Red-Heads On The Battle Front

19. Engagement Party

I crumpled his note and angrily chucked it at my trash can. Missing the trash can only served to pointlessly enrage me further and I stumbled around, wrestling with my contraption of a dress and muttering about stupid people and stupid dresses and stupid – just – ugh – everything!

"I thought I heard your dulcet tones" Celia observed from the doorway. I paused with the monster dress for a moment to glare at her. I was frustrated and pissed off – and it wasn't even 9 am!
"You're putting it on backwards, Gwen" she said condescendingly, but helped me put it on anyway. When I was all decked up in pale yellow (still not pink!) she stepped back to survey her handiwork.
"Makeup" she said. More like commanded, really, since I had no option. I (very wisely) didn't offer to do it myself. I think I saved myself an eyeball.
"Look at you, looking like a girl!" she gushed. I just glared at her.
"More like a banana, but you know, same difference" I shrugged. I really wasn't in the mood this morning and I was only doing it for Gabby. Celia huffed at my remark and ushered me into Mum's room to get my hair done. My jaw dropped.
"For an older lady, you do come through" I said, whistling appreciatively. My Mum rolled her eyes and went back to adjusting her copper curls.
"Yes, and if an 'old lady' can, you can too" she said snarkily and proceeded to twist my hair into a curly, floppy something that added to my banana-ness by the end of a very painful half hour.

As we traipsed downstairs, Mum and Celia in their mauve and peach dresses respectively, Dad looked wonderstruck. And then he looked at me.
"Not a word" I warned him – his face looked torn between awe and sheer amusement.
"You won't hear a toot out of me" he chuckled and I glared at the back of his head as we trooped into the car. The ride was fairly awkward. Somewhere down the line, we all remembered the punishment I was to serve the following morning and that shut everyone up fairly quickly.

"We're here"

I tumbled out of my car, struggling with the absolute horrendousness of my dress and ran towards Gaby, whose head I could see in the window. I dimly registered the building as the town hall before it rushed past me in my eager flight.

I would've rushed straight to her, if I could've, but right at that moment came a very...erm...bosomy lady. I bumped into her treasures, of which she had in abundance, and her mean little eyes zeroed in on me "Young lady! This is a respectable community and we shall not have any little-"
"I'm so sorry Mrs. Crawsher ma'am" Mother darling! Come to the rescue once again!
"Gwen wasn't seeing where she was going. Apologize." she hissed the last part out at me in an impressive imitation of Nagini. I shrugged "Sorry" I said casually. Mistake. Mrs. Crawsher puffed up indignantly, no doubt to begin a tirade on my shortcomings (like I needed any more of those) but my mother nodded in a gesture of peace and ushered me to my allotted chair. "Don't. Move" she said between gritted teeth as she disappeared into the crowd to bring the rest of the charming flock to the table. I felt like a child, in frills and robes, complete with a sullen expression on my face.

"Attention, all." A few of the ladies continued gabbing away as the announcer looked at them with distaste. When it was clear they weren't going to stop, he rang his little bell, straightened his moustache, and went on "Attention, all. Presenting to you – the bride- and the groom-to-be" there was much clapping and I stretched my neck, trying to see over the crowds at Gabriella and Marcellus. As she came into view, my heart dropped a little bit. Maybe this wasn't the time to seek my comfort when she looked so...happy.

Happy didn't encompass how she looked, really. It was an underestimation. She was positively glowing, from root to tip. Her lilac dress hugged her small figure, accentuating the curves of her back and her waist, upon which rested a hand whose sparkling diamond ring matched her own. He wasn't as striking as I'd imagined him to be, but the smile that played upon his lips when he looked down at his wife-to-be made his face light up with sudden handsomeness. They took their places and their mouths were moving, I just couldn't hear the words. Lost was I, in lands of weird floral and skull patterns and books from which dashing princes who were actually pirates swooped me up to go to Neverland and it was just like the books had described it to be. One day...