Where've You Been All My Life?

“Now I wonder why I’m here in the first place,” Meg grinned even widely hearing my remark. The first time I stepped my foot into this place, I saw people bustling and chatting idly to each other. “Aww, don’t be like that. Just think nothing of it and enjoy the night” Meg uttered. As I thought, no familiar face could be found. What familiar, I reminded myself again on how I spent most of last holiday cooped up in home. Knowing such fact, how dare I thought of finding someone I know here? It’s obvious that my friends or should I call “acquaintances” could be counted by fingers. It’s barely even ten minutes since I came and I already felt like going home. If not for Meg, my neighbor and childhood friend for ten years, I doubt I would come here this night. She was as impulsive as ever, suddenly asking me to accompany her here. She even won me by tricking me and making me helplessly fell into her favor. It’s like I voluntarily let her lead me around by the nose. I was sure in each year we became friends, I grew soft on her and to my suspicion she used it to her advantages. Nah, how could I think of such pure and lovely kid be doing that. She is quick witted but she never turn to wrong path. I often admired how heroine-like she was. Meg grabbed my somewhat sweaty hand to find our seats. It seemed she spotted her friend, she rushed to the table at the corner. Nearing the guillotine, I meant the table with oh-so-many people, I found myself showering with cold sweats. I kept regretting my decision to come. Charmeine, who got easily nervous in crowd, was currently drowning herself in such crowd. I saw three to five people there but several seats are still empty. I said three to five people, but in my dictionary, more than one person must be considered as a crowd. Not all the participant had come it seems. The seating arrangements should have made us girls seated in a row. It should have been applied to the boys too though. But it seems I could only find such setting in fictions I read. This kind of event was more casual. That’s right, I’m at a blind date now or something like that. “Mein-e… Charmeine, Earth to Charmeine!” Meg shouted. “Who? Oh. Yes?” I replied in surprise. Yes, that was my name, Charmeine Blair. I could be a silly person according to Meg, but often times I’m very timid. I’m just your average wallflower. Whoa, I’m describing myself like a female lead in romance novels. Ahem... I got average looks, body, and brain. However, Meg once grumbled when I said I was ranked second in class. I mean, to be in top of class you have to be the first, right? I’m second, it’s average then. I love myself despite the fact that everyone might not think highly of me. I have rounded face with small lips and golden-honey brown wavy hair. “What make you so lost in thought? Sit here”, she pointed to a seat beside her. “Yes, ma’am” I quickly took a seat and saw the chair across me was empty. “My sincere wish for the night is hoping that spot remained without owner until this event is over. I kept feeling restless, something must be wrong with my heart. Perhaps we should just go to the hospital after this, Meg,” while chuckling and gesturing to the empty chair in front of me. Meg just rolled her eyes in response. Meg and I placed our orders and not too long the waitress came with them. The event had not even started yet, but everyone seemed cozy with each other. I also got cozy with my blindingly white plate and ice cold fork. My heart couldn’t stop being agitated as I was busying myself with the food to forget this feeling. A few moments ago I thought the chair across me had moved, but before I could take a look, a man in my row initiated the event to start with our introduction and added some small talks. I couldn’t really participate in the event as I suddenly felt a hard sting in my chest which then made me excusing myself to the restroom. I tried to relax myself in the restroom and then get back there when the pain subsided. There was someone standing in the corridor to the restroom. I did not think that he aware of my presence yet. He looks melancholic with heavy shadow from afar. I’m sure his short hair is dark brown but somehow it looked too dark that it also fit if were to be called black. I couldn’t quite catch a sight of the face, but I believed he’s not someone I knew. I brushed it off and tried to get back to the table by walking pass him. Then suddenly he looked to my direction and approached me. From afar I thought his height is quite average, not too tall and not too short, maybe it’s also because he had long strides that he was towering me in no time. Right, he was taller than I thought. “Are you okay?” he suddenly asked. “Huh?” he really caught me off guard. “I’m sorry, we’re from the same table. I was sitting in front of you. You suddenly flinched with hurtful expression, I thought you might be hurt somewhere. Sorry for following you.” His eyes seemed full of sadness while uttering the word. Were you crying in the corridor? “I’m fi-!“ I suddenly felt piercing pain in my left side of body.