All alone

When Grace stepped into the hotel room, she could feel all eyes on her. She was shocked to see there were many people there. She had expected to see only Michael's family, Alex's family, her family and a few friends and relatives from both sides, but the room looked like there were at least a hundred people inside. She tried not to show her surprise and kept her face forward as she walked further into the room. 

Her messy self was gone. She wore dark blue skintight jeans and a black shirt with a pair of white sneakers, a white handbag, and tied her hair in a ponytail, in contrast to the other people who were dressed to the nines, as if some of them were here to show off their wealth or look for a life partner. She had learnt the art of make-up while growing up, so she knew the right amount of products to use on her face to give her a flawless look without trying too much. Instead of wearing glasses, she wore contact lenses instead to aid her impaired sight.

She heard the whispers and murmurs of people as they began to talk about her.

Did she care? Well, she didn't. She wouldn't let social standards control how she was going to live her life. 

She wasn't here to ruin anything. She was here to support her friend. Michael obviously wouldn't mind the way she looked, so the others could go to hell and bathe in brimstone for all she cared. 

Maybe tonight wouldn't go as planned, because the first person she bumped into was one of the people she hated the most.

Hannah Reeds. 

Grace referred to her as 'Mrs. Oops.' It was as if there was a gun pointing at her head and threatening to shoot her if she didn't say 'oops' in her stupid sentences. They had been classmates in high school and had fought a whole of times. 

Why was she here? Simple! She was Michael's maternal cousin. 

"Oh my! Grace Anderson. " Hannah exclaimed as she began to approach Grace with a female friend of hers. The two women stood in front of her.

Just perfect. 

"I didn't think you'd come here— Oops! This is your best friend's party, after all." She giggled like a maniac. All Grace wanted to do was slap that stupid smile off her face. 

"Not pleased to meet you, Hannah. So get lost." 

Grace said it in an unwelcoming tone and wanted to walk away, but Hannah blocked her path with a smile still on her face while her friend glared at Grace.

"I see you still have that cocky attitude of yours, Grace. I have heard a lot about you." The other lady, wearing a headdress covering her hair, whom Grace had never seen before in her entire life, said. 

"Excuse you?" Grace replied to her with a displeased frown.

Who the hell is this?

"Oops! You shouldn't say that, Aisha. You know, as single people grow older without finding someone, they seem to take their anger out on others to make themselves feel good." Hannah said with a faux smile. 

"People like us, who have families and kids at home, do not have the time to hate on others."

Wow! 

"Oops... did I hit a soft spot?" Hannah asked, faking concern. 

Grace snagged two glasses of red wine from a passing waiter and smiled at the two women who were smirking at her.  

"You were not wrong at all. By the way, lovely dresses you have." She said to the two women with a fake smile plastered on her face before her body jerked forward with the two glasses tilted towards the two women. 

And then...

"Oops! Did my hands just slip?" Grace faked a gasp while looking at the two with false concern. 

Hannah and Aisha shrieked at the same time, but Hannah's was louder since her dress was pure white and the red wine totally ruined it like it was made to end up in Hannah's dress. 

There were other gasps in the hall as people's attention turned to them. 

Grace returned the two glasses in a carefree manner when another waiter passed by with a tray.

"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Hannah yelled at her. 

When a light flashed behind her, Grace turned to look at the camera and smiled while raising two fingers. 

"Hey! What is— ohhhh." 

Michael approached them and was about to ask what was wrong before he saw the fuming women's clothes. 

"Your stupid friend did this! How can you make friends with this thing?" Aisha asked Michael as a man, whom Grace guessed was Aisha's husband, turned the woman to face him and began to inspect her clothes.

"I am so sorry. Her hands must have slipped." Michael apologized to the two.

"Yes! Two hands slipped at the same time because I am an idiot!" Hannah rolled her eyes, looking even angrier and more irritated. 

Grace laughed in amusement.

"I will make it up to you. Just go change out of that. You look like a zombie just attacked you." Michael begged desperately when all attention remained on them. As Hannah walked away with a huff, Michael pulled Grace along with him to the balcony and didn't let go of her hand until they were alone. 

"What were you thinking, Gracias? There is plenty of white wine there! You should have at least used that!" He scolded her.

"The red wine came first! God! I hate your cousin with so much passion. I couldn't hold it." 

"What did she say this time?" 

"Since you are getting married, everyone is suddenly trying to put pressure on me to do the same. God! Why did you have to get married now?" 

He chuckled at her frustration.

"Yea. Right. If you were into marriage, maybe I would have proposed to you a long time ago? You wouldn't have to go through all this."

The look on her face and the way her heart felt contrasted. While her heart was beating fast at his words, she gave him an 'eww' look. 

He gave a short laugh. "I knew you would have given me that look if I had said anything about marriage to you." 

"....."

"...."

The two remained quiet and looked at each other until someone cleared their throat at the entrance. 

"Alex!" Michael turned to his fiancée and a smile formed on his face. 

"Why are you here? Everyone is searching for you." Alex said to him before she looked at Grace.

To anyone else, Alex was smiling at Grace, but since Grace was used to people who hated her trying to act like they liked her, she immediately saw the malice in Alex's eyes as she went to reach for her fiance's arm to hold onto it. 

Grace watched them leave. Michael didn't spare her any glances as he smiled down at his fiancee as the two walked hand in hand. 

It was only now that she realized how lonely she was going to be from now on. 

Once again, she was all alone.