Fourteen

                                    

                                          
Music: Havanna by Camilla Cabello ft Young Thug
                          
Several months passed as Sky settled into her new normal, delving into her schoolwork and valiantly putting in effort to merge her academic schedule with her work schedule.
                          
The first few weeks after resumption had been hell and she'd decided that if she was going to maintain her sanity, she was going to have to prioritize. And so she'd made school and dance a priority and had significantly cut back on her appointments at Donna from once a week to two times a month.
                          
Brian, who happened to know her schedule, and in an effort to curtail her engagements with other men, made it a point to be at Donna on the days that she was working, and when he had to travel on the weekends and couldn't be there, he almost always invited her on his trips, most of the time having to either coax or strongarm her into going. 
                          
He knew her well enough now, both through his previous investigation of her and the time they'd spent together since then, and though they were much more comfortable with each other, he could tell she still kept her walls up.
                          
She refused to stop her work at Donna even when she was run ragged by her grueling schedule, and he'd decided not to bring up the subject again.
                          
Frankly, the only matter on which he'd put his foot down was her refusal to accept gifts from him. He'd insisted time and again, that she needed to come to terms with his money and the lavish gifts he enjoyed giving her, yet each time she received something from him, they had a mini argument about it, but yet, he kept them coming and that afternoon was no exception.
                          
'I have absolutely nothing Rach,' Sky said, tentatively wedging her mobile between her head and shoulder as she rummaged in her closet for something appropriate to wear to the gala she was to attend that evening with Brian.
                          
'Nothing?' her friend screeched over the phone, 'c'mon what about the red dress you wore to that cocktail party we attended two months ago...'
                          
'That's a cocktail dress Rach, tonight's event is a gala.' Sky responded in exasperation.
                          
'Well excuuuuse me for the suggestion,' her friend responded.
                          
Sky could have sworn the girl's eyes were rolling right about now. Rachel had zero tolerance for airs and graces, which was one of the several reasons they had become friends. 'Heaven forbid you wear a cocktail dress to a gala...dinner...whatever the heck you wanna call it. A dress is a dress Sky, wear it.'
                          
Skylar sighed as her friend continued her chatter over the phone, suggesting dress after dress that she was familiar with, most of them inappropriate for the occasion, and the rest she'd recently worn to events she'd attended with Brian and had been photographed in, which was why she was apprehensive about being seen in them yet again.
                          
So far, the media had been less than kind to her, touting her as Brian's new plaything, but so far, she'd brushed their cruel words off, in part, because Brian had been great at reassuring her that much of what they reported were untruths and that the stories that were true, were hinged on his past and not the present. 
                          
But she knew that they were right, she was his plaything because what they had was a noncommittal relationship, and thus either, or both of them could be with anyone else they chose to be with.
                          
She heard her doorbell ring and went to answer it, soeaking into the phone as she did so, 'you know, maybe I'll just tell him I can't go, make up some sort of illness or something.'
                          
Rachel snorted, 'good luck with that, from what you've told me, he'll probably show up in his tuxedo holding a bowl of chicken soup...just go.'
                          
Smiling, Sky closed her eyes and shook her head. As usual, her friend was right.
                          
She looked through he peephole and rolled her eyes before opening the door.
                          
It was a delivery guy from a boutique that she was now familiar with, thanks to Brian's habit of sending her items of expensive clothing from their store.
                          
'Delivery for you miss,' the boy said flashing her a grin. They'd become familiar with each other over the past few months. 
                          
She sighed and received the package, 'thanks Luke,' she said signing off on the delivery. 
                          
'Who was that?' Rachel asked,  as she shut the door behind her. 
                          
'Just a delivery guy,' she said offhandedly, hoping her friend wouldn't make a fuss.
                          
She was wrong. 
                          
'Another dress?' she practically screeched over the phone, 'Alright, Sky, listen to me, we're gonna have to switch to video call because I've just got to see what he's sent you this time...'
                          
Her doorbell went off again and she traipsed to the door, 'Oh for goodness sakes,' she muttered as she opened the door for yet another delivery guy with yet another item...
                          
...and on and on it went, until she'd counted four packages in total, comprising of her entire outfit from head to toe for that evening. 
                          
By the time she'd received them all, she'd had to let Rachel off the phone for fear that her friend would genuinely have a heart attack from all the screaming she'd been doing. 
                          
They were all exquisite items. As usual, his taste was impeccable.
                          
He'd sent her an emerald green, strapless, mermaid dress that clung to her curves and had a little sweeping train at the back.
                          
The outfit came complete with matching gold sandals and a purse, and the last item to arrive had been an intricate gold statement necklace, along with matching gold studs.
                          
She hadn't had the heart, this time, to call and give him grief about the items he'd sent and had decided to let this incident slide, so they could enjoy the evening.
                          
If she were being honest with herself, she loved the pieces. Each item only indicated how well he'd come to know her, her body, her tastes...try as she might, she couldn't have been anything but impressed. 
                          
As evening approached, she showered and washed her hair, blowing it out before curling it and leaving it to flow in soft ringlets down her back, she applied light makeup and packed the few essentials that could enter the tiny purse. 
                          
Checking her watch, she saw that it was nearing their agreed pickup time, which meant that Brian would be arriving soon. 
                          
As she slid into the soft silk dress, her attention was caught by the face on the news which she'd had droning on in low tones in the background. 
                          
She forced her seemingly frozen feet to move and shuffled toward the remote control which lay on the bed.
                          
Turning up the volume, she remained standing, clutching the front of her dress to her chest, with the zipper still open in the back.
                          
...the legal community in Long Island has been rocked by a wave of allegations this week with Fred Whitfield, a prominent legal defense attorney facing numerous charges ranging from domestic violence to sexual harassment and even rape. 
                          
The three women, who have come forward with these allegations all claim to have been romantically involved with Mr Whitfield in the past and have stated that they were forcibly coerced into remaining in abusive relationships with him, these women are being represented by.... 
                          
Skylar's hands found the bed as she settled gingerly upon it. Her heart thumped furiously in her chest as her mind whirled and her brain fought to process the information she'd just heard. 
                          
She didn't know how long she sat there staring into thin air, but she was jolted out of her mindless state by the doorbell.
                          
Still holding onto her open dress and picking up her train, she headed toward the front door, forcing her mind back to the present and the evening ahead of her.