The Blood's Elegance

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

SPRING IS TIME FOR FRIENDSHIP III

As quickly as the happening yesterday, which I forgot already, people arrived in their masks and extra costumes even though it was unnecessary for today, While I busied my vision scrutinizing the details of the said huge party, students were also engaged giving glowing bracelets. One girl with cute braided hair stood in front of me, fishing more bracelets from the pink tote bag hanging on her thin arm. I realized that I was still standing. I glanced down at them; Seth was beside the vacant seat. I threw a questioning look at the guys, and they understood what my gaze meant. Drake exchanged his seat with me, so I would be sitting beside Mary who was beside Drake. Before I sit down, I accepted the glow bracelets and distributed them to the group, passing the last one to Drake, so he could pass it to Seth. I thanked the student, and she left with a small smile.

Mary leaned a little closer and whispered, “Don’t you want to talk to him?”

“No, I want to see what he would do.”

“Testing his patience, aye?”

Seth’s patience was undeniably longer than the longest hair on this planet, and I was aware of what situations test his patience. In this case, I was not a bad person. I was the one who was offended. “Just want to know what he would do.”

Because, seriously, for the few months that we’re seeing each other―not considering those months that I ignored him because I was trying to heal myself―we hadn’t been into a fight, and call me shallow, but I was very curious how it would feel when a man is pursuing you when he did something wrong like what Liam and Drake did for their girlfriends.

“By the way, do you know what we will do in this party?” From my peripheral vision, I saw Seth leaned forward and opened his mouth, but no words came out from his lips. He was looking in our direction, so I thought that he heard my question, and man, he still paid attention to me. What did I do to deserve him? Struggling whether to say anything or not, Seth heaved a sigh, shut his mouth, and leaned on the chair again, focusing his attention on other things but for me. “This doesn’t seem like a normal event.”

“I had no idea, too.”

We moved our eyes to the centerpiece. “I hope it’s fun. Do the guys have no idea, too?”

She tugged in her boyfriend’s shirt. “Do you know what kind of party this is?”

But Drake only shrugged.

Few tables away from us, I pointed to Mary the students who were holding a basket in their arms and handing something to the people. “What is that for?”

“I don’t know,” she uttered

“Those seemed like flowers.”

Ayuna made her existence known beside me. My mind earlier, for sure, automatically blocked her image, her name, and presence, as my self is very aware of my bad feeling about her.

“You can see it?” Mary asked the obvious.

“Yeah, my vision is very clear.”

I arched my brow. “If your vision is very clear, why can’t you see that Seth does not like you?”

“For real, Seah?” she mouthed in a low voice, keeping our conversation unheard for the other members. “Can’t you let this day pass without being mean?”

“Oh, I would take every chances I have to make you think that your whole existence is unneeded in this world,” I replied. “Do not try to act nice. You started the war, not me.”

The student stopped at our table; Seth bought twelve violets and three yellow flowers. My mouth was itching to ask him what is for or for whom is it, but all I needed to do was bite my tongue.

“Good evening and happy Aracebellos, everyone!” I couldn’t tell who was speaking. Suddenly, the spotlight fixated on the host standing in the center where both sides can see him.

“Happy Aracebellos!” everyone shouted and raised the emptied wine glass. We mimicked their actions. “May prosperity lead us!”

They clanked their glasses with each other; we followed them.

“It’s the end of the second day of the festival? Are you ready?” The host was full of energy. He literally was so vibrant in his pink suit and white undershirt. Only his smile could be seen reflecting the light. “Did you all enjoy the first day and second day? But the second day has not ended yet…”

The yells were words of agreement and excitement.

“Here comes the Possessions Bonfire!”

The lights went off. Everything went dark except our glow bracelets. A small light was on the top of the building. A fire. It grew bigger and slid down to the top of the bonfire. The light abruptly ate the fuel, and the fire, from being a little ball that a child could play turned into a massive terrifying burning of combustible materials as if a meteorite touched down the earth. Joyful screams could be heard overpowering the crackling sound of the woods.

A moment of silence reigned in the air until a beat came alive and followed by other sounds. As the music continued to get louder, women wearing pink long gowns formed a line in the middle, in front of the fire pit, and clasped their hands together. Using the sounds which I couldn’t find, they opened their mouth, and the voices of a lively angel knocked on our hearts.

I moved forward to whisper to Mary. “Could you please tell Drake that I want my seat back?”

Her wide eyes met mine. “Really?”

“Yeah. Make it fast while Seth was watching the singers.”

