FIFTEEN:
The restaurant were the wedding reception was to be held had a fairly small reception room which is what Darry and Helen had hired. There was a long table along the top which was the bridal table, and then lined up along the sides were a few smaller tables which I assumed were for the guests. Soda's comment before the photos had made me think and I wished Mandy was there. I know it sounds stupid but there was a strange feeling I had got all of a sudden which concerned me a little and made me wish I was on my way back to LA right then. I can't explain it any further than that though, since I don't really understand it myself.
"Hey look Pony-you're seated next to me." Chantelle said, appearing all of a sudden next to me.
I glanced down at the placecards and realised this was so. Well it could have been worse- a lot worse!
"I'll be back in a moment buddy." Soda whispered to me. "I'm going to talk to the knock out blonde."
I rolled my eyes, and took my seat. On one side of me was Chantelle. On the other was Helen's mother. Then came Darry and Helen, Helen's father, Soda and another bridesmaid. I glanced around to see where Two-Bit and Steve were sitting- they had a table up the back of the room where they'd already commandeered two large bottles of beer. I grinned to myself and wished I were sitting down there with them instead of up here.
"What are you smiling at?" Chantelle asked me.
I told her, and her smile faded. "Oh." She said softly.
I could have kicked myself then- I hadn't meant to offend her. "Sorry," I hastily apoligised. "I didn't mean anything by that. It's just because I've been away at college and all I haven't seen the gang in a long time.."
"That's okay." Chantelle replied, still softer than usual.
"So," I decided to change the subject. "Do you know how long this reception is going to go for?"
"Anxious to leave are you?" Chantelle asked, but she smiled. "I think only about three hours- they charge by the hour here and Darry and Helen couldn't afford much more than that."
A sudden thought struck me: Darry had told me that Helen's parents had got a lot of money awhile back- and didn't the bride's parents usually help out with weddings? I leant closer to Chantelle so nobody could hear and asked her this.
She laughed. "Are you kidding? My Aunt and Uncle are tighter than a-well let's just say they're tight and leave it at that."
"Even though they got that money?" I asked.
"Especially though." Chantelle corrected. "See the thing is-when my Uncle hurt himself he decided the world owed HIM and he owed nothing."
I nodded slowly. "It's a pity they didn't help though- the wedding could have been a lot better."
Chantelle nodded too. "Sure." She agreed, and then she grinned. "The food's on its way."
"Already?" I asked surprised.
"Yep, remember I told you- they've only got three hours, and we've been here nearly twenty minutes now. By the time everyone's eaten their main meal and desert it will be perhaps another forty minutes." Chantelle explained.
Well far be it from me to pass up food! The main meal was either chicken in white sauce and vegetables, or beef with vegetables. Alternating meals were served so people all had different things, but when Chantelle received her beef she looked disgusted. "I only eat white meat." She told me.
"Ask them to cover it with white sauce then it will be white meat." I replied, and she rolled her eyes.
"I suppose I can eat the vegetables and the potatoes.." She said with a sigh.
I sighed too, and then pushed my plate towards her. "Here, you have my chicken and I'll take the beef then." I offered.
Her eyes lit up. "Thanks Pony." She said. "You're a sweetie."
I shrugged, and got stuck into my beef. As I ate I saw Two-Bit and Steve go through more and more bottles of beer with their meal. They were in the process of building a tower out of the empties, but every now and then it would crash over since the bottles weren't the best building material in the world. Everyone in the room would jump at the noise, and I noticed Helen's mother glaring at them, her lips tight with anger. Darry, though, was smiling. I suppose he's used to them though. Helen got the attention of one of the waiters. "Do you think we could have the music on while we eat?" She asked. He nodded and went off to fix it. "Good idea darling," Helen's mother said to her. "It might drown out some of the noise from up the back."
Desert was either chocolate cake, or cheesecake. I knew which one I wanted, and when I got the chocolate cake there was no way I'd swap with anyone!
Helen leant over to us. "After we eat we'll wait a bit and then have the bridal waltz. Firstly Darry and I dance, and then at Mom's signal you two join us, as do Soda and his partner. And then after a bit our parents join in as well. And then all the guests do."
