Scrape

17. The Mistake

I appeared in a crowd of people milling about, chatting and drinking wine with their masks on. We were in a grand cavernous space - I guessed underground - with a large feast table in the center. You could see all the little rocks and pebbles making up the walls, which made me feel uncomfortable. They looked so small, too small to hold the ground up above us without crumbling. A throbbing beat began vibrating the ground from the next room(or cavern), and everyone went off to dance in the dimmed lights. They moved like skeletons tossing in the grave.

Nobody noticed my sudden appearance, but a few began to stare and I realized I hadn't put my mask on yet. After donning it quickly, I surveyed the crowd, looking for Mike, Clara or Jo, or even anyone else familiar in the crowd. I couldn't see them at this point, so went up to the large feast table to my right and got a plate. As I began piling it high with exquisite foods, a gentleman approached me with a glass of wine.

"Merlot?" He asked.

I took one and chugged it, thinking maybe it would ease my discomfort. Then, I gave the empty glass back, thanking him. He appeared stunned, yet bowed quickly and disappeared off into the sparse crowd. Where he went I didn't care; I was too busy stuffing my face with lobster. The music was pounding through me, urging me to get up and dance, but I wanted to finish eating first.

I observed everything around me in order to get a sense of what everyone else was doing whilst I ate. There was a man in the corner of the room, half-obscured by shadows, chewing on a bit of what looked like tobacco, although I couldn't see from here. Near the center of the room, a group of females were in a heated discussion about politics, the EU and the events happening later on that night. Some guys stood awkwardly nearby, attempting to start a conversation about a recent murder near Oxbridge, but finding the subject of the "working class," to be "too repulsive," most of them gave up. I scowled at them, then remembered that fitting in was my goal while I attempted to find a familiar face. So, instead of looking like a sour puss, I put on my best smile and ignored them, finishing my food.

The party so far was boring as Hell, and filled with ignorant people. I wanted to leave, yet didn't know the way.

As I began concocting plans of possible escape, a guy around my age approached me.

"Hello," he greeted me.

"Hey," I responded, boredom laced into my voice.

"You look beautiful tonight. It's a shame to let a pretty girl like you sit there by yourself."

"I wouldn't be sat by myself if people like you took the initiative to talk to me," I contemplated, "then again...I don't think I'd enjoy their company."

As I spoke, I glanced over at the offending people. They were all still deep in conversation.

"Well, I have to agree," he told me, "so why don't we find something to do together?"

"Like what?"

"Something like dancing?" The guy averted his eyes in shyness.

His voice was slightly familiar, yet - oddly - extremely charming. He spoke in a slightly nervous rush, as though it was the first time he'd spoken to a female like this.

"Of course, but first, may I know your name?" I enquired, holding out my hand for him to take.

He took it firmly in his.

"I'll let you know on the dancefloor."

With that, he led me into the mass of squirming, dancing bodies in the other room. In the gloom, I could make out a few guys attempting to cop a feel on some girls. They all had mixed reactions. Some of them quite enjoyed - and even encouraged - it, but quite a few others slapped the lonely hands away, leaving them with nothing. I smirked, amused at the perverted behaviour.