Seasons

Chapter 17 - The Ball

Turns out, Sam's parents were possibly the two loveliest people I had ever met in my entire life.

At first I sat awkwardly on the back seat, fingers stroking the soft fabric of my dress but Sam soon reached out a reassuring hand and squeezed mine softly.

It was a 30 minute journey, and as time passed conversation flowed well between us all, and by the time we arrived I was convinced that they were the parents I never had.

Mrs Ellis was slim and glamorous, with dark, shoulder length hair that was streaked with soft strands of silver, matching the row of sparkling diamonds dripping around her neck and from her ears. She was wearing a simple navy gown, and her skin was richer than her son's, hinting of an exotic youth.

Mr Ellis was the splitting image of his son. Tall, dark and handsome, he lead the conversation with his velvety voice and quick jokes, and soon had me in stitches in the back of the vintage car.

Finally, we pulled to a halt and I eagerly looked out of the window, before gasping audibly.

We had stopped at the bottom of a huge set of stone steps that swept up to the front of the largest house I had ever seen in my life. It probably verged on being called a palace, as huge columns stretched upwards either side of the grand front doors that were pulled open, admitting the stream of smartly dressed guests. There must have been several hundred windows across the front of the building on many, many floors, each glowing softly from within.

Sam pulled open my door and stepped to the side, waiting patiently as I untangled my legs and tried as elegantly as possible to step out of the car.

As I stood up straight I saw Mr Ellis hand the keys to a young man dressed in a velvety red suit and pearly white gloves, nodding and smiling in a way that mirrored Sam's crinkled grin.

I took Sam's hand again as we slowly made our way up the steps, the house looming above me as I stared at in awe. This was unreal.

We soon reached the main front doors where Sam's father swiftly pulled out a couple of cream coloured invitations adorned with curly black writing and a gilded crest at the top. Another man in velvet checked them before nodding curtly, as he took our coats from us and we entered.

If I thought the outside of the building was beautiful, nothing could have prepared me for the inside.

The sound of a full orchestra drifted through the main entranceway, the soft vibrato of strings echoing around the marble. A set of stairs lined in plush red swept up in front of us before splitting into two either side and leading up to the first floor. It looked straight out of a fairy tale. I could almost imagine Belle from Beauty and the Beast sweeping down them in her yellow gown.

We were surrounded by guests and I soon lost sight of Sam's parents as he gently took me by the arm and lead me through a set of double doors on our right hand side into what I could only assume was the ballroom.

I must've looked like a total fool as I gaped at the room in front of me as Sam chuckled from beside me.

He leaned in and said softly, "Do you like it?"

"Like it?" I breathed back, awestruck, "It's the most beautiful place I've ever been."

And I wasn't lying.

The ceiling arched above us in shades of gold, painted with images of flying angels, soft pink clouds and the chubby babies with harps and grapes. The floor stretched endlessly before us too, covered in circular tables. The cutlery and crystal cut glasses glinted and gleamed as guests swanned between them, laughing and talking as they greeted each other.