Seven Days

Thirty-Two

 Khristina drank as if she wasn't going to live tomorrow. Energy buzzed through her veins with every shot she took and she felt as if she was flying on the clouds. Maybe because of the amount of alcohol she had consumed in a day, but also because she didn't have a furious man at her back twenty-five-eight.

Khristina was sure that she had walked up to every person in this room and either asked for their names or had nearly puked on their fancy shoes, but she couldn't possibly care less; it is her birthday it's totally against her birthday rules to be rude to the celebrant. But if that rule didn't exist, she'd have probably would've been attacked by a bunch of eye-judging grandma's who Elenaor had the courtesy of bringing.

Night had long fallen but the hall was still overcrowded with underage drinkers and divorced grandmother's who were still looking for a young husband.

Khristina sluggishly refilled her red cup which had been taking all of her drinks throughout the day, making sure she was refilled almost every twenty seconds. She held the cup to her lips, preparing herself for the bitter taste to run down her throat and the slight rush of adrenaline but when nothing left the cup she opened her eyes, seeing Carla shaking her head with the cup in her hands.

"That's enough, you still have to give a birthday speech which, may I add, you have put off for the past ten hours!" Carla almost bellowed but regained her cool once she saw Khristina was slowly starting to tune in a bit more.

Khristina rolled her eyes, moving some cups away from the table and then sat on it, watching as people danced to the music, some even completely offbeat to the song, but if they were having fun who cared?

"I was told to enjoy myself," Khristina held her plan to her mouth, a silent burp escaping her lips after, "so that's exactly what I'm doing."

Lies. It was all lies.

Khristina only wanted to get drunk so it'd take the thought and pictures of Dante off of her mind, but the more she drank, the more she only pictured Dante in her mind. And it was such a headache.

Or maybe it might be the alcohol.

Carla shook her head, setting the cup down next to Khristina and then crossed her arms. "It's not a crime to be upset about it, you know?"

Khristina scoffed. Even if it wasn't a crime, she sure felt like it was.

But the one way to forget about something or in this case, someone she'd just have to play it off. So that's exactly what she did. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Carla scoffed, her lips curving in a small smile. Even she knew Khristina that well to seldom forget about Dante, especially this.

"This isn't the way to heal, Khristina."

Khristina smiled, looking up to Carla. "I don't recall getting hurt." Khristina turned away from her, staring into nothingness, "Although when I did try to make my way to the bathroom I slipped on the tiles."

Carla rolled her eyes, shook her head and then pulled Khristina off of the table, and began to walk to the stage where it was decorated with her birthday cake that had been painfully sitting there on its own.

"You will never forgive him if you keep trying to forget about it."

"Watch me," Khristina whispered, about to turn back to the drinks area when Elenaor stepped on stage, tapping the mic and then cleared her throat.

The entire hall was now completely quiet and the lights had dimmed, only showcasing Eleanor on the stage.

"Good evening everyone," Elenor said and a bunch of replies were thrown back at her, causing the lady to laugh. "I'd like to thank you all for coming together to celebrate our daughter's birthday."

A range of claps was scattered across the room, some people even looking around to find Khristina while others blindly made out in the darkness.

"I think she herself has a few words to say so could we all give it up and welcome the birthday celebrant on the stage!" The spotlight automatically changed to Khristina as she stood there, the light slightly blinding her eyes.

Khristina didn't want to go up there and deliver a speech which she totally didn't prepare for but she also didn't want to see Dante locking lips with another woman, but she still did.

Holding her breath, she attempted to put on her biggest smile as Carla gave her a little nudge on her back, helping Khristina to climb up the steps and make her way to Eleanor who was holding out the sparkled microphone from her.

Reluctantly she took it from her hands, feedback soon filling the room after but then it turned into quietness. Just Khristina and a whole bunch of people who she didn't know all staring at her as if she was a goddess or something.

"Hey everyone," Khristina spoke into the microphone as some people replied, which - luckily - boosted her confidence.

"First, I want to thank the team who managed to get this whole event together. I honestly can't believe the work that must've gone into creating this surprise for me."

Khristina didn't know who managed to pull this whole thing together, but she assumed that Eleanor and Carla must've somehow played a big part in this.

"I have never had a birthday party like this before and the fact that it was a surprise birthday party really has a hole in my heart. So once again, thank you all for showing up." The hall erupted in claps again and Khristina cleared her throat as she watched Eleanor climb up the stage with her hands outstretched and before she knew it, Khristina and Elenaor were hugging.

It took a couple of seconds for the both of them to pull back, but once they did, Eleanor's cheeks were stained with dried tears, almost as if she had been crying.

Khristina had never had anyone cry over her before and seeing Eleanor cry over her almost made her want to cry too.

"Sorry for the tears," Elenor chuckled, wiping her cheeks as some others laughed. I used this as my cue to make my way down the steps but her words stopped me in my tracks. "Anyways, as Caputo tradition, the celebrant will have to pick a member of the crowd to have a romantic dance with."

Khristina felt as if she had literally just been knocked down off a cliff by a horse.

She had already - technically - gone through a heartbreaking moment and now she was forced to decide to dance with people she barely knew.

Not exactly forced but she didn't want to be the first person who would break the tradition with the Caputo's.

So, being the calm and etiquette lady she is, (not) she calmly walked down the stairs, acting as if she knew this was going to happen all along when really she knew that wasn't near the truth.

The crowd slowly formed into a circle around her, desperate men trying to pry their way in the front when really they had no chance of getting chosen by Khristina. Only because of the guy who had been circulating her brain, like the blood that circulates her heart; Dante Caputo.

Khristina scolded herself for even having that thought. He cheated. Or did he?

They were never really officially a thing. Dante had just kept her in a house, closed in four walls. So did that give Khristina the right to be angry? Or maybe it was just jealousy.

But the music started playing, the desperate faces of people trying to gain Kristina's attention when really it had been taken away by the dominating aura. The same aura that'd be able to make anyone weak at the sight.

He stood before her, the both of them less than an arm away, dressed in a simple white shirt which hugged his muscles and black, sleep trousers. His outfit might've been seen as simple and boring to others, but to Khristina, it was almost enough to make her have thoughts she should never be having about this man.

"Dante, I..." Khristina trailed off, not knowing where her fueled anger had disappeared, but she hoped it would come back soon.

Dante outstretched his palm, his face not emotionless but not readable either, "Dance with me. Please."