- Pre-wedding dinner II
Deila's pov
"Wake up already!" The wail was awfully close to my ears. I cringed, struggling to open my eyes. They eventually opened to see Sia with the smuggest look I'd ever seen.
By God! I exclaimed mentally. What did I do to deserve such torment? I never knew having siblings was a damn death sentence.
She sat on the bed smiling innocently.
I could kill her, I thought.
"Leave me be you," I grumbled, turning my face away from the sun rays that were blinding.
In my groggy state, I remembered I'd left the curtains closed. It was definitely Sia who opened it so I could go blind from the pour of sun rays.
"Wake up already lazy ass. Today's gonna be a long day!" she spouted with her hands crossed on her chest.
Long day? Why?
Oh yeah... Mari's Pre-wedding dinner. I reminded myself.
With my lust for sleep, I had forgotten about the whole happening. If only they just move on without me, I'd be of no use attending the function anyways, I thought. All I wanted was to sleep until I was content.
"Yeah that," I continued, nonchalantly, "too bad I ain't attending the whole dinner ish. You guys move on without me, it's not the wedding." I yawned.
"And if I don't continue sleeping I'd die," it came out as a drowsy groan. Exaggerating didn't pass me when my sleep was messed with.
"Come on, Dei!" She whined, "Sit your butt up, freshen up. Hang out with your sisters before dinner time then go do your make up, and walk it," she said with a little sass.
"Oh, my fucking geez. Leave me the fuck alone," I snapped.
Any other person who wasn't aware of how snappy I got when I was groggy might've been offended, but Sia wasn't having any of it. She sat there still, giving me puppy eyes like I didn't just snap at her.
I decided to try another route. "You forget I'm your big sis huh," I told her with the hope that she got tired enough to walk out of my room. She didn't bulge.
"Yeah, and might I remind you that it's just a space of 24 months?" she rolled her eyes "My big sis," she said in an animated Barbie voice.
When she looked down at me and saw I wasn't the least bit prepared to give in to her demands, she sighed defeatedly. "Could you please get your bi-"
Knowing she was going to refer to my behind, "Now you talking," I cut her off.
The urge to laugh at the obvious defeat I saw in her eyes, was triggering, but I was too tired. Sia never used 'please' in an argument, unless she was frustrated. I had tired her, good.
Touching my legs to the floor, I searched for my fluffy slippers, muffling a yawn. It was January and the ground was cold in Atlanta, everywhere was, but the floor was way colder.
"It's freezing. Could you turn on the heater for me," I pleaded her. "And close the curtains, will you?" I proceeded to the bathroom, taking her shrug as a yes.
Later that day, when it was almost time for dinner, I and Sia dragged ourselves out of Mari's room, where we'd been chatting and lazing about for the most part of the day.
Sia was on my tail as I made my way to my room, my adorable kid sister just won't let me be.
Picking out the dress I had shopped for today from my dresser, I placed it on the bed, going to the bathroom, for a quick shower.
"This dress!" Sia exclaimed in awe, pouncing on the bed.
I rolled my eyes "Be careful with the dress missy."
"Alright, big ass chick," she replied, laughing.
I didn't pay attention to the term she addressed me with, I was already too used to her jabbers.
I took off my shorts and was going to take off my shirt when Sia announced she was going to her room to get dressed. I snorted, telling her with obvious sarcasm to stay and enjoy the show. She shook her head in mock pity, closing the door after her.
Stripping off my remaining items of clothing, I locked my room door because I loved leaving my bathroom door open so my music player could be heard in the shower. Even though I could go unclad with my sisters —as we three swam nude together as a grown-up— I didn't want everybody in my family to see my nudity.
So I had to lock the door with my male family members lurking around.
The bathtub was a sweet temptation, but knowing I didn't have time on my hand, I decided on using the shower. I left the glass doors open, turned on the shower then bowed, letting the warm water cascade down my back smoothly.
