Down End Road

Alexander Griffin

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My mother stared at us from the sidelines. A rueful softness gleamed in her chocolate brown eyes, similar to mine. Maverick stood beside her. Talking but not concentrating on the conversation at hand. The wicked curve of his lips, usually curled in a mischief filled smirk or smile, cushioned into a grateful beam.

Everyone marvelled at the girl who radiated power and the boy who held her so close. And for once, I did not mind. Not with her here.

"You are infuriating!" She cried in a low voice. I twirled her round in a circle, a smile tugged at her lips. She frowned when we came back together. Her lips pursed and eyes hiding her happiness.

"And you are happy." I whispered in her ear. She shivered and took in a big breath. Heaving a sigh, she gazed straight at me. My walls crumbled and my emotions flooded me.

"Nice?" She quizzed. Taunting me into a verbal trap. I nodded

"Would you like to hear some synonyms of nice: elegant, beautiful pretty, gorgeous-"

"Those aren't synonyms of nice, those are words you should have used an hour ago." She retorted. "I really am saving you here from a long single life filled with misery." Myra explained, feigning parental concern.

"As your friend it is my job, no duty, to help you through life. And I am sorry, but you are never ever going to find someone special, if you can't even compliment your friends properly," she sighed.

"I mean how do you expect her to feel, when after probably three hours of hard work getting ready for another one of these functions. She opens up that door, ready to see the enamoured face of the boy she loves i.e. you. Prepared to be told at least one compliment, or three, and ready to brush them off. I mean what a disappointment for her to have to come out, see him with his mouth open and get told she looked nice!" she scolded.

"You say a girl looks nice when, I don't know, she looks pretty wearing her sweats. Not when she wears a five-hundred dollar Madame Celiné, custom dress." she corrected.

"You're not really mad are you?" I guessed, her words seemed like a distraction from the real issue at hand. "Well at least, not because of that. Because let's be honest here, you and I both know I was too gobsmacked by your beauty and elegance to tell you how fabulous you looked." I said transparently, we fell back as I dipped her in one smooth motion. We eased back up.

"You interrupted my dance." She sassed. I quirked an eyebrow and in one debonair twist she twirled out of my grasp and off of the dance floor.

I stood there, mouth hanging open as couples continued to dance around me. I watched as her blue train disappeared through the crowd, and only then did I run after her.

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Myra Remington

My heart thwumped in my chest as I felt the ghost of Alex's touch circle me around the dance floor. I climbed up the double stairs that wrapped around the far side of the room. Roses, carnations, tulips, and peonies -all red- decorated the banisters.

I swivelled through the crowds of finely dressed society members. Swaths of scarlet satin. Bundled skirts of magenta tulle. Ribbons of amber silk. It was all so overwhelming. I felt dizzy and sick.

"Oh look, isn't that beast girl!" A girl whispered.

"For someone whose called beast girl she sure is pretty." Another boy whispered.

"Don't even think about it man, she's Alexander Griffin's girl, not worth the trouble." The other boy warned.

"Why doesn't Alexander notice me, she's not that pretty," an additional girl whined.

"Freak!" Someone sneered in the corner. I whipped my head around to their direction. A bright light threatening to blind me again. I turned around and squeezed my eyes shut. I massaged my temple and moved to an empty corner of the wrap around mezzanine.

My body shook as I controlled my breathing, fisting my hands in my gown as I fought the overwhelming urge to break down and cry. I breathed a shaky sigh and turned when someone cleared their throat.

Cassandra stood behind me, a glass of water and a champagne flute in her hands. Her comfortingly maternal smile plastered on her face. I looked at her and bit the inside of my cheek, on the verge of a breakdown and in dire need of a distraction.

So, instead of focusing on the stares and curious eyes roaring with unanswered queries. I dove into the normality of usual gala's. I appraised her golden silk dress. It was loose and had a boat neckline with a sash tied around her waist. By her feet her dress seemed to dissolve into a golden puddle of silk that pooled around her kitten heels.

I smiled at her kindly, "your dress looks beautiful Cassandra." I winced at the sound of the quiver in my voice. She gave me a knowing look and passed me the glass of water, that I thirstily accepted.

"I promise you it does get easier... eventually." Cassandra assured. I swallowed the bile in my throat, that threatened to spill from my mouth, with the refreshing cold water.

"I sincerely hope you're right." I wished. Her emerald eyes saddened as she downcast her gaze. A regretful smile played on her perfectly pink lips.

"When I met Mavericks father," she began. "He was known as the... how would you kids say it, hottest babe of the society." Cassandra explained. I gaped and choked out a laugh.

"Anyways, when we became... closer, a lot more people started to notice me. That meant a lot more people started to talk about me and therefore judge me, it almost ripped us apart. But I will give you the best piece of advice anyone ever gave me. People talk about their insecurities and use that to insult other people. Therefore we must ignore them, keep our heads held high and continue to live our life without their input effecting us."

I glanced down below at Alex who laughed jovially next to Maverick and a few other people. As if sensing my stare, he looked up and locked my gaze. My lips parted as if to say something, but no sound came out.

"You know, before you came along Alexander was like a brick wall. The only time I saw him laugh or smile was when he was with Maverick." Cassandra remembered. "You make him happy. And I am very sure he makes you happy, too, Miss Remington."

"We're just friends." I repeated the familiar line. It tasted almost bitter in my mouth. "And I don't think we'll ever be anything more." I said more to myself than Cassandra.

"It's not about that, its about you being involved in each others lives, romantically or not." She clarified. "Although I do have money that this time next year you two will be on the brink of marriage." Cassandra notified. I gawked at the woman next to me.

"Cassandra." I gasped. My lips pursed to hold in the laughter that bubbled in my throat.

"I am an old woman dear, what do you expect." Cassandra said, feigning exhaustion. I shook my head in time with the shaking of my shoulders, as I laughed. She drifted off into the crowd, leaving me to stare out at the party.

I looked over the intricately carved bannister again, and discovered Alex's previous spot from before, devoid of anyone.