Foresight: A Superhero Story

46. Gala

Roland and I navigated around the edges of the ballroom as the cocktail hour began to wane. I watched as the guests began to slowly filter into their seats. Not far from us was a gaggle of beautiful women walking by. Compared to them I was underdressed, however, I was so mesmerized by their shimmering gowns and perfectly coiffed hair that I hardly noticed. These women were lovely, I felt as if I was watching unicorns striding amongst a herd of water buffalo. 

Damn, what's their secret? 

I was so busy people watching that I almost missed the shift in Roland's demeanor. I was acutely aware of his souring mood the minute his fingers went from gently resting against my lower back to pressing firmly against my hip. I was befuddled to realize Roland was drawing me closer to him, almost in a protective manner. I glanced up curiously to see Roland's jaw clench and unclench rapidly. I followed his gaze to see it rested on a man in his mid forties.

The man in question had dirty blonde hair that was greying at the temples. He was dressed impeccably, with many golden rings adorning his fingers. The man abruptly stopped his conversation to turn towards us. I could immediately see the resemblance between the man at my side and the one in front of me. Roland's father was a few inches shorter than his son, yet more imposing. The man commanded the attention of the entire room. Unlike Roland, his jaw was softer and his nose slightly more rounded. The intimidating man in front of us had icy blue eyes, a stark contrast from his son's. Roland's eyes were dark and tumultuous, much like the sea during a storm. His eyes conveyed warmth, while his father's were cold. 

Roland's step mother promptly joined her husband. They strided confidently towards us, the sea of people parting before them much like school of fish avoiding hungry predators. Mr. and Mrs. Meritt were the perfect physical embodiment of a power couple. I noticed that Mrs. Meritt's  severe expression was softened into a small smile. I had no doubt in my mind that she could still crush a man under her tall stilettos. I noticed a few seconds too late that they were headed right towards us. I felt dread knot my stomach as I realized it was too late to make an escape. 

As they neared, I found myself grateful for Roland's tall presence beside me. With his warm arm draped around me, I could resist the urge to shrink like a wilting plant. Roland's fingers pressed harder against my hip. I nudged him slightly with my elbow, relieved to feel the pressure immediately subside. Roland whispered a quiet apology into my ear just before his parents reached us.  

"Roland, dear. So happy you could make it." Mrs. Meritt smiled warmly as her husband nodded. "And who is this?" 

I felt their judgemental eyes slide over me, silently seizing up my appearance. I had a feeling that I was not welcome. Her eyes narrowed as they lingered on my exposed tattoos. Refusing to crack under pressure, I responded. "I'm Sylvia. Sylvia Moore." The name felt foreign on my tongue, but sounded natural enough as it left my lips. I extended a hand to shake. 

Mr. Meritt gripped my hand within his own, squeezing hard enough that I nearly faltered. "It's a pleasure to meet you Sylvia. I'm Milo Meritt, and this is my wife Katherine." He released my hand. I struggled to repress the urge to rub my painful hand, choosing instead to extend it to Mrs. Meritt. 

"What a darling you are. Tell me, how long have you two been dating?" Katherine appeared pleasant enough, but I could pick up on the warning that underscored her words. 

"We're only friends." Roland's voice was curt, yet polite. He withdrew his arm, leaving me to stand on my own. 

"Ah. Very well then." Katherine appeared more at ease, choosing to ignore my presence for the remainder of our brief conversation. 

"Excuse me Sylvia, I must steal my son for awhile." Milo Meritt focused his attention on Roland. "We need to go over your speech."

Speech? 

The power couple turned abruptly, leaving us behind. Roland gave me a reluctant look before following his parents into the crowd. I sighed as he disappeared from view. The fact that Roland would have to participate in the gala had never occurred to me. In my head, I had pictured an uninterrupted evening together. It was now apparent that I would have to stand alone for an unknown amount of time. I desperately hoped that we wouldn't be separated for long. The thought of treading these unfamiliar waters alone was daunting to say the least. 

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, unsure of what to do. After a few minutes, I became all too aware of a gentlemen inching closer to me.  Although handsome and friendly, I swiftly turned down his offer for drinks. I took a deep breath, steeling myself before moving closer to the ballroom doors. Although I was unsure of where to go, I knew that staying here was not a good option. The thought of spending the night turning down the advances of drunk men didn't appeal to me. 

I tentatively entered the ballroom, standing near the entrance. The high ceilings were adorned with event lighting and various floral garlands. Ambient music swept across the vast room, creating a mellow atmosphere. As my eyes swept across the lavishly adorned room, I nearly bumped into a small crowd to my left. I stepped forward curiously, trying to see what all the fuss was about. To my chagrin, I noted a faux red carpet where several young couples were taking advantage of a free photo op. 

"Unbelievable! There's no signal here." A woman loudly grumbled as she passed. She held her phone in the air briefly before stuffing it into a designer bag.

I stepped away, choosing to occupy a less busy corner of the room. I continued to observe my surroundings, noticing more and more people checking their phones. I could faintly hear complaints about poor cell reception. I smiled slightly, enjoying their frustration until a small tap on my shoulder halted my musings. I turned to see Roland just behind me. I smiled in relief as Roland handed me a drink.

"Hey. Sorry about that. I got you some sparkling juice." I murmured a thanks as he continued, "what'd I miss?"

"Not much." I gestured towards the fake red carpet. "Just some mild drunken behavior and blatant displays of vanity." I smirked as I watched a middle aged man waving his phone in the air. "Evidently there's no signal in here."

Roland checked his phone and shrugged. "Huh." He stuffed it back in his pocket. Roland's brows lowered slightly. "That's weird."

With my date by my side, I could once again relax. We navigated the crowded ballroom together, I tagged along as Roland made small talk with other guests and coworkers. With each new introduction, I couldn't help but marvel at how easily Roland engaged in conversation. He portrayed a man in his element, although I'm not entirely sure how much of his behavior was forced. I was left with the distinct impression that this type of event was not well suited to Roland's personality. The longer we stood together in the gorgeous ballroom, the more glaring this fact became. I could pick up on Roland's disdain for certain colleagues by the subtle changes in his face and the slight raise of his shoulders.

Before long, he ushered me to a small table near a small stage. Always the perfect gentleman, Roland pulled out a chair for me. I was slightly taken aback by this gesture. I'm sure it felt ordinary to him, but it was a new experience for me. Roland lowered himself into the chair next to me with a sigh. 

"God I hate this." Roland's voice was only loud enough for me to hear. 

I turned towards him, meeting his troubled gaze. He continued on before I could speak. 

"Every year I am expected to make an appearance and play the part." His gaze landed once again on his parents. "They expect me to secure additional funds for the auction by playing on the emotions of our guests. Money shouldn't be donated because of vanity or emotional manipulation..." Roland ran an exasperated hand through his hair. "I'm just tired of being someone I'm not."

"I'm sorry. That must be frustrating." I gently gripped his hand below the table. 

"You have no idea." Roland squeezed my hand. "Thanks for coming tonight." 

"Thanks for inviting me."