mine and we moved back to the party.

    I went looking for Linda, Denver went back to the Bar counter, staring me from there. I saw Linda with Stephen and Austin. I joined them.

    "Where were you?" Austin asked me as soon as I reached them.

    "Just roaming around" I replied, smiling.

    Suddenly all the lights of the hall turned to deam golden one, I heard the slow romantic music playing in the background, few among the party came at the center of the hall with their partners, and started moving together, holding hands, getting closer. The party environment has suddenly changed from formal to romantic.

    Stephen pulled Linda lightly towards the dance floor, they started dancing, Stephen called me and Austin asking us to dance together. I denied him with my gesture but Austin turned to me asking "Can we have Dance together" offering his hand to hold.

    I remember Austin asking me for dance in Wolf Night, I neglected, I remember his disappointed face that day. It was his day, I did not want him to feel the same again, I held his hand. I saw Denver staring at me with a drink in his hand, seated at the bar counter. Austin and I moved together to the dance floor. 

    Austin and I joined one hand, I kept my other hand on his back, he kept his other hand on my waist, we started moving with the music, looking into each other's eyes, all this scenario reminded me of my old days with Austin. It was strange, feeling romantic towards my ex. Maybe the thing I was feeling was guilt and not romantic. We both were broke, but all this dance music was making eye contact with Austin more awkward, I closed my eyes, slowly dancing with Austin. I heard few notes of slow music playing in background "This is the time, tell me you love me" 

    All those good moments I shared with Austin in back, was playing in my closed eyes.Maybe Austin was feeling the same, we remained silent the whole dance