I blush, but at the same time, I am flattered that he said that. “Do you really think so?” I say, with my eyes wide and an extravagant smile painted across my lips.
“Yes, I wasn’t expecting what came out of your mouth. It was amazing, why haven’t you pursued this?”
“The thought never crossed my mind, that I would be good enough.”
“Alanna your voice is beyond words, you have a gift.” I smile at him, lean over, and kiss him, he holds me in his arms and we sit there in that moment for what seems like a lifetime.
“Alanna can you come here a minute please,” I hear Adrian from the other room. Therefore, I quickly stop packing and go to see what he wants.
“I have Michael on the phone; he wants to know if you want to go out to dinner tonight, with him and Katharine.”
“Yes I would love to,”
“Okay that’s all,” I smile at him and head back into my room to finish the packing. Adrian is going back to London tomorrow and I have to go back to college. I cannot help but feel sad that he is going again, I have just gotten used to him being here, and he has to leave again. I feel worried and a sense of dread that I have to back to Columbia. From what Sophie has told me everyone is wondering about Adrian and me, there are so many rumors flying around that Adrian is all sorts. From an actor, to a prince he has been them all. Sophie has told me that Marco has taken the news about Adrian and me pretty badly. No one has seen him since I moved from college into Adrian’s suite. Apparently, he took off to Italy in rage of anger that Adrian exists. I cannot say that I am at all interested in what Marco does. However, one thing I will not stand for is, anyone talking bad about Adrian. Sophie has slowly changed her opinion of Adrian, she was over for an hour or so last night, all of which was Adrian’s idea. He even rang her to ask her to come over, therefore, she could not say no, he at least he was making an effort and I feel that Sophie respected that. When she left way past midnight, she told me that maybe she was wrong and he was a good person. She also gave me some words of advice that I never thought I would hear come from her lips.
“Do not let him go.”
I know I should not really need any ones approval of Adrian, but I really wanted Sophie’s blessing. She is usually never wrong about anyone, but she has admitted that she got it wrong with Adrian. From what I hear and I will get all the details tonight, Michael has moved into the same room as Katharine. They are according to Sophie, in love with each other. As for Sophie, she is still going strong with Dan, and to her delight Chace and Chelsea have broken up, he apparently cheated on her, with Portia. None of which is concrete information, but it is the latest gossip and Sophie could not wait to share it. As for me, I seem to have no interest in the silly lives of the New Yorkers anymore. I have different priorities now, and have no views or opinions on Manhattan’s elite. For all I care I could never hear a piece of gossip about boob jobs and cat fights ever again. I seem to have no time for the things I used to. It is not that they have changed it is that I have. I am more grown up now and I know what matters in life, and it is not all about the parties and the backstabbing, but instead it is about love, and the love I have for Adrian.
As I get ready for tonight’s spectacular dinner, I sit at the massive, white marble dressing table in the oversized bathroom. Tonight’s dinner is appointed, in one of New York’s most desired eateries, it usually takes months before they even consider giving you a table, however when Adrian called, they said there were full tonight but they would make room for him. The restaurant also requires black tie, therefore, I have dressed myself in a tight, black and white cocktail dress. It is a little short, but not to revealing. I start to run the curling iron through my hair, when I hear a soft knock at the door.
“May I come in?” I hear Adrian say, as he slightly opens the door.
“Yes, come on in.”
“You look stunning, my love.”
“Thanks,” I say blushing.
“I have something for you,”
“Adrian you didn’t have to get me anything.”
“No, but I wanted to.”
He hands me a red Cartier box; it is long and not very wide. Before I open the lovely red box, I glare at Adrian. He stands in his entire splendor with a, glossy black pinstriped suit with a tie to match lodged onto a crisp white shirt underneath. His light chocolate hair is like silk, and is loosely slicked back, with a little more gel in it than I have ever seen before. However, there is a few straggly bits that have fallen out of place, but that makes it even more beautiful. He looks at me with hunger in his eyes, and I still cannot understand what he sees in me. When people see us out together, they must think of how miss matched we are. I shake of the feeling of anxiety that fills me every time I think of that, and I open the little red box. I search down into the bottom and I find an all diamond yellow gold tennis bracelet.
“Adrian it’s beautiful, will you?” I say, as I hold out my arm for him to put the bracelet on me. He smirks and takes the bracelet out of the box. He carefully places it on my arm; the feeling of his skin on mine is invigorating. He looks into my eyes, places one hand on my cheek, he leans in, and kisses me, and it is as if my life is complete.
We arrive at the restaurant, and Michael and Katharine are already there waiting for us. Standing right there in front of me may just be the most beautiful couple; I have ever laid eyes on. Michael with his jet black hair and blue eyes, Katharine so tall and lean, with gorgeous strawberry blonde hair. The two of them really look so good together, and I hope that this thing with them can last. We sit at our large candle lit table at the back of the restaurant. Before I have a chance to sit down Katharine pulls me to one side, she whispers in my ear,
“Look at us, with the two most gorgeous guys ever.” I flash Katharine a cheeky smile.