Chantelle laughed. "Told you I had the first dance Pony." She told me, but I wasn't really listening. Darry hadn't mentioned this to me- I didn't want to dance when everyone would be watching. When I said this Helen's mother laughed.
"Pony, I don't think their eyes are going to be on you- they're going to be on the newlyweds." She told me with a little laugh.
"Technically yes," I replied. "But they can still see me!"
"It's hardly a big deal." Helen's mother replied, dismissing the subject, and turning away. I made a face at her back, and I saw Darry's mouth twitch as he noticed it.
"Don't worry." Chantelle whispered to me. "I know how to waltz, so just follow my lead. And also don't worry about my Aunt- she can be a bit funny sometimes."
It seemed like it wasn't much longer before it was time for the dreaded dance. We all stood up as Darry led Helen onto the dance floor. Soda came over to me and whispered that the two of them had taken waltzing lessons to make sure they did it right. I snorted at that, and earnt a disapproving look from Helen's mother. I had to admit though, the dancing lessons had really paid off. Darry and Helen glided around the floor in perfect unison- looking every bit the married couple. A moment later Helen's mom gave us a signal, and we were out on the dance floor. It turned out to be a lot easier than I had thought it would be, and I grinned at Chantelle. "This ain't so bad." I told her. She laughed and said that she'd told me so. As we danced near Two-Bit and Steve we received whistles and claps. "Lookin' good Pony!" One of them yelled out. Helen's parents joined in with the dance, and then everyone else came onto the dance floor as well. I saw Two- Bit and Steve indulging in their own wild dance up the end, and quite a few of the other guests watched them and laughed. I knew Helen's mother wouldn't be too impressed if she saw it. As the music finished Chantelle leant closer to me, and then she kissed me. I was shocked at first, but then, without even hardly knowing what I was doing, I kissed her back. When we pulled apart she smiled at me. "I've been wanting to do that ever since I first saw you Pony." She told me. I didn't know what to say: I'd just let another girl kiss me.....
[A/N. And I'll have to leave it there for now since I've got to get ready and go out now.]
The restaurant were the wedding reception was to be held had a fairly small reception room which is what Darry and Helen had hired. There was a long table along the top which was the bridal table, and then lined up along the sides were a few smaller tables which I assumed were for the guests. Soda's comment before the photos had made me think and I wished Mandy was there. I know it sounds stupid but there was a strange feeling I had got all of a sudden which concerned me a little and made me wish I was on my way back to LA right then. I can't explain it any further than that though, since I don't really understand it myself.
"Hey look Pony-you're seated next to me." Chantelle said, appearing all of a sudden next to me.
I glanced down at the placecards and realised this was so. Well it could have been worse- a lot worse!
"I'll be back in a moment buddy." Soda whispered to me. "I'm going to talk to the knock out blonde."
I rolled my eyes, and took my seat. On one side of me was Chantelle. On the other was Helen's mother. Then came Darry and Helen, Helen's father, Soda and another bridesmaid. I glanced around to see where Two-Bit and Steve were sitting- they had a table up the back of the room where they'd already commandeered two large bottles of beer. I grinned to myself and wished I were sitting down there with them instead of up here.
"What are you smiling at?" Chantelle asked me.
I told her, and her smile faded. "Oh." She said softly.
I could have kicked myself then- I hadn't meant to offend her. "Sorry," I hastily apoligised. "I didn't mean anything by that. It's just because I've been away at college and all I haven't seen the gang in a long time.."
"That's okay." Chantelle replied, still softer than usual.
"So," I decided to change the subject. "Do you know how long this reception is going to go for?"
"Anxious to leave are you?" Chantelle asked, but she smiled. "I think only about three hours- they charge by the hour here and Darry and Helen couldn't afford much more than that."
A sudden thought struck me: Darry had told me that Helen's parents had got a lot of money awhile back- and didn't the bride's parents usually help out with weddings? I leant closer to Chantelle so nobody could hear and asked her this.
She laughed. "Are you kidding? My Aunt and Uncle are tighter than a-well let's just say they're tight and leave it at that."
"Even though they got that money?" I asked.
