(RIVALS) The Upside of Falling ✔️

Chapter 28: Gala

Becca

The party was held in the lobby of the hotel and it was breathtakingly beautiful. The floors were a polished white marble, the sound of woman's heels echoing off of them filled the air the entire night, drowning out the soft jazz music that played throughout the lobby

The spacious room was decorated to give off a minimalist look; one wall housed the reception desk, the rest of the space was taken up by couches and chairs. The couches were white leather, flanked by glass coffee tables and funky lamps. Grey plush carpets covered the floors, leading into a large doorway that expanded into the breakfast area, where tables decorated the shiny wooden floors.

The lobby was full of employees walking around, carrying a never-ending supply of  hors d'oeuvres and flutes of bubbly water and champagne. The entire scene was magnificent, like something out of a movie. But by far, the most mesmerizing part were the guests.

Beautiful couples occupied the entire lobby. Women were wearing elegant dresses, with diamonds hanging off their wrists, necks and ears that glinted in the light. The men wore suits or tuxedos, their shoes shining brightly against the white floors. The entire scene seemed too perfect to be real, yet somehow it was.

Parker never left my side, not once. Whenever someone spoke to him, he would introduce me as his friend with a warm smile. The guests were surprisingly friendly and not at all confused by my appearance, everyone smiled and acted as if this were the most natural thing in the entire world.

Even Parker's parents were incredible. His mother was a spitting image of Jenny, aside from her dark, mocha skin, and rich brown hair, falling down her back in tight curls, and did not look a day over thirty. Parker's father had their identical blonde hair and sharp bone structure, the only difference being his light skin, whereas Parker's was a rich blend of both. If they all stood together, they were a picture-perfect family.

"Where's Jenny?" I whispered to Parker as the man he was just speaking to shook his hand politely and walked away.

Parker shrugged and sipped his champagne slowly, pausing for a moment before responding. "She's not coming." His words both comforted and confused me at the same time.

"Why not?"

He laughed lightly, watching me with an amusing smile. "The family business doesn't really appeal to her," he said simply before taking another sip. I could tell he didn't want to talk about it and I wouldn't press him. Still, I couldn't understand why she wouldn't want to be here for her brother.

The sound of glass clinking caught everyone's attention and all heads turned in unison to the front of the lobby where Parker's parents stood, hand-in-hand. A hush fell over the guests and his mother smiled, satisfied.

"My husband and I would like to thank you all for being here with us tonight to celebrate the opening of this new hotel," she paused for a moment as the guests applauded, a brilliant smile appearing on her face. She looked so much like Jenny, it was startling. "Now, my son Parker would like to say a few words."

She signalled for Parker to join her at the front of the room. He removed his arm from around my waist and winked at me quickly before joining his parents. He took the microphone from his mother and began to speak.

Parker had an air of authority about him, it was apparent through the way he spoke and carried himself. His speech was delivered with precision, every guest hanging off his every word. He was captivating, speaking and moving with that air of ease that never seemed to leave him. He wasn't nervous nor flustered, but seemed completely comfortable in front of the crowd.

He ended his speech and everyone applauded. I smiled at him in awe, proud of him and everything he would someday amount too. His eyes met mine and he smiled back quickly before his parents pulled him to their side to take photos.