“He comes from your world, but I can tell you right now, human is just a title when it comes to Danny. The gods have blessed him, and I fear what will happen when they come for him.”
For a second, my eyes meet Danny’s, and I swear he looks like he’s surrounded by electricity; my hair stands up on my neck until he looks away. His handsome, square jaw is clenched tight, and I can tell he’s fighting against his own inner demons, especially with Keida in another’s arms.
“Guys like that just frustrate me!” My next words come out a little harsher than I intend. “It’s his own fault that she’s enjoying herself with someone else. Relationships are fifty-fifty; both of you need to put in the effort, and compromise is always part of the deal. If he didn’t want her in someone else’s arms, then he should be the one out on the dance floor with her. He shouldn’t expect anyone as young and vibrant as Keida to sit there and warm a seat simply because he doesn’t want to do something. If MeK, one of the sternest people I’ve ever been around, can get on the dance floor and act silly to make his girl happy, then anyone can.”
“So, being silly is a good thing?”
“BuK, you should always be true to yourself, honey. But life is all about give and take. If you love someone, doing things to make them happy should not be viewed as a chore.”
He twirls me around, and I let the music and his shockingly accurate steps sweep me away from my sudden heavy thoughts. I dated plenty of guys back home, but BuK is the first one I’ve ever felt like heard, understood or paid attention to my words. I believe my pink alien has grown on me to the point that I miss him when he’s not around, and my thoughts drift off occasionally, thinking about wanting more.
DaR’s voice suddenly echoes through the room, and we all stop. “If I can have your attention? Please gather around so that we can witness the cutting of the cake.”
We all start moving forward when Lacie yells out, “Wait a minute! Before we get to the yummy part, we almost forgot to throw the bouquet. Girls, gather around … you all know the drill.”
BuK looks slightly confused, “I’ll be right back, it’s a girl thing.” I grab Keida, who has been sitting next to me just at a different table, and pull her up beside me.
“What are we doing?”
“Playing catch! It’s an old tradition and it’s said that whoever catches the bouquet will be the next to get married. But you can’t move out of your spot, it has to come right at you, so this is not a competition.”
“Well crap, you just took all the fun out of it!”
Lacie is all smiles, watching as we gather closer. She turns so that her back is facing us. “You guys all ready?”
Whoops and yells ring out just as she throws the bouquet; it flies over my head and directly into Vedece’s hands. For just a second, she has a horrified look on her face until she sees all of us looking her way. She holds up the beautiful flower arrangement and shrugs her shoulders. “Here’s to new beginnings!” She yells out, and all of us girls jump up and down, clapping before returning to our seats.
Keida grasps my hand. “That was a blast and I just love learning more about your culture.” Squeezing it slightly before letting go, she heads back to the table where she’s been sitting.
I plop down in the seat next to BuK and he reaches over, grabbing my hand. “Were you disappointed that you did not acquire the arrangement?”
“It’s just silly folklore, but no, I wasn’t disappointed. It didn’t matter to me either way. There was a similar tradition for the guys, but when MeK was told he’d have to pull up Lacie’s dress to remove the garter belt, he was all snarls, so Lacie left that part out. Oh look, they’re getting ready to cut the cake.”
“Does this have a meaning as well?”
“Actually, it does. It represents unity, commitment, and the ability to work together. Some people make this part a joke, but I personally take the entire ceremony seriously. You’re supposed to be joining with this person for life, as the vows say. However, the symbolism has been forgotten, and most people just get caught up in their day-to-day lives. Just because you’ve been given a ring and a piece of paper doesn’t clear a smooth path before you; you must take each step yourself and build on it as you go.”
“Hmm.”
BuK looks up to see MeK helping Lacie onto the raised platform, and we all watch as they laugh and giggle while they feed each other a piece of cake. However, the moment Carla steps up to start cutting pieces for everyone else, MeK lifts Lacie up, throwing her over his shoulder as he heads for the front of the tent, Kiki right on their heels. Lacie is glowing as she waves at all of us before they depart the tent.
I turn back toward BuK, laughing, only to see a confused look on his face. “I do believe MeK has left prematurely.”
“There are no rules; he simply didn’t want to share her any longer. Let’s go grab some cake before it’s all gone.”
BuK maneuvers us expertly through the crowd, and before I realize it, he is handing me a small plate. “Here, let us find a place to sit and watch the others for a moment.”
“Ahh, I’m rubbing off on you … let’s do some people watching.”
The rest of the evening passes quickly as we sit shoulder to shoulder, eating cake and observing the laughter and camaraderie all around us, especially since both of us are worn out from dancing. However, my eyes keep slipping back to Keida and Danny, and the dynamics of their relationship. Several girls walk up to Danny, asking him to dance and each time, Keida’s pink eyes brighten, revealing the inner turmoil she’s fighting not to show.
Danny’s always friendly but turns them all down with a smirk on his face when he looks back at Keida. Especially when he catches her watching him, even though she’s dancing with someone else. I think if he’d actually accepted, things would have gotten exciting real damn fast; then they announced the last dance of the evening.
Just as Owen begins to pull Keida back onto the dance floor again, Danny steps in. He doesn’t say anything, simply extends his hand to her. Keida immediately takes it. I see her say something to Owen, and he nods with a knowing smile before stepping back. I’ll give Owen points for being a good sport.
I expect Danny to hold her stiffly in his arms, almost act indifferent, but that is not the case at all. He gathers Keida close, twirling her around expertly, his eyes never leaving hers, and I have a feeling there is so much more happening here than what any of us can see.
“Wow BuK, would you look at those two. You can feel the heat clear over here. If he’s that good a dancer, why would he stand against the wall and watch her all evening?”
