Bonded Over Ballet

#3

"Why would you even wear white? You know it makes you look even paler!"

"No! That belt makes your waist look so tiny!"

"Oh my god, what are you even thinking? That dress makes you look flatter than you already are!"

All this while I have been trying to choose a dress that would impress my fiancé, but my beloved mother just finds faults in all of them. She has never been happy with me, anyway.

"You know what? I'll just wear what I want to, because there is nothing in the world that can impress you!"

I promise I had tried very hard to keep my cool but as if this arranged marriage isn't enough, my mother has been harassing me since morning with my choice of clothes!

"That is because you are utterly unimpressive", she hissed. "You have always messed up everything for me, but I will not let you ruin this too!"

I just stared at my mother in silence.

My blood boiled at her harsh words and tears threatened to cross the threshold of my eyelids, but I am stronger than that. I will not let her walk all over me.

"You want this to happen then it shall happen, notwithstanding my opinion on it. The least you can do is to let me have a say on what I will wear."

She has never liked my guts and that is clear as she slowly let out a breath.

"He will be here at ten and I want you in the patio before he arrives", she instructed as she walked towards the door. "Do not disappoint me, please."

As she shut the door behind her, a stray tear rolled down my cheeks.

I have only ever been a disappointment to her.

Searching through my large walk-in closet, I finally settled on wearing a baby pink coloured sundress (did not make me look even paler than I already am), which was tight around the bust (did not make me look flatter than I already am), and had a brown leather belt just below the bust as the skirt flew down and gave the dress a puffed up look (did not make my waist look tinier than it already is).

It did meet all of my mother's requirements in a dress, and I hope I hadn't disappointed her.

With my blonde hair let down free and applying just a hint of make up, I hoped that I did not disappoint him too.

Putting on a pair of white sandals with pink straps, I was walking down the stairs when the bell rang.

It was him.

My breath got caught in my throat and my chest constricted at the thought of coming face to face with him after all these years.

Rita, one of the attendants appeared at the base of the stairwell.

"Miss, madam says that you are to come to the patio, immediately", she informed me with a sense of urgency.

I nodded my head in response, but my feet were nailed to the ground, and I felt like an imbecile.

"I have been instructed to bring you with me, Miss", she said.

Of course.

My mother cannot trust me enough to leave me on my own so she assigned me a babysitter.

Rita looked terrified to be the one saying this to me (she has often been at the receiving end of my temper), that I decided to spare her the fear and just go with the wind.

I hope this wind will not lead me to a storm.

We walked pass the drawing room and then into the music room, and then finally reached the patio.