Chapter 3: The Encounter
1796 Words
Audrey's POV.
Gold.
It was one of the days when I get to attend a party. Not just any party, it was Mayor Smith's party. A party for the VIPs of the town. You might be wondering how did I end up here? Well, my parents are surgeons. Yes, both of them. Let's just say that my parents are so good at their job that at least once in a month, I end up at a party.
My parents are the town's most renowned surgeons. My dad even goes to other towns and places to perform surgeries. He's an important man in Winfrall. He also happens to be close with the Mayor. So when the Mayor wins election for the second time, you know there's a party where my parents are invited.
They do enjoy attending these though. Of course they will, they know everyone and everyone knows them. It's a win-win. For me, on the other hand, it's just one of the days where I feel extremely uncomfortable in social settings and just wanna go home to cover my face with a pillow and scream.
Nah, I'm kidding. Yes, it's annoying attending a party where you don't know anyone, and are all by yourself because your parents are busy in a 'Meet-And-Greet'. But seeing their faces glistening as they walk around in pride, it's totally worth it.
Too much gold.
I carried my blue evening gown as I walked around the huge hall thinking of the amount of gold it was covered in. Golden lights, golden decorations, golden food stalls.
I hope the food isn't gold too. I thought to myself as I approached the food stalls.
"Cuddles on the beach?" A male voice came out of nowhere. "What the-" I almost jumped at the question. "Ma'am, would you like to have Cuddles on the Beach?" A fair, not-so-tall guy stood straight with a tray full of glasses in his right hand. He wore a waiter's uniform.
"Oh, Cuddles on the Beach, the drink!" I chuckled. His stoic face made me gulp in awkwardness. "Um, no, thanks." I wasn't a fan of drinking, but this was the first time I declined a mocktail.
As I walked further, I noticed a little girl by the end corner of the food stalls, standing all by herself. Her tensed amber eyes were searching for someone; her straight bob light brown hair pushed back by a hairband.
I'm not the only one all by herself.
"Hey, are you alone?" I asked the little girl in lavender. Instead of answering my question, she turned her gaze away. I moved closer to her and continued speaking as I bent down to reach her height. "My parents are busy with other people and I don't really know anyone so I'm all by myself. It's so boring when you're all alone."
Her tense expression softened when she heard something she wanted someone to say.
"You're alone too?" Her amber eyes sparkled with hope.
"Yes." I nodded my head sincerely and asked, "Where are your parents?" so that I could help her find them.
"My parents are always busy in parties." She didn't seem tensed anymore as she shrugged her shoulders like it was a normal thing for them to be busy.
"Oh? So the big girl is always by herself?" I raised my eyebrows in amazement and made an emphasis on 'big girl.'
"Yeah, I'm a big girl!" She almost jumped with joy. Then suddenly her expression faded as if she realised something.
"Actually my brother looks after me." She said scratching her head, but ended up scratching her hairband innocently.
"Your brother? Where did he go?" I asked looking around.
"He didn't go anywhere," she sighed, "I did." She spoke as if she was confessing her sins at the church. "He must be so worried. I shouldn't have left his hand and disappeared like that. Well, it's not my fault Stacey had chocolates..." as if realising something again, (this girl seems to do a lot of that) she looked down at her lavender dress which was smudged in chocolate. "Oh no, my dress!"
I gave a tiny smile as her small face was etched with worry.
I wish even I had problems like smudged chocolate dresses.
"I'll help you clean it." I stood up and grabbed tissues from the counter right next to us.
"Here." I carefully wiped her dress cleaning it of any chocolate coloured stains.
"There you go."
"Thank you so much miss!" Her voice raised from joy.
"Nah-uh. Not miss." I shook my head, " It's Audrey."
"Amber." She held out her hand gesturing me to shake hands with her. And so I did.
"Amber. Lovely name. Do you know the colour of your eyes is amber?"
"I know that's why they named me so." She said in an all-knowing tone, and almost gave me an eye roll like is she dumb?
And the next thing I know is that I was laughing and her amber eyes were fixated on me in confusion.
"Amber, there you are!" Called a familiar voice from a distance.
Wait a minute. Is that..?
I followed the voice only to realise that it was Nicholas.
It was his voice.
And he was walking towards us, smiling (more towards the little girl). He wore a black three piece tuxedo with a white shirt under his vest, a black butterfly bow tie around his neck and his green-blue eyes on Amber.
"Why aren't you with your friend? I looked all over for you. Where did you go? Why..." He charged at her with a million questions.
