Shopping with Derek Adams, Nova had a few outcomes fo that in her mind when she went along with him and some of them were a lot challenging. She could only hope it went well. Besides that, it was the first time they were seen in public together; completely exposed for the whole world to see. And at that moment, when she and him got out of the car, Nova felt the weight of the ring on her finger more prominent than ever before. It was as if she was wearing it for the first time.
"Dress first, Ms. Newton?" Derek asked although dress shop was exactly where they were headed. It was right in front of them but she still nodded. It wasn't like she was going to protest and want to go for shoes instead.
"Watson's" Derek let the receptionist know and she then led them further into the showroom.
"They take appointments here?" Nova asked him because it seemed like one to her.
"No, she's simply leading the way," he answered. But receptionists don't lead the way either.
"Mark has connections, Ms. Newton, let's not forget that. Which is why this showroom is going to extra bounds just to impress us," he explained further.
Well, Nova was impressed. The showroom covered a rather large area and rightly so because there were all sorts of dresses and outfits here. Both for men and for women and branded as well. It had to be a big name if brands came here and 'Shine Bright' wasn't that catchy of a title for a dress shop.
On their way, they met a guy who seemed to be a worker as well and he took off with Derek in the opposite direction when it came to a T-Point within the showroom. Just how big was this place? Nova wondered.
After a minute or so of walking and going on the lift for the fifth floor â Nova kept attention â they were finally where they would find the clothes. She could tell because there were all sorts of amazingly beautiful dresses all around her. Some hanging between the shelves, some worn by dummies, some of them were flooded because they were of thinner material but mostly all of them were hanging and it made the whole place mesmerise her.
Now Nova had never really been a dress person, the only time she'd worn a dress was when her father got invited to charity balls and she had to wear a ball gown â and Nova had only attended quite a few of them.
That could be the reason why Nova liked all of them, but if she asked herself which one she would like to wear, she didn't want any of them. It was a dilemma all the same, she wasn't an expert at this kind of stuff.
"According to your body structure..." The receptionist â or whoever she was because a receptionist wouldn't be showing the dresses to her â almost talked to herself. Eyeing her up and down probably to find a clue on what to wear, she clicked her tongue and her eyes gleamed.
In mere seconds she went and picked a blue colour dress, with shimmer all over it and handed over to her. "Try this one, you will look perfect in this," she said.
Nova tried it and it did look good but she wasn't feeling it. It wasn't a ball gown for one, it was a skin tight dress which didn't really seem like something to wear in a retirement/welcome party. It was more like something to be worn on a night out in the club.
And then she remembered the theme. Red and Black, Mark had said. She transferred this information to the lady whose name she still didn't know and neither did she know how to bring it up. Should she introduce herself? But it â
"Aha!" She exclaimed when she found something, assumably something she thought would just be perfect for her. And when Nova did see it for herself, she felt like it really was going to be.
"Try this on!" she said excitedly. There was a kind of excitement in her whole demeanure now that she was holding that dress. A professional hazard, Nova assumed.
She went in the changing rooms and tried it on. It didn't fit her but that could be altered. What Nova thought looking at it was... This is the one.
She never really had been a shopping person, most of the cloths she owned were brought to her by her parents or sometimes Tim, the Security guard whom her father had disguised as a a number of things. He would drop five to six bags of clothes randomly on a weekend saying her mother sent them for her.
It was Peach colour, the dress she wore. Not exactly red but pretty close to it; it was a shade of Red afterall. She liked the dress and she even looked alright in it. She didn't feel uncomfortable, she didn't feel like she was overdoing it â overdoing herself because the dress seemed so perfect to her that she was sure she wanted to buy it.
She came out and just looked at how the puff of the skirt moved in such satisfying manner with every step she took. It even swirled when she moved in other direction. As she looked up smiling, her smiling face suddenly turned back to the poker face it did every time whenever she saw Derek Adams. And he was there, taking a picture of her.
"Hey, wait, what are you doing?" She asked him as he then began looking at his phone.
"You look beautiful Ms. Newton," the girl who'd showed her the dress said and she smiled at her because she felt that too.
"Alright, we're taking this dress," Derek suddenly said, putting the phone in his pocket and taking her image in. She knew because his eyes went up her body as he started from the bottom. She would be lying if she said she didn't feel a little bit nervous.
"Well then?" She asked him as he was done taking her in.
"It's not red but it will do. That was what I took the picture for."
"You sent it to Mark?" She asked incredulously.
"Well, yes, seeing as that colour isn't exactly red and I needed to confirm," he answered back. Nova noticed the girl had vanished now as she stood in front of the changing rooms.
"What did he say then?" She decided to just ask him what she wanted to know.
"He says that will work," he replied.
"Were those his exact words?"
"Yes."
"And what do you think?"
As soon as she asked that question, she wished she hadn't. Because Derek's whole posture stiffened. As if she'd asked him something that she... shouldn't have. But it didn't make sense. She just asked him if she looked fine and what he thought about it.
