Search for the Soul Gem

Chapter Ten

     I pushed the door closed with my heel.

     "Alright J, how fancy is the party you're sending me to?" I asked, dropping all the books and papers to the counter as I made my way back to my bedroom.

     "Well, Mr. Stark is wearing a suit," JARVIS stated.

     "Oh great, so it's fancy," I groaned as I reached my closet.

     "Yes,"

     "Awesome," I muttered as I looked through my clothes. I'd been living in jeans and t-shirt for months, I wasn't even sure I had anything fancy. I managed to find one dress that was suitable for a fancy party. Now armed with a dress, I walked over to the bathroom. The floor tiles warmed my feet as I undressed for the adventure that was a shower. After the 15 minute task of showering, I emerged and put the dress on. It was a deep blue dress with a plunging neckline that went down to my knees and was flowy. It was the only 'fancy' dress I owned. I did my makeup to hide the fact I haven't been really sleeping. After drying my hair, I reentered my room on a quest for shoes. In the back of my closet, I found a pair of white pumps with a small clasp across my ankle and rhinestones on the heel. With my shoes now on, I looked in the mirror again.

     "How do I look J?" I asked, turning in the mirror to look at all the different angles.

     "Very beautiful miss, you will fit in well at the party," JARVIS said. I pursed my lips together and sighed. I wasn't sure how I felt about this party but what else was I going to do. I placed the compass over my head and it rested against my throat.

     "So where is this party J?" I asked stepping out of my apartment and pressing my hand against the metal door. The lock clicked over and I began to look for elevator.

     "It's on the party deck ma'am," JARVIS said as I reached the elevator. The doors slid open and I stepped inside the elevator.

     "What floor is that?" I asked looking at all the buttons on the wall.

     "Don't worry miss, I'll get you to the floor," JARVIS said. The button with the number 97 lit up and the elevator started up. The light music drifted down from the speakers as I slowly made my way up to the party deck. With every inch I traveled up, I became more and more nervous. My fingers fidgeted with the hem line of my dress as the elevator doors slid open slowly. There was a short hallway that led to a corner. Drifting in from around the corner was the dull sound of conversation and low music. Every once in a while, a loud, chorus of laughter would make its way to me. The elevators slid closed behind me, trapping me on the floor. I took a deep breath and started toward the party. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever. I finally reached the corner and looked down for a moment. After a deep breath I turned the corner and emerged out into a large, beautiful room. The room was huge and open with stairs that led up to two separate lofts that circled the entire room. I'd come in on the third floor loft that circled the room and I walked over to the ledge in a daze. I'd never seen anything this beautiful in my life. The entire wall to my left was entirely made of glass and let it a breathtaking view of New York City in the twilight. The sunset behind the buildings threw a watercolor of color across the sky. Guests were mingling around on the first floor, talking and drinking and laughing and on the second floor, the guests were walking and taking in the beautiful view. I momentarily forgot that I was at Stark's party and that I didn't know anyone here, all I could do was stare out the window mesmerized.

     "Wow," I breathed awestruck.

     "You like it?" Banner asked, appearing next to me. I jumped slightly and looked over at him. He wore a simple black suit with a purple collared shirt that was unbuttoned a bit at the top.