Staying for the Holiday

Part 9

That night I slept in my dress, not even bothering to take it off. It all felt like a bad dream.

Rachael's back was faced to everyone looking over at us and she was wearing a vicious smile. I turned away and dashed through the exit. My feet were sore so I stopped to take my heels off before continuing to run back in the ballroom. But I didn't stop there. I quickly walked through, holding more tears in until I made it into the hallway. As soon as I was alone, I burst out in loud sobs as I began to run again. Right up the grand stair case and into my room.

I cried and cried and cried until my eyes were swollen and I didn't have anymore tears left. Then I just sat there torturing myself by replaying Rachael splashing the wine in my face. Rose knocked on my bathroom and came into my room.

"Oh, sweetie." She cooed. She was still in her dress and lied down next to me. We stayed like that for a while, just lying there. I was thankful she understood that I didn't want to talk or I didn't want to hear the "oh, it wasn't that bad" bullcrap. That's why she was my best friend, she knew what to do.

After a while, she tugged me to the bathroom and I sat on the closed toilet seat. She wet a rag and wiped my face clean of makeup and wine, as well as my chest and arms. "There. Now you're semi clean." She smiled down at me but I didn't have it in me to smile back.

"I'm going to bed." I slowly got up from my seat and trudged back into my room. I didn't bother undressing, I got in my bed and hid my face in the duvet as I began to cry myself to sleep.

-

Even though it was Christmas Eve, I wasn't feeling the holiday spirit. I was awaken by soft knocks on my door. I didn't get up to answer, I just lied there, un-movingly.

"Kat. I don't know if you're awake or not. It's okay if you are, you don't have to answer." I froze. I wanted to open the door for Emily but I couldn't.

"Listen, I just wanted to say that I am so sorry for last night. It shouldn't have happened and it shouldn't have happened to you. You didn't deserve that." She paused for a moment. "Look I- I... just wanted to say that in the few short days that I've known you- I'm speaking for the whole family also when I say that we're all happy your flight was cancelled. You're company is amazing and I don't know if you and my son are seeing each other or not but we sure hope you are." She whispered the last part. "Especially Grandma."

I smiled as the tears fell from my eyes. If I cried one more time in this god forsaken house!

"Anyway, I can understand if you want some time for yourself today so I'll leave you alone. But I've wrapped up some food for you and put it in the fridge with your name on it. Please eat." After that, it was silent for a while. Thinking she walked away, I headed towards the door. "Oh, and Carter has been beating himself up about everything last night. Don't tell him I told you but when I came up here to talk to you, he was sleeping in front of your door."

That made my stomach flutter. I don't know if it felt good or not this time. He slept in front of my door?

I couldn't help but open the door for Emily. I wiped my tears and thanked her for all she said to me. "It's no problem, dear. I meant every word I said." Her embrace tightened as I cried even more. "We love you here."

-

Hours after my cry fest with Emily, I was curled back in my bed watching a movie. The logical side of me knew that no one would laugh in my face or bring up the embarrassing event of last night but the less logical side didn't want to take the chance.

Last night Rachael made me look like a complete loser in front of a guy I truly liked and his family! And the party! She probably laughed when I ran away crying.

God, why did I run away? Why did I cry in front of them? Why couldn't I have just held it together until I made it to my room.

I screamed into my pillow and kicked around for a few seconds before calming myself. I felt like a zombie with sore eyes. I must have been rubbing them all night while I was sleeping because right now, they felt so tender.

Since I didn't want to leave my room, even though I was starving, I decided to finally change from my gown and into pajamas. Hanging my dress up, I smiled sadly. Last night was magical, even though I never got to dance with my date and alcohol was dumped on me. I just wished the memory wasn't tainted. Why did I have to bump into Rachael at all?

Wait a minute- who the hell is Rachael? No one ever explained to me- Rose knew her. That's why she was being so abrupt with her. It was obvious Rachael has some type of past with Carter or else I wouldn't have been sporting wine over a boy I haven't even kissed! Once I got out of this funk I was in, somebody had some explaining to do. But in the mean time, I was going to call my mom.

"Merry Christmas Eve, hunny!" I could tell my mom was bustling around because I could hear the wind chopping her voice through the phone. "Same to you, mom." I said picking at the ends of my hair. "Hun, what's wrong? You sound too upset for it to be your favorite season." The noise in the background faded as I heard her car starting. "Nothing, just an embarrassing night, last night." I tried not to think about it too much, I didn't want to cry all over again.

"But you looked absolutely beautiful. Why would you be upset?" I wasn't expecting to hear that. I didn't even send my mom pictures. How did she know what I looked like? "-Oh, and why haven't you told me about this Walker boy you're canoodling with in New Hampshire? I can see why you didn't make it home this Christmas! How long have you two been seeing each-"

"Mom, mom! Stop." I laugh. "Catch your breath, why don't you?" She laughs lightly before she starts talking again. "It was on that Facebook thing! Matthew showed me all of the pictures with the Walker family. You two look like a great fit. Better than you did with Drew."

"Mom!"

"When will I be meeting him?"

"Mom, you honestly are way too ahead of yourself. Carter and I aren't seeing each other. We're barely even friends." I say the last bit a little too spitefully. "Alright. Tell me all about last night, I won't say a word."

So I did. I told her everything. Leaving out the part of our almost kiss but going in depth about Rachael and that incident. "Oh! Matthew read me something about that. He said that a woman was escorted out because of drunk behavior. It didn't read of specifics but you know everything is online now." Wow, I didn't even think to check Facebook or any news outlets about last night. I mean, I am lodging with the Govern of New Hampshire and his family for the holidays. Even if it were only a local news outlet, news about the party would be somewhere.

"And this Rachael chick? Who does she think she is? You know I am from Philly! I will-"

"Mom. You grew up in a suburban area in New Jersey."

-

After a well deserved nap, I decide that I wanted to venture outside of my room. Making sure the hallway was clear, I silently skipped into my favorite little circular room. How I wished it had a door so I could lock it. I wanted to remain unseen today.

I skimmed over a few books before landing on one of my favorites of all time. Pride and Prejudice. It's a classic, how can you not love it?

I sat in there, reading for an hour before I heard footsteps coming into the room. Frick. I should've just grabbed a book and went back into my room. I just sat there, pretending not to hear anyone coming in. Maybe if I don't move they won't pay attention to me.

"What are you pretending to read?" The moment the words fell out of Carter's mouth, my whole body was on edge. I felt goosebumps rising on my arms and a chill ran through my core. "I wasn't pretending." Was all I could manage to say. I still hadn't turned to face him or even moved from the position I was in. My feet were tucked under me and the book was propped open on my legs.

"Kitty," There it was. That was the voice that said he was going to bring up last night. God, I didn't want to talk about it. I wanted to just disappear.

"Meet me outside of your door in 15 minutes?" What? "Please." He pouted his lips and tugged on my arm. "-and dress nicely, I've got a surprise for you."

I didn't even get a chance to respond before he took off running towards his room.