Skyfall

“Did you know him?” Calista asked as the car slid back to Nova Tower.

I shook my head mutely and then continued staring blankly out of the window. She didn’t press the issue.

When we arrived back on my floor, I was surprised to find Louis standing outside my bedroom door forlornly. He started as Calista and I drew nearer.

“There you are! I’ve been looking for you.”

“Shove it,” I told him coldly, pushing past him to my bedroom door. “Thanks for taking me, Calista.”

She recognized her dismissal, confusion marring her sweet face. I entered my room, taking off my damp coat and throwing it over a chair. Louis, to my chagrin, followed me in.

“I have two tickets to The Ice Maiden,” he said, brandishing two narrow papers. “You’re coming with me.”

“Am I now?” I asked, replacing my felt hat on the hat rack near my closet. “Don’t feel like it. Sorry.”

“It’s my way of saying sorry.”

“And this is my way of saying ‘I don’t care’” I ran my fingers through my corkscrew curls and fixed him with my iciest glare.
“Alexa, I really want to take you to this.”

“Why?”

“Because I really do feel bad about the other night. And,” his mouth twitched in an almost-smile. “The name reminded me of you.”
“Gee thanks,” I told him, but I too almost smiled. “Fine. If you leave me alone for the rest of the month.”

“The month?” he asked. “So I don’t get to see you at all?”

“Nope,” I headed to the bathroom to reapply my makeup. “Louis, can I ask something?”

“Anything.”

“What did you buy me for?”

“Companionship,” he said immediately. I leant around the door and sent him a quizzical look. “Alright. Sex too, if you’re going to force me to be brutally honest,” I rolled my eyes and disappeared behind my door again. I almost didn’t hear him add quietly. “Marriage maybe.”

“Marriage?” I choked, almost taking a bite of lipstick. “Are you serious?”

“I have an older brother,” he said, shrugging. “He’ll inherit everything when Father passes away, so there’s no reason for me to have an arranged marriage like him.”

“So you figured you’d just take the easy option and buy yourself a wife, then, did you?” I asked, brushing mascara onto my lashes.

“I suppose.”

“Why did you choose me?” I asked, realising I hadn’t yet asked him this.

When he didn’t reply, I peeked around my door again. Meeting my gaze, he lifted his shoulders and let them fall in a hopeless sort of shrug.

“That’s encouraging,” I told him, pinning my hair back and squinting at myself in the mirror. “What time is this play thing, then?”

“Eight. We have time to get dinner if you’d like.”

“Sure,” I said immediately, and then felt sick. Why was I agreeing to this? I was getting a little too chummy with my buyer. I should be planning how to escape Nova Tower, not dining with its master.

I wore the same dress and boots, but a red velvet overcoat instead. I pinned a fascinator made of black feathers and netting onto my hair, and then pouted flirtatiously at myself in the full length mirror next to Louis. He smiled to himself a little.

“What?” I asked.

But he wouldn’t say.

We took the same car that Calista and I had taken to the hospital that afternoon. Sunset was beginning to fall over the city, illuminating the smog into a brilliant light show of orange and pink. The driver took us to a futuristic tower that seemed to be only one tall spire. I lifted an eyebrow curiously at Louis, who winked back mysteriously and then offered me a hand getting out of the car. I accepted it, placing my hand in his. His hand was cool and smooth; he’d obviously never done a hard day’s work in his life.

“What is this?” I asked, pulling my coat around me tighter; the air was brisk.

“My favourite restaurant,” he replied, straightening his cravat. “You’ll see.”

We entered the building and crossed the marble lobby to an elevator. The car moved swiftly up the middle of the spire, with brief flashes through the glass doors showing us ascending higher and higher above the busy city. When we at last reached the top, I knew the view was going to be spectacular.

It was. The top of the spire was a round, disk shaped building, which was revolving slowly. We would have a different view all dinner.

“Wow,” I breathed, and when Louis smiled at me I couldn’t help but return it.

“Table for Nova,” he said quietly to the hostess, who showed us to a table for two near one of the windows, complete with a flickering candle. I leant closer to inspect it, and discovered that it was, in fact, a real flame.

“Not a digi candle,” I said in surprise, pointing at it.

“No, only the real stuff here,” Louis said, pulling out a chair for me. “It’s dangerous, but,” he down, closer to my ear. “They’ll risk it.”

I scowled at him, trying to pretend he hadn’t send ripples across my skin. I just wasn’t used to people being so close; I’d reacted the same way with Calista in the kitchens just the other day.

I ordered ravioli, Louis ordered prime rib. We watched the view of the city as we slowly revolved around 360°, Louis pointing things out to me.

“There’s the Nova Tower,” he said, pointing out our skyscraper. I was stunned to see how tall it was. “And that’s the House of Lords,” an enormous building rose out of the smog, as though a castle hadn’t known when to stop growing and had continued to the height of a skyscraper. “And, off in the distance, you can see the other city.”

I squinted. I could indeed see spires far off in the distance.

“What is it called?”

He smiled at me across the table.

“Skyfall. It’s also referred to the Hanging City.”

Before I could ask why, our meals arrived.

“We better get a move on,” Louis said, checking his watch. “Or we’re going to miss the performance.”

We ate quickly, Louis occasionally giving me more commentary on the city around us. Before we left, I blew out the candle on our table.

“Always wanted to do that,” I told him, grinning mischievously, and he laughed.

We arrived just as everyone was beginning to file into their seats in the enormous theatre. Nova House had their own parlour, and we sat above the rest of the audience, being waited on by two of the staff. I felt very much like a real lady as the actors below us played out the story of a woman who could not love. A young man tried desperately to win her favour, with the story ending with their kiss. I shifted uncomfortably; it was a little too close to home.

We arrived back at Nova Tower in high spirits, discussing the performance with great enthusiasm. We drew to a halt outside my bedroom, and although I expected Louis to try to invite himself in, he merely kissed my fingers and headed back to the elevator.

As I undressed and crawled into bed, full of ravioli and music, I couldn’t help but think that I’d enjoyed myself way too much.