the day of my 21st birthday had finally arrived. after months of dreaming, planning and joking about potential suitors with my friends the night had finally rolled around. it felt pretty surreal, i mean we spoke about it often enough it felt like an inside joke.
my family had hired out a great hall near by and it was embellished head to toe in pale green, pink and golden balloons as well as banners and other cheap decorations. walking into the hall i realised how real everything had become, the hall was elegant and didn't quite match the vibe of those invited. i felt bad thinking this, obviously i have the highest respect for my friends and family but i would be lying if i said i thought they were the type to fit into the sort of event my parents had in mind and put together. leaning on a wall by the door i watched as my mum fixed the confetti at the tables and my dad joked with the barman, i assume he believes if they are pals he will get discounts on his beers but i don't quite think his charm carries him that far. my two brothers Kaiden and Shawn had rushed in beside me the ruffles on my dress dancing in the gush of wind they brought with them, this catches my mothers attention and she starts scolding them for being reckless when guests were a few minutes away. I catch them giving each other and me awkward glances knowing the first to laugh would get strangled by the furious woman in front of us we somehow manage to bite our tongues.
time skip
the chatter i hear from the once empty echoey hall reminds me how huge the event actually was, so many relevant faces from my life all crammed into one small space all smothering me in drinks, cuddles and kisses which explained the red lipstick stains on my cheeks and sticky floors. my friends and i all decided to rush to the bathroom to not only fix my makeup but to discuss something Lola seemed so stressed about it couldn't be said in public. the bathroom was cold, a shiver ran down my spine once i entered however i couldn't tell if it was from the freezing tiles or fear from the rage that was about to be unleashed on me.
as i set down my purse down Eleanor had pulled herself onto the counter and started chatting away about Abigail. i half listened and half planned an escape route because i didn't know how this would go. as i heard clicking of heels and a stomp of a doc martin boot i realised both Melissa and Lola had arrived and my doom soon followed.
"You know kora a warning could've been meggggaa helpful." Lola said aggressively as she entered, i didn't take offence from her tone because i understood it came from not only the alcohol but a stress that had been forced on her. Lola's tone had however activated Eleanor's ditsy confused personality to which she responded
"what? what happened lol?"
"koraaa invited blaineeee" Mel sung clearly finding stirring the pot funny.
"i sent the guest list in the group chat im not sure what warning i could've given you lols-" i said sympathetically
"you ended on good terms!!!"
Blaine and Lola's history is more than confusing. After having the most beautiful summer romance it's the same old story of real life getting in the way and a summer fling ending, it was truly mutual and promised our contact as a group would remain but i couldn't think of a more dead group chat than that one. although the two of them clearly liked each other the contact remained minimal until it has fully fizzled out and led to a long year of no contact.
"well being that that guest list is 147 people long-" she said with aggressive emphasis, the words really shone light on the scale of the party for me and a feeling of anxiety brewed in my stomach.
"i didn't think to completely highlight and analyse every single last name! why did you even think to invite him??"
"him and my dad really got along! he was relevant in my life once to yanno." i spat back, with honesty i knew it was uncalled for but my emotions and the warmth in my stomach from several shots were starting to talk for me.
"yeah i get that but i- whatever i don't even care he is just a guy." we could all tell this was a lie, Lola enjoyed downplaying her feelings once it came to men due to her usually independent attitude but when Blaine is involved we know she's smitten. this is why me and my other drunk friends give each other concerned faces when she stormed out of the bathroom, i gripped the sink in front of me sighing deeply dipping my head down.
"she will come around kora. let's all give her time!! enjoy this babe.. it's your night after all.." Mel said gently fixing my hair before taking eleanor's hand and leading her out the bathroom leaving me alone with my reflection.
i look up at myself brushing my dress down and fixing the multiple different coloured lipstick stains on my cheeks, my phone rings loudly from my purse taking it out i notice it's Rowans number along with the a few 'where are you??' texts.
i reply
'i'm at the bathroom meet me in the hall please'
before taking once last look at myself and walking out.
the straps on my heels are rubbing against my leg in an uncomfortable way and i almost go over my ankle in the process of trying to fix it but my uncomfortable footwear is pushed to the back of my mind as i hear two familiar voices bickering at the end of the brightly lit hallway.
both Scarlett and Rowan stand going back and fourth about something i can only assume is me centred, i go up to the two placing a hand on both their shoulders to which the turn their attention to me and shower me with compliments and how they missed me, as sweet as this interaction is i understand it's just a competition between them both to see who is nicest to me.
"Scarlett where were u? emergency meeting in the toilet u missed!!"
"sorry!!! my phone is in Maxs pocket i haven't been on it all night-" She replied before being cut off by rowan
"i would've never missed that meeting personally."
"seeing u waltz in the woman's bathroom would be more than concerning rowan." i say giggling.
Scarlett joins me before spitting several comments about how he's so feminine and a little queer that we probably wouldn't notice rowans annoyed expression only grows.
"Lola isn't impressed about Blaine, i feel bad but they clearly both are still interested in each other-" my train of thought is cut off from a ping on my phone
El<3
"lola's sitting outside in the garden area!! you two will be fine i know it"
i sigh with relief after repeating the text out loud however Scarlett delivers a kick to the stomach when she asks
"the same garden Blaine is sitting in?.."
panic fuels all our faces as we rush into the hall to tell the others.