Katharine is the type of girl that is wholesome, she has an urge to say whatever pops into her mind, and she has a bit of a reputation for being a little ditzy. However, she is possibly the most loyal girl you could ever hope to meet. She has dated quite a few people, but none of them ever seems to work out. The thing that worries me about her is that she has the tendency to let people take advantage of her. She is a people pleaser and I fear that she could be easy lead. I really hope that Michael’s intentions with her are honest, and he does not just see her as easy.
“How are you feeling about going home tomorrow Adrian,” Katharine says as she takes a sip of her champagne.
“I have work Katharine, but yes if what you are referring to is me leaving Alanna, then no I don’t want to go.”
“Wow you’re pretty intense, how can you cope with him Alanna?” Katharine says joking, but I feel that Adrian maybe did not like that little comment.
“He has his moments, but I love him,” I say trying to make nice.
“Michael, are you also going to back to London?” I say, looking over at Michael, with his light grey suit on and his straggly jet black hair lightly greased back. He looks very smug and I get an odd feeling from him tonight.
“Is that a hint?” He says.
“No, not at all,”
“Sorry to disappoint you but no I will be staying.” Adrian shoots Michael a disapproving look.
“Maybe Michael should stay here all the time and leave you to do your own dirty work,” Katharine says staring at Adrian.
What is going on here, why are Katharine and Michael being so rude? I kind of half-expected it from Michael, but Katharine what is her problem.
“I don’t really like your attitude Michael, is that the way you let your woman talk?” Adrian says locking his eyes on Michael, but before he can respond, Katharine jumps in,
“His woman? Hey look here I am nobody’s woman.”
“Oh give it up Katharine. You would be anyone’s woman, all they would have to do is give you a smile and you are theirs.” I say harshly to Katharine.
“Okay let’s stop this now,” Adrian says taking my hand, I give him a smile and take a sip of champagne. The waiter c
omes over and we place our orders. However, the atmosphere is not the best. I can see Katharine making daggers at Adrian all the while Michael is glaring at me. I am still trying to process this, and cannot understand why they would invite us out and act this way. I see Michael is about to say something to me, so I look over at him waiting.
“Alanna, have you seen Marco since the other day?”
“No Michael, you know I haven’t seen him since.”
“Really because that’s not what I’ve heard.”
“What did you hear then Michael,”
“Just that you and him,”
“Stop right there Michael,” I hear Adrian say with ice in his voice.
“I know what you are doing here, don’t bring that bloke into this again, Okay?”
Usually when Adrian tells Michael off he backs down straight away, but somehow tonight he is not.
“Adrian, can you honestly tell me that there was never anything going on between her and Marco?”
“Alanna told me that nothing ever happened and I have no reason to suspect that she is lying.”
“Michael, look at me.” I say getting annoyed. “You know that nothing ever happened with me and Marco. Katharine knows so therefore you know. Now I know that you don’t like me, but to try and do this to Adrian your step brother, is so low that I can’t even contemplate it.”
“I don’t really care what you can contemplate; you have poisoned him you are just a little bitch!”
Adrian stands up with fury in his eyes and at the same time, Michael stands. I sit there so shocked by his outburst, and Katharine looks like she is about cry. I see the two overly gorgeous guys staring into each other’s eyes. Then the worst happens, Adrian punches Michael right in the face and he falls immediately to the floor.
“Don’t you ever talk to her, again.”
Katharine rushes to Michael as Adrian grabs my arm and leads me out the restaurant. I look back to the horror that has unfolded. How could a night that started so well turn so bad? With Adrian walking briskly and gently pulling me along after him, I have one last look at Michael laying there on the floor, Katharine in floods of tears I can’t help but think that maybe the friendships that were, are no longer. Adrian has a look on his face that I have never seen before, it is almost as if he disgusted with what he has just witnessed.
“Are you okay?” I say taking his hand but he pulls away.
“Alanna, I can’t okay,”
“Can’t what?”
“Do this right now,”
“Okay I am sorry, let’s get the car.”
I take Adrian’s phone from his hand and dial the car service. As we wait for the car, Adrian paces back and forth at the front of the building. I take a seat on the front steps as I stare at him. He is so angry and I do not know what to do.
“Maybe you should come and sit down for a minute.”
“No Alanna, I don’t want to sit.”
“Okay then talk to me, tell me what’s going on?”
“I have no idea; Michael has never done that before.”
“I hate to say this, but maybe he is jealous of you.”
“No Alanna, this was more.”
“Well tell me, maybe I can help?”
He exhales and he looks very annoyed, anger has filled his eyes, but he begins to talk in low harsh voice. “He has been taking bad about you ever since he met you, he hates the fact that I am with you.”
“Why, I have done nothing to him,”
“Alanna he loves you!” Adrian shouts and I cannot believe the words that he is saying.
“No you are crazy,”
“No I am not, he has been trying to get me to break it off with you ever since I have been here, and he wants me to leave you.”
“What about Katharine?”
“Don’t let that fool you, he is only using her.”
“Adrian I think you may be mistaken,”
“No Alanna I am not, he loves you.”
“He can’t possibly, he hates me.”
“That it all just an act you don’t know him like I do, that’s what he does to hide his feelings.”
