TIFFIN

76

Hey everyone! Hope you're having a good morning!! We are going to be meeting some interesting characters from here on out. Hope you enjoy!!
_____________________________________

It didn't take me long to find the doors with the stick figures on them. I crossed my fingers hoping I wouldn't pee myself, as I made my way to the biggest stall in the restroom.

Instantly feeling relief, I did my best not to focus on the night's events. Yes, Dorinda's hatred towards me wasn't a shock. That was a given. 

Niall's parents though. What was up with them being so forthcoming? I hadn't ever met them and they were acting like I needed everything they could offer in the world. What had Josphine told them? 

Speaking of which, I'd just landed a free job. Oh, my parents were going to kill me. 

Just as I was about to clean up, I heard a group of giggling girls, deep in conversation. 

"Oh, my god, did you see what she was wearing?" A familiar voice said. I knew exactly who it was. It had to be Kylie. 

Out of suspicion, I peeked through the slit in the stall door, eyeing the group. It was Kylie and three other girls that had competed against us, applying lip gloss and laughing along.

"Yeah," A girl with a blouse and poodle-skirt replied, "She was trying way too hard tonight. Where did she come from anyway? Under a rock apparently."

A girl with a nasally voice and way too many flower decorations snorted obnoxiously. 

"I think we all know why she won the competition; I bet Hero slipped the judge a fifty."

At this, Kylie glared through her forehead. 

"No, no," Another girl laughed, "I think the reason she won is because she's sleeping with Niall. It is his mother's benefit after all."

Kylie cackled. "I never thought about that!"

The third girl with overly curly black hair furrowed her brows. 

"Wait. I thought he came here with that one girl..."

"Oh, I wouldn't bother worrying about that thing." The girl in the poodle skirt said. "Whatever is going on isn't going to last more than a few weeks."

"Back on the subject of Kristina," Kylie went on, "How long do you think it will take for Hero to get tired of her again?"

A roar of laughter echoed off the porcelain walls. I couldn't sit and listen to any more of this. I finished with what I was doing, fluffing out the bottom of my dress, then opened the stall door. As I made my way over to the sinks, the group went silent, staring at me with guilty expressions. 

I took my golden opportunity:

"Ladies, how are we tonight?"

No one answered. They all huddled together, trying to appear inconspicuous. 

"Since I've been under a rock," I continued, "I need some advice. What can I expect from my new job that I fairly won in the bidding?"

As I pulled off my gloves to wash my hands, one of the girls graced me with a nasty response. 

"Oh, just the usual tasks of doing what your boss tells you."

I nodded. "Ah. Thanks for the tip."

Pulling my gloves back on, I strutted my way dramatically out the bathroom doors. I didn't bother pressing my ear to the door to hear what rumors they were spreading about me. It wasn't worth getting my panties in a twist over.

What I really wanted to do was find Jo. The nasty talk the girls were spewing around made me uneasy and I wanted to witness the honeymoon phase she and Niall were still riding so I could get some reassurance. Unfortunately, as I turned down the long hall I realized I took a wrong turn. 

It was filled with many photographs of families that had paid to have vacation photos taken at the event center. They were sweet and made it clear many of these families didn't have much money. It was a breath of fresh air. As I made it to a dead-end, I noticed a room labeled:

ARTISTRY ROOM.

Without thinking twice, I pushed at the metal handles, entering. My eyes widened as I walked in. It was like I had been transported to an old-fashioned museum with lots of framed paintings and glass containers. There was a soft lament playing in the background and the walls and floors were incased with red paint. 

I ran a finger across a container eyeing a bright red amulet. 

"Beautiful isn't it?"

I swiveled around with my heart in my throat, seeing an older woman standing across from me. She looked like she was nearing fifty years old, but looked absolutely amazing in tight leather. I could tell she once had bright blonde hair, but her roots had gone gray. She looked like she could pull any man that she desired. 

"Oh, I'm sorry... I shouldn't be here-" I began but the woman laughed playfully.

"Oh, I wouldn't fret about that at all! They claim that this is a private institution, but so many people visit, the name has worn out. Forgive me. My name is Deidre. What might you be here for?" 

She held out a gloved hand, which I shook in turn. The grip was firm. 

"Oh, I'm here for the ball." I smiled. 

"Oh," Deidre grinned, "Yes, I heard that the bidding was starting, but I couldn't bring myself to watch. Did you compete?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I was actually the winner."

Deidre gasped. "Oh heavens! Congratulations my dear. With a dress like that, I'd find it hard to believe anyone else could win. My condolences. Now, I must be going. Please enjoy the gallery."

"Oh, I should be getting back as well."

As I waited for her to lead me out of the gallery and go off in a separate direction, I rushed around a few more halls and corners, in the hope that I'd come across Josephine.

Eventually facing the fact that I was wasting my time, I rushed back to the ballroom which was now dark, with somber lights circling the room. A soft lullaby was playing and people were waltzing on the dance floor.

As I made it to the table I saw that everyone was still present, except Niall and Jo. 

Oh, where could they be?

"Oh, finally you get back!" Dorinda exclaimed, looking displeased that I'd shown my face. "We were just making introductions."

As I took my seat I was surprised to see a familiar face: The woman from the gallery. She stood, greeting everyone with a firm shake of her hand, eyeing me with curiosity. Oh no. She wasn't my boss from the enterprise was she? I didn't even know if I wanted to take the position!

"Kristina," Dorinda went on, "This is my mother, Deidre. Mom, this is... Hero's date."

Time seemed to stand still as I saw what unraveled in front of me. Deidre beckoned for Hero to stand and she immediately enveloped him in an unyielding hug.

He let her, though he became extremely stiff, with his arms dangling like dead weight. She then planted a long, drawn-out kiss on his cheek. 

This was his grandmother. The woman that molested him.

Thank you all for reading.

Please comment what you thought. <3 <3

I love hearing opinions on characters 😫😝

Please don't forget to vote.