Cruel thin lines

Chapter 9

Before the hosts opened the two huge doors of the hall, I took a deep breath, they pointed to the table I was supposed to go to, and I entered in.

All the glances and murmurs made me nervous, I just wanted to get to my table and sit down. I had the feeling that I would fall off the five inches of heel that I was wearing and make a fool of myself. There didn’t seem to be an end to that corridor to the right table, along that red carpet path, I saw all those people and their faces changed from what they were to what they are, how people change, right?

Finally I arrived at the assigned table, in it there were only two couples that I recognized instantly, and the rest of the places were still empty.

I greeted them and we were talking comfortably about what had happened in our lives, while champagne was being served to us and some snacks were circulating.

The lights were on, but even so, the atmosphere looked nice, the music was heard even though the murmurs and laughter became louder and louder as the guests arrived.

I secretly looked around the room to see if I could see which table Nicholas was at, but I couldn’t see him. Adriana and Leonor were quite far away, I assumed he would be at that table.

I was getting ready for my second glass of champagne, when I saw him walking on the red carpet.

On the way he greeted, though coldly, many people; it was strange, he was seen distant from those people who had been his group when we were in high school. The little group of the popular ones. The little group I hated so much. The strange thing was that he didn’t greet Adriana or Leonor; the Dynamic Duo.

My heart and another part of my anatomy were shaken when he fixed his gaze on me. That black suit with a tie was painted on him. I had to calm down and the champagne would help me.

He came straight to our table, there were two places available. Would it be possible for him to just sit at my table? Yes, definitely, yes.

He greeted everyone there with a kiss, leaving me to the end.

“Eve... How are you?” he said, kissing my cheek.

“Fine, thank you...” I answered dryly, trying not to make eye contact.

The Dynamic Duo approached to say hello, there was definitely something.

“Hello, Nick! Eve... I love your dress.”

“Thank you, Leonor” I said with a smile as pretentious as her comment.

How heavenly fake we women can be!

“We saw your report in the magazine, Nick, very good!”

“Thank you, but the credits are for Eve...” he replied looking at me.

The little bubbles in the third glass of champagne made me cough, luckily I didn’t spit out the delicious liquid, and it would have been a waste.

“Eve?”

“Yes, she was the photographer.”

“Ah, we didn’t know you guys were seeing each other,” said Adriana, surprised and even a little offended.

“No, we’re not seeing each other,” I remarked categorically. “I’m a photographer and by chance it was a job,” I said, giving little importance to the fact and emphasizing the word “job”.

“I have seen your works, Eve, they are fantastic, you have a great sense of art, I also really liked your blog about urban photography” he said ending the conversation with those two women.

My blog? How do you know about my blog?

“Thank you, it’s a strange hobby... It’s not very up to date, I’ve had too much work this last few days.”

“You can tell you enjoy it. I remember that you participated in an exhibition organized by the school and won the first prize.”

How the f**k does he remember that?

“Yes, I won a year of free photo printing... Gosh! What a time when digital cameras didn’t exist...”

I found myself smiling and talking calmly. Adriana and Leonor talked about something that we both didn’t know, but they would insist.

“Nick... Then you come to the table, to toast to the old days?” Leonor asked very mellowly.

“I don’t know why they sat you here,” commented Adriana.

“Because I asked to sit here, and here I am very well.”

Obviously something had happened; Adriana opened and closed her mouth like a fish and Leonor looked at us alternately. The rest of the diners watched the scene amused. Everyone there had suffered the abuses of the Adriana-Leonor duet and the truth is that they didn’t seem to have changed at all. They were the same bitches from more than twenty years ago.

The night passed pleasantly, among champagne, a tasty dinner, champagne, talks, champagne, a delicious dessert, champagne, dance, champagne, furtive looks, champagne, smiles, champagne, champagne, champagne, and champagne.

And while champagne was going around, something happened…