"Are you ready for tonight?"
We hadn't revealed our reconciliation to any of our friends yet, and were waiting for the engagement party to tell them. We had figured it would be a nice little second engagement present for Britt and Dan--they had told both of us individually how much they missed us being together and going on double dates as couples.
We weren't going to crash their party with the news, but casually mentioning it in conversation didn't seem like too big of an interruption.
"Almost." I replied to Connor, slipping into my sparkly crimson cocktail dress. He had been ready to go far earlier than it was possible for me to be, and had come over to Katie, Mel, and Britt's apartment after the other three had left to start setting up for the big party. "Can you zip me up?"
"Of course." He replied, walking over and zipping up the back of the dress. I turned around to face him, my heart happy with the fact that I was able to look up at him and see love in his eyes again.
"Thanks." I said.
"You look stunning." He returned, backing up to give my full ensemble a look. "No one could hold a candle to your beauty."
I blushed, my cheeks turning the same shade as my dress.
"You're the devilishly handsome one." I winked at him, walking up until his face was an inch from my own. My heels put my eyes just under his nose.
"I beg to differ on that front." He laughed, a sound I never tired of hearing. "But thank you."
He leaned down and kissed me quickly before checking his watch.
"We should probably head down there. I'm sure Dan's ready to have a man with him."
I laughed and nodded my agreement.
"I should think so. I'm sure that Katie and Mel aren't helping much with his nerves."
We exited the apartment and began to walk down the stairs, opening the door of the building into the frigid January air. I huddled in my coat as we walked, careful not to slip on the patches of ice that were scattered over the sidewalk.
We walked until we reached a large building just south of James Madison, with a ballroom inside that could hold over three times the number of people attending the party tonight. The sun was setting behind the trees, soaking the entire lawn in a warm orange glow.
We were approaching the front door when we heard two people laughing from our left.
Approaching from the opposite direction was a girl who looked vaguely familiar, her arm looped around that of a guy who had been in my physical science class my sophomore year.
"Susan?"
I looked at Connor in surprise.
"That's Susan?"
Connor nodded.
"I have no idea why she would be at Britt and Dan's engagement party, though." He shook his head, looking thoroughly confused. Susan looked up after hearing her name and waved at Connor, running away from her date to give him a hug.
"Oh my goodness, Connor Hall! I haven't seen you in ages!" I noticed immediately the way that Susan didn't give me a single look, something I had done countless times in high school when I was approaching a girl and her boyfriend: not acknowledging the girlfriend made her feel less powerful.
Unfortunately for Susan, it was difficult to find someone who could make me feel inadequate.
"Hi, Susan, is it?" I interrupted before Connor could speak, "I've heard such great things about you! I'm Sydney, Connor's girlfriend." I stuck my hand out and waited for Susan to shake it, smiling widely the entire time.
"Oh, hi." Susan nodded, shaking my hand quickly. She seemed put off after my introduction, and her date had caught up to us.
"I'll just be going inside, then." She smiled at Connor. "Save me a dance!"
"I won't." Connor replied, smiling as he waved her away. I couldn't help but burst out laughing, at which Connor shoved me in the side.
"I cannot believe you pulled the Janet Turnen move on her." He laughed, watching me regain my balance as I rolled my eyes at him.
"Did you expect me to forget it?" I replied coyly, smacking his arm.
He shook his head, continuing to laugh until tears teased the corners of his eyes. Janet Turnen had been a friend of ours during our freshman year, who had graduated at the end of that year. She had told me her foolproof trick for getting girls to back off of her fiance: happily and confidently introducing yourself, returning all the power to your hands.
I had used it on multiple girls throughout our four-year relationship, and planned on using it much more as we continued to be together.
"Before we go in, can I make a quick phone call?" I asked Connor, stepping away from him. "It's something I've wanted to do for a while."
Connor nodded.
"Of course, babe. I'll wait right here."
I smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking off to the side of the building, out of earshot of my boyfriend or anyone else in the general vicinity.
I dialed the familiar number and waited until the line clicked on.
"Hello?"
"Amy?" I asked sweetly, my heart racing.
"Sydney? I thought I got rid of you."
"Not quite." I replied, "I'm in Virginia attending a friend's engagement party. But I'll be back on Monday and I expect everyone to have the Firebird Suite learned and ready to perform for me when I return. Failure to perfect the piece will result in suspension, without pay, from the orchestra indefinitely."
"You...you can't do that."
"I'm the Concertmistress. I can do what I want. I want you to learn this piece or risk suspension. Do I make myself clear?"
There was silence on the other end and I heard rushed, worried breathing.
"Yes." Came the short reply. "I'll have it learned."
"Good." I grinned. "And Amy, just to give you a report on how things are going with your plans to ruin my life, I'm doing better than ever." I looked over to where Connor stood, waiting by the door for me to join him. "I think I have you to thank for that."
I hung up before she could reply and tucked my phone into my purse before walking back up to Connor.
"Ready?" He asked, smiling at me as I approached him.
I gave him a kiss before replying.
"Let's do this."
A/N: Time for the engagement party! I have no idea how I'm ending this book if I'm being completely honest, so we'll see how much longer it is...probably not very much longer!
-Katherine