Jazz's POV -

I nervously step out of the car while Ryan holds the door for me as Jay-Jay does the same for Al. I look at the huge mansion in front of me. From outside you couldn't tell there was much going on inside, but the humdrum of the people around me walking in clothes that practically screamed of their wealth was enough to shatter the illusion of peace that the mansion portrayed.

Ryan held out his arm for me, which I took hesistantly. In my defense, I don't wish to face plant myself when I am aware of the death trappers I am walking in. Al would kill me if I destroyed her masterpiece. Her words not mine.

"It's going to be alright," Ryan whispers in my ears as we all continue to walk towards the door.

"What are you talking about?" I ask with utmost fake confidence, but he doesn't need to know that.

"You are really tensed and are continuously fiddling with your hands. It's hard not to notice your nerves," he answer while rolling his eyes.

"Sure, blame me for being nervous because parties are so my scene," I reply sarcastically.

"Well, just think of it as Prom. There will be dancing, food and just a bit of forced socialization. Surely, prom wasn't that bad right? If you handled that then you could surely handle this?"

I remained silent as we enter through the door and start walking down the foyer towards the grand staircase.

"Was your Prom experience bad?" he asks, seeing my silence. Well, at least, he didn't sugar-coat his words.

"I didn't attend Prom neither the Junior nor the Senior Prom."

"Why?"

"Well let's just say my family wasn't exactly happy with the idea of me going out on a date at such a 'young age', so I just went back to India," I murmur, remembering how my father's protective nature, fueled by my sister's rambling made the situation so worse. They acted as if I was going to lose my freaking virginity.

"Young age?" he asks more to himself than me.

"My father's very over-protective. Besides, India doesn't have the Prom tradition we simply have a formal farewell. So, they weren't exactly comfortable with the whole idea," I answer dryly as we enter the room where the party was being held.

I gasped seeing the beautifully candle lit room. One won't be able to tell it was day, once you have stepped inside the room. The dark black curtains effectively blocked any sunlight. On one side tables were set up with butterfly card holders that stated the table number and the person's name. On the other hand, there was an open bar, highlighted with a net of golden fairy lights gracefully decorating the bar counter.

(A/N - Table Decorations.)

In the middle of the room, people were talking or dancing while an orchestra played for the couples. The air smelled of expensive perfumes as women adorned with all kinds of jewellery chatted amongst each other.

For a second I thought I walked into a jewellery commercial.

"I know right?" Ryan asks, amusedly as we walk towards a table that has his name as well as mine written along with Jay-Jay's and Al.

My cheeks redden in embarrassment as I once again realize I said my thought aloud.

"Okay, I am going to meet a few people. I know you don't like socializing, so I am giving you a free ticket, if you wish you can sit here and I'll go do the quick formals or you could accompany me and we'll do the quick formals together?" he asks, gazing straight into my eyes as I see from the corner of my eyes that Jay-Jay and Al are already talking to some people.

"No, I am fine here, Ryan. You go, just don't leave me hanging here," I joke as I sit down on the empty chair, admiring the white rose centerpiece.

"Never," he answers with all sincerity as I see him disappearing amongst the crowd of people.

I sat there silently observing people. While most people seem to fit right in here, I couldn't help but feel how this all really isn't my scene. I have never liked crowded places.

Even back in India, I would try to avoid the whole 'meet and greet' thing, I am more of a background worker and I am fine with that. People just aren't trustworthy and meeting new ones is like giving more chances to others to harm you. As these dull thoughts seem to be penetrating my mind, discarding the loud music that was supposed to keep them at bay, my desire for coffee increased manifold.

Trust me there's nothing coffee can't treat. I seriously love how coffee fixes everything -

Tired?
Drink a cup Of coffee .

Headache?
Drink a cup Of coffee .

Cold?
Drink a cup Of coffee .

Someone annoying you?
Bust them on the head with the cup.

Someone stalking you?
Pour the hot coffee on them.

Okay, I agree the last one was a bit violent, but a girl gotta do something to protect herself.

As I was busy reminiscing my happy moments with my love. I feel a presence behind me, I turn around to see a man in his late forty's staring at me. I try to ignore it, but he just keeps staring at me, making me more uncomfortable.

Then all of a sudden, he starts walking towards me. I silently observe him from the corner of my eyes till he stands in front of me.

"Hello beautiful," he says slurring.

Someone had a lot of drink, I think dryly as the pervert openly checks me out.

"Why don't you dance with me?" he asks as he goes on to try to grab my wrist, but I simply turn away, out from his reach.

"What happened, Beautiful? Are you shy?" he asks again and this time I lose it.

I give him a sickly sweet smile as I gesture him to follow me. Once in the corner, I make sure no one was following or watching me. I wouldn't want Ryan or Jay-Jay to pay for my actions.

