Forbidden Nights

ONE | PARTY

ONE | PARTY

THE SOUND OF LAUGHTER AND GENTLE CONVERSATIONS FILLED UP THE LARGE ROOM. The bored teenager rested her face in the palm of her hand, looking around the room for something that interested her. Evelina's house, more like a mansion, was filled with businessmen and women. Her parents were throwing their monthly house party to celebrate, well, nothing really. 

Evelina's parents were entrepreneurs who owned a huge company, everyone at the lavish party either worked for her parents or were family friends. No one the bratty teenager would be interested talking to. In fact, Evelina wished she were anywhere but the party. She was forced to be there and act like she enjoyed it. 

"Ev, dear," Her mom came up to her, wine glass in hand. "Why aren't you socializing?" The forty-two-year-old woman interrogated her daughter before taking a long sip of her red wine. 

Evelina groaned, making her stubborn mother raise her perfectly arched brows. "I hate these things." The girl bluntly said. 

Her mother only scoffed before looking down at her daughter's outfit. "You know how I feel about that dress, Evelina!" She exclaimed. 

Evelina looked down at the satin red dress that clung tightly to her slim body. It was a little showy, she admitted in her head. She wouldn't let her mother know that, though. 

"I think it looks perfectly fine," She shrugged, casually taking a sip of the glass that was on the table next to them. 

"I told you that-" Her mother stopped mid-sentence, then roughly grabbed the glass out of her daughter's hand and sniffed it. Smelling the wine, her face had suddenly gone red with anger. 

"Evelina Marino!" She exclaimed, but quickly lowered her voice, not wanting anyone nearby to hear. "Why are you drinking this?" She demanded an answer from her daughter. 

"It was only one glass." Was all Evelina said with a careless shrug, her mother looked around them. Noticing that everyone around them was invested in their own conversations, she quickly dumped the glass of wine into the plant next to them. Evelina scoffed at that. 

"Imagine if anyone but me was to catch you." That statement was meant to scare Evelina, but she didn't care. She didn't care for any of this, especially not her parent's reputation. 

"Just," Her mom sighed, causing her forehead to crease. "Go, go socialize. Just behave or else your father is going to hear about this." She warned, talking about the wine. 

Evelina didn't say yes or no to her mother's warning before the woman had walked off again to go talk to other people. Evelina stayed sitting on the bar stool. Hearing a buzz, she picked her phone up from the table next to her and checked it. 

Confirm that you're still with us! 

It was a notification from the hotline she worked for, asking her to confirm she still worked as an operator for them. She sighed setting her phone back down, telling herself she'd do it later. 

After the scare she had a week ago, she had taken a break from it. It still gave her chills even thinking about it. 

"Evelina!" She heard her mom's chirpy voice yell at her from the next room. Too tired to test her parents tonight, she reluctantly got to her feet - which were aching from the Louboutins she had on. "Evelina! Get in here!" Her mom shouted again, causing Evelina to groan and roll her big green eyes. 

Making her way through the sea of business people and into the next room. She spotted her parents talking to the Vitali's, they lived in the house next door. They were friends with her parents.

"What is it?" The impatient teen snapped. 

"Hey now," Her father warned. "The Vitali's wanted to say hi to you." He motioned to the good-looking couple that stood across from her parents. 

"Hello Ev," The twenty-nine-year-old woman smiled at Evelina. Mrs. Vitali adored Evelina, she had known the teen since she was nine and treated her like she was her own child sometimes, seeing that the Vitali's couldn't have children of their own.

The adolescent couldn't help but offer a small smile to the woman.

"Evelina." Mrs. Vitali's husband greeted, his deep stern voice caused Evelina to get chills. His dark eyes looked over at the adolescent with intensity, something Evelina hadn't ever seemed to see him do before. 

 Mr. Vitali was studying her carefully like he was trying to figure her out. She had always thought that Mr. Vitali was exceptionally handsome, even when she was younger she thought he was. He was more reserved than his wife was though, so Evelina wasn't as close to him.

Tearing her eyes away from the intimidating man, Evelina looked back at her parents. "Hey, is it okay if I go upstairs?" She wanted to go to bed. 

Her parents looked at each other, exchanging a knowing look before facing their daughter again, "No, but you can go talk to some more people," Her mother smiled. To someone else, it might've looked like a normal, gentle smile. To Evelina, it was a warning that meant if she were to disobey her parents and go upstairs, they would make sure she regretted that decision the next day. 

With a groan and a quick "fine", the teen slumped over and walked back into the kitchen. She knew the night wouldn't be over anytime soon - it was only 9 o'clock, which for Mr. and Mrs. Marino that meant the night was just beginning. After all, they did live in the city that never sleeps.

Grabbing a random glass of white wine off the kitchen counter, Evelina took a long sip and tried to get through the rest of the night.