The Cinderella Agreement (Completed) [Featured Story]

29: The Party (3)

It seemed as if time had contracted itself into a span within those minutes. At first, she wondered if this was some cruel joke that Marshall was trying to pull, for whatever reason, but the serious expression on his face only deepened with each passing second, and she realized that this was as real as global warming itself. "Oh my God are we going to get arrested?!"

"Not if we leave fast enough. Let's move, move. I came with Bo."

Marshall opened the kitchen door leading into the slush of sweaty human beings that were already hightailing it out of there. She almost asked why they couldn't just use the back door but then reasoned that maybe the mere might be more cops targeting that exit, plus, Bo's car would probably be parked out front.

"Have you seen Paris?" Mit asked Marshall, and amidst all of the pandemonium, is surprised that he managed to hear her.

"No! She probably went with Aimee or something."

"But she came with her own car." And she and Aimee aren't on the best terms at the moment. "It doesn't make any sense."

"I don't know, Mit we just have to get out."

"I can go..." she started to loosen the tight hold of Marshall's hand around her wrist. "I can go check if she's upstairs or something. I'll be quick. Promise."

"We don't have time for that." They were already at the door. She could see the purple of Bo's hair glowing from the driver's seat in the parked SUV outside. She could also hear the faint noise of distant sirens. "Come on!"

"I'll be right back, promise," she said again, before finally breaking free and rushing for the staircase.

"Mit!" Marshall was shouting; the loudest she'd ever heard him be. "You're making a mistake! You're going to get arrested!"

But she wouldn't hear, and she kept on running.

Running, running, running towards a ruination.