Heaven And Hell novel Chapter 39

"Aren't I always?" she teased.

Michael grinned, then turned to me. "Kimberly, I'd like you to meet my --"

Kimberly pointed a finger at me, shaking it with vigor, her eyes round, mouth wide open. "I reckon I've met you before!"

"Um..." I stated smartly, "I just got here at dawn all the way from California --"

"Oh, I know!" she exclaimed, shaking her finger even more, ignoring my words. "You're the girl from the foot spa!"

She leaned forward, covering one side of her mouth for me to only hear. I acquiesced, lending an ear toward her.

"Has your big toe recovered from that awful ingrown?"

I gasped, my eyes wide with horror. My ingrown? Seriously?

"No!"

"Okaaay," Michael piped in, taking Kimberly away from me slightly. "Kimmy, I'd like you to meet Keller Blakely, my fiancée" -- this made many of the people either lean forward, gasp, whisper to one another or exclaim in shock -- "not the girl you met at the foot spa."

"Oh." Kimberly cleared her throat, blushing gorgeously. She recovered, perking up a hand for me to shake. "Name's Kimberly Bromleigh!"

I took her hand and shook. "Keller."

"It's lovely to meet you!"

"I'ts pretty nice to meet you, too, Kimberly."

"An American," she said approvingly. "Lovely!"

"Uh, thank you?"

She only laughed. "Where'd you meet her, Michael? She's a darling!"

The one being questioned placed an arm round my shoulders, surprisingly kissing the top of my forehead. "When I stayed in California for a while."

Kimberly smiled knowingly.

I later found out that Kimberly was a daughter of a wealthy barrister and that she was eighteen, a lover of animals, PETA member, and a fan of bohemian fashion. It was really fun talking to her, too.

Anyway, she was genuinely curious about me and how Michael and I had met, but I only gave her discreet answers in the latter. Let Michael make up stories himself -- I wasn't even the best liar. Just remember Uncle Joe the frog.

Everyone had a nice time and Michael and Kimberly introduced me to some of their friends. They were all nice, but some of the others were too drunk to even talk to me properly.

Meanwhile, Kimberly made me laugh about something regarding a Minolo and a Louboutin.

Many started to dance to a Calvin Harris tune, but I stood back, letting them have the dancefloor. Michael was fine with this, because he said he didn't feel like dancing, as well, and that he'd just stay with me.

I thought this was kind of nice...but I shook my head and believed it was ridiculous.

"You," Kimberly said to me, after dancing with a cute guy, "are going to dance with me later."

"No way," I barked, backing away in my seat.

People's voices became louder and louder, and when I heard Kimberly yell out, "Let's all play a game for some little fun, shall we?" I thought I was going to puke. I thought I might actually die.

I thought I was going to die because I was going to play that stupid game once again.

Everyone bellowed a hearty agreement toward the suggestion that Kimberly told them. Michael felt me tense beside him, so he wrapped and arm around me and rubbed my arm soothingly. I felt a little okay -- until Kimberly popped out an empty bottle of champagne.

I was overreacting, I know, but what would you do? Wasn't it so weird that me and Michael were somehow interlaced with Seven Minutes in Heaven all the time?

First at Viv's party then that stupid storage room at school; then, in Michael's room and now, this. What the freak is wrong with the world?

"Gather round, people," Kimberly beckoned, waving the bottle in the air. "Breath mints will be passed and lipglosses will be given to the ladies."

I thought she was kidding but then hired models came in with trays of strong breath mints and Chanel lipglosses all around the gigantic living room in Kimberly's family mansion.

When a model came up to me to offer the mints and a elegant and pretty tube of lipgloss, I literally snapped. The stick thin model scurried away, looking at me with frightened blue eyes over her shoulder.

I realised that Michael had been gone when I'd done this but when I saw him again, he was holding eight mints in his hand, and in the other was the lipgloss.

"What, you're using lipgloss now?" I snapped, glaring at the breath mints and Chanel. "The next thing I'll know, you're going to borrow my makeup!"

Michael stared at me with a raised eyebrow, unblinking. "We might as well play along, Keller. We have no choice. I told you Kimberly doesn't take the word 'no' for an answer."

I clenched my teeth.

He was standing in front of me, while I was sitting down American Indian style where my legs were folded together.