Chapter 15: The Governor's gala (3)
The water was fresh, and pleasant on the skin. The weather up there was warm even if it was late in the evening, so May didn't feel any stress from being thrown into the pool. She let herself sink, but she knew she couldn't stay there forever.
If she delayed, someone might have thought to jump in to save her - which would make everything even more embarrassing.
She swam to the surface and reached the border. She pulled herself up with little effort, but she moved slowly as to look like a delicate maiden.
«Oh, my! Oh, my!» Lorelei was screaming next to the border. She didn't think of helping May out but stood there, one hand on her lips and her eyes wide in shock. «You shouldn't wear high heels if you don't know how to walk!»
May's eyes moved to one of her shoes, not far from them. The other one was likely in the pool, lost forever and ruined by the water. Not that she cared. She had taken the most expensive shoes she had found just to make her grandfather spend money on her.
She was sitting on the floor, collecting her energy to get up, when she noticed how the clothes had glued on her body. Not only that: the fabric had become transparent, revealing her bra with so much clarity that she couldn't think of getting up anymore. She would be showing her underwear to everyone and - as much as she didn't care for those people's opinions - she wasn't ready to give up on her dignity.
She placed her arms in front of her, to shield herself from the gazes, franticly looking for a way out. How could she reach the exit and disappear without making a show? All eyes were on her since Lorelei caused a commotion - and was still continuing to scream about how May should be careful not to hurt herself.
A pair of familiar hands placed a man's jacket on May's shoulders. She turned to Morgan, who nodded at her with a straight face that almost made her laugh.
He had her back, didn't he? But he was still wearing his jacket. So, whose was that?
What a dumb question: whose could it be? Chris Lindt was far away, in a corner hardly visible from the pool, chatting with some men from his party while wearing only his white shirt.
May's fingers clutched the soft material, drowning in the scent and absorbing the warmth still engraved in it. He had been so thoughtful as to send Morgan, who was known as her friend, not to attract too much attention. But he had ensured she received some help.
It made her happy, even for a single moment.
«Grandpa, I'm afraid May is hurt,» Lorelei said when Leonard Thorne reached them. Her voice was broken by the emotions, her eyes wet and a couple of tears already on her cheeks.
Lorelei hated May to the guts. The latter couldn't understand why, but she had become used to it after years of bullying and tricks like the one of that evening. It had become part of her normal day.
«May, you should go dry yourself. It's getting cold, and I don't want you to catch a cold,» Leonard Thorne said. He helped his granddaughter up and accompanied her to the door.
He opened it for her, and he signalled with his hand to get in.
«Go home,» he ordered with a low tone soon after ensuring no one else could hear them. «You couldn't wait for the speech before bringing me shame, could you?»
May didn't reply. It was not the first time, after all. She wasn't expecting to be asked about her version of the events.
She wouldn't be asked, usually. And it didn't matter anymore. There was a time when her grandfather could hurt or anger her with his attitude, but those years were long gone. She had grown up and accepted that her family wouldn't ever accept her. They wouldn't love her the way her mother did, and she was glad for that one person loving her without conditions. Everyone else could go to hell.
She turned her back to the rooftop and walked away. In front of the door to the room her grandfather had reserved, she found Chris Lindt, leaning on the wall and waiting for her.
«Are you all right?» he asked as soon as he saw her. He split from the wall and observed her from head to toe.
«Yes,» May replied.
She tried opening the door and disappearing, but he stopped her by grabbing her forearm. She tried breaking free from the clutch but - much to her surprise - she failed. How could he be so strong? No, it wasn't even strength that made her surrender: there was something that made her body unable to fight him.
She gave up quite soon, and Chris pulled her back and used a handkerchief to clean the smudged makeup from her face. He held her chin with one hand, while the other delicately rubbed off every stain from her face. His touch was light, and she didn't feel any need to flee. It was a refreshing novelty, for her.
She hadn't felt taken care of in a long, long time. It made her eyes water, but she tried hiding it. With no luck, because Chris did see her wet eyes. He said nothing, though. Her tears were a concern to him, but he couldn't force her to talk. And he had other priorities. He had to find out how often was she bullied in her family.
«Why didn't you fight back?» he asked.
«Fight back?»
«Your cousin pushed you in the pool. Why did you let her?»
«I was distracted,» she admitted. She was thinking of him when Lorelei had pushed her, so she hadn't had time to stabilise or, let's say, pull her in together with her. But there was no need to tell an egocentric senator that he was the cause for her lack of focus.
«I don't believe you!»
«Well then just think of me as a coward,» she cut it short.
If he didn't want to believe her, it was his choice. She had no time to convince him: she needed to get out of those wet clothes.
«A coward wouldn't be fighting for the Ins...» he said, but a soft hand stifled the words in his throat. He couldn't finish his sentence because May didn't let him.
He widened his eyes, surprised by her fast reaction and by how close she was.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone