Two hours later, I found myself on my way to the party, with three spirited girls belting out "Shivers" by Ed Sheeran. It was impossible not to join in-who doesn't adore Ed Sheeran?! It transported me back to my high school days; I realized how much I missed moments like this, even if it took a while for me to acknowledge it. Riley struggled to dance along because her gown was a bit on the short side, constantly tugging at the hem. "Hey Riley, don't you think that dress is a little too short?" Of course, I couldn't keep my thoughts to myself. The group fell silent, staring at me as if I had just insulted Riley. "I mean, you look fantastic in it, but why wear something you're not comfortable in?" Yup, this was definitely a blunder, and I clearly wasn't handling it well. Riley's expression shifted from bewilderment to a big smile. "Hehehe, it's called fashion, dummy." "Right, you've got a point," I said, quickly steering the conversation away. Samantha and I both wore dresses of the same style, just in different shades. Naturally, I donned black while she opted for white. Lisa's gown flowed gracefully and had a silky texture, contrasting with Riley's shiny attire.
The music played on as we continued our drive.
**************************************
We arrived at a grand villa, and Samantha immediately jumped out of the car. "Come on, everyone!" she called, racing toward the villa. I quickly grabbed my purse and stepped out, inhaling the enchanting night air. It struck me how long I had denied myself this experience.
"Let's go, Bloom!" Lisa's voice jolted me from my reverie.
I rushed to catch up, but the stiletto heels made it quite a challenge. How on earth did I let Samantha convince me to wear these?
*******
The venue was alive with an array of exotic styles-just enough to convey a sense of wealth without being overwhelming.
Thank goodness Samantha nailed the dress code; otherwise, we might have become the center of ridicule at the party.
As I continued to glance around, I felt Lisa gripping my hand like a little kitten, despite her being the one who had agreed to this in the first place-she really shouldn't be so anxious.
It hit me then that just about everyone was watching us-it felt like all eyes were on us.
"Wow, Samantha, look at us, the party's very own wandering gypsies!" I exclaimed in a mildly loud tone, a little quirk of mine I didn't even realize I was doing. At that moment, I became acutely aware that the attention had shifted to me. Great job, Bloom-way to shine!
Samantha pulled us over to a table, revealing that we were fashionably late. We all took our seats just as they started announcing something that barely registered with me.
******
Before long, I found myself alone at the counter. Samantha had taken off with her boyfriend, Andrew, while Riley had joined a group of ladies-probably enjoying some drinks. Lisa had also wandered off with some folks, perhaps colleagues or acquaintances.
It felt like they all found reasons to leave me behind, and I couldn't quite figure out why that always seems to happen!
"Rion is still MIA; how can someone be this late?
Anyway, I was too engrossed in my phone to really mind.
I reached out for my champagne, only to find it missing. Lifting my gaze, it was nowhere to be found. Great, a champagne thief on our hands! I was just about to let out a sigh when I felt a tap on my shoulder.
"Still the same, indifferent little Bloom, huh?" he said with a big grin.
"Rion! What took you so long?" I exclaimed as I jumped up to embrace him, ignoring the curious stares of those around us.
"Wow!! You look amazing! I didn't really notice your growth through video calls," he remarked, his eyes taking in my appearance from head to toe.
"Well, that's one way to greet an old friend," I said, giving him an elbow nudge.
"What? A guy's gotta state the obvious," he replied, scratching the back of his head.
I chuckled a little. "Yeah, you look great too, all those muscles and your face has changed a bit... a tad more mature, hehehe." He pouted at me-still the same old Rion!
"Come on, just a tiny bit?! Deep down, you know the truth." I rolled my eyes.
"Okay, a lot! You look like you just stepped out of an action movie." He let out a chuckle that sounded more like a rumble to me.
He tugged me over to a table, most of the seats were empty, clearly reserved for special guests.
"Hehe, Rion, why are we sitting here?" I locked eyes with him.
"Ohh, I got invited as a VIP guest and was supposed to bring a date, which I don't have, so you're stepping in to keep me from looking partnerless, if that's even a word... Pleaseeeee." I maintained my gaze, hoping he'd realize how ridiculous that sounded until my eyes finally gave in and blinked.
"Ehhm! Why not consider getting a pretend girlfriend or something? What's the use of concealing the fact that you're single when it's true? Embrace who you are... just like I do." I puffed up my chest a little and pouted. Rion erupted in laughter, his deep voice making it feel awkward, at least in my opinion. Thankfully, no one else seemed to notice as they were too engrossed in their conversations.
"I'm serious, Rion." At least he finally stopped chuckling.
"Please, just do this..."
A muscular man occupied the same spot at the counter where I had been a few moments ago. He was fixating on me, which felt really intimidating-almost reminiscent of that blonde CEO, but his gaze was far more intense, frightening, and menacing. He looked like he had stepped out of a Mafia novel.
Goodness, maybe I've been reading too many books lately, because what is happening?!
My heart was racing, and my palms felt shaky and sweaty.
"Bloom?! Are you alright?" Rion was looking at me with a perplexed expression.
"Y-yeah, I'm good." His shoulders relaxed, as if my words had eased his worries.
"It seemed like you were on the verge of a panic attack; it's perfectly fine if you don't want to go through with it." Concern and confusion filled his eyes.
Rion had witnessed my panic attacks, especially back in high school. Life had taken a challenging turn, hitting me really hard, which caused me to have these episodes frequently. He was often there to witness them. I suppose he didn't like seeing me in distress again. Luckily, I rarely experience them now; they seem to have faded as I've grown older. Well, until now!
"No, it's not that-" I lightly tapped his hand to offer him a bit of comfort since he appeared to be the one close to having a panic attack instead of me.
"There's a peculiar-looking man staring at us by the counter." I turned my head to get a glimpse of the man. He's still watching us!
His dark hair was slicked back neatly, making it hard to discern most of his facial features, but I could spot faint tattoo designs on his hands. Even the drink he held resembled something you'd expect a child to use for orange juice.
Rion glanced back at the man and nodded, nearly as if acknowledging him. The man rose and approached our table. Oh goodness, save me from this intimidating stranger. He locked eyes with me, then nodded toward Rion before walking off, clearly suggesting he should follow.
I sat there, both perplexed and unnerved.
"I need to leave; we'll catch up later." He offered me an apologetic look before departing.
What's up with that guy and his silence? He could've simply said "follow me" instead of being so ominous! Who does he think he is, glaring at me like he's trying to intimidate me while whisking my best friend away, whom I haven't seen in ages? How on earth does Rion know him?
Anyway, there's not much I can do, so I'm stuck with my phone.