"If someone asks you there.. About your connection with me, what would you say?"

I smile sweetly.

"I'll tell them.. I am Dakota's hostage." I retort mischievously, only to get a sharp butcher stare from him.

"And I'll also mention that I am a child, but then people will know you are a pedophile." I taunt him, watching his jaw clench in vex.

"Go ahead. Say that." Dakota challenges me with his piercing I'll-stab-you-with-a-pen gaze. "But remember, you are coming back home with me anyway."

Oh damn, I forgot, he is a psycho!

"Well, I could always run away." I mutter slowly, half-jokingly.

"Not faster than me." Dakota reminds me in his supreme tone. "I'll catch you without breaking a sweat."

"I'll scream and tell everyone that you have kidnapped me." I threaten him playfully.

"Then I'll shut your mouth, and throw you in the trunk."

My jaw drops down at his calm warning. "You can't do that!" I gasp in shock.

"Try me, love." A sly smirk curve his lips up.

"If you call me a kidnapper, I might start behaving like one." He adds, explaining his roleplay theory.

"And if I call you a cheese ball?" I pout, batting my lashes.

A genuine smile takes over his features and he leans a little closer to my face, whispering, "Then I might just melt under your touch."

Butterflies twerk in my stomach at his words and his closeness that seems to warm my cheeks up. He is too good at flirting!

"What if I call you devastatingly handsome, then?" I ask him with a curious glint.

Dakota smiles, further leaning in. I feel the warmth of his breath against my face before he speaks in a husky tone, "Then I might tell you the truth, that you look exactly like my dream girl."

Sexygoatsinmaxi! WHAT?

I feel his hot lips brush against my cheek ever so gently and instantly those butterflies evolve into mini dragons, thrashing and jumping in my stomach as he pecks me a kiss.

I blink at him with raised heartbeats and flushed cheeks. His gaze travels down to my lips, then back at me, before darting away to the window and a look of slight irritation reaches his eyes.

"Stay."

Dakota whispers against my face, before stepping of the car. I sit there in a cloud of confusion, trying to decode why he kissed me and what exactly he meant by 'Stay'?

Stay as in stay for life, or just stay frozen here?

I look through the car's tinted window, and my social anxiety comes alive as I notice the number of people outside, exchanging greetings and posing for the cameras.

Oh God!

I watch Dakota among a flurry of flashes and paparazzi. He navigates the media with a practiced ease before returning to my side to open the door for me.

My heart races as I glance at his outstretched palm and then at the affluent crowd behind him, causing my anxieties to take the front seat.

OMG! There are so many people.

"Emara." Dakota calls out to me, capturing my attention.

My hand trembles as I place it in his, and gather myself to step out in his world. My foot catches on my dress and suddenly time runs slow as I start to tumble.

Oh my Aunties-in-Panties!

But Dakota's reflexes are swift and his arm wraps securely around me, preventing a dramatic entrance.

"Always falling for me, aren't you?" Dakota whispers in my ear, holding me in his grip.

A nervous smile tugs my lips as I murmur, standing on my towering heels. "It must be the High-Heels syndrome."

I notice that we both are wearing black, like a couple.

"In that case.. I'll have to keep you close." He says, pulling me towards his body with a possessive air. "Can't let you fall for anyone else." And breathes softly in my ear.

A chill runs down my spine, a strange mix of emotions stirred by his warm words and protective actions.

Dakota notices my shiver too. "Cold? Let's head inside." He suggests, guiding me towards the entrance of the abstract dome.

I gaze up at the architecture of futuristic world and a silent scream escapes my throat as I read it's huge glowing sign, 'Tesla Cybertruck Event.'

"You brought me to a Tesla event?" I gasp at him. The same company he lost his job to, because of me.

"Hmm.. Didn't I tell you before?" Dakota states casually, offering smiles at other people.

"NO! You didn't." I whisper scream at him.

"Oh, my bad! Here, let's go talk to some important people." His hand presses on my back as he leads me through the sophisticated crowd.

"James! What a delight to run into you." Dakota extends his hand to a man, who appears to be in his mid-sixties, probably having multiple companies under his name, while his wife and children show off his wealth on Tik-Tok.

"Dakota, fantastic time to see you!" He excitedly greets us, well just the man beside me while I quietly follow up their conversation.

"What are your views on Cybertruck, can you make one better?" The man asks eagerly.

"For the starters, I can design one better." Dakota replies, causing little laughs from everyone.

I observe how every prominent man has a pretty woman by his side, who is smiling and laughing along. So, I do the same.

"Wasn't your firm among the groups selected to test drive the electric truck?" Another man inquires, genuinely interested.

