Chapter 2 The Fundraiser

• By the time Mikayla walked in, the party was in full swing.
• She stood close to the entrance, mentally preparing herself to enter into the throng she was looking at.
• She stretched her neck discreetly, looking for her friend in the crowd but there were so many people that she couldn't possibly spot her like this.
• She would have to wade into the waters. She nodded from time to time to people she recognized.
• She wasn't best friends with any of these people but at least she was acquainted with some of them.
• It was also super helpful that she now knew who to avoid.
• She knew the talkatives, the selazoids, the catty ones, the spoilt and rude ones, and the pretty chill ones.
• It helped her to stay out of trouble and get through the events relatively unscathed.
• Mikayla caught sight of a flash of hair up ahead and increased her pace. She reached the owner of the familiar black mane.
• Anna's back was turned to Mikayla so she tapped her on the shoulder.
• Anna squealed and pulled Mikayla into a hug. "Oh my gosh, Mikayla! You came!" She gushed.
• "Of course, I came. I always do." She sighed.
• "And I just lovey love love you for it!" Anna laughed loudly. She squeezed Mikayla tighter in the hug, almost crushing the poor girl's throat.
• Mikayla groaned and slithered out of her grasp. "Started quite early on the drinks tonight," she noted, pointing at the half-empty glass of champagne in Anna's hand.
• "Well," she drawled, "You were late!" She pouted. "So I started hanging out with these girls," she turned and pointed but the spot was empty.
• She clapped her palm on her mouth. "Oops, they were here a second ago, I swear."
• "I bet they were," Mikayla said.
• "We all had a few glasses of champagne together. I'm telling the truth!"
• "I know. I believe you." And she did truly believe that and she was pissed cause now after getting Anna all tipsy, they'd abandoned her to Mikayla.
• It was now her problem. She needed to find a way to sober her up immediately.
• Anna was a fun drunk kind of girl, the type that became the life of the party when they drank.
• Mikayla didn't think anyone would appreciate her ripping off her top and climbing up on stage to twerk.
• Mikayla took the glass of champagne out of Anna's hand and dropped it in the tray of a server passing them by.
• She took Anna by the hand and began to lead her out.
• On the outside, it would look like they were just casually holding hands.
• But in truth, she had a strong grip on Anna's arm and was deliberately pulling her out and towards the ladies' bathroom.
• She sprinkled some cold water on her face. Anna got sober fast after that.
• "Ugh, why'd you do that!" Anna complained.
• "You left me no choice, you drunkard."
• Anna grinned. "I suppose I didn't. I was about to start busting out some moves in there."
• "I could tell," Mikayla said, smiling too. Several memories of similar occurrences ran through her mind.
• Thanks to Anna, medical school hadn't been a complete snooze. She ensured that they had a healthy amount of fun.
• Back in college, she would have let Anna get drunk and then watched her pull the craziest antics.
• "Look, I'd love to stay in here until the whole event is over but we should probably go back in if you're feeling better already," Mikayla prompted.
• "Yeah, we should get back to it. I'm fine. My prince charming isn't going to find me in the ladies' room."
• She touched up her makeup and smiled. "I'm ready to go." She paused. "Wait, are you wearing any makeup?"
• Mikayla touched her face self-consciously. "Very minimal. Why? Is it obvious?"
• Anna groaned and rolled her eyes. "How are you barely wearing any makeup and you're still this beautiful? I'm so jealous!"
• Mikayla laughed. "Don't be silly! You literally look like a model 24/7."
• "I don't know why you never seem to realize how incredibly hot you are. Like, insanely hot. Literally everyone can see it except you."
• "I don't know what you're talking about," Mikayla rolled her eyes.
• "Literally every man at these events is constantly tripping over themselves to talk to you."
• "That's not true and you know it," Mikayla countered.
• "It is! You're the one who never wants to talk to them. I've been trying to find a man for ages. You're turning them away like irritating flies."
• "I don't know what your talking about," Mikayla countered.
• "Ugh, if I didn't love you so damn much, I would hate you! You're so blind to your own beauty but one day you'll see it. For now, let's go back in there and set that party on fire!"
• Mikayla groaned and mumbled something along the lines of, "I'd rather set myself on fire."
• But she followed her friend out anyway and they made their way back to the party.
• As soon as they got back in, they ran into a familiar face. "Mrs Smith, lovely to see you," Mikayla greeted.
• "Oh hello girls, how do you do? It's lovely to see you too."
• She presented her cheek first to Mikayla and then to Anna and they kissed it. Mrs Smith greeted everybody that way; always.
• "How is the Hospital doing these days?" She asked.
• Mrs Smith was one of their biggest investors in the Hospital.
• She'd come into a lot of money after the death of her husband.
• Word on the street was that he was a real bastard, and now that he was gone, she was using his money to the max, buying expensive things and investing in things like their Hospital.
• You could hardly meet her without knowing her taste for expensive items.
• Even now, she had a ring on each finger and none of them were cheap.
• Anna started answering the question, briefly outlining the things they were doing at the Hospital.
• Meanwhile, Mikayla felt a prickle at the back of her neck. That feeling you got when someone was watching you.
• She turned around and quickly scanned to room to see what was causing her subconscious to shoot off.
• At first, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary but just as she was about to turn back around, she spotted him, the source of her discomfort.
• The brooding man standing in the back of the room.
• His hand was wrapped around their host but his eyes were locked on hers with a shocking intensity.
• His eyes didn't stray once, even when their eyes met and it was obvious that she knew he was watching her.
• Mikayla's stomach dropped but it wasn't a feeling of discomfort or fear.
• Oddly, it felt like a warm, glowing feelings in her stomach. She didn't understand it.
• "Mikayla? What's wrong?" Anna asked.
• She was pulled back from her reverie by Anna's concerned voice.
• "What? Oh, it's nothing. It's just that--" she turned back to look at the man again. He was still right there, looking at her but making no move.
• He looked relaxed like he didn't have a care in the world. So far, he seemed content to just watch her.
• It was unnerving. Suddenly, she felt suffocated. It felt like his eyes were shooting laser beams into her skin and she could literally feel the burn.
• She needed to get out here. She needed some air.
• "I-I need to get some air. Excuse me," she said abruptly and pushed past Anna, making a bee line for the door.