"I think Ms. Newton, that we have to get going. Now that we both have our outfits, we need to get ready as well." And with that curt reply he all but stormed out of the changing rooms and probably even out of the showroom as well.
*
Nova was ready at eight sharp and Derek had told her to be out of the house by eight thirty. His mood hadn't eased at all, it remained the same stoic, cold and reserved. Unconsciously, Nova had been thinking about what could have triggered that behaviour. The last time he turned cold had been in the very start when first she called him Officer and then when she tried to touch his cheek.
The scar. The scar that was on his cheek. Could what she was thinking be the reason for his sudden change of mood? Nova secretly hoped not because that would be... sad. And she didn't want him to be sad, she realised at that moment.
Although Nova had been ready for a few moments now, she still was sat on the dressing table, thinking.
It was a knock that had her jumping slightly and pull herself back to reality. Wearing the Louboutin heels and setting her hair and dress by looking in the mirror for the last time, she went to open the door grabbing her clutch on the way.
She opened the door and there stood Derek Adams, in all his brooding glory. And this was new territory to Nova. She had been around guys all her life just like any normal girl, but she hadn't really ever took notice of them. But Derek, he was somehow different. And just thinking that she wanted to smack her head.
He looked at her pulling his gaze away from the phone â he seemed to be on that thing a lot lately and it wasn't good for him but she didn't comment on it. Lord only knew he would just go alone if she triggered him again and that would not be good for the reputation or for the whole ruse.
But when he did look at her though, she flattened her palms on her dress and just stood there anticipating his reaction. She hoped he doesn't get extra cold now that she was properly dressed and put make-up on.
When his eyes met hers, she felt her eyebrows go up on their own along with the shiver that travelled down her spine. She wanted to know what he thought of her, he couldn't just be staring at her and not say anything at all.
"You look stunning, darling," he finally said and that made Nova smile. What made that smile go away was when she felt his hand close around her waist, pull her closer to himself and then kissing her â on her forehead.
Nova was simply astounded, so to say the least.
His other hand came down to her arm and went down without losing the touch, making goosebumps appear on the trail. When he reached where he wanted to â which was her palm â his hand circled around it and then, slowly went towards her fingers. And when she felt his index finger on her ring, something happened inside of her. She didn't understand it. To top it all Nova could've sworn she heard a slight chuckle escape his lips and she was proved right when he pulled back and his lips were still turned upwards, only slightly.
"Let's go, we are going to be on the newspapers tomorrow morning." And with that he led her out of the house, his hand still holding hers.
When they entered the car Nova's thoughts could not be stopped then. Had he not been an MI6 agent, Nova could've sworn he was bipolar, but she was bluffing of course, even to herself. She was a psychology student afterall. She knew what bipolar symptoms were and he didn't have bipolar disorder. She just wanted to plant a reason somewhere for his sudden mood swings only, they weren't sudden enough to qualify as bipolar or any other psychiatric problem for that matter.
But what it did indicate to her was that he wasn't comfortable around people â especially when they came too close to him â and he hadn't made peace with himself. It could be that scar he was so touchy about. Or wasn't more like. It had to be something that had happened to him, probably when he had been a child. It could be something traumatic which hadn't yet left him, but Nova could only think of the possibilities because she couldn't ask him. Not now that he was normal again because tonight was going to be grand. Both for the company and for the ruse to take off.
They reached in fifteen minutes, neither of them said anything all the while but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. They were both used to it now.
When Derek opened his side of the door Nova didn't think he would come and open her side of it too. But he did. She didn't expect him to, of course. Because she was capable of doing that herself but guess she was wrong to think he wouldn't show a little chivalry. Well, afterall they were 'couple in love soon to be married'.
As Nova came out of the vehicle, her hand in Derek's she suddenly felt a lot of lighting put on her. Flashes of lighting. The paparazzi. Derek pulled her close by the waist and thinking it to be a sign to be in the character she smiled up at him â he was still just half a foot taller than her now â and gave him a kiss on his cheek. On the cheek she was fascinated with and the one which he apparently didn't like. And just like every other time, he froze.
She maintained her posture, as if all of this didn't matter to her, as if she was used to it and in a way, she was. Just not with the cameras.
"Ms. Newton the public wants to know a lot about you."
"Who are you, where are you from are you really Victor Newton's daughter?"
"We would like to have an interview with you, Ms. Newton."
"Is this engagement real or is this some sick play?"
And that was the last question she processed in her brain because somehow, somewhere, the dread had found a way to get in. What if the ruse didn't work out? What if â
Derek's hold tightening had her distracted and she was thankful for that.
"Ms. Newton," Derek spoke then, and as he did almost all of the people were turned silent. "Will be heading in now. If you may," he said turning her. People got out of the way entirely when Derek put a hand forward to lead the way. Soon, four guys circled around them to make it easier but it wasn't much needed. Because Derek Adams had been enough.
