Muddle on! (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 9.3

     After the second glass of champagne, I began slightly enjoying myself. The congratulating speeches had been dragging for two hours and I couldn’t stand it anymore. I truly loved my sister and I wished her all the happiness in the world, but when you hear two dozens relatives from both sides mumbling something monotonous, even Kristen and Norm got bored in the end. Besides, I was sitting upfront, on the overview of the entire party and couldn’t even stop smiling or turn away for a change. Ted was on his third glass, looking not less miserable than myself. When the food was out I allowed myself a little break.

     “This is so boring,” I said under my breath. Ted nodded and started poking salad on his plate with a fork. “When they will finally start dancing, I guess we can head to the hotel. I feel very tired.”

    “I guess we could,” Ted said and pursed his lips.

     The light in the grand hall started turning dim, and the volume of the music picked up. I observed all the tables, noticing half of the chairs empty. People started scattering around the hall. I stuffed a huge piece of salmon into my mouth and rose onto my feet chowing. “I’ll be right back,” I announced and lurked into the darker side of the hall not to be noticed by my grandparents on the way out. My cheeks still hurt from all their pinching and patting.

     That was by far the second humiliating part of the evening. Besides the dress and stuff.

     Successfully, I slipped from the grand hall and went to the restroom. After I finished with my business I went back, but came right on time for Kristen and Norm’s first dance as a married couple. People were gathered in a circle at the dance floor, practically blocking the entire view. I stretched on my tippy toes overlooking past the bodies of the guests, catching only glimpses of Kristen and Norm. He was actually not a bad guy, if to dismiss his paleness and a weird shape of his skull. Well, I didn’t know him at all to give my opinion on his part, anyway.

     Once they finished and sealed the dance with a sweet kiss, several more pairs joined them for the second song, among whom I saw my and Norm’s parents, some of Kristen’s bridesmaids, and surprisingly Ted with some blond chick. Here and there I saw my brother Kyle and his girlfriend flickering in a dance. I didn’t want to feel that way, but loneliness started creeping up on me. Having Ted around was contagious. I started missing his company. I knew, of course, that I couldn’t monopolies him and treat as my own, but I couldn’t help wishing so. Even in none-romantic sense.

     I rotated and unhurriedly exited the grand hall. There were not many places I could go, and following my inner guidance, I strolled through the hallway straight for the main entrance. It was still light outside. The party basically just started, since the official part was over and the fun part began with the first dance. I looked to the sides, catching a faint smell of smoke in the air. There was no one here. So, either someone just went inside after a cigarette, or the small of the cigarettes came from someplace else.

     I picked up the hem of my dress not to drag it by the ground, and took my route to the right going on the scent like a hound. I peeked around the corner of the building finding no one. I looked back at the doorsteps, debating whether to go back, but in the end decided to take a full tour around the building to kill the melancholy.

     As I neared to the other side of the building, I started picking up the voices and laughter coming from the back. Silently I drew to the corned and peeked at the backyard holding myself to the wall.