The Chauffeur || Thomas Sangster AU COMPLETED

XLIV.

Author's Note: Hey guys! I would really love to post the trailer of the sequel but as of now, I'd be spoiling you guys if I did! Hahaha so Here's a bonus update in celebration of 11.7k reads of The Chauffeur and 200 followers! hahaha YAY!

***

I was trembling from head to toe; the Christmas ball was in a couple of hours and all I could do to relieve the anxiety and stress was to flatten the non-existent wrinkles on the dress that Thomas gave me. It was a long, red, Greek-Goddess like dress that had a slit on its side to show off my leg up to my thigh. It was a sleeveless but unlike the dress in the shop, it covered my cleavage better. The Gold belt wrapped around my waist and the gold lace hung on top of my shoulders, keeping the straps together. My make-up was done by Mandy and she followed my request not to put too much. I hated to admit it but I actually looked- God forbid, attractive. The sides of the dress had clung to my curves and I didn't even bother trying to control the slit and what it was showing since it showed just enough to keep attention. I really didn't want any more than I was going to have though.

Thomas hadn't seen me yet but at this point, I was actually scared of showing him. What if he didn't like the dress on me? What if he backed out- that would've been great news. I wanted to back out too. Aside from the stress from how I looked, I was trembling thanks to the partnership announcing. I hated talking in front of so many people; As the daughter of a high-class family, I had to speak in public and socialize with adults but that never meant I liked it nor gotten used to it. I always hated it and will always hate it.

I let out a shaky breathe in attempt to calm myself but immediately jumped when I felt something around my waist. Thomas chuckled beside me and pulled me closer to him. We looked at each other through the mirror and I might have mistakenly saw adoration in his eyes as he stared at me.

"You're so beautiful" he whispered, his lips beside my ear. I grinned, feeling the riots in my stomach and my heart racing. I stepped away from him before I turned to him, wagging my finger at him.

"No. Shoo- the last time we were here. Something happened and it's not going to happen" I emphasized and he grinned nodding.

"You don't know how much self-control and restrained I needed before all this" he smirked and my eyes lifted up to meet his and I smiled at the memory of every backfire of our No Reaction games. I remembered every moment he spent looking at my lips and jumping away from me.

His eyes traveled from my face to my chest and he reached up, his fingertips brushing my collarbone as he took the pendant in between his fingers.

"I saw your cuts last time... I just didn't want to bring it up" he muttered and my smile fell. I remembered that, it was when I wasn't talking to Thomas yet. He bit his lip, staring at the pendant before his other hand reached for my arm and brought it up to his face. The wound had started healing but it still had a tinge of red on it. He pressed his lips to each one gently, I could barely feel his soft lips on my skin. But where his lips touched, it tingled and burned.

"When you get nervous up there, hold on to the pendant. Hold on to me" he instructed and I nodded. He leaned in slowly before kissing me softly; it was such a delicate kiss, it was as if he was scared I would break any time but I wasn't. I was getting better and I was happy about that. He pulled away and smiled at me.

"Have you taken your prescription already?" he asked, motioning to my pill organizer.

"Yes, daddy. I have" I teased and he cocked his brow at 'daddy'. I gave him a straight face as he wiggled his brows suggestively.

"In your dreams, Sangster"

*

The camera's flashed and people crowded the entrance. This what I never understood about paparazzi, we were just business people, not celebrities. Then again, they did this every year. News casters livestreamed and narrated every arrival, including ours.

"Here we have the Kathelyn Thompson together with a Mystery date- Oh! People are saying this Mystery date is the one and only Thomas Sangster!" I overheard one of them announce. The others heard this and immediately turned to us. Great. My palm was sweating like crazy as I held onto to Thomas who squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"The Thomas Brodie-Sangster finally revealed his identity and his relationship with Kathelyn Thompson!" another screamed and I badly wanted to just drag Thomas with me inside the building. As Thomas and I walked on the red carpet, mics were shoved in our faces; mostly Thomas since he lifted his arm to protect me from them.

"Mr. Sangster! Do you have anything to say about you and Miss Thompson?" a reporter asked. Thomas and I looked at each other before he spoke; a proud and triumphant smile on his face.

"You'll just have to wait for the announcement. But if you were wondering, she's my girlfriend" he announced proudly and the media went mad. I elbowed him lightly on the side, looking down to hide the blush on my cheeks. Way to go, Sangster. He grinned at me, "I have every right to be proud to call you mine, Thank you very much"

I chuckled and shook my head in disbelief, separating from Thomas for a bit; just so I could get rid of the heat on my cheeks so he wouldn't make fun of me for it.

"Kathelyn! Any insights on what happened in school grounds yesterday?" the other one asked before showing me a picture of Thomas and I under the tree, Alex half way turning around with a scared expression on his face. I bit my lip and shook my head. I didn't know what to say that could have possibly been safe and not manipulated by the media. After several more questions and hundreds of pictures, we finally got inside the building and I sighed in relief. The waiter took us to our table and our reserved seats which were near the stage, the middle of the large hall was empty and cleared out for anyone planning to dance.

"You must have been a ninja for the press to only discover how you looked today" Liam commended with a slow clap and Thomas chuckled.

"No. I was just a chauffeur- Am! I am just a chauffeur" he realized before he turned to me with wide eyes and I burst out laughing. Gran was going to kill me if she saw how 'unlady like' I was acting. "You still haven't given my pay for this month by the way"

I continued to laugh at him, he was unbelievable. He watched me with an amused smile as I struggled to control my fit of laughter. "That's not fair! You're already a billionaire!" I whined and he chuckled.

"You're right, how about a kiss then?" he teased and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Cash it is"

*

I was trembling and I was dazed. I only snapped out of it when I was actually handed the mic. My other hand grasped on it tightly and the other subconsciously brought my pendant in between my fingers. We were on the stage with hundreds of people staring at us, waiting for my gran to stop talking and for our turn. I let out a string of curse words under my breath. I couldn't do it. I turned on my heel and started to walk away but Thomas grabbed my wrist, forcing me to turn around.

"Where are you going?" he asked with pinched brows.

"I can't do this, Thomas. Everyone's here and I-I-" I struggled to control my breathing. I had taken my anxiety and bipolar pills earlier this morning, they couldn't have been wearing off now?

"No no no no. Calm down, Katy. You can do this. I'm here, trust me" he whispered, coming near me so his face was inches from mine. His breath fanned my face as he brought my wrist to his chest, bringing us closer to each other.

"Thomas, please. I don't want to do this-"

"I can't do this without you, baby. Hold onto me" he reassured, taking my hand that had been holding onto the pendant and interwined our fingers. He leaned in and kissed me gently before pulling away as our named were called and we made our way to the middle of the stage.

"Hold onto me"