ALL THAT GLITTERS...

17.

My eyelids fluttered open and I immediately regretted it as direct sunlight peeping through the curtains threatened to blind me. Groaning, I rolled over to face the other side of the room. I couldn't find it in my heart to abandon my soft bed yet, I was practically drowning in the soft sheets and fluffy pillows.

I allowed my eyes to scan the hotel suite in a bid to familiarize myself with it. There was a cardboard closet on one end, and a bathroom door on the other, a large dressing table was against the wall, with a chair pushed in. A flat-screen TV was displayed high up on the wall, just above a wooden cabinet with a glass jar and a set of cups and saucers.

I pulled myself up and looked around. The room was massive, bigger than my bedroom at Sunnyside and the one that was in Jacksontown. I threw my legs on one side of the bed and sauntered towards the partly drawn curtains and pulled them apart to let the sun completely fill the room.

The view was something out of this world. I had my own balcony with a large hammock, some nice white chairs and a matching table, flower pots in every corner and a breath-taking view of the hotel garden and pools.

I was about to slide the balcony doors open to get a better look at the view when my ears picked up a soft knock from the door. I wasn't expecting anyone this early, the hotel staff maybe?

Or maybe not.

Selene strutted in past me with a big smile on her face the moment I opened my door.

"Good morning. Did you just sleep in yesterday's clothes?" she frowned at my wrinkled clothes.

She had obvious showered, her hair was up in a high ponytail and her face was glowing as usual with bubble-gum pink lip gloss and matching shadows. Her figure was dressed in a short flared grey dress, a matching handbag and pink shoes.

"Morning. You're up and dressed already? It's only what? 8 am?" I threw at her.

"Yes, but we have a long day ahead of us. We need to go shopping first then be back for a spa treatment appointment, take a nap and be ready for the ball by 6.30 pm." she listed.

I could feel myself getting exhausted just by thinking about it.

"Ok then, let me take a shower. You don't mind waiting do you?" I asked her as I moved to the closet to grab my toiletries.

"Of course not. I will entertain myself with this gorgeous view you got."

****************************

"What's wrong with the food at the hotel?" I asked Selene as we walked towards a small restaurant just a few blocks from the hotel.

She had suggested we ditch breakfast at the hotel and eat out. I wasn't totally against the idea, as long as my stomach got something, I was okay, I was too tired to order anything last night.

"It's the mediocrity that bothers me. People pay thousands to stay at the hotel and they can't even deliver a decent meal, worth the penny." She complained.

I didn't say anything, I just followed her lead into the fancy restaurant. Not many people were in, just an old lady dressed in a white fur coat and posh glasses and a couple that was seated in the corner staring deeply into each other's eyes.

Since I didn't know most of the things on the menu, I let Selene order the specials for us.

"Are you excited?"

"About what?" I was slightly confused.

"The Ball of course. And that you're going as my brother's date, do you know how many girls that attend that ball would kill to be in your shoes?" she asked dramatically like it was the most amazing thing in the world.

I honestly did not. There was no denying that I was a little attracted to Seth, any normal girl would be. I didn't know how to feel about be the whole thing.

I was nervous, that's for sure.
My stomach was in knots.
A little panicked but definitely not excited.

"What about your date?" I asked wanting to keep the attention off me and Seth.

I watched Selene's fair cheeks crimson and blush at the mention of her date.

"Colton yeah?" I pressed and watched as her face flushed again. I laughed, it was kind of cute.

"How long have you two known each other?" I asked.

"My whole life, I guess." She picked up and nibbled one of the grapes that was sitting on a small plate on the table.

"Childhood sweethearts. That's really cute." I smiled in which Selene hummed.

"Not exactly. I didn't even like Colton as a kid and the feeling was mutual, but it was kind of known that him and I were supposed to be together one day. It's all his parents ever talked about."

"Wait. You mean like an arranged marriage?" I asked incredulously, it was hard to think that such arrangements were still practised at this time and day.

"Yes and No. Both of us have a choice but it was kind of drilled in us as kids that we were supposed to get married. I didn't like the idea and was ready to throw it back in his parent's faces when I turned sixteen but Colton convinced me to give us a try. I honestly don't know why because he had made it clear when we were growing that he didn't like me but we decided to give it a go and I don't regret it."

There was a spark in her eyes when she talked about Colton that I was slightly envious of, was it something I was ever going to experience too? My last relationship wasn't exactly true love and all, more of a mutual attraction but I was glad to have left that behind me especially now i knew what a dick he was.

Bring my head back to present, I suddenly wanted to ask whether Seth had anyone he was paired with.

The last thing I needed was to be a date to someone's potential fiancée or have some girl try to claw my eyes out for stealing her date. The question was almost of my mouth when I decided against it, I didn't want Selene thinking I was obsessed with her brother since he was all I talked about when we were together. Our server returned with our meals and the rest was forgotten.

After breakfast, we hit a couple of boutiques around town, each one more expensive than the last. By the time we were done, my feet were sore. Selene had guilt-tripped me into trying everything she thought was cute only for her to purchase it for me. I ended up going back to the hotel with some new makeup, a pair of sparkly white heels, a few brand new dresses and tops for myself and another one for my aunt. That dress was the only thing I spent my money on, it felt wrong to go back home empty-handed, especially after she had given up that other dress for me.

There were a few extra things on Selene's to-do list that I dreaded, I was exhausted and we were only halfway through the day.

It was going to be a long day and a much longer night.

-------------------------------------------------

I really hope you are excited for this ball!!