"You think fast, beautiful," the man replies, giving me a sloppy grin as he walks forward to grab my wrist but I stop him by instead grabbing his wrist and in one sudden movement I twist his arm back while face planting him down on the wall.

"Listen, you perverted sick a**hole, I don't want to dance with you, talk to you or hell even see you anywhere near me. You better learn to respect others, you pedophile!" I shout at him while twisting his arms as he cries out in pain.

"Do you understand?" I ask as I release him, but people don't change. Do they? As soon as I release him, he cages me between his arms.

"Now what will you do, beautiful?" he asks, his breathe reeking of alcohol.

"I'll give you a life lesson - never challenge a woman wearing death trappers," I reply smugly, as I conveniently let my death trappers, I mean heels dug in the shoes of the man.

The man jumps back crying out in pain, but I don't show mercy. I continue stepping onto his shoes till he practically faints from the alcohol or was it the pain...? I glare at his now unconscious form. It is because of pigs like him that our society is no longer safe for women.

While exiting the corner, I send a waiter there on account of hearing some 'weird noises'. I sigh as I go back to the table only to be suddenly scooped into a pair of arms. Before I could kick the hell out of the person, I hear Ryan's voice.

"Thank God, you are safe. Where were you? I have been looking for you since past fifteen minutes," he asks angrily as he scans me up to down probably for any injury.

"I am fine, Ryan. I just went out to get some fresh air," I lie to him while smiling. I couldn't tell him the truth, not when he already looked so stressed and worried. I don't want to add guilt to the pile.

"Okay, just inform someone before you decide to roam around like that. This party may be an event hosted by my business associates, but there are many drunken, perverted people," he replies, but I could sense his suspicion.

"So, why are you so stressed?" I ask him, wishing to change the subject.

"I am not--"

"Liar."

"No, I am not lying."

"Yeah, because your tired eyes, tensed shoulders and heavy sighs clearly indicate you just got to know you are the owner of coffee factory," I reply sarcastically as we both sit down.

"What?" I ask when he simply arcs his eyebrow in response to my statement.

"Yeah, go head and judge me, but that's my ideal happy surprised moment."

"You finding out you are an owner of a coffee factory?" he asked as amusement flickers in his eyes.

"Yes, so what?" I argue back, while crossing my hands over my chest.

He just shakes his head while laughing, but at least he didn't look so stressed.

"So, what happened?" I probe again as he sighs looking at me, I could practically feel him debating whether to tell me or not.

"You are not going to leave it till I tell you, are you?" he asks with a resigned tone.

"Do I really have to answer that?" I ask excitedly, clearly knowing I won this round.

"You are weirdly stubborn, Disney Freak," he mumbles to himself.

"So?"

"You see the host of the party, the business associate of mine is having some second thoughts about future projects because my rival company has been continuously sweet talking to him and it seems the flattery has started to show it's effect. I know he can't pull out of the already made deals, but it's just irritating. God! I hate flatterers," he explains to me with a frustrated sigh.

I don't know if it was his sigh or tone, but something told me there was more meaning behind his words than he lead on.

"How about I come along with you while meeting that business associate of yours?" I offer as I gently squeeze his hands.

"You want to meet him? Together?" he asks, but doesn't pull out his hands from beneath me as I nod while smiling.

"Are you sure? I don't want to force-- "

"Yes, now let's go," I say, practically pulling Ryan out of the chair as I start to drag Ryan only to come to a sudden halt.

"Which direction do we have to go? I don't exactly know who your business associate is," I mumble, embarrassedly.

"No worries, Disney Freak," he replies, smiling as we start to walk towards a couple, who looked in their late twenty's. The man was tall around six feet, dressed in a black Armani suit, who has his arm wrapped around a blonde woman, who was wearing a blue gown.

As we walked closer to them, I could feel the cold and calculating eyes of the man while the woman sweetly smiled at us. Wow, so different personalities.

"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Woods," Ryan greets the couple as they look towards him, but their attention stays fixated on me. It is under their gaze, that I realize that I was still holding onto Ryan's right hand from the time I had attempted to drag him. I slowly lose my grip, but he simply intertwines our hands again.

"Mr. Lancaster, good afternoon to you too. Hope you are enjoying the party?" the man asks, giving a lazy smile to Ryan.

"Yes, I am. Thank you for inviting us."

"And who might this lovely woman be?" Mrs. Woods asks looking at me.

"This is my date Jasmine Arora. Jasmine this is Mr. and Mrs. Woods," Ryan introduces us as I politely smile at the couple.

"Flower!" I hear someone shout, but I ignore it, trying to tune in whatever conversation Mr. Woods was having with Ryan.