Seth was the nearest to the aisle. He could see the performance clearer, and we were behind him. When Drake knew about the plan, she pushed Mary to lean, so he could pass behind her. I took the chance to slip myself into the small space in front of Mary. We were like a ninja or a spy moving as silent as we can, and our company looked at us and laughed. I shushed them with my finger. With the best ninja skill I had, I sat on the chair without moving it a little bit that would cause Seth to look at us. As if I was not breathing, I exhaled. I reclined on the chair sideways, facing Seth’s back. I saw his hand on his lap, so I slipped my hand on his and intertwined it, but he jerked up and threw my hand away. I did not hide my giggle. Upon realizing that it was me, he snatched my hand, fully enveloping it under his long fingers and palm, and wrapped it around his waist, pulling me closer to his broad back. I placed my chin and another hand on his shoulder and watched the show.

“Are we good?” he whispered and kissed my hand near my face, almost kissing me because of it. “Are you not mad anymore?”

“I just thought that you might get bored without me by your side, don’t you agree?” I hummed with the music.

“I have no reason to deny it.”

“Good.” I sniffed his hair. “By the way, what are the flowers for?”

“For the dead.”

“Oh.”

I did not ask anymore because I had no questions left in my mind as of now. What’s inside my head was this perfect scene… the two of us… all of our friends… together in this festival. The feeling of security. The feeling of belongingness. Nothing could ruin this in my memory. They were the people I didn’t expect to be part of my life. To be the cause of my happiness and comfort.

The singers exited, and the men and women wearing their colorful long gowns take the position. They stood by pair, encircling the fire, and a sound, created by the musicians with their instrument positioned near the buffet table, blasted the air. It was louder than the one used by the choir earlier. The dancers, despite their heavy clothes, tapped their toes and heel and clapped their hands, surrendering their bodies to the beat of the music.

“This is their traditional dance,” he explained even though I did not ask. “You see, extravagance is part of their culture. They had long live with it that they can dance as if they are feathers floating in the air. Earlier, the song sang by the choir is their cultural song that is passed down to the next generations, taught in their school, and bagged awards nationally.”

“Wow.”

“They have a rich culture, and the stories, they may not seem real, but the people here value the creativity of their citizens and used it to form a new festival to be enjoyed by everyone.”

“It’s expensive.”

“People live like a billionaire during occasions and act homeless the next day or a week after. That’s the importance of upholding their culture and traditions to them.”

The dance ended, and the host appeared as they abandon the center. “What a beautiful performance from Champagnes and Cara Danvers! Let us all give them again a round of applause!”

I clapped my hands.

“We will play a game as the servers bring you the cocktails in your tables.”

Oh, so it was not a buffet?

I did not join in any game. Troy, Drake, and Liam did. They were so excited to participate in front of a lot of people, saying they would show off their talents, but they ended up with a long face as they go back to our table. All of us were laughing because their high energy earlier left them five minutes ago when they knew that they were losing in the game.

“That’s what you got,” Mary teased her boyfriend.

He averted our gaze and drank the remaining liquid in his glass. Soon after, the servers put the appetizers on our table.

“Enjoy,” he said.

I picked up the appetizer stuck in a stick and placed it inside my mouth. Trying to determine the ingredients, I chewed it slowly. Spicy sausage and bacon. This tasted good for hungry animals like us who would devour anything. Seriously, I was hungry. When was the last time we ate? Three or four hours ago? My stomach shouldn’t be empty.

Seth stood.

“Where are you going?”

“Getting you another glass of water.” I cast a glance on the empty glasses of mine. The other one was filled with a cocktail while the other was water and none of anything I consumed helped the burning sensation inside my tummy. Seth arrived and made me drink the water. He rested on his chair. “It’s been four hours since you last ate anything. Do you have ulcer?”

“None.”

“Try to visit a doctor. I saw that you were aching earlier because you were holding your stomach. You downed your water and cocktail fast, ate more than five appetizers, but still, you look in pain.”

“I am very hungry,” I admitted.

“Don’t worry, they will serve the soup later.”

“Soup?”

“Yeah, this is a five course meal.”

“What?” I grunted, my head fell back, and I closed my eyes, not minding what the host is saying or what is happening. Whether they had another game, I didn’t care because I couldn’t focus. My stomach was complaining louder than my mouth. Mary glimpsed.

“You can have my share,” Seth said.

“And mine, too, if you are really hungry.”

I was sad. I didn’t want to make them worry, but this body of mine just acted bitchy. I didn’t like it. Only if I could cut my stomach and abdomen away from my body, would be better.

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