Battlefield ｡ Tony Stark

24 - JUST A GIRL IN A DRESS

Change can be good for somebody, good for the soul. As days blurred into weeks, the idea of having Tony back in my life became a consent. I had feared having him back would become harmful, that I would fall back into the past somehow but that was not the case. Quite the opposite actually. Having him back was changing everything and maybe that wasn't so bad.

"Attending the city's biggest social event of the year? That's something I couldn't miss out on." Lucy was gathering the long skirt from her black dress in her hands as the limousine pulled up outside Disney Concert Hall.

I had gotten the invitations a few days ago to Tony Stark's third annual benefit for the Fire Fighter's Family Fund. It was a kind gesture from Miss Pepper Potts herself. I had been very hesitant about attending the event, I didn't want to put myself out there for the public eye, not when things had been going so smoothly with Tony and Samuel. But Pepper was very persistent if anything and assumed us it would be a nice night to mingle. She had figured I would have brought Henry Jackson as my date but we hadn't gone on another date since and I felt odd about inviting him so Lucy Hammer was my plus one. "I can't believe you scored invites. I never knew having the city's resident playboy as your baby daddy would have so many perks." 

"Lu, try and behave tonight." I reminded her, sending Pepper Potts a tiny smile as she piled out of the car first, flashing lights of cameras blinding me for a second. "We wouldn't want to get kicked out for chugging down free champagne or heaven forbid, dirty dancing with the waiter."

My best friend pouted. "That was one time." 

I readjusted my necklace, hoping tonight would go smoothly. Samuel was spending the night with my mother, something he wasn't very happy about, but with Lucy with me and Tony rather busy with his new found personal project, he was stuck with his grandmother. I was so close to bailing on tonight but with an overly excited Lucy, I was sitting in a fancy limousine waiting to step onto a red carpet. "Plus, shouldn't I be reminding you to behave? Seeing Mr. Tony Stark in a black suit won't help that crush blooming."

Lucy didn't miss a beat apparently. Although I hadn't spoken my thoughts out loud, I found myself standing on the edge of the past with a boy who wasn't good for me. Spending so much time with Tony once again, proved I couldn't help myself. "I don't have a crush." I hissed across at her as we piled out of the car together, the warm air flushing my cheeks. "I can't have a crush on my son's father. I don't think it works like that." 

"Fine, let's not use the would crush." Lucy went on, giving a big grin to the row of camera men and journalists reporting the evening event. I shied away from the cameras, turning my head towards the staircase where I spotted Obadiah Stane, a friend of Tony's father and the man who had somewhat groomed Tony for the company. "Falling back in love with your son's father is another way we can spell it out." 

My attention snapped towards her, my mouth falling open slightly. She leaned over, letting her fingers tap under my chin to close my mouth, a grin on her pretty face. "I'm not in love with him." I objected quickly, tugging her along the red carpet and towards the hall. "Tony won't even be here tonight." 

With recent gossip reports and far too many news updates on Tony Stark's company, the world was in a freak panic. Tony hadn't been seen in public since his out of character press conference, some claimed he was suffering from post traumatic stress. That's what Obadiah would like the press to believe anyway. "Well, that's quite a shame." Lucy muttered quietly as we climbed the staircase and blended into the sea of fancy dressed snobs. 

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