' Can't You See? I'm Climbing Up A Tree '

"Hello, I'm quite honoured to meet you er..." I stammered. Mom raised a brow questioningly at me. I looked up at Peter whose face was devoid of any expression.

Strange.

'Terrified ' was not enough to describe how I felt. The man I successfully avoided for a couple of weeks was standing before me, smiling like a loon. I had an urge to slap the amusement from his face, but then that would be perfect, don't you think?

"Florence, meet Mr. Ross, he's... " My mom began, to ease the tension building up. She always liked to be a mistress of every situation, awkward, tense, moody, name it. Just one of the reasons why I adore my mother.

"I don't think there's any need for any introduction, Mrs Steel, your daughter and I know each other quite well."

The way he laid emphasis on the last two words made me wish I could strangle him to death.

Philip glanced first at Peter who gave him a tight smile, and then, he shifted his gaze to me. I shuddered as his eyes rested on me. It felt like they emitted laser beams that pierced through my body and soul.

My mom shrugged and proceeded to say something else when Mara, Maya, is it? appeared beside him and snuck her hands into his arm.

She stared pointedly at me and I held on tightly to Peter who now wore a bored expression.

"Florence is it? How are you doing?" Maya asked. 

"I'm fine thanks, it's good to see you again," I smiled back at her and she  returned a fake smile.

Ha! I feel so loved.

My mom looked from me to Maya and back to me again, apparently, she was lost, I understood her plight.

"I'll leave you guys then," Mom walked away from us and we all stood in silence.

"Baby, I've not tasted a single drop of wine since we arrived, can we go to the bar now?" Maya spoke up and I was grateful to her for destroying the awkwardness hanging around us.

Philip nodded and allowed her pull him in the direction of the bar after glancing briefly at me.

Peter squeezed my palm lightly. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah." I replied and he kissed the top of my hair. After drinking the remaining wine in the goblet, I handed the empty goblet to a waiter standing beside me.

"Come on" Peter tugged my arm and I followed him to a door which he opened.

I stepped out of the door into a large hallway. I admired the elegance of my mother's new fashion store through some pictures displayed on the wall, which changed occasionally to a different one.

My mom was discussing with a few men who apparently aren't paying attention to anything she was saying, their eyes travelled all over her body in admiration and I rolled my eyes.

Peter and I wandered down the hallway, gazing at the pictures on the wall.

After a few minutes, we went back to the ballroom where a dance session was in progress. Peter comically bowed and asked me to dance with him and I did.

Finally, the party came to an end at exactly 1:00a.m. Exhausted, I followed Peter to his car, he offered to drop me off but I politely declined, telling him that I needed to search for my sister.

"Florence!" My sister called out and I spun around to see her making wobbly steps towards me.

Michael held her up so she wouldn't fall.

She kissed my cheek sloppily and waved her hands dramatically. Rolling my eyes, I turned to Michael with a glare.

"How much did she drink?" I demanded.

"Way too much, I tried to stop her, but she had her way." He explained. I sighed and glanced at my sister who was a complete wreck, she made funny noises and poked my chest with a finger.

"Ju mssed out hnn all the funnnnn..." She slurred and I restrained myself from bursting into laughter.

My eyes flicked to her hands, noticing her purse was missing.

"I'll go search for her purse, take her home." I instructed.

Tamara tried to stick her finger into Michael's mouth but he chuckled at her state and swatted the finger away. "How are you going to get back home?"

I pointed at my mom's car parked at a corner and he reluctantly pulled Tamara to his car. I hurried back to the second floor to search for Tamara's purse.

The hall was relatively quiet and I picked my way through the numerous chairs, my eyes searching for signs of a silver purse. A glitter caught my attention and I walked to a chair where Tamara's purse laid.

I picked it up and advanced to the elevator after glancing into the purse to ensure nothing was missing. I bumped into a wall and looked up in alarm, I didn't expect anyone to be here.

A familiar face was grinning widely at me.

"Mr Ross." I called, closing Tamara's purse.

"Philip. What are you doing here?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "This place belongs to my mom. I have every right to be here."

"Tsk tsk tsk... arrogant are we?" He teased, regarding me with those tormenting eyes of his.

"Please, I have places to be, if you could excuse me." I replied flippantly, silently blaming Tamara for leaving her purse behind. I wouldn't have bumped into this man here. 

I walked past him to the elevator which opened up for me to step into, he followed me into the elevator and I rolled my eyes. I moved to a corner, a safe distance away from him.

"Am I too hot for you to handle?" he pressed the button for the ground floor and the elevator descended with us.

I glared at him and he closed the mouth he was about saying something with.

Suddenly, the elevator halted with a jolt that sent me flying forwards. I landed in Mr Philip's open arms. I stayed in his arms for awhile, breathing heavily. While in his arms, I felt protected from everything I feared, I hated to feel that way, but I did. I inhaled deeply the scent of his cologne. Smells good...

Wait, what am I doing?.

I sprang away from him and he looked at me confusedly

"What's going on?" I asked.

What does it look like? I'm stuck in hell.

" Miss Florence, it seems like you're going to be stuck with me for awhile"
He smirked.

No, this is not happening to me.

I groaned and leaned against the wall of the elevator, opposite Mr Philip who imitated me. We stood in uncomfortable silence while I busied myself with counting down the jewels that adorned the elevator.

I expected Mr. Philip to withdraw his phone from a pocket and make a call or something, but he didn't, I brought my phone from my pocket and tried turning it on, but it didn't come on. There was only one explanation; my battery's dead.

I sighed and looked down at my feet where my heels were torturing my feet, I whipped them off and flung them aside. Good, one source of discomfort gone, another problem, I can't keep on standing.

I slid down to the floor and sat,bringing my knees to my chest. Mr Philip stared at me like I was insane.

"What are you doing?" He asked and I rolled my eyes,his question was unnecessary.

"What does it look like I'm doing? Can't you see? I'm climbing up a tree." I spat with a frown.

I expected a comeback from him, but surprisingly, his lips tilted up in a smile. That smile that once captivated me is still doing the same thing to me. My stomach rumbled, not loudly for him to hear though.

We locked eyes for a minute till I looked away. All I thought about was this night's is going to be a long night. Wait, it's morning right?

Duh, who cares?