He crashed into my world like a comet hurling into a small planet at the speed of light. He unwittingly took a big chunk of me with him leaving me gasping for air, broken, unwhole. He continued on his course without slowing down or a backward glance.
Danica John
The would of giggling from behind me breaks the silence and I stiffened.
"Be quiet Ari!" I hissed behind my shoulders.
"I can't help it, I laugh when I'm nervous," whispered Ariella. A few seconds later, another giggle breaks out.
Oh for goodness sake, I turn to glare at her even though I know she can't see me in the darkness of the cloakroom. When I turn back around, a fur coat slaps me in the face. There isn't much room in the darkness cloakroom. We're both squished im between the jackets and coats. The mix of scents of different kinds of designer perfumes is cloying.
Ariella shuffles forward, pushing the coats out of the way to reach the door. "I think he's g…"
I slap a hand over Ariella's mouth and drag her behind the line of jackets and coats. She lets out a muffled "owww…" against my palm.
"Shut up!" I whisper urgently in her ears. The man is still there. I didn't hear his footsteps moving away from the door. "Shhh.." I warn her again.
I extend my hearing over Ariella's rapid breathing and heartbeat and concentrate. I don't hear the sound of the feet moving but I catch a sound of a rough hand touching the doorknob. I duck down, forcing Ariella to land on her hands and knees on the heavily carpeted floor with me just before the doorknob turns and the door swings open.
The light from outside comes pouring in but not enough to fall on Ariella and me. Were well protected by the jackets and coats. I make sure to keep my hands on Ariella's mouth.
On the floor, from the shadows of the hanging jackets I watch my father's henchman scan the room. He's wearing a black suit like any other civilized man out there but there's no doubt in my mind that he's an Excruciarch; a brute from hell that enjoys delivering pain. I'm not good with pain, but I'm determined on crashing my father's party. So getting caught by the hulking beast from hell is not an option.
Ariella and I were doing so well trying to sneak into the ballroom until I spotted one of my father's goons at the door. I grab Ariella and dove into the cloakroom as quickly as I could, that was a couple of minutes ago. I think he must have seen us… or suspected he saw us because he followed us to where we were hiding now. We could get away with this if Ariella can keep her mouth shut for one minute. But apparently, she can't stop giggling when she's nervous. If I knew her condition before, I wouldn't have recruited her in this exploit of mine. At this rate, we're going to get caught before we even get through the door.!
A low sounding rumble gurgles out from inside his chest. It resembles the growl of a feral animal and the hairs at the back of my neck stands on ends.
My pulse skyrockets as Ariella's body shake with another bouts of giggles. I tightened my hands over her mouth. Darn Ariella.!
He stands for what seems like an eternity before he finally takes a step back. When the door closes behind him with a click, Ariella's body slumps against mine in relief. I hear his footsteps receiding and Ariella starts giggling again. I push her off me. The worst. Crime Partner. Ever.!
When we both step out of the cloakroom, I feel high on adrenaline. The coat check attendant who wasn't there a few minutes ago eye us suspiciously from the counter and I drag Ariella across the gleaming marble floors. There are men I tuxedos and women in evening dresses but I don't see any of my father's men and the entrance to the ballroom is just a few feet away. I can hear the music playing as well as the chatter and the laughing coming from the inside. We're almost there.
"What do we do now?" Ariella asks. I contemplate ditching her before we both get caught.