Everlasting

Chapter 2-

I could hardly breathe. I looked at myself in the mirror, I was wearing a deep red gown with tight gathering on my waist. It was a little too fitting for my liking. Mother had chosen this dress for me saying that a young lady should show her curves at the right places to win the hearts of handsome young gentleman. I really wished that the earth would have swallowed me when she had said that.

"Mary! It's too tight. I can hardly breathe. I will die because of lack of air."

"Oh Miss Rosa, you worry too much. You are looking beautiful. Nothing wrong will happen to you."

"Does my hair really have to be tied up in a bun like this? It looks ridiculous!"

"Now Miss Rosa please don't be difficult. You look wonderful. Every man's eye will fall on you."

"That's what mother wants isn't it? She wants me married so that I am not a burden on her. Mary she is taking me for this dinner just as a showpiece. She wants all those gentlemen to come running after me like animals! I feel horrible thinking about it."

"Miss Rosa, a woman's life is tough. We must learn to accept this and move on."

She pulled my face towards her and she looked deeply in my eyes. Her eyes were filled with years of wisdom. "You are going to have a wonderful time. You are looking beautiful."

My own mother couldn't calm me down as well as Mary did. I felt overwhelmed and my eyes filled with tears. I simply nodded my head. Mary hugged me in a comforting manner as if trying to make all my worries go away.

"Rosalina! Are you ready?" My mother called out.

"Coming mother! I better go Mary. I will tell you all about my evening when I return."

I ran downstairs skipping a step at a time.

"Rosa! At least conduct yourself when you are wearing a dress! You remind me of a street child. I believe we have raised you better than that."

"Of course mother. You have raised a fine child." I muttered under my breath and walked my way past her into the carriage.

It was a lovely evening, the sun was just about to set. The rays of the sun fell on the leaves making them appear green, so green that it made me long to go and touch them. Suddenly I remembered the green eyes I had looked into when the owner of the eyes had caught me as I had fallen. Nicholas. His strong arms had encircled around me to prevent me from falling. Oh! They had felt so delightful. His face was etched in my memory.

We were going for a dinner party and ball to our father's friend's mansion. His name was Mr. Colin Wordsworth. He was a rich businessman working with my father. They had been friends since childhood and had started this business together. Now they were so rich that people feared them. It was rumoured that father and Mr. Wordsworth were very powerful people, so powerful that they could make anything happen and also there was a possibility that they were involved in some bad business.

We made our way to Mr. Wordsworth mansion. My mother was seated across me in the carriage and my father was seated next to her. They were discussing about the things to expect at the ball.

"Rosalina, I expect you to be at your best behaviour. When you are asked anything I want you to answer politely. There will be many important dignitaries, I don't want you to cause any trouble or embarrassment." My father said sharply.

"Yes father.", I said timidly.

"We never had any problem like this with Kate. She was a proper young woman."

That's what I disliked about my parents, they always compared me to Kate! It hurt me when they praised her and never said anything good about me. In such situations, I simply nodded my head and looked outside the window tuning out whatever they said.