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SEVEN
~ Elina ~
It had been a week of constant fear.
Even with Zane and Jian coming to check on me every day after work, I was still worried that Seth might show up at any moment. I hated that he still exuded power over me even after we had split ways. I just wanted the nightmare to be over so I could move on with someone else.
“Elina? Are you in there?”
I could recognize his voice even before I opened the door. I smiled as I welcomed Zane. But he looked different.
“Why are you so dressed up?” I asked.
He grinned, “Because we’re going out tonight.”
“What? I didn’t know we had plans.”
“That’s because it’s a surprise. You’ve had a hell of a week, and we still haven’t managed to talk. I want you to get you away from all your troubles. It’s Friday night, and there’s no point staying in and worrying. I’ve got something special in store.”
If it had been anyone else, I knew that I would have said no but seeing Zane standing there in a smart shirt, vest and pants with that grin made me give in. Why not have some fun? And he was right. We still needed to talk. That week he had been solely focused on keeping me safe and my mind off of Seth. We still needed to talk about that kiss.
That one perfect kiss that I can’t stop thinking about.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
I didn’t think it was possible, but somehow his smile widened, “Volts.”
My mouth dropped open. Volts Jazz Club was one of the most distinguished venues in the entirety of Cherrywood Falls. Its reputation was impeccable, and it had been known to host some of the most famous jazz musicians in the world. It was every jazz-lovers dream to get in there, but it was near impossible to get tickets.
“How?”
He brandished two golden tickets. They glinted in the overhead light. Even the appearance of the tickets looked expensive.
“I know some people,” Zane said secretively, “And I thought we might as well satisfy our jazz cravings. It has been some time since we listened together.”
He was right. We used to hide out in my room listening to records when we were younger. Zane had introduced me to jazz, and I had been in love with it ever since. It was one of the main things we connected over, and I was giddy just thinking about going to Volts with him.
“I can’t go looking like this,” I looked down at myself, “Can you give me an hour to get ready?”
He nodded, “And that’s why I arrived early. I’ll whip up some cocktails in the meantime, and we can have a drink before we head out.”
Bursting with happiness, I rushed upstairs to get ready. A quick shower and a change of clothes, and I was ready to go. I had opted for a calf-length shirt dress that cinched in at the waist. Drying my hair, I flipped it to the side and scrunched it for volume, and then finally whipped on a quick bit of makeup to highlight my eyes. It had been a fast process, but I was still impressed with the end result. I just hoped Zane would be too. I held my breath as I walked downstairs to find him.
He turned at the sound of my footsteps, and his mouth dropped open, “Wow. You look absolutely stunning.”
I could feel my cheeks warm up at his compliment. As promised, he passed me over one of the cocktails he had made, and we clinked glasses before I took a sip.
“This is delicious,” I commented, “What is it?”
“Sex on the Beach.”
The way he said it made my heart flutter with excitement. I had to look away before he could see me blush once more. We chatted for a while before draining the last drop from my glass, ready to leave and see the famous Volts in action.
“The Uber is waiting outside. Do you need to do anything before we go?” he asked.
I looked around nervously. For the entire week, I had kept expecting Seth to show up inside my house. Him finding a way in to get at me. I knew I was being crazy, but after the show he had put on Monday, I was uneasy. Zane seemed to sense this and placed a comforting hand on my forearm.
“Nothing is going to happen to you, especially with me around.”
