12
1648 Words
Arlyn
I have never been nervous in my entire life the way I was tonight. I wasn't the type who attends high-end parties and fundraisers… Like hell, I don't even do clubs yet. Here I was, standing before a full-length mirror and feeling uncomfortable in a dress Bradley had bought that probably cost an arm and a leg. Maybe even a full body.
My mother walked in dressed as the president's wife herself and carefully inspected me, tucking a stray hair there and adjusting my dress here. Just when I thought I could bear it no longer, she stepped away, finally satisfied with my appearance.
“You look marvelous, baby doll,” she exclaimed, clapping her hands over her mouth in joy.
I rolled my eyes, not really feeling the excitement she was feeling.
“I don't feel marvelous, Mum. I feel like a mannequin being decorated to be placed on display. This is just so not my style.” I complained, looking down at the long silver fitting dress with a risky slit up one side.
Mun walked up to me, shaking her head in disapproval at my comparison. She grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me in the eyes. I pretended not to see the tears in hers.
“You are my daughter… a beautiful, gorgeous young lady, and I'm proud to be your mother. I just want everyone to see what I see.” she said.
I smiled, easing up a bit, understanding her. Of course, I knew my mum was the kind to do things in an extreme way, but I guess that was her way of showing her love for me.
How could I ever be angry at someone like that? But still…
I looked down at the dress again, trying to see what she even liked in it.
“I know, but isn't all this a bit too much, Mum? I mean… take this dress for instance… I'm betting it was ridiculously expensive. Don't you think that's something that's going to take some time for someone like me to get used to?” I asked quietly, hoping I would be able to get her to see things the way I did.
Fat chance.
She wagged a finger in my face, rather sternly.
“Have you forgotten who your stepfather is now? We have to put up with this if we want to continue enjoying all the privileges that come with being a part of this family, cupcake. Do you understand what I am saying?”
“I never asked to be a part of it though, did I? I never chose this… You did, and don't you dare say you did it for us or for me. You did it for yourself, Mum. This might be the life you wanted, but not me.” I ranted off.
I was getting fed up and starting to wonder why Reid thought we were certified gold diggers…at least, my mom acted like one.
The smile was gone from her face, and now she gave me a cold look.
“Don't you dare to talk down at me, you ungrateful brat. Everything I did, every choice I made, was made with you in mind, so I will not stand here and be lectured by someone who doesn't understand what the word "sacrifice" means," my mom shot back at me.
“Sacrifice? Did you just say sacrifice? Tell me, Mum. What did you have to sacrifice to get all this? I would really, really like to know… Maybe then I would stop thinking about how right Reid was after and understand you a bit.”
Faster than the eyes could see, my mum's hand whipped out and smacked me hard across the face, the force of it twisting my face sideways.
I held my flaming cheek, shocked my mum had actually touched me. She looked shocked herself, like she couldn't believe it.
Her whole body was trembling, and she was hugging herself tightly like the cold from outside the mansion had somehow found its way inside. But she held the tears back as she addressed me.
“As I said, I won't be lectured by you. And I'm done trying to explain myself to you. Think whatever you like, hate me even… I don't really care.” She said quietly, and guilt clawed at me from inside.
“Mum, I'm__”
She held up a hand, cutting me off. “Shh...Whatever regret you are feeling, I don't want to be a part of it.”
She looked away as if she couldn't bear looking at me, and we stood there in uncomfortable silence; then she turned around to head out of my room.
“I will be waiting for you downstairs when you are done… and just a heads-up, Liam is around and asking after you.”
She walked out immediately when she was done talking, and I couldn't help but feel that perhaps I had gone too far.
Tonight was supposed to be a celebration night. Everyone came together to celebrate Christmas while at the same time dipping their hands into their pockets and helping raise funds for Bradley's campaign, and I wasn't going to spoil…
Even if I had to endure hours of Liam trying to get me to forgive him….
Or I have to ignore that Reid wasn't also going to be in attendance and fight the urge to look at him…
Tonight, I was just going to try getting drunk for the first time ever and live my life for me and no one else…
Not even my mother.
****
The ballroom in Bradley's mansion looked like something out of a Shakespeare novel, except more modern. It was big and spacious and lavishly furnished. Even the hanging chandeliers screamed of wealth, pure diamond studs decorating their posterior edges.
All around, people stood in groups of twos and threes, politely conversing with each other, but I could tell they were secretly sizing each other up and filing away whatever they observed.
To make matters worse, Reid looked like he was made for such events. His tuxedo molded over him like it had been sculpted like a second skin, paying attention to every tiny muscle in his body.
His usually unkempt hair was groomed stylishly, complimenting his cold handsomeness. I heard someone sigh beside me and looked to see three young ladies about the same age as me looking at him like they could eat him on the spot.
I sniffed not because I was disgusted with their undisguised lust but because I was furious at mine, at the way he affected me. My mind went completely blank; not even my earlier episode with my mother occupied it.
He was laughing at something someone said when his head jerked up and his eyes met mine. My breath caught in my chest, and I felt like suffocating just seeing how much at ease he was.
He smiled at me. Not his usual cynical mischievous smile but a genuine warm smile, and I felt my knees almost give out beneath my dead weight. Again, the girls sighed beside me, believing the smile was meant for them.
Gradually, the smile slipped off his face, the cold, hard glare he usually wore coming back on. I felt the full force of it until I realized it wasn't directed at me but something… or someone beyond my shoulder.
“Damn that Reid… always had a way to melt a lady’s heart.” A familiar voice sounded beside my ear, and I wheeled around, startled by the unexpected sound.
Liam was standing just behind me with his hands folded and a smile on his face as he looked back at Reid.
“What are you doing here?” I asked him, beginning to feel the first hints of panic.
“Do I need your permission to attend a party? Besides, how could I turn down an invitation from Senator Bradley himself?” He joked with carefree laughter, subtly reminding me he had more history with Reid's family than I did.
I made to move away, but the cluster of bodies around me made escape impossible. I was trapped with Liam. I looked around frantically for Reid, but he was nowhere to be seen.
I was left to deal with Liam alone.
“What do you want? Surely, there are a score of other girls you could seduce tonight? Why waste my time?” I demanded, forcing a bravado into my voice that I barely felt.
Liam massaged the back of his neck, and I thought he looked a little bit nervous.
“Can we talk for a bit, Arl?” He asked, looking away from me.
“We are talking, aren’t we?” I responded sassily, folding my arms over my chest. I was buying that ‘I'm sorry’ act.
He looked at me directly in the face. “Let's go somewhere more quiet and less crowded. I can't keep shouting above the music to talk to you.”
I spied my mom at the extreme end of the hall and thought it was the right time to make up with her.
“I've got to go. Maybe some other time.” I told him and started to move away, but suddenly his hand banded around my wrist like a manacle, jerking me backwards.
“You don't understand. I need to talk to you now… It's about Reid, your stepbrother.” Liam said, and I stopped resisting, wondering what he wanted to tell me.
However, before I could speak, I felt a presence behind me… a very big one. And then he spoke.
“I'm curious to know what you have to say about me.”
I turned around and, of course, looked up into the angry face of Reid.
So much for wanting tonight to just be for me.
- Writer