"Especially though." Chantelle corrected. "See the thing is-when my Uncle hurt himself he decided the world owed HIM and he owed nothing."
I nodded slowly. "It's a pity they didn't help though- the wedding could have been a lot better."
Chantelle nodded too. "Sure." She agreed, and then she grinned. "The food's on its way."
"Already?" I asked surprised.
"Yep, remember I told you- they've only got three hours, and we've been here nearly twenty minutes now. By the time everyone's eaten their main meal and desert it will be perhaps another forty minutes." Chantelle explained.
Well far be it from me to pass up food! The main meal was either chicken in white sauce and vegetables, or beef with vegetables. Alternating meals were served so people all had different things, but when Chantelle received her beef she looked disgusted. "I only eat white meat." She told me.
"Ask them to cover it with white sauce then it will be white meat." I replied, and she rolled her eyes.
"I suppose I can eat the vegetables and the potatoes.." She said with a sigh.
I sighed too, and then pushed my plate towards her. "Here, you have my chicken and I'll take the beef then." I offered.
Her eyes lit up. "Thanks Pony." She said. "You're a sweetie."
I shrugged, and got stuck into my beef. As I ate I saw Two-Bit and Steve go through more and more bottles of beer with their meal. They were in the process of building a tower out of the empties, but every now and then it would crash over since the bottles weren't the best building material in the world. Everyone in the room would jump at the noise, and I noticed Helen's mother glaring at them, her lips tight with anger. Darry, though, was smiling. I suppose he's used to them though. Helen got the attention of one of the waiters. "Do you think we could have the music on while we eat?" She asked. He nodded and went off to fix it. "Good idea darling," Helen's mother said to her. "It might drown out some of the noise from up the back."
Desert was either chocolate cake, or cheesecake. I knew which one I wanted, and when I got the chocolate cake there was no way I'd swap with anyone!
Helen leant over to us. "After we eat we'll wait a bit and then have the bridal waltz. Firstly Darry and I dance, and then at Mom's signal you two join us, as do Soda and his partner. And then after a bit our parents join in as well. And then all the guests do."
Chantelle laughed. "Told you I had the first dance Pony." She told me, but I wasn't really listening. Darry hadn't mentioned this to me- I didn't want to dance when everyone would be watching. When I said this Helen's mother laughed.
"Pony, I don't think their eyes are going to be on you- they're going to be on the newlyweds." She told me with a little laugh.
"Technically yes," I replied. "But they can still see me!"
"It's hardly a big deal." Helen's mother replied, dismissing the subject, and turning away. I made a face at her back, and I saw Darry's mouth twitch as he noticed it.
"Don't worry." Chantelle whispered to me. "I know how to waltz, so just follow my lead. And also don't worry about my Aunt- she can be a bit funny sometimes."
It seemed like it wasn't much longer before it was time for the dreaded dance. We all stood up as Darry led Helen onto the dance floor. Soda came over to me and whispered that the two of them had taken waltzing lessons to make sure they did it right. I snorted at that, and earnt a disapproving look from Helen's mother. I had to admit though, the dancing lessons had really paid off. Darry and Helen glided around the floor in perfect unison- looking every bit the married couple. A moment later Helen's mom gave us a signal, and we were out on the dance floor. It turned out to be a lot easier than I had thought it would be, and I grinned at Chantelle. "This ain't so bad." I told her. She laughed and said that she'd told me so. As we danced near Two-Bit and Steve we received whistles and claps. "Lookin' good Pony!" One of them yelled out. Helen's parents joined in with the dance, and then everyone else came onto the dance floor as well. I saw Two- Bit and Steve indulging in their own wild dance up the end, and quite a few of the other guests watched them and laughed. I knew Helen's mother wouldn't be too impressed if she saw it. As the music finished Chantelle leant closer to me, and then she kissed me. I was shocked at first, but then, without even hardly knowing what I was doing, I kissed her back. When we pulled apart she smiled at me. "I've been wanting to do that ever since I first saw you Pony." She told me. I didn't know what to say: I'd just let another girl kiss me.....
[A/N. And I'll have to leave it there for now since I've got to get ready and go out now.]