"FLOWER!" someone screams again, but this time I see someone rushing towards me.

"Emerald?" I ask, confusedly as the little girl dressed in a cute pink princess dress happily wraps her arms around my legs.

"Flower," she says, flashing me her toothy grin as I detangle my hands from Ryan and pick up the little girl.

"My name's Jasmine, sweetie," I correct her politely as the girl shakes her head before hugging me.

"Flower suits you more," she replies happily, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

"If you say so," I remark laughingly. There's something about kids, their innocent smile, sparkling eyes, mischievous grins that almost makes their own emotions contagious.

"Mommy, daddy," Emerald says, addressing the couple, to my bewilderment.

"Emerald, sweetheart, don't trouble our guests. Come here," Mrs. Woods says, extending her arms to take Emerald, but she just clinges to me tightly.

"She's not a guest, Flower is my friend. She was the one who scolded the Mean Lady, Mommy," Emerald answers the unasked questions of her parents as her parents look from their daughter to me.

"So, you were the one who helped our daughter. I couldn't thank you enough for what you did. Thank you so much, Ms. Arora. I never leave my daughter unattended in the care of her Nanny on travels, but we had to come back early to prepare for the party and Emerald wanted to stay a few days more with her grandparents. That's why she was coming alone and--"

"It's okay, Mrs. Woods. You don't have to thank me for anything. Emerald is a really sweet girl. She didn't trouble anyone, if anyone was at fault it was that lady. Besides, if it was someone other than Emerald, I would have done the same thing," I reply as I slowly put back Emerald on the ground.

"Thank you so much, Ms. Aro--"

"Jasmine, please just call me Jasmine," I correct her politely.

"If that's the case, then call me Emily."

"Thank you for what you did, Ms. Arora, " Mr. Woods thanks me, speaking for the first time.

"It was nothing," I reply, embarrassed by the attention.

As Emily, Emerald and I engage in a conversation about chocolates, I notice Ryan and Mr. Woods happily talking to each other. Mr. Woods playfully hits Ryan on shoulder, who laughs in response.

"May I steal my date back?" Ryan asks while standing behind me as Emily laughs while Emerald pouts on hearing about me going away.

"I'll be back soon, Emerald," I reassure the little girl, who reluctantly goes away.

"Would you like to dance with me, Disney Freak?" Ryan asks, flashing me a smile as he gently leads us towards the dance floor.

"You know your way of asking was really good, till you used Disney Freak," I reply dryly as we start slow dancing. I place my hand on his shoulder as he places one of his hand on my waist.

"Disney Freak is what makes the whole proposal original and specialized," Ryan answers back while smirking.

"You know you should be thankful I am so thoughtful."

"How come?" he asks amusedly.

"Well, if I wanted I could have screamed Coffee Stealer, but you don't see me addressing you like that publically, in front of your business associates."

"I know right. You truly are one of a kind," he replies while gazing staright into my eyes, in all seriousness.

My throat suddenly dries as I break the contact, deciding to look around. I look at the ceiling of the ballroom which is decorated with golden shining artificial tree branches, from whose stems small lighted candles are hung, forming a canopy of their own. It truly is a mesmerizing sight. There's not one thing in the room that hasn't been thought over. The whole theme of lighted candle illumination is just so natural and beautiful.

(A/N - Imagine hundreds of such golden stemmed trees decorating the ceiling.)

"Thank you," Ryan says, breaking the silence as I tear my gaze away from the decorations to the shining green eyes.

"For what?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper.

"For coming here, for meeting the Woods family, even though you clearly don't like parties or meeting new people and above all for staying by my side all along."

"You don't have to thank me Ryan. I wouldn't have ditched you, what kind of date do you think I am?" I ask, cockily, as we both laugh.

Weirdly enough I don't find the dance uncomfortable or suffocating. We maintain a comfortable distance as we let ourselves get used to the rhythm. We keep on dancing for a few more songs till Ryan excuses himself with an apology and goes out to attend a phone call.

Al, Emily, Emerald and I together eat the lunch while the men - Jay-Jay, Mr. Woods and Ryan stand near the bar talking and occasionally eating a snack. Pitying Jay-Jay, who seems hungry and bored out of his mind, I discreetly walk towards the bar, hiding a plate of snacks, which I conveniently 'forget' next to Jay-Jay.

My phone beeps indicating a message. I open it to see a text from Jay - Jay.

"God, I swear you are the only one who wishes to see me alive."

Drama Queen, I text back the idiot of my best friend as Emerald drags me outside, wishing to show me around the house. Obviously, after taking permission from her mommy, as I also inform Al, who seems to have found a good companion in Emily.

I smile at the excited little girl as we exit the main room and start walking towards the lawn area. I guess the parties aren't that bad?