Page 151 of Poison Aches

Somehow, I didn’t qualify to be worthy of that love?

The buzzing in my ears intensifies.

I try to shake my head, and when I open my eyes, the pair of dark eyes I saw before seem to be still on me… and coming closer.

“Most of you know my father because of his public office that he holds so dearly and diligently. I’ve had to watch him work so hard to do what he does for the people. Listening to their grievances, actively pursuing justice and standing up for the voiceless,” Melissa goes on and the room erupts in cheers of agreement.

These people love and adore this man…who so happens to be a governor.

I mean, I held myself back from researching him.

I wanted to meet him face to face, to get to know him as a person without any preconceived notions inflamed by the internet, but now, I feel like an utter idiot.

“Not a day goes by that he doesn’t keep the oath of office he made when he was sworn in. But for my father, it’s not about the glitz, the glamor, and the handshaking. He goes into the trenches and does the work. He takes philanthropic work and makes it more than just charity handouts to the less privileged.And lately, as you all know, his fight against cybercrimes has taken a whole new life because he put the spotlight on that. He’s defending our elderly population that are mostly susceptible to this and fall prey to the many gangs and mob activities that are on the rise right now. My father is truly one of a kind.”

I grab onto the nearest column as I start feeling even worse.

“As this important day was creeping by, I was thinking of a way to show my gratitude to you, Daddy, to celebrate your birthday and to show the world the kind of man you are, and how you love people. It was pretty hard because, I mean, I was going to give you a new necktie to go with your very distinct shirts.”’

Laughter fills the room.

“Or a pair of socks… but then I remembered that Christmas is coming and I need that for then.”

More laughter fills the room but for me, I start feeling it… the need to run.

My fight-flight instinct kicks in but for the life of me, I just stand there at the very back of the room, feeling like I’m naked, bleeding, and disgusting.

“But all joking aside, I have to tell you all, my father is a really committed family man. Nothing matters to him more than his family and so tonight, I’m so incredibly honored to complete our family.”

Whispers and murmurs slowly begin to arise in the room but it all fades as a spotlight is put directly…on me.

OH NO.

“And there she is!” Melissa extends her gloved hand over the crowd, in my direction.

Then, as if in one accord, one tune, and one mind, everyone turns around quickly, and suddenly, all eyes are on me.

ALL. EYES. ARE. ON. ME.

Fear strikes me so hard that I become paralyzed to the spot.

The light is blinding me but I can’t blink.

My body is coiled so tight, but I don’t dare to move a muscle.

In that moment, I finally see him.

He turns around, like the rest of the upper echelon people present here, and looks at me with something like confusion on his face.

But as soon as his gaze connects with mine, the confusion morphs like an animated play of dramatic emotions into puzzlement and then… shock.

On the stage, Melissa has a small smirk on her face as she looks in my direction then back at her father who takes a step in my direction, but someone stops him.

An arm is slinked around his and he stops, but his eyes are still on me.

Everyone’s eyes are on me… and they’re all looking at me like I’m a dirty secret.

A juicy, dirty secret that no one was expecting.

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