“But he is your step brother, how could he?”
“Alanna things with us haven’t always been great.”
“But you told me that he was your brother, and that he meant everything to you.”
“I said that because it is true, but he blames me for putting your life in danger. He never wanted to come to New York I had to beg him to, believe me he is not here for me.”
“He never even saw me before he came here.”
“That’s all you think,”
“What?”
“Let me ask you Alanna, did you by any chance receive a single red rose in London?”
“Yes but you sent that.”
“No I sent you the bouquets of flowers and the earrings, Michael sent you the rose.”
“I don’t understand,”
“He saw you that night at the New Year party; he was so into you, but too nervous to come and say hi.”
“I saw him that night, he was with you and you came over to me, not him you have to tell me more.”
“The next day I phoned him and I asked him where he was. I knew his father had plans for him to go to a shoot with him, but he never showed up. He told me he had gotten with a girl and forgotten all about it, but he was telling lies Alanna. I was watching your hotel I had a meeting nearby, and I stopped there first to see if I could see you. I thought that maybe you could have been going out or something. Anyway what I saw was Michael, I knew he was lying and later on that night, I checked his car. There were two photos of you and roses all around the front seat.”
“Adrian I saw a car that day, but it was the black Lamborghini.” “Yes that’s Michael’s car.”
“What, is he the person who is following me?”
“No Alanna, he just has the same kind of car but he does love you.”
“Adrian I don’t care if he does, I love you.”
“Maybe Michael would be better for you, at least with him you wouldn’t be in danger.”
“Don’t say that I could never be with him, I could never be with anyone other than you.”
Adrian does not reply, the car pulls up and we get in without saying a word. This is crazy I cannot deal with this. Why would Michael love me? He has never showed any interest. He has given me more reasons to think that he hates me. I am starting to think that Adrian would not be saying all this for no reason. He must have solid evidence that Michael feels this way; and I could think of nothing worse than to come in between two brothers. I love Adrian but, in a way, I feel sorry for Michael. If he does have these feelings then think of how hard, it must be for him to see me with Adrian. How he must feel knowing that I am in danger. As for Katharine I will have to talk to her, I cannot have my friendship ruined with her. Adrian opens the door of the black Rolls Royce and we are back at the hotel.
“I will wait here go and get your stuff, I will take you back to your dorm.”
“What, I thought I was staying here till you leave, what’s going on?”
“I need some time alone to talk to Michael; I can’t leave things like this with him.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“How could I be mad at you?”
“I don’t know, I feel so strange about all this,” he makes a face to me that signals me to hurry up and get my stuff. Therefore, I rush up the stair and into the room.
“Oh you scared me, what are you doing in here?” I say to Michael who is sitting at the dining table, his shirt is half-open and there is blood on his face.
“Waiting for Adrian, you got a problem with that?”
“No I don’t,” I start to walk away but I turn to him. “Michael, Adrian thinks that you have feelings for me.”
“What would give him that idea?”
“I guess it’s just a combination of a few things.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
How could this guy b
e capable of loving me? He acts as if he hates my guts. There is no way he loves me, Adrian has to have it wrong.
“I won’t bother you, Adrian is downstairs, and I am going back to the dorm tonight.”
“You better run along then, you wouldn’t want to upset Adrian, now would you,” he says, raising his eyebrows and I know that he feels sorry for himself.
“Look, if there is anything I can do,”
“Actually there is.”
“Okay, what?”
“Could you please tell Katharine that it’s over between us?”
“What?”
“You heard me, it’s over I don’t love her I never could.”
“Michael you can’t treat her this way.”
“She is pretty and fine for a while, I don’t want to hurt her, but I don’t want to be with her either.”
“Why can’t you tell her yourself?”
“Because I can’t, she is your friend and you can tell her anything about me, I don’t care.”
“You are a pig, and you don’t deserve her.”
“I take it that’s a yes?”
“Fine,”
I shake my head at him and walk over to my room. I grab my suitcases that are lying on the bed. I take one last look at the room; I have had an up and down time here. Nevertheless, I loved the up moments with Adrian. As for the down moments, I hope I never have them again. On my way out, I look at Michael wondering does he really care about me. When I meet Adrian again down at the car, he is standing looking very impatient leaning on the door of the car.
“What took you so long?”
“Michael is up there,”
“What did he say?”
“I am not going to lie, I asked him about what you said.”
“And,”
“He denied it, Adrian are you sure you don’t have it wrong?”
“No Alanna,”
“Now come on get in the car.”
I give him my bags and get into the car. On the ride over to Columbia, Adrian ,like always when he is in a car, does not say a word. I just sit there frozen glaring up at the stars that glow on the roof of the car. I glance over to Adrian and he looks as if he has so much on his mind, I cannot help but feel I am the cause of it all. Adrian walks me back to my room, he kisses me goodnight and promises me that he is not mad at me. He says he will be here first thing in the morning. He has also warned me not to talk to anyone strange, and to be careful if any one comes to the door. Therefore, I take my orders and bid him goodnight.
Three Thousand Miles To You,(Three Thousand Miles, Series, Book #1) Page 15