Dakota nods, sipping from his glass before saying, "You are correct, Robert. Our team actually had the chance to test the prototype with the triple motor setup."

"Tell us more about it." He exclaims excitedly.

"Well, for the starters we had Lamborghini drag raced against the Cybertruck and let me tell you, it legit destroyed the Lambo, hitting 0 to 60 miles in just 2.6 seconds." Dakota says, capturing interest of everyone around.

It's fascinating to see how he blends in like a perfect human who is infinitely close to perfection. And it is so strange, because paradoxically, he might be the most twisted man here with utmost issues.

Yet, he covered his biggest flaw, his savage personality under the thick lining of his black suit, that makes him stand out among this elite crowd.

"To see something so big moving so fast is just insane. For reference, it weighs nearly 3,000 pounds more than Model 3 Performance. Yet, it's quicker to 60 and a quarter mile, and the M3P isn't a slouch either." He speaks fluently.

I bet, even if he talks gibberish, it would sound profoundly intelligent from his mouth.

"It's got some serious horsepower under the hood. 845 HP, making it quicker than Urus. A magnificent workhorse of a vehicle." He says, drawing every eye to him.

Though, I have seen Dakota in a suit before, yet today something is different about him as I couldn't stop staring, admiring him.

I figure out, he is wearing his charismatic confidence today, which seems to be his most attractive quality.

The way he is standing tall, confident in his skin, letting his mind speak, he effortlessly takes up all the air and attention in the room.

"Oh no.. What has the world come to, a Lamborghini Urus losing a race to a polygon!" Someone comments.

Laughter bubbles up around me and I quickly divert my gaze from him, feeling like a creep for staring too long. 

"Yeah! Even we couldn't help but marvel at the sheer audacity of Elon." Dakota chimes in, his humour sharp as always.

But then I notice how gazes of other people are filled with the same astonishment as they stare at him like he is a shooting star.

"Overall, I believe he did an unprecedented work in durability as a consumer vehicle."

Dakota got this intense fire in his personality that you can sense while he talks with it. There is so much passion in his eyes that seems to warm up people around him.

And this is what they love about him.

"It is no more a truck, but a revolutionary technology. The future is exciting for sure."

A man with vision and sheer willpower to alter other's mind with his intelligence. A true leader.

I never thought I'll agree, but this man is truly.. Amazing.

"And who might this pretty lady be?" The senior most member in the group asks me with a gentle gaze.

Suddenly, all the eyes shift to me and my mind goes absolute blank. "I-um." I stutter as words stuck in my throat, unable to even utter my name.

Dakota gazes at me, along with everyone else's and I feel this intense pressure running down my veins, urging me to speak something mind blowing, to be worthy of their time.

"I'm.. Emara." I whisper, feeling anxiety choking my throat.

I gulp hard, looking down, unable to meet the gaze of these accomplished individuals, while their degrees and achievements making me question my own worth.

"She is an old acquaintance from my college." Dakota speaks for me, and with a nod of acknowledgement they all shift to another tech-topic.

My heart sinks as a profound sense of insignificance washes over me.

Just standing beside him, having no knowledge or skill, makes me feel like a decorative item hanging on his arm.

A pretty face he can look at when he gets bored.

Is this what I am?

A plus one, he would just probably shrug off his arm after the event ends.

My anxiety spirals out of control and I feel that same tightening feeling in my chest, which makes me want to cry.

"Excuse me." I whisper lowly, before picking myself and walking away silently.

As I walk through the elegant crowd, I couldn't help but feel this vast gap between me and everyone else in the room.

I don't belong here, in between these people.

I don't even have a degree or knowledge to engage in their conversation. Upon that, I have no idea what I am going to do in my final year project or even after I pass out.

I am completely clueless about my future!

I stop at the refreshment center and pick up a clear bottle of water. My hands fumble as I try to open its cap.

Hell! I can't even pretend that I am okay.

Dakota was right, I am useless.

My breath rises and the choking feeling in my chest increases. I couldn't breathe and suddenly the dress feels incredibly tight on me.

Oh God! I can't.. breathe..

My heartbeat sky rockets and I part my lips, taking long breaths from my mouth. Yet the tightening pressure in my chest doesn't fade away.

"Hey, you okay?"

I feel a hand on my back and I turn around to see devastatingly handsome face of a man, whose deep ocean eyes make my heart skip a beat.

( ͡❛ ͜ʖ ͡❛)

If you ever feel anxious or panic attack kicking in.. Listen to this song-> Weightless by Marconi Union. This song has been scientifically proven to reduce anxiety by 65%

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