I honestly couldn't fathom why I needed to thank her for <i>taking my place</i> because we had been in different teams and her win spelled my loss. Most likely it was Desiree's love for melodramatic flair infecting me. That's right... I needed to point out that I was supposed to win instead of her. Probably just to ensure myself that I deserved better judgment of myself.
Anyway, her mother was weirdly inviting me to dinner, and as tempted as I like to accept it just to keep that expression of terror haunting Desiree's face, I realized nothing could be more awkward than sharing a meal with some people who weren't even your friends. Wisely speaking, it would be of our best interests if I had declined the invitation.
I thought and I thought, and I hoped I didn't make them wait too long before I decided that I accepted their invitation. The temptation of seeing Desiree's 1) nauseated wrinkles decorating her face and 2) other, more domestic side as a daughter was far too big to ignore. So I said yes.
Yeah, I have always been up to challenge.
[M]
