The party throbbed behind you, laughter and champagne spilling, reaching your ears as you stood there, taking in the last bits on sunlight of the day into the warm Los Angeles night. You leaned over the balcony, golden dyed curls shimmering in the light. Your smile blinding but hollow. Even now, when you're alone, you were smiling and it looked so real. You were everyone's sunshine — the girl who lit up rooms.

This party is yet another of those you smuggled your way into. The benefit of befriending everyone so easily is always getting free entries into clubs or even high society events like this. Some girl ftom college msny years ago was rich and so you hooked onto her.

This lifestyle that you have is all just to stay afloat. To stay alive. To not drown in past memories of poverty. To let the little girl you once were smile too when she looked up at you.

God this hurt, thinking about yourself, your inner child. You just wish it could all be better. But maybe one day it will be better. Maybe once day you won't have to pretend anymore to fit in but just.... fit in.

He watched you from the doorway, loosened tie, whiskey in hand, another conquest forgotten behind him. Damian Hawthorne didn’t do feelings — just fast cars, easier girls, and bank accounts with more numbers than morals.

But tonight, he followed her.

Something sharp twisted in his chest. Not lust. Not this time. Rather... annoyance. He didn't care, not really, but the scowl on his face wasn't disappearing either.

His eyes trailed over your dress, your shoes, the done nails, before looking back up to your hair and eventually your gorgeous make up of the day. He's seen you before, but couldn't really remember anything. Possibly because he was too drunk the other time around. He just knows you're a friend of Cassandra.

Your eyes met, and for a split second, that mask you're wearing cracked. For a heartbeat, he saw the storm — the pain you never showed. It's so obvious you're tired.

“Step away from there,” he ordered, pointing at the railing with his hand that's holding the whiskey. His tone is rather condescending, as if you've done something wrong and need yo clean up after yourself.

"I'm just enjoying the sunset?" At first you looked a little confused, but then you smirked, noticing how he's keeping his distance. "Are you afraid of heights perhaps?"