His Dark Obsession

4. A Ball

how girls did themselves up like this everyday, to me, it seemed like such a waste of time. This was worse than my birthday, a full body wax, which I refused to let the beautician do around my private areas, but knowing how Grandmother Philomena might get upset, I did it myself. It wasn’t like I didn’t usually do it. Grandmother always made sure I was always presentable. I had just finished getting dressed in the black dress, with heavy smoky makeup and my hair up in a quiff with the rest left open. Only after that was I finally left alone in my room with grandmother Philomena warning me to stay ready. I stared in the mirror of my silent room, the ticking of the clock loud in my ears. Almost as if the clock was taunting me, ticking down to my demise. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. The sound became louder, more intense, and soon the beating of my heart joined it. Each passing second was dragging out longer, but also not long enough as I waited for what came next. Thud, thud, thud. My heart began racing, and I knew the panic I was trying to hide from tonight was building. My heart felt like it wanted to leap out my throat, butterflies filled my stomach, making me nauseous, and I could feel a headache building behind the back of my eyes. I placed my hands to my head, when suddenly a loud knock made my head snap up. “Come in!” I shouted, my voice sounding shrill. The door opened and none other than Sinclair stepped inside, he looked incredibly handsome in a black tux. His hair styled perfectly.  He smiled gently. My breath hitched, I was not planning on having to face him so soon. I couldn’t bring myself to plaster a fake smile on my face, instead I watched him stop just inside my door. “Mind if I come in for a moment?”