Let the girl breathe. First, you can't take care of her. Second, you tried to crush Bryan's shoulder. Third, you can't take care of Amber. Wait, I already said that.
I rolled my eyes as Nicholas kept questioning Amber. I couldn't help but get reminded of how he tried to crush Bryan's shoulder yesterday at the cafeteria. For all I know, he would've crushed it, if it weren't for me...
It seemed like I wasn't the only one mad at him. Amber had her arms folded and she ignored her (brothers?) gaze and pouted.
"Amber, I apologise for my absence but please look at me." He said in an apologetic formal tone, and kept trying to meet her gaze, while she just dodged him professionally.
Enough of this.
I turned around to leave, but I was stopped by a hand which tightly gripped my wrist. Amber looked at me, shaking her head. I felt helpless and weirded out but I gave her a nod.
Nicholas kept fidgeting with his platinum guitar cufflinks as he tried to make Amber look at him. His light brown hair shined under the golden light and his tanned skin glowed in a way like he came straight out of a Vogue magazine.
He doesn't look that bad tonight.
I sucked in a breath as he looked at me, and for a moment I felt he read my mind. But what was I thinking?
He turned to look at me with pleading eyes as if asking me for help, as if they said, "Please save me."
Before I could say anything or do, Nicholas sat down on his knees, and grabbed both his ears, making a 'sorry' gesture. I couldn't deny the fact that it was an adorable thing to do. All eyes were on him. But he didn't care. He wanted his little sister to forgive him. That's all that mattered.
All the ladies were adoring Nicholas and I heard a few whispers about how cute he was.
It felt like I was seeing a total different side of him; sweaty Nicholas in basketball shorts, almost fracturing my best friend's bones, and then there was cleaned up Nicholas in a tuxedo, going down on his knees to get forgiveness from his sister.
The only girl who wasn't moved by his gesture was Amber. She still didn't look at her brother. Instead her pout grew bigger.
When he understood his actions weren't going to work, he looked up at me and mouthed, 'Play along.'
Not sure, why was I even standing there in the first place, I decided to do just that and gave him a subtle nod.
I couldn't believe that I was helping him.
I was already angry at him, and the fact that it also reminded me of my careless mistake whenever I saw Nicholas, didn't help either.
But then I looked at Amber, and only for the sake of her, I caved in.
"Looks like I'll have to finish those two boxes of mint chocolate chip ice cream alone." Nicholas, still sitting on his knees, enunciated.
"Will you help me?" Not getting any response from Amber, he turned towards me.
"Who can say no to ice cream?" I blinked in fake amazement and ignored Amber, who was looking at me wide- eyed and giving me a sign of refusal, not so discreetly.
"No, no, no!" Amber exclaimed, and when Nicholas was about to get up, as if he was taking all the time in the world, his sister spoke again.
"I will help you. I'm sorry Nick, I shouldn't have left you behind." Amber said putting her brother's hands down from his ears.
"And I'm sorry I let you go all by yourself."
Nicholas stood up and the brown haired siblings exchanged hugs.
As much as I wanted to capture this adorable moment, I knew it was a private one, so I decided it was best to leave. But I couldn't, as Amber didn't let go of my hand.
"Will you come to my tea party tomorrow?" Amber shyly asked me.
One, this was totally unexpected.
Two, was I that good with kids?
Three, Amber looked like she would jump in happiness if I came, and yes please, the guest of honour will be ready.
"Sure, I would love to." I smiled at her a bit awkwardly, not sure what I would do between a 7-8 year old girl and stuffed toys who were forced to sip tea through their non-existent mouths.
"Whoa, whoa, you two are friends?" An astonished Nicholas inquired, his bluish green eyes darting from me to Amber.
"Age doesn't matter when it comes to friendship, mister." I slightly felt offended when his bewildered gaze lingered on me for more time.
"Amber, you aren't supposed to talk to a stranger." My mouth dropped a bit open as he stage-whispered to his sister, who was giggling now.
"Stranger?" Pfft.
"I was the one who looked after her when..." I took a pause when I saw a ginger haired girl marching right towards us.
"When?" Nicholas seemed like he wanted an answer, and did a double take when he saw his girlfriend arrive.
"Nicky," She draped her arms around him possessively, just like dogs pee to mark their territory.
"When I was leaving," I completed the sentence stupidly and smiled at the little girl, "Bye Amber." I gave the little girl a peck on the cheek.
"Don't forget," she reminded me as I was about to leave, "My place, Thursday 6 o'clock."
"Roger that." My smile froze and before anyone could say anything I walked away from the chaos Amelia had brought.
- Writer
