.•° ✿ °•.
After the ceremony, the guests filtered into the ballroom, celebrating with dancing, music, and food. I observed along the sidelines as the two newlyweds danced, and laughed as Samuel allowed a few tears to escape. I'd never seen him so happy. Slowly a few more couples began to join them, and I sighed when I caught sight of George making his way over to me. He extended his arm, bowing.
"May I?"
"You know how I hate to dance."
"I was hoping your love for me would overpower your hatred for dance," he smirked.
"I'm afraid there's not a thing in this world I feel more passionately about than dance." I swatted his hand away.
"That's unfortunate." he laughed, as he grabbed hold of my arm, leading me onto the dance floor.
I would admit it, dancing had become more enjoyable the more I practiced, and George made it all the more entertaining. I made sure to purposefully step on his feet a few times for good measure as we moved through the crowd of dancers, all smiling and laughing.
"You're doing surprisingly well." George remarked after a few moments.
"I was shot a month ago, it's not as though it still affects me."
"Dear, I was referring to the fact that you're usually a terrible dancer, it makes no difference if you've been shot." he laughed.
"When one is forcibly made to dance so often as I, they do become better at it."
"You think you're the one suffering from this exchange?" he asked, "At least your toes are safe from harm. Mine, on the other hand..."
"Haha." I rolled my eyes, as the song at last came to an end.
Suddenly, Trinity cleared her throat at the head of the room, drawing everyone's attention. Excited laughs sounded throughout the room, as she waved around a bouquet calling for the ladies to gather around her. I smiled, folding my arms. Throwing your bouquet, I'd always thought, was an exceedingly pointless aspect of a wedding, but brides always found some sort of pleasure in it. I jumped, as I felt George's hands on my waist, guiding me through the crowd, and into the mass of women gathered around Trinity.
"This is stupid. You do it." I said, trying to back out as George held me in place.
"Please? Do it for me, the love of your life?" he pouted.
"Oh fine." I replied miserably, moping my way into the centre of the crowd.
I looked back at George, and he shot me a thumbs up, to which I responded by sticking my tongue out at him. I looked back at Trinity as she turned around to throw the bouquet. All of the women around me looked extremely eager, and I couldn't help but laugh. What was it about throwing a bouquet that got them so excited? All at once, the bouquet left Trinity's grasp and flew towards me quickly. I instinctively lifted my hands for protection, and my fingers closed around the bouquet. I sighed. She'd seen me in the crowd and thrown it right at me. Trinity turned around, laughing when she saw who'd caught it, and the other women around me sighed dejectedly. I gave Trinity a flat stare as the group dispersed.
"Hmm, so you caught it?" George's voice sounded beside my ear, a mere whisper.
"So it would seem." I turned, finding him much closer than I'd anticipated.
"Any candidates?"
"For..?" I trailed off, raising an eyebrow.
"A husband, of course." he smirked, leaning in closer.
"It's a mere wive's tale that catching the bouquet means you're to be married soon. Besides, she obviously threw it right at me, it wasn't as though it was destiny or any nonsense like that." I scoffed, shoving the bouquet into his hands, before turning to go, "I'll be seeing you."
I hurriedly rushed away from George, likely failing to hide how his comment had affected me. I felt butterflies in my stomach and my face was consumed in a fiery blush. Of course, I'd meant what I'd said, I didn't believe in all of the nonsense to do with the bouquet, and marriage wasn't something I often thought about. But hearing him say it, well... it got my heart racing. I searched through the crowd for any familiar faces, my gaze settling on Fran and Alice who were in hysterics in the corner of the room. I made my way over to them, thankful for the distraction.
"So who's the lucky guy?" Fran asked immediately, to which I rolled my eyes.
"Leave her alone." Alice swatted Fran's shoulder, before adding, "Besides, we all know who the lucky guy is."
"Alice!" I huffed, my heart hammering in my chest.
"Alright, alright. I'm sorry." she laughed.
"Anyways, on the subject of marriage... Anyone the two of you have your eyes on?"
"N-No." Alice blushed.
"Not particularly." Fran droned, looking at some object far off in the distance.
"Your answers lead me to believe you're lying, but since I, unlike the two of you, am a kind person, I'll drop it."
Alice and Fran simultaneously released a pent up breath at this, relaxing.
"So, where did the newlyweds sneak off to?" I asked, surveying the room.
"Probably to enjoy activities normally enjoyed by newlyweds after the wedding." Fran pumped her eyes brows, and Alice scoffed.
"I'm not sure where they went, they disappeared after Trinity threw the bouquet." Alice shrugged.
"While I have the two of you, would you tell me what Trinity meant when she said her mother didn't love her?" I inquired.
