Free Falling

03 | electric

Nate insisted on being present while I got ready for the dinner. It came with an advantage and a disadvantage, the advantage being that I could get a guy's perspective on how I looked.

The fact that he annoyingly criticized me every second was the disadvantage.

"Wear your hair down, Amy. You're going to a dinner party at some ritzy hotel, not a bar." He teased.

I looked over at him and sneered, making sure he got the stink eye. "Well, fairy godmother, why don't you do some of your bippidy-boppidy-boo magic of yours and make me ball gown Cinderella?" I snapped.

Nate raised his hands up in surrender from his position on my couch. "I'm just trying to be of help."

Genevieve said she'd send a chauffeured car to come pick me in an hour's time before stopping at her place and heading straight for the venue. I was currently hovering over my kitchen island with a white bathrobe on. I should really be getting dressed.

I took a sip of water from the cup in my hand and leaned against the kitchen frame. At the rate I was drinking, I'd be making dashes for the restroom every five minutes. But it was a way of calming my nerves. "How do you think this night is going to end out?"

Nate shrugged. "Beats me. Just please, socialize. I beg you. You might just hit it off with someone."

"Don't hold your breath."

He tapped idly on his phone for a moment then piped up, "what's up with Jo? Is she like an insta influencer now? Her page is huge."

I sighed. "Yeah, well she has always had a flair for social stuff. At least there's one person in the family who isn't a wallflower."

I chose to study in a state far away from home because I needed the independence from my family and a totally different scene. Manhattan was wild-it knew it too-and although I had to do a lot of adapting, I liked it here. Nate had planned to move here after graduating from Stanford and the idea of living in the same city was comforting.

Graduating highschool was a relief and the thought that I could leave unpleasant things behind was a welcome idea. Looking back at it now, I just ran. I was coming from a place with memories I wanted to forget and what better way than to start afresh? My siblings were non identical twins Lars and Josephine. I had no problem with those two, except they were a troublesome duo.

I finally pulled myself in and got dressed, taking my time with my hair and make-up. A little over thirty minutes later, I sauntered into the living room where Nate hadn't budged an inch.

I stood in front of him and posed, a silly grin on my lips. It took me back to second grade when I'd dress up in my mom's clothes and Nate would be over at my house while my parents were at work. In one particular memory my lips were thick with my mum's red lipstick with my face caked in white foundation. I had a difficult time balancing on her heels, her expensive pearls dangling off my neck. Nate had said I looked like a clown, to which I burst out crying. He had to buy a shitload of sweets to pacify me for a full week.

But his reaction this time was completely different, his eyes lighting up at the sight of me. I caught the wide grin that tore across his lips and smirked as he wolf whistled.

"Damn, Amy. I don't think the guys at that party will be able to hold their shit together tonight."

"Ingrid said that's the plan." After roaming stores for a good portion of my afternoon on Monday, we both settled on a red dress that was both simple and elegant. It bore a plunging neckline because Ingrid was going berserk about me showcasing my bountiful assets, and ended just above my knees. A black pair of stilettos I've had on only twice since Jo got them for me last Christmas adorned my feet. Just like Nate had persuaded, I wore my raven hair down.