The water was warm and to my liking, I couldn't resist the urge to spend five minutes washing and 10 minutes enjoying the water.
Deciding it was enough, I grabbed my towels, wrapping the larger blue one around my body and then the smaller yellow one for drying my hair. I didn't need to leave the towel on my hair to soak out the water as it was no longer as thick as it used to be.
It happened a certain day I was feeling crazy. I'd gone with my Eva to the saloon and decided to cream, trim and dye my hair. I dyed a little part on the right white and another little part on the left purple. It wasn't that crazy, but it did it for me and had been that way since then. I loved how I could sometimes style my hair into a bulb shape, and other times stretch it to be as straight as could be.
Letting out a sigh after I dried up, I searched for undergarments to wear and decided on a black to-match lacy bra and panties and put them on.
If I was been honest with myself, dressing up was a boring as hell work to do. I'd walk nude on the street if I could, but I couldn't for the sake of my sanity. I let out another sigh when I grabbed the dress to put it on.
The hand drier worked magic as it always does, it dried my hair in a way that kept it moisturized. After I combed it, I straightened it with my stretcher, then preceded to do some touches on my face.
I settled for a wing liner, powder, a little contour around my nose, and under eyes, then I applied a nude lipstick and outlined my lips with a brown pencil liner. I finished up with a light bronzer and spray. I didn't do makeup often, though I was quite good at it. Sia always said I could pass off as a makeup artist. I didn't want to look over for a family dinner when I was tired already in anticipation.
If I were to rant about my tiredness these days to my mum, she'd think I was pregnant and I'd too... if I wasn't a virgin, and since I wasn't planning on been Mary mother two.
I grabbed the shoes I bought for the dinner and slid them on. Walking to the full-length mirror, I took myself in and nodded impressively. I cleaned up good, but I wasn't one to fuss over my looks. Simply elegant, I concluded.
Walking out of my room, I thought of where to go first, Sia's room, or kitchen?
"Sia?" I called, entering into her room.
"Right here," she replied stepping into my view.
She was putting on a green and gold lengthy dress that was a little off her shoulders and had a split on both sides. Her thick black hair colored gold at the tip was packed into a bun at the center of her head. Her make up was nude that one would miss the lipstick, not for the little gloss that shone with the emerald drops she had on both ears. She was beautiful.
"Holy moly. You look fab," I said complimentarily, grinning.
"Thanks, sis." She accepted with a flushed look. Another reminder that her caramel skin was lighter than ours. "Let's not start on how you look like a celebrity stepped out of a red carpet magazine!" It was her turn to compliment now.
I looked down to see we were wearing identical shoes, only hers was gold while mine was silver.
She followed the trail of my eyes and squealed "Matching shoes!" before proceeding to squeeze me in a bone-crushing hug.
1. 2. 3.
"Sia, I can't breath here," I grunted and all I got from her was to be squeezed tighter. I was going to continue pleading when she broke the bone-crushing hug, grinning with all her teeth. I sighed in relief, gesturing to the stairs.
"To the kitchen."
It smelled so good in the kitchen. Mum and her twin sisters Aunt Monic and Aunt Mona were on every dish, doing the testing. I didn't get why they hired caterers, it wasn't so much of a big deal, and it definitely wasn't a wedding reception.
"Mum?" I called with the intention of inquiring what the needed for caterers was.
''Yes, darling." She turned to me, her eyes growing wide as she took in my appearance. "Oh my... You look gorgeous!" she exclaimed, emphasizing the word 'gorgeous'.
"Exquisite even, no word does justice."
''Thanks, mum, but-"
She didn't let me finish as she gave me a peck on the lips, surmising with a hug I couldn't help returning with a wide grin on my face.
And just like that, I forgot why I had called out to her.
We broke the hug, the both of us wearing smiles that touched our eyes. I missed this sweetness.
