On My Way To Mr. Right

Chapter 50

The night had come to an end. The principal was onstage announcing the special awardees for the night. It usually revolved around the senior class. Best dressed. Best transformation. Whatever adjective they could think of.

We had gathered around the table. James, tired as he was with all the dancing and mingling, regained his strength by eating. A lot. About five wings occupied one of his plates. I’m pretty sure his mom got what she paid for with the fifty-dollar contribution.

Daniel Lee experienced the results of that same meal. He had to go home early, he said. B called him an Uber. She looked distraught. But I’m sure she’d be better off without the gluttony child beside her. She was seated beside me, texting. It was probably Ross. Or Daniel Lee.

If he had recovered by now.

Ross has gotten nonstop updates since we arrived here. Pictures, video clips, emojis, actual text messages, snaps. All the types of media you can think of we sent to her. All in an attempt to keep her in the loop, and not make her feel like she missed out a lot. Also, because it was fun. It was like a mini documentation of how our night went.

They even sent her a video of James taking me for our first dance. Ross screamed and cheered in a video response to that one. I never guessed how big of a fan she was of James and I until now.

Charles sat next to Sarah Lynne, obviously bored. He had his hand covering his yawn. While the other hand was clasped tightly to Sarah Lynne’s. I never thought they’d have a great time tonight. I think neither did they. Before tonight, Charles was terrified of having to talk to her. But he hasn’t let her go since we'd arrived here.

Speaking of Sarah Lynne, I still haven’t apologized to her. I wanna say I’ve been looking for the right time to speak up. But really, I was just scared. Her freakishly tall figure intimidated me.

She stood around 6’2. But with her grunge wedges, she was a towering 6’8 over me. I was barely a six-footer, and my stilettos were of no help. But the tension between us was eating me up.

It intensified even further when everyone else chose to betray me and leave me alone at the table with her. B ran off saying she had to call Daniel Lee and check up on him. James was dragged away by his basketball teammates again, for the third time tonight. Charles excused himself to go to the bathroom. If any of those were even credible excuses.

Sarah Lynne sat opposite me, staring at the succulent center decoration on our table. Another wild concept from the decoration team. Honestly, succulent in a winter-themed event?

I cough, trying to attract her attention. But it didn’t.

I coughed twice.

She ignored me and continued to pick on the poor succulent plant.

I coughed loudly the third time, and for sure, she snapped her eyes at me.

“Do you have tuberculosis? Do you need to go to the hospital?” She said with mock concern.

I tried my hardest to stop my eyes from rolling over to the back of my head. I smile sheepishly instead.

“About our earlier conversation,” I began. “I wanted to apologize to you. That came out all wrong. It was not what I intended at all, and I’m sorry if I offended you, somehow.”

She didn’t make a peep immediately. I don’t know if it was the tension or the winter breeze, but the awkward air suffocated me. All I could think of was running away, immediately.

Thankfully, she stopped my torture.

She tilts her head and expresses a soft smile.

“That’s okay,” she mutters. “I’m sorry for blowing up on you, too. I was just under a lot of stress earlier.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” I offered, as concerned friend or stranger that I was.

“No, I don’t even know you,” She said with a raised eyebrow.

If the Earth is alive, swallow me whole now.

Just when I thought the awkwardness and tension had been blown away, she just replenishes it. I tried to laugh it off. Although my chuckle was as awkward as our conversation was. But thank God for some intervention. Even if it came in the form of Adrian Harper. He slides to the seat next to me, offering his hand, and I raise an eyebrow at him.

“Care for a dance, mademoiselle?” He smirks.

“What? Why?”

Adrian has been so inconsistent and unreliable since we broke up that I honestly have developed a habit of doubting every single thing that comes out of his petty little mouth.

“I just wanted to say sorry about earlier. It was not my place, and I was being a dirk, I know.” He let out his pitiful eyes and I sighed, irked. “Please, Lottie? Don’t make me beg? Just one dance?”

I sigh, realizing he is never going to leave without getting what he wants. He was raised a little spoiled. That, I knew about him.

I turned to Sarah Lynne.

“Go, I’ll barricade the table,” She smiles, encouraging me to go.

I wasn’t really looking for her approval, but it didn’t hurt to have her seal. I admit, I hold a high regard for her laid-back perspective and behavior.

