The Five Dimensions Part 1: Shadow World

Chapter 52

Hailey tried to find Ash in the crowd but couldn't, so she turned around to scan the other side of the room and that was when she saw him on the dancefloor. He was holding a girl very close and swaying her across the room. A pang of jealousy went through her, and she bit her lip.

The girl was very pretty, and her dress looked extremely expensive, so she was probably rich. Her long brown hair was bouncing up and down her back and she was giggling. Hailey couldn't help but be disgusted by the thought of Ash dancing with a girl like that. Except that the thought of his hands on her like that, wasn't disgusting to her at all.

She told herself to walk away, not to look at Ash but couldn't bring herself to listen to herself. Every time she managed to avert her eyes, she was pulled back to him again. After what seemed like an hour but what was probably just ten minutes or so Hailey saw that Ash let go of the giggling girl. At first, she felt relieved, thinking she would get a chance to talk to him but then another girl came up to him and they started dancing.

This time it was even worse. But Hailey realized just in time how stupid she was acting. She had no reason to be jealous or angry. If Ash wanted to dance with every girl in the ballroom, it wasn't Hailey's business. Still, it didn't mean she had to watch. She turned around and saw a shiny tray full of glasses pass her by. She grabbed a glass just in time and downed whatever was in it in one go. It was bubbly and Hailey couldn't stop herself hiccupping.

She put the empty glass on the next tray that came by and looked around to go find a place away to the side, so that she could hide herself in the shadows. It was exhausting to keep up this pretense. But someone grabbed her hand and turned her back around. She tried to jerk her arm free, but she couldn't. Then Hailey was pulled onto the dance floor.

"What the―" she began to say. When she saw the person who was in front of her, her eyes widened even more. "Ruben?"

"Hello there," he said with a mischievous grin. He was wearing a suit much like Ash's, but it was a little ruffled on the edges. Not all the Soul Hunters were as rich as Ash was. "I see you are having fun."

"I'm having the time of my life," Hailey answered sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Ruben laughed. She let him dance with her. He was a good dancer, but he kept twirling her around so that she became dizzy, which was probably why he did it in the first place. At some point they got awfully close to where Ash was dancing with, yet another girl and Hailey pulled Ruben into the other direction. Unfortunately, he noticed.

"Jealous?" Ruben was still grinning. Hailey gave him a hard look.

"Of course not," she answered but her tone was too defensive to be believable.

"Believe me, you have no reason to be." Ruben's grin changed slightly to resemble a smile but of course that was impossible, Ruben wasn't a nice guy.

"I told you, I'm not―" Hailey started, shaking her head.

"This happens every year, Hailey. His mother makes him meet all these rich girls with respected names because she wants him to marry someone suitable," Ruben explained, despite her trying to interrupt him.

"I don't care," she said, then she added, "Honestly. I just have to talk to him."

"There is your chance." Ruben let her go and nodded to where Ash was walking off, away from the dance floor, towards the bar. Hailey didn't take the time to thank Ruben before jumping after Ash.

She could see him getting a drink and he took a sip just as Hailey stopped in front of him. Ash didn't take notice of her, though.

"I have to talk to you," she hissed. Hailey hadn't necessarily meant to sound so hostile, but she didn't care she had either. Maybe he would finally stop ignoring her if she was harsh towards him.

Ash, however, didn't react at all. He patiently finished his drink and set it back on the bar. Then, after smiling oddly at her, he answered, "That will have to wait. Take a drink, you look like you need it." Ash's voice was filled with rich-boy arrogance that he had never shown to Hailey before. She was perplexed to think this was the same guy who she had felt safe with, who she allowed to hold her when she was in pain. A lot had changed since then.

"Ash, wait. It's―" but he was gone. Hailey whispered to herself, "―important."

The rest of the night she didn't even try to reach him. She picked one of the drinks not knowing what was in it and went to stand against a wall in a corner sipping at it.

Hailey watched the dancing people for a while and then decided she could leave now, without arousing suspicion. She needed to get away from all the staring and she didn't need to see any more of Ash's girls. In the last hour, he must've danced with at least ten different ones.

When she walked to the entrance, she saw Leo whispering something to Zech, they both looked distressed. Zech looked around and took off. Then Leo went on and whispered to Marlene, who was standing only a little distance away. She too got an anxious look and immediately walked out of the room. Hailey saw Leo was making his way to Ash, but Alex stopped him. The boy looked as if he had something very important to say but Leo brushed him off and went to get Ash. He waited until Ash walked off the dancefloor to get another drink. Then Leo grabbed his arm, shook him and Ash looked somewhat startled, but he agreed to come with Leo. The group of girls that was gathered around Ash looked disappointed. Again, Alex tried to get Leo's attention and failed.

Without anyone noticing, Hailey slipped out of the ballroom after them. She followed Ash and Leo and saw them going into the library. They closed the door behind them but luckily Hailey was able to keep it open quietly and look at what was going on inside through the crack.