*****
Samantha was nervous walking down, she knew the ball was in full swing , she could hear voices and she saw from her window the cars and people who trouped in dressed elegantly. She looks at herself in the mirror and wonders if she was not over dressed.
It was a simple red gown, but beautiful nonetheless. He didn’t see it and yet he paid for it. She wasn’t used to getting expensive gifts from anyone, well..she never liked to feel indebted to anyone, so she never received. But he said this was a present, no strings attached.
She sighs, he was obviously waiting for her downstairs and she wonders if she should go or keep stalling. She looks at her dress again, she hopes he likes it. Then she makes up her mind, leaves her room and takes the staircase, one at a time.
She saw him standing at the foot of the stairs, waiting for her, she saw him turn and then there was a look in his eyes she swore she had never seen before.. he keeps staring at her and she almost felt weak walking down the stairs.
That saying “If looks could kill” didn’t lie, but in this case, his looks wasn’t killing her, it was making her yearn for what she could see in his eyes and yet not understand,
Jesus! Mr Bass, why does your look right now send shivers down my spine?.
Trying not to fall she walks down to him as he watches her…
She is standing face to face and she is wondering why he isn’t saying anything yet.
Then he held her hand, bringing her close to him as his face rests close to hers to brush her cheeks with his lips as a form of greeting, then he whispers into her ears “Samantha, I want to tell you how I really feel”
“What do you really feel?” she looks up staring at him
He opens his mouth to bare it all out, then
“Mr Bass, how wonderful to see you again!” a woman dressed royally says to him as she makes her way into the waiting area with her detail which was more than a dozen people, she reaches him as he takes her hands and kisses it
“Your Excellency, it is a pleasure indeed to be invited again to wine and dine with you’’ they smile
“And who is this beautiful lady?’’
“She is ..Samantha Brokes, my erm…’’ he trails off
“A very good friend of his” Samantha says smiling to the elderly woman
“Well, I hope not for long” she smiles to Samantha “Bass, she is beautiful, don’t wait too long to do the needful’’
He laughs , oh I don’t intend to “Shall we?”
“Yes we shall”
They were ushered into the ballroom and then everything takes on full swing.
*
He introduced her to guests. Normally, his person before would have left the woman he came with to herself while he spoke business with guests, but him now? he didn’t want to do it the same. He wants her to be a part of his world as he would want to belong to hers, so throughout the ball, he didn’t let her go away without him following her, letting her hand rest on his arms, danced with her, laughed with her, and danced more with her.
It was almost 9pm when the ball ended, and they bade their goodbyes.
“Tired?” he asks her as they make their way upstairs
“No’’
“So from a scale of one to ten, how was your day today?’’
She is smiling “well, let’s see, I flew out of town to this beautiful hotel meant for royals and high elites, I get to walk through the streets, danced, ate from the streets, screamed’’ she laughs
He smiles “and you didn’t tell me you know how to sing” she nudges him
“Well you didn’t ask, I didn’t say. But I loved the epic look on your face though, classic” he gave her the okay sign,
“Oh well, oh the jazz, the park, the fun, oh the ball, magnificto!!!!! The people… I can’t believe I met the royal family and even danced in the same room… and this beautiful dress…. which I love, its lovely, thank you.”
“You look breathtaking beautiful in it”
She blushes “so I’ll say 11. “
“I said on a scale of ten, how come you picked eleven”
‘’Because, by far it is the best. Thank you,, at least I wasn’t alone today’’
They are on their floor now… their rooms a few doors apart..
“You are welcome, but one more thing is left”
“What?’’
“You’lll see”
He walks her past their doors, heading to the roof.
“Where are we going?”
“Oh you’ll see, be patient”
“Bass?’’
“Just one more thing, I promise ..” he smiles as they get on the roof, with a see through glass over head.
In the middle had two chairs and a table… and as soon as they drew close, the lights comes on to show a dangling chandelier over their heads with different beautiful lights, lighting the floor..
“Oh my God, this is beautiful” she exclaims
He pulls out a chair and tells her to sit
“I hope this isn’t much, I would have gone all out but I know you like the simple things of life so I said…why not have a late birthday dinner, out on the roof top..so viola!!!’’
Samantha is speechless “You really didn’t have to”
“I know but still, I wanted to do something nice” he sits down..
Suddenly a chef walks in carrying a cake… not so big, and then two others follow him behind singing as they each carried a tray of food, singing a ‘happy birthday’ while the one in front carried the lighted cake inscribed “Happy 27th Samantha”
“Oh my God!!!’’ she closes her mouth with her hands as she laughs throwing back her head… it pleased him that he could make a girl happy without having to do the extra ordinarily… it was a strange and thrilling feeling that was new and beautiful at the same time.
He joins them to sing for her and claps too when they were done
“Thank you so much” she tells them as they leave
“So, make a wish” he urges her
She stares at him… “My wishes never come true”
“Maybe it might, you never know. Make a wish”
Okay, here goes. she closes her eyes and then blows out the candle
“What do you wish for?’’
She smiles “if I tell you, I would have to kill you’
“Damn, Tushei Samantha!! But fair enough, here” he cuts the cake and then forks it, placing it close to her mouth “You know in India, you are allowed to feed another sweets and cakes“
“We aren’t in India”
“Still. AHHHH, open up now”
She did eating it, “Now my turn”
They share a smile
*
Samantha is staring at him while they eat the cake and then the food laid out for them, listening to the music playing in the background and she is wondering if she is dreaming. This was the same Bass that she fought all the time for the little time they worked together. This was the same man who she couldn’t stay in the same room with all the time he tried to control and enforce his will and didn’t care about a woman’s feeling.
Now he was being so different she could swear he wasn’t the one. He was not throwing into her face that he is rich and wealthy but rather he was doing simple little things for her, enjoying the streets with her, eating at the road side, chasing ducks and singing karaoke at a pub bar. Now he was… sharing a cake with her that he ordered just for her and they were actually enjoying each other’s company.
There was no doubt he really wasn’t the same person and she had to admit, this New Bass threw her off guard, and now she wasn’t so sure if when she said she didn’t like him, it was true anymore, maybe she was just lying to herself.
*
Done, they leave and he walks her to her door, his was opposite.
“Thank you for a wonderful day” she tells him..as she slid’s her card to open her door
“Thank you for showing me the other side of the divide Samantha” he smiles
They are staring at each other ..
“Goodnight”
“Goodnight”
She turns away..
He wants to stop her …but he doesn’t …he wouldn’t want her to feel as though she owes him and he would want to take advantage of that. No.
He turns away.
“Bass, earlier, you said you wanted to tell me something,what was it?”
“It’s nothing” He lies
“Okay, goodnight”
“Sleep well Samantha”
*
It is 11pm and neither of them could sleep. Showered and in bed, he keeps thinking about her.
“I can’t stop thinking about you Samantha, I can’t. Dear Lord !!’’
He turns to his side, sighing he gets up and walks to his balcony, he gets a bottle of water and then drinks it.. just staring out.
*
Samantha isn’t asleep either.
“What did he mean he wants to tell me how he felt, what did he really feel, why didn’t he say?’’
She turns away, trying to sleep, but every time she closes her eyes… his face pops up, and tonight that near-kiss they almost had.
Why didn’t he try to kiss her at the door again?
Argh!!
There was no denying it, she had feelings, strong feelings for him and she didn’t know what to do about it.
She gets up and walks to her balcony..
She hugs herself, closing her eyes.
“Oh Bass, what have you done to me?”
She couldn’t sleep.
And neither could he.
So they laid awake
12:23pm.
