I eyes trembled as the wave of light hit it. My hand went instinctively, to block the photonic assault. then I saw it. An expensive watch around my wrist, the strap fitting perfectly after the cuff of a shiny blue suit. But that was all I could see--my vision was still foggy, so I couldn't discern life from naught. I blinked grit and sweat out my eyes and looked forward. My legs, noodles. My arms, broomsticks. My head, a circus, with lingering thoughts of earlier the star performance. Then came another thought, which ruined the main event- Avery's a billionaire.
The reason this stuck out to me was really petrifying at the time. I thought "If I disappear here, right now, no one will notice I'm gone. Heck, they wont even find my body. This was in fact true. If I were to spend a thousand dollars a day, it'll take me about 2740 years to spend a billion dollars. Even if my spending somehow got to thousand every second, it'll still take me about 30 years. Ten more in comparison to my entire life.
I could finally focus my vision. My brain evicted the circus as regarded my situation. My hands and feet were free, and the seat wasn't so uncomfortable. I dont know why I instinctively expected to be tied up. I should stop watching those..... whatever, that's not what's important here!
"It seems like you're awake?"
My neck snapped to the direction of the voice. Her red hair flowed down her shoulder, highlighting her god-given curves. Her clear skin glowed, her red eyes burning fierce with passion. No camera or paintbrush could ever do her justice. She's my type in every way, and that was obvious to both of us, ever since we were just classmates.
Then, I became aware of myself. I was laid out flat, on a soft, large and comfortable bed.
"We dont have time. Get to the car downstairs, sleeping beauty."
The rest was like from a movie. The haste, ease and luxury I admire, the kind the ordinary person dreams of. I didn't know where Jeff was, and I was sure he might have been subject to same. As soon as I could realize, I was alone again. Left to my thought and lost in possibility as the plane went up into the air. Although that may have passed most of the time, I couldn't bare such silence, not when I had so many questions. The soft wind outside, the humid cabin, and the thick, tense aura that surrounded the two of us only accelerated my thought. I mustered courage to question her, but still minded my language. First, I cleared my throat, wiping sweat beads off my brow, born from nervousness.
"W-Why are we here?" I asked her. She looked up in confusion, or rather, disappointment. She put down the glass of wine she swirled with utmost courtesy, and laid her eyes upon me.
The contrast between her fiery red eyes and purple coat was excellent. Her makeup was done just right, further exposing her natural beauty.
"You really asking me that? You can drop the formal nonsense, Lexi" she replied, waving her hand in the air while telling me off. She pulled out a compact mirror and held it against her face, checking her face very delicately.
"Tell me, Lexi, am I pretty?"
My brain flew out of my head with that one. Neurons waged war, shooting and firing in all directions. Out of all the responses, out came the natural one. Boot-licking.
"Y-Yes, you are gorgeous ma'am. You are absolutely divine!"
She dropped her mirror, bursting with laughter. One of the hostesses quickly came to her aide, bowing and shaking the whole time.
"You really are funny. You dont have to kiss my feet anymore, though. We're adults now, regardless of position. Now, to business" she said as she uncrossed her legs. her hands on the table, fingers interlocked.
"You must be wondering what happened a while ago. Correct?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Good. You know who I am. You and I will never have an idea of the amount of people who are prepared to cause harm to be in my position. Lexi, look outside."
I promptly gazed out the window. the night sky was beautiful, excessively so.
"Beautiful isn't it? I have met people who will stop at nothing to take that view from me. A great percentage dont want it for themselves, they'd rather not let me have it. At any cost."
I raised my hand like I was student receiving a lecture. She let me speak, thankfully.
"So what does all that have to do with the whipping? This expensive watch, my clothes, Jeff? You lost me, ma'am."
Her face fell into her palm.
"Oh for goodness sake. Stop calling me ma'am. We're the same age. Avery is fine. As for Jeff, he's at the venue already, with my assistant-
"But the whipping! What's up with that? Just why?! We're men, men! How could use that ogre to crush our pride like that?" I cut in. She got so pissed, you could see the steam coming off her, like a cartoon.
She reached across the table, grabbing me without concern to the suit or watch at all. As the eye contact burned through me, her breath tingled on my skin. This was too much for me.
"Stop interrupting me! Be patient you idiot! Have you ever liked the one character in a movie who's too fast for their own sake? That gets the whole cast in trouble!"
As she got up, she sat right back down. I could feel the tension between us shatter, and something else filled that space, the fortress where the resentment resided. A soft, warm feeling. A returning sensation. After, I didn't always hate her.
"The...thing. I get that you dont understand. It was simply a way of testing you. You're studying medicine right? Do you know what evolution is?" she asked me.
"Of course. Its the biological process of change whereby populations differ over generations, due to genetic makeup and natural selection. Wait, how do you know what course I'm taking?"
She giggled.
"That's not important. Now answer me this; its the stone age, and two early humans hear a noise from a nearby bush. You're smart. Who lives, who dies?" she said, as her eyes met with mine once again.
"Y-Yes. We learned that in high school bio. It could be the wind, or something with teeth, and the one who chose the former will die. What are you getting at?"
As I spoke she handed me a mask. A masquerade mask, with white and gold engravings. A splendid design, which would have dug deep if it were from my pocket.
"Exactly. Like the A grade student you always were. Over the years these little, seemingly unimportant occurrences, make a huge difference in character. What happened to you is similar, we call it predation. You might not know it, but your body has already chosen the response to someone it senses as a threat. Flight."
I pondered on what she said. Although the thought process could make some sense, the fact that we humans could display such sensitive reactions, unsolicited at that, bugged me. Like a woodpecker slowly picking at a tree. I took my time dissecting the information, all the while Avery deeply engrossed in her phone. Made me remember something very important. To crack the awkward silence, I moved my mouth, hoping something meaningful might spill out.
"So how doe all of that tie up together? I might have a grasp on that was about, but I still dot get why. Like, is that even allowed in the sto-
She quickly stopped me, waiting no time in shutting that down.
"Woah! You cant go that far, Lexi. Lets stay away from the fourth. If you haven't noticed it, that kind of thing is an everyday occurrence. Having this kind of money can make anyone your enemy. Where we are going, people with those sorts of skills will be all around you. Some will take your side and some will bare fangs from the beginning. Now I have to take a call, so I wont be entertaining anymore questions from you".
She got up and made her way to the lavatory. She walked with utmost elegance, almost all the playfulness I enjoyed from her previously was now gone. All that was left was a queen, one with an empire resting on her palm. As I looked rather lost in thought, a hostess tapped on my shoulder.
Her face was practically on the ground, she didn't dare lift her face. I could tell she was new on the job, her shaking stature and anxious voice made it even clearer. She handed me a menu, red cover, a dozen pressed roses covering the front. Looking in the menu, was like watching a show in another language with no subtitles. Excruciating.
I pointed to the one looking the most delicious and tantalizing. In a hurry, I handed it back to her.
"Thank you. I appreciate it" I said, with the most money sounding voice I could muster. She turned away quickly, not bothering to return my kindness. She stopped on her way back, still shaking a little.
"Um, you're welcome sir. I hope you make it out the the event. The danza del corteggiatore."
She walked off with that. Jeff is part italian, so I know a little. 'danza del corteggiatore'. I held up the mask one more time. To the left side of it, was a small, hand drawn bouquet of flowers. It hit me. Avery walked out at about that time. The grin on her face told everything.
"Ha. You figured it out already? You're so smart, my little Lexi"