The hall buzzed and rang with various energies intertwined, and vibes brimmed within. Soon, there was a slight commotion outside and the hall slowly quietened.
The large doors of the main entrance slowly swung open and the crowd parted ways for the man of the hour to make his appearance with his woman in tow. With her arm hooked in his elbow and a cold smile on her face, her partner buried a bit more into him as he smiled at her.
The crowd parted into two like the very miracle of Moses, and they slowly made their way to the center of the hall where he stood. His partner released him from her hold and kept her hands folded in front of her.
Alvise began his welcoming speech as a waiter came forth and handed him and his partner champagne for toast. From the crowd, she felt the gazes of multiple people on her, but the ones that got her were the gazes of two groups of people. One was her parents, who looked relieved but annoyed at the same time, and she could guess why.
The other gaze that got was coming from the farther end of the party. From the 'dark under the lamp'. The most disturbing was the one coming from a particular man who looked at her as though he were a hunter.
He reminded her of a Panther and she felt like a deer in headlights. His gaze wasn't just piercing, no. It was as if he were assessing her in some manner. Like he was looking to see if she was worth his interest. They kept their gazes locked even after the toast initiated by the host.
After they had consumed their champagne in accordance with the ritual, she saw his cold expression break into an amused smirk, and she felt her heart race speed. He muttered something and her eyes widened in shock and unsettlement. He broke into a wide grin this time.
He then mouthed something else, and she gulped her drink again in fear and shock.
'We'll be seeing soon, lady Sylvester.' He had mouthed the second time.
***
"Tanya!" Rebecca cried out moderately as she ran to hug her daughter, garnering no less than a handful of eyes at the mother-daughter duo.
Tanya, who was embarrassed by her mother's actions, apologized with a wry smile and a slight bow. The onlookers simply turned around, suddenly uninterested in the commotion.
"Tanya, where have you been? I was so worried when you weren't picking up your calls. Where were you?" Tanya smiled in amusement and slight satisfaction as she embraced her lovely mother, who looked more like a hamster as she kept on complaining.
"I apologize, mother. I didn't intend to be so late. I had an emergency." At the statement, Rebecca turned her glare at the person behind her and said suspiciously, "Is that so?"
Knowing where her line of sight was trained, Tanya broke into a helpless grin and shook her head. She soon separated from her hug and led her parents to Alvise.
"Alvise, these are my parents," She introduced and her father went for a handshake with which he returned.
"Terrion Sylvester," Terrion said with strength and underlying malice in his voice. After a quick bit painful squeeze, he released him.
Rebecca stretched forth her hands with a pleased smile, "Rebecca Sylvester, Tanya's mother."
Alvise took her eyes with his eyes dramatically widened and then turned to Tanya and back to her, "I thought you were her sister." He then raised her hands to his lips and placed them on lightly.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Sylvester," Alvise said as she took her hands from his with a light blush and a pleased smile. He had won her over, Tanya noticed. He knew his game and knew very well how to play.
"Nice going, Alvise." She muttered loud enough for only him to hear. "Keep this up and you might win a spot at the Sylvester household."
"You mean as a son-in-law?" Alvise asked, mirthful. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Tanya shudder slightly.
It was very slight, almost unnoticed but he saw her. He could always see her. She couldn't hide from him.
Then an unexpected remark left her lips, "I can't guarantee that my sister would like to have you as a husband, her heart's already taken." Alvise saw her smirk and he shook his head a bit with a mirthful look on his face. His woman was such a tease.
"Honey," Her mother pouted cutely as she faced her husband, "I like him so much." Her husband made no noticeable change of expression except for his furrowed brows.
Tanya knew her father felt betrayed. They had probably thought about making things hard for him throughout the birthday party.
"Mom, Dad," Tanya called out to continue her introduction, "This is Alvise, my school teacher and best friend," Tanya said, and Alvise nodded in acknowledgment.
"Her best friend?" Her father asked with incredulity laced in his voice. The situation was unbelievable and the relationship even more so. But his daughter called him her best friend…
"Just her best friend?" Her mother asked in disbelief, and from her tone, it seemed she wasn't satisfied with the title of their relationship. She could understand after all, which mother would want to give her daughter to her teacher-
"And here I thought my Tanny baby was going to introduce me to her boyfriend." Her mother said with a disappointed pout and Tanya felt her face flush at the sight. Too… too cute!
She wasn't the only one who thought so. Alvise was flushed from the ears to the neck and had his hand over his face in an attempt to mask his flush but to no avail. He seemed to mutter something over his breath for encouragement.
Tanya turned to her father and thought he had it worse and she wasn't wrong. His face darkened, she noted. He gave out a deep huff of breath, which caught both his wife's and Alvise's attention. Everyone gulped as he stared down at his wife, who was not shaking in fear.
"Te-Terrion… What's wrong?" She asked with a shaky voice as she tried to run away. He took her hand in his, bowed to them both, and whisked his wife away. Probably to an empty waiting room, Tanya thought.
"Those two would be busy for a while," Tanya thought with a huff of air as she put her hand over her chest in an attempt to calm down. "God I was so scared." She shook her head with a chuckle.
"Anyway, let's go greet my siblings. They must be waiting for you." Alvise turned to his nonchalant partner in disbelief, "You're just going to leave after your father dragged your mom like that?"
Tanya turned to him, confused at his question but answered nonetheless, "Yes. Why?"
"Wouldn't you like to go after them?"
Tanya turned to him, shocked, and then her expression turned into an amused smirk as she snickered, "Do you want to go after them? Are you interested in what happens next?"
"Yes, of course."
"Wow, Alvise. I didn't know you liked that kind of stuff. Is it your kink or some kind of fetish?" Tanya asked completely fascinated and intrigued.
"Liked that kind of stuff…? Personal kink…? What the hell are you talking about?" Alvise asked completely thrown off course and flustered.
"Didn't you say you wanted to go after my parents?" Tanya asked confused.
"Yeah. To see if they're all right." Alvise answered without missing a beat.
"Alright with what? Getting down and dirty in the waiting room?" If Alvise had liquid in his mouth he would have taken a spit take.
Alvise sputtered, completely thrown off course by the revelation he had just listened to. He began to cough as his face reddened along with his ears. Tanya took water from a waiter who brought sparkling water in a champagne flute and handed it over to Alvise who muttered a thank you and downed the liquid in a gulp.
"What the hell…?"Alvise asked when he had calmed down a bit from his embarrassment. "Why would you say that?"
"I thought you knew from his reaction?"
"Reaction? Why would I look at your father down there?! Why would you even look at your father down there?!" Tanya smiled and shook her head. He was truly pure like a virginal bride.
"Why would I look at my father down there?" She asked him back. "I was talking about his facial reactions, stupid. It was clear that he was stoned. Anyone with eyes could see that."
That shut him up real quick.
Soon, they heard footsteps approaching them and they turned around to see Nathaniel walking towards them with a woman in tow.
Tanya smiled but immediately Nathaniel shot her a question, "Did mother pout or act cutesy again?"
"Yes," She answered.
"I can't believe he'd get stoned and show such obscene behavior in public." Nathaniel sighed helplessly."
"They are going to be in there for a while," Nathaniel said and soon he flushed pink. "Animals." He said flushed with embarrassment and anger. "To do such a thing in such a public place… At what age?!" Nathaniel thundered in anger.
Alvise looked at the siblings and thought They were the most absurd family he'd ever encountered in his life. How was that the face of a stoned man? He looked like he was about to kill a man.
Thinking about the reality he had just faced, Alvise groaned internally and then sighed. He wasn't going to be able to digest anything for a while.