KENZIE
The hall was decorated with balloons and expensive lighting coming from all directions of the large room. The tables were arranged in a circular and orderly manner with assorted wines and cakes on the tables. My mouth watered at the sight of the pinkish strawberry-frosted doughnuts amongst the other dessert laid on the table. Connor showed me to our assigned table that had our names arranged on it and he pulled out a seat for me which I sat on and he did the same. There was another name encrypted on the name tags on the table.
Summer Meyers.
My first thought was that this was Connor's teenage sister and I was not the least wrong when she cat-walked in our direction, dressed in a long, subtle flared armless gown, her honey-blonde hair neatly curled and wavy. She had her head bent to her phone and only raised a gaze to meet Connor and me when she waved a quick hello and took her place on the table.
Oh, cool. At least, she acknowledged my presence this time.
Someone came over and whispered something into Connor's ear and Connor nodded in reply. After the man left again, Connor leaned closer to whisper.
"I need to help with a few stuff. I'll be right back."
"Okay," I replied, already feeling bare without his presence. I sighed when he finally walked away and a valley-girl accent comes as soon as I was all alone.
"Finally. Some privacy."
I turned to Summer, surprised she had dropped her phone and spoken to me.
"Who? Me?" I wanted to confirm that I was not mistaken. Maybe she was talking to someone else who was invincible that I could not see.
"Of course, I am talking to you. Who else?" She rolled her eyes dramatically and flipped her long hair behind her shoulder. If this was some high school movie, she would be the queen bee of an all-girls clique and I would be the teacher who gets bullied in class.
"I overheard Jessie nagging to her friend about you in the parking lot today."
Before I could ask what she meant, Summer quickly added,
"You rubbed to her face about sleeping with my brother and how you would do it in the car when you were supposed to give her a ride."
I almost choked on my breath at her straightforwardness.
What is it with teenagers these days?
"Listen, I..." I prepared myself to clear the air before she came to any silly conclusions but she cut in, a wide smile now on her pretty face. My eyes admired the one-sided dimple on her right cheek.
"I want to tell you just how absolutely in love with you I am right now. You are my hero."
My face contorted in surprise and I only stared back.
Was I hearing things correctly?
"I mean," She poured herself a glass of sparkling water from the bottle in front of her. "Jessica is a full-time bitch. A bully. Tory was no match for her. Not the slightest bit. But you..." She raised the cup to her lips. "...are the perfect weapon for her defeat."
She chuckled and then drank from the water, leaving me baffled and feeling awkward. When she was done drinking, she returned the cup to its position and picked up her phone, ignoring me again as though she had never talked to me in the first place.
The Meyer's were crazy to the bones. There was absolutely no slightest doubt left in me anymore.
"Hello, ladies and gentlemen."
My attention was drawn by the sound of a familiar voice talking on the mic. It was Connor in his handsome tux and slightly ruffled boyish hair. His dimpled smile was noticeable and I could hear some girls swoon over him. I tried to contain the jealousy that tightened in my heart.
At least, they did not get to live in the same apartment with him as I did.
"Before I go ahead to say anything else, I want to, first of all, appreciate all of you for making it to this gathering. Thank you for coming from all walks of life to celebrate with us on this special night. You all look wonderful tonight and I am smitten to be in the presence of such great beauty."
A round of applause followed his speech and I joined in too. His eyes locked to mine from the stage and I gave a small smile I hope he noticed.
"Ladies and gentlemen. Please welcome the couples of the night. My lovely and amazing parents. Mr Finn Meyers and Mrs Charlotte Meyers."
The spotlight followed Connor's parents into the stage, with Mr Meyers helping his wife get up the stage by the hand. They looked like the perfect couple, ageing side by side with each other. If I did not know any better, I would have concluded they were the perfect family, just like the others. Still, I shoved that aside. What mattered was now. And right now, they were simply...perfect and made for each other.
From behind Mr and Mrs Meyers, Summer and Connor's younger brother joined them and I gave a glance at Summer's now empty seat beside me, wondering how she had managed to leave without my notice.
Mr Meyers retrieved the mic from Connor and offered him a brief hug, and at once, I could see the striking resemblance in their physique and height.
"Thirty years of marriage isn't a small deal, you know." He began, clearing his throat. "I mean, every day, I have to put up with the fact that I am married to a woman of character and over-dramatic effects. Just two nights ago, she made me stay up all night with her, shopping for the perfect gown for this special night."
The crowd laughed and I smiled too.
"And every day, I appreciate the fact that I am married to a rare gem. A supportive woman. An amazing wife and mother. Every day, I thank the heavens she always stuck with me, loving me in my flaws and weaknesses. Making my imperfections her perfections. And not once in these many years have I looked back and regretted our union."
He looked at her now, his gaze soft and gentle and he reached for her hand and held it carefully.
"Never for once have I regretted loving you, Charlotte. You are the best gift I have had in the past thirty years of my life."
The crowd cheered and clapped again and I joined in.
"They look perfect together, don't you think?" A voice remarked from beside me and I turned my head to look at a young woman who looked my age or a little older, sitting in the exact spot Summer was a few minutes ago.
I smiled and nodded politely.
"Yes, they are."
"It takes a lot to be together and remain committed to each other after many many years of marriage. Most people wouldn't do that."
"I know." I searched my head for a better response to give her and just immediately, the crowd clapped again as the couple ended their speech and I joined in the applause, thankful for the timely intervention.
The couple shared a hug that lasted for more than a minute and a slow tone of an orchestra played, adding life and music to the air. A big spotlight lightened the centre of the hall where I didn't notice a make-shift dance space was, and as the couple took the first dance, arms wrapped around each other lovingly, the guests joined in a minute later, one after the other with their partners until the whole dance space looked like a ballroom. A hand slipped around my waist and just as my heart made to leap in panic, a familiar scent of cologne stopped me and calmed my fright.
