Trembling With the Strings
Like I'd Go Near You Without A Restraining Order
“On second thought, I really don’t want to do this,” I mumbled, turning on my heel and attempting to walk away, but she tightened her grip on my wrist.
“Oh, calm down, Gracie,” Marcy grumbled. “You’re not backing out of this.” She tugged on my arm and I stumbled over to her, nearly falling on my face as I tried to be graceful in heels. I’d never worn them before and I didn’t plan on wearing them ever again!
“Yes, I am! I’m not staying with Darius! I won’t do it. I can’t!” I cried, tears welling up in my eyes.
“Stop!” she hissed. “You’ll mess up your makeup. Just think about when you get to know him and he lets you have your brothers over.” I nodded, getting my emotions under control again. “Now then—get yourself together!” She smacked me lightly, jokingly.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, giggling despite myself. “Okay, I’m good now. No hysterics.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise I won’t go stark raving mad. Better?” I stuck my tongue out at her.
She grabbed my hand again and pushed open the door. I searched through the huge room filled with a lot of people. I was trying to find Darius as Marcy pulled me blindly ahead. The lights were dimmed as color displays went on around us and music played in the background. Nearly the entire crowd was dancing and I wanted to dance, too, but we came upon a table with five guys seated at it. Marcy tapped on one of their shoulders.
“Darius! I’ve got something for you.”
He turned around, smiling and laughing obviously at something one of his friends had just said. He opened his mouth to greet his sister when he saw me. His jaw dropped slightly as his eyes widened.
“Why, hello, Gracie. What might you be doing here?” His shock turned into haughtiness as he smirked. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach.
“I was just leaving,” I muttered, turning on my heel and trying to storm off when Marcy snatched my wrist and tugged me back. “I don’t like you right now!” I hissed in a whisper.
“You’ll get over it.” She rolled her eyes. “Now, do it.”
“No way!” There was no way I was going through with this. I wasn’t so much as touching his dirty, nasty body!
“Oh, Grace, love,” Darius cooed. “Be a dear and come closer, hmm?” His friends erupted into laughter as I made a face at him.
“I honestly don’t think so,” I told him, scowling. I glanced around the table and saw nearly everyone that had been rehearsing in the music room just last night. I saw Dante giving me a look, but I ignored it. I caught Lyndell’s eye and he winked almost inconceivably.
“Oh?” Darius asked, sounding sincerely baffled. “Love, I suggest you do as I say.”
“Gracie, you’re making a spectacle of this,” Marcy warned. “Just go.” She gave me a shove and I tried to turn to scold her, but my stupid heels made my ankles give out and I stumbled. I managed not to cry out, but I closed my eyes as I embraced myself for the impact the floor would soon be having on my face.
But it never came. I opened my eyes hesitantly and became aware of a pair of arms around me. All of a sudden the world was spinning and I found myself sitting at the table, staring at Lynn. He stifled a chuckle.
“This isn’t so bad, huh, Gracie?” Darius breathed on my neck, his arms wrapping tighter around me.
“No: it’s much worse!” I hissed. Macy sighed before stalking away from the table.
“Gracie, show respect,” Dante grumbled.
“I’d listen to my brother, love,” Darius threatened, smiling against the skin on my neck.
“Or what?”
“Or we could end this party early and you can find out,” he whispered, a certain wickedness slipping into his voice. I managed to look him dead in the eye.
I wish I hadn’t.
“Oh, calm down, Gracie,” Marcy grumbled. “You’re not backing out of this.” She tugged on my arm and I stumbled over to her, nearly falling on my face as I tried to be graceful in heels. I’d never worn them before and I didn’t plan on wearing them ever again!
“Yes, I am! I’m not staying with Darius! I won’t do it. I can’t!” I cried, tears welling up in my eyes.
“Stop!” she hissed. “You’ll mess up your makeup. Just think about when you get to know him and he lets you have your brothers over.” I nodded, getting my emotions under control again. “Now then—get yourself together!” She smacked me lightly, jokingly.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, giggling despite myself. “Okay, I’m good now. No hysterics.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise I won’t go stark raving mad. Better?” I stuck my tongue out at her.
She grabbed my hand again and pushed open the door. I searched through the huge room filled with a lot of people. I was trying to find Darius as Marcy pulled me blindly ahead. The lights were dimmed as color displays went on around us and music played in the background. Nearly the entire crowd was dancing and I wanted to dance, too, but we came upon a table with five guys seated at it. Marcy tapped on one of their shoulders.
“Darius! I’ve got something for you.”
He turned around, smiling and laughing obviously at something one of his friends had just said. He opened his mouth to greet his sister when he saw me. His jaw dropped slightly as his eyes widened.
“Why, hello, Gracie. What might you be doing here?” His shock turned into haughtiness as he smirked. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach.
“I was just leaving,” I muttered, turning on my heel and trying to storm off when Marcy snatched my wrist and tugged me back. “I don’t like you right now!” I hissed in a whisper.
“You’ll get over it.” She rolled her eyes. “Now, do it.”
“No way!” There was no way I was going through with this. I wasn’t so much as touching his dirty, nasty body!
“Oh, Grace, love,” Darius cooed. “Be a dear and come closer, hmm?” His friends erupted into laughter as I made a face at him.
“I honestly don’t think so,” I told him, scowling. I glanced around the table and saw nearly everyone that had been rehearsing in the music room just last night. I saw Dante giving me a look, but I ignored it. I caught Lyndell’s eye and he winked almost inconceivably.
“Oh?” Darius asked, sounding sincerely baffled. “Love, I suggest you do as I say.”
“Gracie, you’re making a spectacle of this,” Marcy warned. “Just go.” She gave me a shove and I tried to turn to scold her, but my stupid heels made my ankles give out and I stumbled. I managed not to cry out, but I closed my eyes as I embraced myself for the impact the floor would soon be having on my face.
But it never came. I opened my eyes hesitantly and became aware of a pair of arms around me. All of a sudden the world was spinning and I found myself sitting at the table, staring at Lynn. He stifled a chuckle.
“This isn’t so bad, huh, Gracie?” Darius breathed on my neck, his arms wrapping tighter around me.
“No: it’s much worse!” I hissed. Macy sighed before stalking away from the table.
“Gracie, show respect,” Dante grumbled.
“I’d listen to my brother, love,” Darius threatened, smiling against the skin on my neck.
“Or what?”
“Or we could end this party early and you can find out,” he whispered, a certain wickedness slipping into his voice. I managed to look him dead in the eye.
I wish I hadn’t.