Overjoyed // {Bastille}

28. Chaotic Cosmos III

"You lean towards despair..."
- Overjoyed, Bastille

-Δ-

Daniel

A draft made its way to my face and I shuddered. Apart from being stunned at the lengths these pretentious people went to through a party, it was hellishly cold. Rose took my arm and hooked it with her own. A strange determined look played in her eyes.

Individuals promenaded around each other everywhere I turned. Servers with platters zoomed around the tables along with people, trying not to have their drinks knocked out of hand. Women were draped with gowns and men wore tuxedoes.

I felt severely underdressed.

"Dan." She whispered, without turning her head.

"Yes?" My eyes could not help but zoom around, and attempt to get accustomed to the regal air that emanated from the walls.

"I-"

"¡Rosa Maria! ¡Feliz cumpleaños mi hermosa!" A woman approached us, running on her toes. This woman I recalled as her mother.

Rose looked at me with utter exasperation etched in her expression. Her eyes seemed to beg "help me." I wanted to double over in laughter, although the feelings were mutual.

"¿Por qué lo trajiste a él?" Her mother hissed.

"Mother, there isn't a need to speak another language. Thank you for the birthday wishes... there is no problem in who I chose to accompany me, correct?" She said in a light, airy tone. Although we both knew what she was playing at. I felt my cheeks go red.

Her mother seemed to ignore the words that leaked out of Rosemary's mouth. She turned to greet me, "Hello, my name is Maria. I'm a Professor here and you must be?" She extended her hand and I hesitantly took it in my own, "Dan-" Rose elbowed me, "iel."

Maria's eyes widened and she smiled, "I remember you." Another soul joined our greeting party. Sadly this soul was her unforgiving, git of a father...

Note: I should not think about her parents that way.

"Daniel," he articulated with utter displeasure. He was extremely tall, considering my height, almost half a head above me. It was funny how short her mother was compared to her father. Rose almost reached me with the shoes of satan on her feet. Without them, she reached my nose.

"Hello." I said, "Hello Dad." Rose muttered.

Her father cautiously eyed me, as if me just standing next to his daughter was something to be fearful of. He moved to hug Rose, which seemed horrendously uncomfortable, and wished her a good day. She muttered something back and resumed her place in the feeling of abnormality, with me.

Silence settled upon us. Gosh, was this family created in silence? It was as if a glorifying and haunting cloud bathed us. Luckily, Rosemary dragged me away before things could move further.

"I'm so sorry." She breathed, pulling me closer to her side.

"No, it's fine. I love being stared down like I'm being accused of high treason." I smiled. She didn't take it, "This is the first time in almost two months you see him. I haven't been home in almost a month."

I looked down at her, "You haven't talked to them?"

"Yes... my mother and my sister. Not my father. He doesn't want to talk to me anyway."

"I don't-"

"Rose!" Another woman's voice became pronounced over the small buzz of others.

"Oh my god." She whispered, "Am I really that recognizable from the back? We haven't even been here for twenty minutes..." I turned her around to greet the woman. Seeing as she wouldn't have done so herself.