Long after the call disconnected, I was standing in place by my window. The night was cool and would have been silent if not for the hired staff still preparing for the party. Two emotions were swirling around in my head. Anger and helplessness. Just a few hours ago, I laid out a plan. Even though it was still abstract and distant, it was still a plan. But just a word from mum, it was thrown out the window and even this time around Dad wouldn't even try to help me out.
I already agreed to marry that bastard son of a pervert, what else did they want from me? If I could not even choose when to get married, what is the guarantee that I would ever get to make any tangible decision in my adult life? Of all things, this scared me the most. This was where my helplessness came from.
As for my anger, it had always been there. I was only suppressing it just to keep the peace as Dad would call it.
Looking back, I wished I was nicer to Daniel. To think i had looked down on him, saw him as a weakling. And to think I was yet to face a quarter of what he had borne. No wonder he took solace in alcohol and drugs. If I was into any of those vices, I would probably be sleeping either of them off instead of gazing out of my window at 2 in the morning.
Probably, it was time to start. My agemates started as early as age 13 and 14. I had the opportunity to start early because of Daniel but didn't. If I could, what should I start with? Marijuana which I can easily get on the farm or pills? Which of the pills? I decided to speak with Sylvester. I know he uses drugs. Just don't know what his poison was.
I have no idea when I slept off but by the time I woke up, it was to a knock on my door. My makeup crew was around and they would like to start prepping for the party as soon as possible since I refused to discuss style with them like I should have done had it been that it was a show.
Turned out I missed breakfast because it was already midday.
The party would start late in the evening and in a few hours guests would be arriving. Already informed that i would be receiving them alongside Riley's family, i needed to hurry up.
Once i took my bath, the stylist started with my hair. It was nothing elaborate. The hair was already done. I just wanted them to revamp the style. With everyone tugging at different parts of my body at once, I blanked out, trying not to think of anything.
I must have slept off because when I next opened my eyes, my chin was in a girl's palm. She was trying to hold my head still so they could do my makeup. The moment i opened my eyes, she removed her hands.
As I tried to reorient myself with my surroundings, a figure In front of me started bending down to my level as I lifted my head up. Riley came into view looking worried.
"Babe? Are you sick? Why are your eyes so red?" He cupped my head in his right palm and gently rubbed his thumb over my cheek.
I felt myself cringe involuntarily. I instantly pulled away from his touch, completely forgetting that we were not alone. Even if I didn't forget, I would have probably still reacted the same way. It wasn't like i wanted to. I simply found him repulsive.
"Sir, the makeup?!" The makeup artists snapped, startling Riley and I out of whatever daze we got into. He stared at his palm and felt guilty.
"Holy shit! I am so sorry. I am sorry!" He repeated as he got back to his feet.
Without a single response, the makeup artist assessed my face and started making repairs to the part ruined with pouted lips and a glint of anger in her eyes. She was also from a prominent family that is into fashion and beauty. The fact that she was attending to a client was the only reason she was holding back as it was work. If she wasn't working, Riley wouldn't have gotten away with this. She had fired lots of assistants for less.
I chuckled and closed my eyes, completely ignoring everything.
"We will start receiving guests in the next 2 hours and we have a photo session to do before that. I just came to check on you and remind your stylist." Riley continued with a strained voice. "I will be back in 35 minutes to pick you up." He concluded since i didn't give him any response. I heard his shoes as he made his way out of the room. The moment the door clicked shut, I felt myself relaxing. I released a breath I didn't know I was holding. It was going to be a long night and I wasn't looking forward to it.
A couple of seconds after the door clicked shut and I still didn't feel any brush on my face, I opened my eyes to see the makeup artist and her assistants staring at me.
"What's wrong?" I asked as I also became confused at their hesitation.
"Are you okay?" The makeup artist asked, complicating my confusion.
"Why? Shouldn't I be okay?" I replied and it seems to have affected her the wrong way. She twitched her lips. Honestly, I wasn't trying to be rude, I just voiced my thoughts without thinking about it. One, we hardly say a word to each other after pleasantries. Two, She doesn't even behave like I was human most times. She might as well be painting on a mannequin.
"I am sorry. I just…" She stuttered, looking away. There was suddenly more tension in the room. I instantly knew how my response sounded like i was trying to tell her to mind her business but that wasn't the case because this makeup artist wasn't someone nosey. She had never crossed the client/service provider line before so if she was asking, then she must be worried.
"Erm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. The question was just unexpected."
"Okay." She started working on my face again but I grabbed her hand and looked her straight in the eye. "But why did you ask?"
I really wanted to know why she would suddenly care for my wellbeing since it never happened before.
"Well.. you and Riley seemed odd." She stated as a matter of fact.
"Oh, why? How?"
"Him coming to check on you meant our work would be delayed for at least 20 minutes." She kept working as she spoke.
I felt myself smirk and had the impulse to scratch my neck but I pushed it down. Memories whitewashed mind.
It was truly strange. Normally when Riley comes in like that during a show or an event, I would jump out of the chair and play around with him. Most times, i would ask them to leave us and we would have a quickie. This usually resulted in me running late as they would have to sometimes restart the make up or rearrange the hair. Thinking about it now it felt like something that happened a long time ago.
"Done?" She said and straightened up.
I stood up and they started trying to put me in my dress. Unlike what Mum had picked for me, my new dress was easy to wear and didn't require any body tucking or fabric dragging. So it took just two people to get me into it even though I could have easily done it myself.
Soon, I was In Front of the mirror, checking myself out. Everything was perfect.
The crew was packing up behind me when someone knocked. Without waiting for a response, the door opened and Riley stepped in. Impeccably dressed in a dull wine shirt and black pants. I wasn't surprised. I already knew he would be wearing such colors because Mum had picked exactly that for me.
He was surprised though. We were used to wearing the same color combo for events, so my choice of colors said more than he was willing to accept. His shocked look was just for a moment. In fact, he didn't lose momentum at all. After that split second of shock, a bright smile broke out on his face as he checked me out.
"Wow, princess, you look good."
That was his pickup line. When he says that, I would always reply saying; "Good enough to eat?", and just like that, we would have wowed at each other's outfit then have another quickie. This was usually a doggie because if anything happens to my makeup, it would put the makeup crew in trouble. Now, he said the same words that never failed to turn me on and it sounded like sexual harassment. I cringed again, picked up my purse and walked to the door, by passing him. But then I remembered that the makeup artist originally assigned to me was the elder sister of the present one. She was interested in Riley and even cheated with him. I found out and insisted that she wouldn't be part of my crew again. I guess that was one of the reasons I never got along with this crew in the first place. I remember I had wanted to change the company completely but that move would have affected the relationship between the two families so Mum refused to get me another crew. But the cheating girl got replaced with her younger sister.
I opened the door but before stepping out, i turned to her.
" Christy?"
"Yes?" She looked up from what she was doing.
"Tell your sister that I said, it's okay. I am willing to share."
I didn't even wait to see their reaction.