#starteras

“Oh gosh.”  Addy’s eyes widened as she pulled away.  “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.  I don’t even know why...I just, you looked..and I just thought, you know maybe..but that’s ridiculous.”  She mumbled, looking away, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.  She wasn’t sure where her sudden burst of confidence had came from, making her kiss them...but wherever it had came from, it was gone now.

“Please don’t tell me you got me a present.”  Addy whispered, “Because I couldn’t get you one.  But...I’ll make it up for you, on your birthday.”  She felt guilty, Christmas was a big deal to her, but this year money was too tight.

Addison was doing her best to remain calm, her back to the door.  Any minute now the man that she had been matched to would be walking through that door.  She knew nothing about him, but he would know all about her because of a file he would have been given.  The waiting was the worst part.  The last two matches had turned her away, said she wasn’t what they were looking for.  A nice way of saying she was broken.  Too quiet, too nervous, too much of an effort.  Would he be the same?  Heart pounding in her chest, she licked at her lips, wrapping her arms around her middle and spinning around as she door opened.  “Sir?”

Eloise: People are coming to see our band...and I just want to go home.

Was Addison hiding in the hallway, around the corner from where everyone else was?  Yes.  Did she realize how ridiculous it was?  Yes.  Was she moving any time soon?  Most likely not.  She hated crowds.  She had agreed to work the function but now she was regretting it.  The loud music, the people...it was all too much.  Too overwhelming.  Hearing footsteps, she tried to press more against the wall as if that would help her disappear and not be seen.