I have been sitting on the bottom step of my stairs for the longest time now waiting for the party to wrap up. It is now nine o'clock and all I want to do is get into a nice warm bath and read a book. Can I have some sort of luxury? My thought are interrupted by a faint doorbell noise.
Please, no more guests.
Since no one else had the intention to open the door, I got off my butt and went to open the door. However, when I opened the door, the last person I imagined would be arriving, stood right in front of me.
"Grandma!" I announced and hugged her.
This caught the attention of my mother and brother, who, by the time I released her from my arms, were right beside me.
"What are you doing here?"my mother asked, clearly baffled.
"Thought I'd accompany Caden on his way to Florida,"she shrugged.
"I could've picked you up from the airport," my mother proclaimed, hugging grandma.
"No why would you do that, you're throwing a rager, at least it sound like one," she chuckled and kissed Caden's cheek.
"Its a going away party," my mother replied.
"Sure, let's go with that," she smiled and walked by us, joining the party.
"Did you know about this?" My mother whispered, turning towards Caden and I.
"Just as surprised as you are," I answers, crossing my arms.
"Great," My mother sighed, following grandma.
"She's not the one who has to sit next to her for several hours," Caden groaned, facing the wall and banging his head on the wall. After a few hits, he placed his cheek on the wall. "I love her to death, but she does not keep quiet," he complained, emphasising 'does not'.
"would you rather stay here with us?" I laughed.
"Can I chose none of the above," he mumbled, walking back to the party, leaving me to laugh by myself.
***
"Why don't you talk to him?" My grandma asked, struggling to sit on the step I returned to.
"I'm sorry?"I chuckled.
"You have been glancing at that guy with black haired, I think, who looks like he belongs to the modelling industry," she answered.
"No I haven't," I denied, sipping my drink.
"My bad, I meant staring," she corrected, nudging my shoulder.
"I don't know, I guess I haven't built my confidence up enough to get off the step," I shrugged.
"That's not what the issue is, is it?" She declares, looking at me. "I can see it in your eyes," she laughed.
"See what?" I wondered, shaking my head.
"Passion."
"You're wrong," I spoke, denying what she suggested. What passion?
"Am I?" She asked and patted me on the back before standing up. "He seems like a sweet boy and he sure talks like one too," she winked, making her purple eyeshadow smudge a little.
"You talked with him?" I gawked, with eyes and mouth wide open.
"He came up to me, said he knows my grandchildren and that I'm blessed with such an amazing family. However, as soon as I saw you two looking at each other, I knew he didn't mean family, he meant granddaughter," she explained, smiling at me as if I just did something amazing and she was proud of me.
"You're hallucinating," I laughed.
"I told you to wait and find true love, and then, when you finally find it, you're willing to let it go. If you can't see what everyone else is seeing then it's called being oblivious, both of you are," she sighed. "The promise that you made me was that you'll wait for the one, there he is, across the room, and you're sitting here drinking punch. That's not what me promised me now, is it?" She smirked, grabbing the cup out of my hand and strolling towards my mother.
Grandmothers and their knowledge. I swear...
***
"Thanks for coming," my mother repeated to everyone who was exiting the front door.
She has probably said that line over third times and I am close to duct taping her mouth shut. I was still sitting in the bottom step, getting drunk off of the fruit punch, seriously, I must've drank the whole bottle or something because the whole room is spinning and all I can taste is fruit punch. A bath seems better than it did before, around three hours ago, let me tell you that.
As soon as the house was finally quiet, everyone went into cleaning mode. It might be close to midnight, but that didn't stop my grandma from ordering us around.
My job was to throw any plates, cups and clean up any cutlery. My brother had to take down banners and pop the balloons, whilst my mother cleaned the whole kitchen. All grandmother had to do was sit on the coach and direct us from place to place. Must be the life grandmother, must be the life.
All I could focus on for the whole night was stupid, yet perfect, present Seamus gave me.
I kept fighting the urge to just run upstairs and tear that lovely wrapping paper off and find out what was inside, but I stayed put as I didn't want to come off as anxious or excited that the Seamus gave me a gift.
Throughout the night, however, he glanced at me multiple times, but I didn't show emotions. The most I did was raise my red cup and nod at him, which made him smile and then shake his head like he was disappointed in me for acknowledging him.
Luce and Mason were talking for most of the night which made me happy, but they didn't take a break from each other and I definitely didn't want to third wheel, so I didn't get a chance to talk with them.
Caden was all over the place, most of the time he was hanging out with Mike and Jake (yes, he was there) and was greeting or thanking people for coming. It was funny to try and see him talk to people he never met before...talk about being awkward. It was like his goal was to scare guests off; I cringe at least twenty times.
"I'm off to bed," I announced tying the garbage bag and setting it by the front door, ready to be taken outside.
"Thank you for your help," my mother called from the kitchen.
"Yeah, yeah," I mumbled and practically raced up the stairs to my room.
The present was right where I left it. I closed my curtains and changed into my pyjamas, too scared to actually open the gift. I didn't know what to expect, it's Seamus we're talking about. He could've put anything in that small box and call it a gift.
Finally, after I built up enough courage, I grabbed the box from the dresser and sat cross- crossed in my bed. I didn't want to ruin the gift wrap or bow, but I had to know what was inside even if it's the last thing I do.
As I ripped off the outside decoration, a small, long, velvety case was visible. Almost like it was jewellery, but it wouldn't be, why would he give me this without an occasion.
Clicking the case open, a note fell out that was only a cardboard outline in the, now empty, box. When I unfolded the paper, the writing said:
You really think I would've put nothing in such an expensive looking, and well wrapped, gift? Grab the cardboard frame out of the box and turn it around. Thanks for helping with the surprise party, thank you cards are soo last year.
S
Curious, I did what the note instructed. A bracelet with the words " It's just Bella," as taped to the back. Smiling, I loosened it from the structure and took the tape off of the jewellery. I didn't know what to feel when I clipped it into my wrist.
The whole time I knew Jake he never gave me such a heartwarming gift. Seamus and I aren't even together, all I did was help out with his party, and he gave me this as a thank you?
Money and objects aren't important to me, it's the fact that he thought it was necessary to show his appreciation through an amazing and sweet gesture.
I never hinted that I wanted something, he hit this idea in his own and I couldn't be more surprised. I'm not comparing Seamus with Jake, because Jake did make me happy with it or without a present, but Seamus is different.
Maybe grandmother is right, maybe I'm too scared to admit my feelings.