"Aww. Our beautiful baby girl." The twin joined us in unison. I beamed at their admiration.
"You look beautiful yourselves," I told them.
In matching silver and black flowing evening gowns that slimmed in the waist and tummy area to bring out their luscious figures, the silver drops that adorned their ears then rested in their chest, and matching black open toe heels, they looked overly beautiful.
Their white skin blushed red. "Thank you, baby."
They moved on to praising Sia's outfit.
Not long after, the twin sisters started teasing themselves, mum joining them when they cracked a joke from a childhood memory. They stopped their teases abruptly, their stares fixed to something behind me, I turned to see what they were staring at and was met with an angelic to-be bride.
She looked glorious. She left us bewildered.
Her strapless blue dress that split at the center hugged her voluptuous curves then ran free from her knees to her toes. Her thick black hair was packed to the side and formed to an afro puff. Her make-up was natural that it was almost as if she didn't have any on, except for her silver-colored eye shadow that formed a wing. It was all perfect, plus her silver engagement ring that kept sparkling as her sandals were.
All in all, Mari was perfect and no one was stealing the attention from her. One look at her, and it was obvious who the to-be bride was if the fact that she could stop smiling and the fat rock on her index finger didn't give her away.
Blast!
Irene and Zara Martin walked in. Sia had told me how the bond with both our families had grown stronger in the two years I've been away, but that wasn't my problem. My problem was facing a particular Martin... James. James Martin. I was starting to think I could get lucky and he wouldn't come, as he didn't walk in with them.
They walked to the dining area, hugging me after they did my mum, telling me how beautiful I looked and how happy they were to see me. I felt over the world that those compliments came from them. They were one of the most sophisticated good looking women I ever met. Mrs. Irene especially, one would think she was in her early twenties when in reality she wasn't younger than 40.
They joined the table and the teases went on everyone contributing, introverted me exempted. All I did was stand there wordlessly, giggling at a joke or two.
It was still some minutes away till dinner time and I was tired of standing. Since I didn't feel like sitting either, I half bent my back and snuggled my mum from the behind, at the same time resting some of my weight on the chair she was sitting on.
"Dei?" I heard Dawn.
"Hmm?" I replied not bothering to know where he was calling from. I kept giggling at Aunt Monic's jokes, she was a clown when she wanted to be.
A hand suddenly came on my shoulders, a muscular one. They were only three men in the house and two I knew got touchy with me, one of which was my Dad who was sitting in front of me, across my mum, the other which was Dawn and definitely the owner of the hand.
I rolled my eyes, stood straight, and turned to look at him. He signaled me with an eye to look forward. I followed the direction of his eyes only to land on the one person I prayed not to see.
The one face that messes with my dreams. I wanted to think I was dreaming again, but then Dawn walked over to him, waving a hand across his stunned face.
James wasn't the only one stunned. It took me everything not to gape as I took him in. He looked like sin. James had always been a walking god, but he had changed, he looked finer and more... muscular?
I could see his muscles rippling in his tuxedo. He wore his shiny jet black hair wavy and to the side as he'd the last time I saw him. His full brows were perfectly lined as always. His skin was more tanned. His chiseled jaw more define. And his lips... Damn. I had to stop staring.
I saw Dawn whispering to him, he chuckled.
How I missed that sound. It was heavenly. Get a grip Dei, I chided myself.
He looked up and his eyes met mine. My world stopped right there, I couldn't look away, I tried to. I just couldn't.
Why wasn't he looking away? Please, please look away, I pleaded silently. But he didn't.
We locked gaze for what felt like hours but could've been seconds.
Dawn clearing his throat was what jolted me out of the spell James seemed to have cast on me with his alluring ocean blue eyes.
"It seems like I'd have to-" Dawn started but paused when James gave him a look, and he strutted off humming.
What the hell was that look? Guy code stuff?
I turned to walk away.
"Deila," James called silently.
I stopped dead in my tracks.