"I suppose I can, Trinity isn't very secretive of her past. Besides, she'd want you to know." Alice replied, lowering her voice, "When she was fifteen her mother abandoned her family. They'd never had a good relationship before that, but Trinity never imagined she'd just leave. From then in, its just been Trinity, her father, and, of course, her four siblings."
"That's horrible." I frowned, understanding the feeling of not feeling important or cared for.
"It is, but she's gotten past it." Fran said, nodding towards Trinity and Samuel, who'd reappeared and were now laughing happily with each other.
"She deserves to be happy." I smiled.
Alice, Fran and I chatted for nearly half an hour, all happy to be at a ball full of moderate class citizens for once. It was a welcome change from the high classes snobs we'd grown accustomed to. I turned as someone's hand touched my shoulder, to find Trinity and Samuel.
"What is it?" I smiled.
"We were hoping that maybe you'd play the piano for the guests." Samuel asked, gesturing to the grand piano in the center of the room.
"Oh! That's a lovely idea, I've never heard you play before." Alice remarked excitedly.
"I don't think so. Sorry, but my playing is laughable." I said.
"I think it's a great idea, I'll accompany her." George had suddenly appeared beside me.
"Wonderful." Trinity clasped her hands together as George dragged me to the piano.
Before I could object, Fran had cleared her throat, and suddenly, everyone had their eyes on us, expectantly waiting for us to play. George began the soft notes of a duet we'd practiced many times before. I joined in as soon as my ears recognized the piece, and my heart rate accelerated. Why would he have chosen this one? I could play it well enough, of course, that was until we reached the end, where I always failed. In fact, I don't think I'd played it properly once, in all the days we'd practiced.
George seemed to pick up on my anxiety, as I watched him stifle a laugh. Bastard. I'd show him. I'd play so well, that I'd put his own playing to shame. We moved through the piece fighting for dominance, as though it were a bloody fistfight. The audience seemed to enjoy this passion, though I'd long since tuned them out, focused on nothing but making George look like a fool. And then, the part arrived. I sucked in a deep breath, before playing it as well as I could, and to my surprise, I did. In fact, it actually sounded good. The crowd cheered as we came to the end, and I sighed, satisfied with my performance. Especially since I'd, hands down, beaten George.
I turned to him, a smug expression on my face. He smiled down at me, and I couldn't tell whether it was out of pride or mockery. Suddenly, without my realizing it, he'd lowered his face to be level with mine, and all at once, our lips were connected. My heart fluttered but I forced myself to cut the kiss short. The guests seemed to have enjoyed the kiss more than the piano, as stray hollers and whistles rippled through them. I blushed furiously as George smiled, this time obviously out of pride.
"Anything to draw attention away from the fact that I destroyed you, hmm?" I asked a while later, as the night was drawing to a close and George and I were walking together through the halls of the palace.
"Or perhaps because I simply felt like it." he shrugged, as the two of us entered another room, secluded from the rest of the guests.
"What is your fixation with leading me into secluded rooms?" I asked.
"What is yours with following me into them?" he returned.
"Fair enough." I nodded, as we continued on, at last emerging onto the balcony.
The sky was growing dark, the setting sun causing ribbons of purple, red, orange, and pink to decorate it. I took in a deep breath, revelling. I'd never felt so happy in all my life. I was with the man I loved, in the place I called home, with those whom I deemed as my family, and nothing could make my life anymore perfect than it was.
"I love you." I said suddenly, almost startling George.
"I-I love you to." he responded, caught slightly off guard.
Then, something crazy popped into my mind. It was crazy, but I wanted to do it. I wanted it more than anything. Perhaps the myth about the bouquet held some truth after all. And so, I turned to George, the man whom I'd come to know as well as I knew myself, who I felt I could share everything with, and trust with my life, and taking his hands in mine, I asked, "Will you marry me?"
"P-Pardon?" he looked startled, as his mouth fell agape.
"I love the way you lighten the mood with a joke, I love how you're the most flirtatious man I've ever met, I love the way you care so much for everyone. And I don't want to lose you again. I want to be with you, so, " I gave his hands a squeeze, "Will you marry me?"
"That's certainly a bold proposition." he smirked.
"I tend to make bold propositions sometimes."
"And that's why I love you." he smiled, "Of course I'll marry you."
My chest filled with joy as I pulled him into a tight hug, and he returned it. I couldn't help but allow a few tears to escape in the heat of the moment, overcome with such intense happiness, unlike any I'd ever felt before. I was to be married. To the man I loved more than anything in this life.
"I love you so much." I said.
"I love you too." he responded, lifting my chin and kissing me softly.
°•. ✿ .•°