*
The Party was like any other retirement-cum-welcoming party but still Nova was buzzed with a different kind of energy.
Derek led her to a group of people, greeting many others on their way. Nova recognised one man among the other unfamiliar ones and a woman in silk red. As soon as she was in the distance she embraced the woman in silk first, almost taking her by surprise but not quite because Isabelle Newton couldn't be surprised. Her mother saw him just a second before Nova attacked her with the hug, taking the glass of wine in ther other hand so that it doesn't spill.
"Nova! Here you are. Your father and I were looking for you but I see you finally learned the phrase 'Fashionably late', huh?" Her mother joked. And that was enough to confuse her. Isabelle Newton wasn't much of a person to just joke around. Was there something she didn't know?
Her mother's eyes travelled to her other hand which was still in Derek's and then her gaze travelled towards his face. Nova straightened her posture then, and stood there thinking what to do since her mother didn't know he was her fiance. Because she didn't know how Derek looked.
"Oh, Adam! There you are! How have you been, love?" She asked him. Nova held back a choke. What in the world was going on?
"Ms. Newton," Derek took her hand, bowed a little and kissed softly. And as much as her mother tried to conceal the hesitant look from her face, Nova caught it. But she smiled either way because what else could she do?
"Oh, Adam, honey. I've told you at least a million times to call me Isabelle!" Her mother exclaimed, putting a hand to her heart. Nova had to admit, her mother was better than her at this.
"Well, then, Ms. Newton," he said and her mother gave him a look which proved that this was no ruse. Even though it was but as Nova had thought, her mother was better at this.
"Isabelle it is," Derek said then, a smile that seemed genuine taking place on his face.
Her father turned towards them as he just relieved himself from the people he had been in a conversation with which seemed pretty politic to her. But that was what her father did and his name was a big one.
"Nova, dear," her father noticed just her at first as he hugged her. After pulling back he still didn't notice her date, her fiance. "You look lovely," he said then, his hands on her shoulder and a look of awe in his eyes.
"Oh and where's Adam?" He seemed to realise she was now engaged because that's when he lifted his gaze.
"Now, there he...is." His tone had Nova looking back at Derek. What was that...pause? What did it mean?
Derek's shoulders stiffened, it wasn't very visible but Nova had experienced it enough to point it out. It meant he knew what that pause meant.
"Victor," Derek held his hand out and they shook hands. Nova looked at her father and noticed his gaze was on Derek's cheek. On his scar more like. Then he looked at her after the handshake was done.
"So, h â how have you been, children?" He asked trying to make it less awkward. But Nova had already seen the sudden change. And so had her mother.
"We've been good," Nova didn't waste time to say that because looking at Derek it seemed like he wasn't going to say anything else.
"Wi â Tell me Nova, will you be visiting us after the party? We could have a â a small talk maybe? And it's been a while since you last came to see us and..."
They all knew that was a clear excuse and Nova realised one thing: if her mother was better than her at all of this, her father was the exact opposite.
"Dad, we â "
"Oh, Nova, Derek, there you are my children!" Came a booming voice from somewhere and Nova knew who it was.
"Dad," Derek addressed Mark as he came with a mug filled with beer in his hand.
"Mum," he said to a woman who appeared from behind Mark â a glass of wine in her hand and smile on her face. She looked very pretty in her red dress. It was a shimmery one, with a V neckline and hugging her petite body in a sort of lose way which made it look very good on her. Her eyes were blue, almost close to Derek's but not really. She wore a red lipstick which made her seem bold but her easy smile was welcoming at the same time.
She hugged Derek and then giving Nova an easy smile â which was enough to convince people that they knew each other for quite a while â and hugged her as well.
"Oh, Nova, you look so beautiful! The dress is the absolute best, my dear," she said and Nova smiled accepting the compliment.
"You look equally pretty, Hera," Nova returned the compliment.
Just as they were finished greeting, a conversation build up between both the parents, sparing Nova and Derek the awkwardness. Sge was finally relieved and now she understood that she had been wrong worrying. It was the MI6 afterall. Why had she expected any less?
Through the conversation, Nova had been listening with a smile on her face and Derek stood there with his hands stuffed in his pocket. But then, he pulled his hand out of the pockets and put it on the smal of her back. She felt something â some kind of sudden rush that happened as soon as he made contact with the fabric and she immediately looked at him. He wasn't looking at her but his face had a relaxed expression and so she smiled at him. He did look at her then and smiled as well as Nova shifted closer towards him.
She was sure they were doing it all right. That the ruse was going as great as it possibly could go.
âââââââ
A.N:
So sorry people that I skipped a week entirely but if you follow me you'd know that I did have a valid reason for doing such a sin. But I'm truly sorry, and I hope this doesn't happen again but I think I'm aware that it could happen again because... well, life hapens.
Hope you enjoy this update tho! Read, enjoy, share, vote, comment and follow me to be updated!
See ya next time
-Z.