The President's Day ball is a celebration. A celebration meant for those who are of age to find their mate. In other words, their future husband or wife. It was my first time attending the ball, and my sister's second time coming, since she did not do well her first year of trying to find a mate.
The dance started during the first year's of America's birth, and would be a secret way for young, wealthy men and women to come and enjoy an evening of hoping to find true love. It happened with my Mamm and Papp, my brother and his fiance, and soon enough for both McKenna and I.
“Let's go,” Mckenna whispered, she slipped her hand in mine and off we went. Her touch was soft. From the horse-drawn carriage to the now well-lit outside event.
“Look, there's Colt.” McKenna said.
I looked to where she was pointing her delicate finger.
He was there. Talking with another girl, of course. He wore a suit that matched the same spiky black hair he always wore during the week. His eyes were hard to look away from. It has been a while since I had seen him last.
“Come on,” McKenna grasped my hand, and together we walked across a stone bridge—it reeked of a mildew odor; its edges were worn with moss that was growing out of the cobble on the side of the bridge's walls.
“What if Colton wants to talk to me?” I ask.
We are approaching faster, and my heart flutters with each step that gets me closer to him.
I can remember when we were in the woods the other night. He was going to ask me something. But I didn't have a clue what was going to come out of his mouth. He got up then, shook some dirt off his pants and jacket, and stomped away, while trying to maintain his balance. I felt his energy, it was negative. His energy felt like a knife twisting around the inside of my heart, and he was enjoying seeing blood pour out.
“Corina,” I heard a voice as soon as we got over the bridge to the party. “Corina, it's so nice to see you again.”
Pierce, a man of stealth, ignorance, and intelligence. He was the son of a head Corporal in the U.S. Army. “Pierce, I thought you were already betrothed—by court rule, you are already supposed to be wedded.” I say.
“That's what my Papp wants, and so, with my Mamm's permission, I respectfully broke the engagement off with her.” He said.
I glance at him—I was hoping to notice at least a little bit of regret, though there was nothing in his eyes that seemed he regretted breaking off his engagement with a woman who wanted to bare his children.
“You are available then, correct?” Mckenna smudged a smile on her face.
With a chiseled smile, he vaguely replied, “Under such circumstances.”
“We don't understand,” I said.
He clasped his hands around his back, and before he could say another word, Mckenna fired back at me, “you might not, Corina, but I for one do.”
Mckenna, being the eager beaver that she is, stepped forward and folded her arm in his, her hand holding on to his sleeve. As they walked away, she playfully stuck her tongue out at me with Pierce noticing.
I gawked around. Couples, after couples, after couples, were plastered everywhere, and not many single men were left on the floor. I need to find a way out of here. I head towards where the bridge that led everyone in at and begin to cross over until a hand touches my own.
“Where you going?” the voice asks.
“Home,” I say.
I slowly turn my head, my heart stops beating for a second when I see Colton's face.
