The Struggles of Growing Up-Completed

Chapter 13

I hand my coat in to coat check.

I'm absolutely in awe when I step inside the banquet hall. I've only ever seen pictures from my parents, but the real thing is so much grander!

Everyone is dressed in their very best, formal, long dresses, black tie. Waiters everywhere serving champagne and appetizers. People signing up for the auction, a podium where there's several awards, plaques, laid out to be presented later, some dancing. I feel a little out of my element but, at the same time, I feel home. It's the first time I've felt home in two weeks. This is where my dad would have wanted me, and I have finally gotten there.

I smile, grab a champagne flute, and walk over to where Will, Vanessa and what looks like some people from ChinaStat are sitting. I know I'm going to have to help clear things up with them, if Will didn't already, about what's been in the press lately. They need to have confidence in me, and know I'm competent for them to continue partnering with us.

We talk about some of the competition, but I'm more concerned about where Zach is. I saw Leslie walk in a while ago, with another man, but I didn't see Zach. I thought they would have come together, who is that other man? I could have sworn she... flirted with Zach. Maybe she's just that cheery?

"Excuse me." I say after some time. I need to find some new people to talk to, but I really want to talk to Zach. He always bugs me about not being late to anything. This isn't like him, it's been an hour and he's not here yet. It's been days, and I'm at war with myself. I'm struggling to sort out my mind.

I start for the powder room to touch some things up, but I'm stopped when I see a very familiar boy-guy-man.

He's wearing a black tux and a dark blue tie. His hair is slightly combed, and his glasses are straight on top of his nose, not in the least bit crooked. Him, his eyes, his smile, it takes my breath away, like right now. I can't breathe, but more so now because... we're not together right now. We didn't come to the stupid banquet together, I'm not linking arms with him, I'm looking at him walk in alone from a distance. Damn, I hate being on this "break". And now I'm losing it, I can't lose it now, not in front of everyone, who are already looking at me for a number of reasons, one being that Zach wasn't with me. And now he's here, and I'm severely checking him out as we walks in the chandelier lit hall and I'm forcing some stupid, girly, emotional tears back. Go back inside the tear ducts you stupid basal tears...

He spots me, stops, then smiles. There's still some distance between us. I can't smile, speak, move. I'm frozen, and panting. I start to walk towards him, I can't even look at him without feeling empty now, how can I go up to talk to him? I abort mission and quickly walk back to my original destination.

"Emma, wait." I instinctively turn around, and Zach's trying to catch up to me. I wait, and suppress the urge to wring my fingers together. He's about a foot away from me, and a little out of breath. Gosh, he's so handsome. I'm glad I decided to try on my hair and makeup or else I don't know if I would have been able to keep up with him.

"Wow." he says all breathy. I knit my eyebrows.

"What?"

"You look, wow.." He says, losing his train a thought. I smile a little, but I make sure he notices me rolling my eyes at him.

"I assume that's a compliment?" I tease, forgetting everything else.

"Yes, it is." He laughs. He seems like his care-free self again and I'm jealous and mortified at the same time. Does being away from me de-stress him, bring out his charming self again? That's scary.

"Y-You didn't come with Leslie-" I start, stammering.

"With, Leslie? No", he scoffs, "I came alone." I raise my eyebrows at his interjection.