I closed my eyes and tried to get back to sleep.
Morning couldn't come any sooner, I thought sarcastically as I felt the light on my eyes. I cuddled pillow and sighing. I can spend all morning just sleeping.
I felt the pillows fluffiness envelope me and frowned, since when did the pillow move? Opening my eyes I stared into a dark grey shirt and my eyes widened as I pulled back looking up.
"What the hell." I gave him a push. He took up three quarters of the bed, pushing me nearly over the edge. He opened his eyes and looked at me. "What?" he asked.
"What the heck are you doing here? And move over, you fat ass." I was trying not to fall over the edge.
"Adrian wanted the master’s bedroom ‘cause it was warmer. The idiot kept coming back so I moved here."
"There are other rooms, you know," I reminded him as I grabbed the blanket he was hogging. Darius closed his eyes, perhaps in exasperation, and grabbed the blanket, covering my face in the process.
"Go to sleep," he replied, turning around.
I frowned and pushed his back. "Move!" I said, moving a safe distance from the edge.
He muttered something I couldn't hear and I rolled my eyes. I turned around and pulled more of the blanket. I knew it was morning because the sun was. But I couldn't help it as sleep took over.
But not for long. The door burst open and I winced, opening my eyes.
"WAKE UP!" yelled a voice. I squinted and saw Adrian holding a bucket of water.
"Shit," I yelled, sitting up. I looked behind me and realised the bed was empty. Was I dreaming? But the crinkle in the folds and the other half of the blanket creased meant I wasn't.
"What the heck." I ran a hand over my face.
"What do you mean what the heck? You slept through most of the day and we are now one hour late to the cocktail party or wherever we are supposed to go."
I looked at the clock and swore loudly. Shit, why didn't anyone tell me? I noticed that Adrian was ready to go in a navy shirt over suit pants and a grey vest, somehow pulling it off well.
"I'm going," I grumbled as he warningly raised the bucket over me.
After nearly another hour, making us really late, Ma had finally finished helping me get ready.
"There," she said as she placed the final pin on my hair. I winced as I looked in the mirror, wanting to pull it out. It hurt and I could feel one of the strands in the wrong way, which was tugging at everything.
"It hurts," I complained, hoping Ma would remove that pin.
"There, there, child, you'll be fine. And you look stunning, my dear," she said, smiling as she grabbed the back of my shoulders to turn me around. I frowned.
It was a floor-length lace dress with a scoop neck and sleeveless and made out of tulle. It had a champagne bodice with black lace design over it, black tulle at the bottom, and the champagne colour running all the way down the bottom.
I wore simple spiral earrings that Ma had picked out, which only succeeded in making me worry that I might accidental pull them out.
I was still looking at myself in the mirror when I heard someone say, "Hurry up, we’re-Hot…"
I looked over as Adrian stood at the door, nodding in approval.
"Late, yes, I know. Let's go." I slipped into my simple black heels that had one small crystal that shone when the light hit it but it was covered by my floor-length dress.
Darius was waiting downstairs as Adrian and I both ran down the stairs, being yelled at by Ma to take it easy before I rip the ruffle of the dress. I rolled my eyes. It was only a dress. I can imagine my mother’s face if she saw me rip this dress.
"Let's go," said Adrian, bursting out the front door ahead of us.
"What's his hurry?" I asked, looking up at Darius whose eyes met mine.
"He's hungry. Don't know why he's in a hurry. You know, Miss Alvin is cooking," he said and I wrinkled my nose as I remembered the last time I was in her party. Hopefully, she didn't try and make me eat one of those pastries.
Darius placed his hand on my back, gently pushing me toward the car. "You look…good," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. I bit my lip trying not to smile at his awkwardness.
"Thanks," I said as I got in the car where Adrian was studying a bar of a chocolate or something.
"How old is this?" he asked Darius who just got inside. Darius shrugged.
"I think it's gone bad," said Adrian as he ate the last bite. He was crazy. If he ended up getting food poisoned, we’ll know why.
I didn't realise how late we were till we walked in and most people stopped to look at who it was. A few came to say hello and greet us, with the men standing on either side of me: Darius talking to some man and Adrian looking around.
"Where's the food?" he asked, looking down at me and I shrugged. Now I wondered about the same thing. Where was the food?
"Oh Ivory, darling, you look so lovely. And Darius, I'm glad you both made it." We looked up as Miss Alvin came to us with her arms outstretched. She squeezed me into a hug, one as tight as Jeremy's.