I left the table with Adrian’s hand wrapped around mine. I felt somewhat squeamish. Not because I was uncomfortable with Adrian, but because I felt that I was doing something wrong, or maybe nearing the line of betrayal with James.

I don’t know. Emotions aren’t solid facts that you can constantly rely on for judgement.

We were in the middle of a slow song. A rendition of Night Changes by One Direction. I turned to my dance partner, whose grin went from ear to ear. He slowly guides my arms around his nape, but I wasn’t paying much attention to him. I couldn’t help but look around to see if James was nearby or if he could see us.

“Hey,” Adrian called my attention, noticing me looking everywhere and at everything but him. “I thought I could have all of you for a dance? Not just your physical self.”

Douche.

He sounded like a hipster.

“I’m sorry,” I muttered, trying to keep my gaze at him.

He was still a little taller than me. Just by a few inches, at most.

He placed his hands on my waist, which was cold to the touch. I restrained flinching from his touch. But it was chilling to be this close in proximity to him. After breaking up, we were a whole football field distance from each other on most days.

“Can I?” he motions to his hands on my waist and I nod, hesitantly. “Thank you for agreeing to a dance.”

“It’s no big deal,” I huffed.

“It is. I’m really sorry about earlier.”

“It’s okay,” I reassured him. “It’s not as if I didn’t know you have beef with every guy in my life and a bit of a jerky side.”

“Beef jerky, really?” He lets out a dry laugh at my attempt at a witty response.

I didn’t say it was good humor. I said it was an attempt at one.

“So, how are you and Clara doing?” I asked, trying to fill the silence.

“Uh, we broke up, actually. A couple of weeks ago.”

“Oh,” I muttered in confusion. “Then why was she so adamant about us becoming friends again? Literally, she insisted that I see the good side to her. Like you weren’t one of my childhood friends and my first boyfriend.”

Adrian grew silent at my queries. His face showed a look of confusion and disbelief.

“Is something wrong? I hope I didn’t cross a line by revealing some of what she said. I’m just genuinely curious as to why she’d be so persistent about something like that.”

His expression shifted in an instance as his gaze met mine.

“Nothing, maybe she just genuinely wanted to be the bridge of peace,” he said with a smile that exposed his dimples.

I know him well enough to recognize the presence of those dimples as a sign of lying. He was keeping something from me. But I wasn’t as intrigued as I thought I’d be.

I saw the man of my dreams approaching us from Adrian’s back. His face was sharp and I knew he was fuming from the sight of those darkened jade eyes.

“Um, hi,” We stopped dancing as I barricaded myself between James and Adrian. “What’s wrong?”

“Seriously?” He gruntled.

“Yeah, why? Am I doing something wrong? Am I not allowed to dance with an old friend? What is it?”

“I’m not sure whichever one it is. But I sure would appreciate a little warning or even just a heads-up if and when you do come running back to your ex,” he mutters with his voice uneven from trying to control his anger.

What was there even to be mad about?

“Are you being serious right now?” I held my hands up to my hips, not backing down from his jaded eyes.

It was a good thing the football field was so wide and that the music was blasting very loud. No one could give a damn about us quarreling in the middle of it all.

“I will leave the table one second, Lottie,” he whispered in an aggravated tone. “It sure didn’t take long for you to have a sweet little dance-”

“Hey, man,” Adrian interjects from behind me. “I’m sorry if it offended or caused you discomfort to have your dog – I mean, girlfriend, dance with me. Keep her on a shorter leash, next time, huh?” He spits out so casually that it left my mouth ajar. I was too shocked to even be furious. “And, Lottie? I had a great time with you. Thanks for the dance.” And he walked away. So randomly. Disappeared into the crowd, without as much as a glance back at the mess he left.

“That motherforker,” James whispered under his breath. His fists balled tightly. The veins in his arms became visible. “Is that the kind of man you want to dance with? Really?”

“Calm the fork down,” I widened my eyes at James, trying to recollect my thoughts. We were actually having a good time. Then, he’d blow up like that. Worst of all, he leaves me with an infuriated James. What the hell was Adrian on tonight to make him wreak havoc on us?

“Honestly, Lottie,” he looked close to tearing up. His eyes glistened. My heart softens. How did it go downhill so quickly? I took James for a hug, trying to calm him down. I don’t know what set him off, but I cannot be the one that ruined this night for both of us.

“Let’s go outside, get some air,” I told him, grabbing his arm and taking him out to the back exit.