After Solitude

Chapter 37

Zoey's POV

I met up with Poppy soon after I finished getting ready. She was gobsmacked about how pretty I was, I wish she felt that way about herself too.

For once, not only do I feel beautiful, I know for a fact, I look breathtaking.

Poppy and I help the guys do some last minute decorating. I can feel their eyes on me the entire time, but I ignore the stares as I light the few candles that sit in a straight line down the table that I swear is about a mile long.

"My boy. Dapper as always." Ruth struts in with a beautiful toothy smile on her face.

"Mother, father." Nik nods at them both as a greeting.

If my parents were alive, I'd hug them for every greeting.

"Zoey, a moment." Jett holds out his arm, gesturing towards the door.

I look to Nik to assure this is okay to do in front of his parents. He meets my eyes with a small smile and a nod.

Jett clears his throat, "I just want to prepare you for today." He locks eyes with my lips, making me want to kiss him real quick just to feel him.

"One of us will always have eyes on you but you are expected to stay right next to Nik the whole night. If you become panicky or scared, let one of us, even Poppy, know and we will help you. And lastly," he steps closer to me, kissing my cheek slowly. I lean into his touch, letting his warmth surround me, "I'm going to smear that red lipstick at the end of the night." He whispers so lowly that I barely hear him.

Butterflies swarm my stomach as his hand trails down my hip. He plants one more kiss on my forehead before guiding me back into the general assembly hall where the guests are beginning to arrive.

I stand next to Nik and his father while the people come through the open door that I still find incredibly too heavy.

One by one the men and women pass me, sticking up their noses and giving me quizzical looks, some even snicker at my expense. The confidence I had this morning slowly starts to waver.

I don't know what exactly I expected.

After greeting the first wave of people, Nik leads everyone to the ball room where he has rented people to play instruments for the day. A large wooden floor with huge white windows make the room seem even bigger. There is a person with a harp on the left, a person playing the white grand piano, multiple people with violins and more people with more instruments that I don't know the names of. I think one has a cello?

The natural light floods the room elegantly while the soft classical music plays, making you step back a few thousand years.

Everyone here seems so...posh. Handsome men, perfect women, and then there is me. The oddball, the outcast.

"What's on your mind, love?" Nik asks as people center the ballroom floor to dance.

"She's getting cold feet." Ruth states from behind me, causing me to jump out of my own skin.

Okay, she definitely saw that, but at least I didn't scream.

Ruth stands next to me, leaning down to match my height, "go ahead, tell him." She taunts.

"Mother." Nik warns, trying not to make a scene. I can tell he's growing angry by the way the line in between his eyebrows making an appearance.

"Nothing is wrong, I just...feel a tad out of place, that's all." I admit, trying to not let my words break.