Mistakes

by A. M. Hayward

  “Hey, Maddy?”

  I nodded.

  “You’re going to a ball!” she squealed.

  Aimee and I had plans to get together at her house on Saturday to get ready.Her mom had a stylist and a makeup artist coming over, and she asked if I wanted to make an appointment as well. But when she told me they would both cost around three hundred dollars, I respectfully declined.As my mom would say, Mrs. Lancaster didn’t live in the real world, and anyway I could do my own makeup and hair just fine.I did splurge on a few things, though. I went and got a haircut and an eyebrow wax. Then I made sure I had time to stop and get a quick manicure and pedicure. Everyone feels better after a mani-pedi.

  By the time I made it to Aimee’s house, she and her mother were screaming at each other. Aimee was upset about her big hair, and her mother was upset that she’d taken off one of the bows from the shoulder of her dress. I arrived just in time to become the unwilling mediator.

  “What do you think, Maddy? Doesn’t Aimee’s hair look fine? I don’t know why she has to make such a big deal out of everything.”

  “I’m changing it, and that’s final. Just because we live in Texas doesn’t mean I want everyone thinking I’m from the seventies. Come on Maddy, help me fix this monstrosity,” she wailed over her mother’s protests.

  Luckily, we escaped up the stairs and to her room where she slammed the door behind her. “God, I hate it when she gets nervous. I wish she’d just double-up on her Xanax, or better yet, take a few Valium.”

  “I really don’t think your hair looks that bad.It’s kind of cool, actually.”

  “Not you too!I can’t go to the ball looking like this,”she exclaimed as she ran her hands through her hair or at least tried to. “Please just help me tone it down a little.”

  We spent the next several minutes running combs and brushes through her hair. The stylist must have used a gallon of hairspray, and I thought for sure she would be bald by the time we were through.

  When she was satisfied, I began fixing my own hair and makeup. “So, why did you take the bow off of your dress? I thought you liked it.”

  “Yeah, I did. I just wanted to piss her off. I really couldn’t care less about the stupid bow. As long as the dress is tight, I’m sure I’ll get the desired results,” she teased and shook her butt back and forth.

  “Aimee, I swear if you leave me alone and go off to hook up with some guy, I will never talk to you again. I’m really nervous about this, and I need to know that you’ll be there for me,” I begged.

  She rolled her eyes. “And what happens if you take off on me? I suppose that’s just fine?”

  “No one is going to even notice me,so you don’t have to worry about that. I’ll be a fly on the wall. I’m just excited to actually go.”

  We lost track of time as we continued to get ready, and all too soon Mrs. Lancaster was knocking on the door and yelling, “Girls, you need to get going. The driver will be here in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Okay, Mom. Be right down,” Aimee yelled back.

  I slipped on the dress and Aimee zipped me up. I put on my shoes, and we headed for the door.

  “Did your mom say driver? We aren’t taking your car?” I asked as we slowly made our way down the stairs.

  “Mom wants to make an impression, so she hired a limo. I didn’t tell you sinceI figured you might freak out on me or something.”

  I had never been in a limo before. The thought made me even more excited, but I tried to contain myself. “Like I’ve never seen one before. Come on, do you think I was born in a barn or something?”

  We reached the bottom of the stairs where her mom was waiting for us. “Both of you look lovely,” she said with a glazed expression.

  Aimee leaned into me and whispered, “I guess she took my advice about the Valium.”

  Her mom grabbed a camera. “Let’s take some pictures. We’ll want to remember this.”

  Aimee chuckled and under her breath said, “‘Cause we know you won’t remember anything tomorrow.”

  I slapped her arm to get her to shut up. I didn’t want any more yelling tonight;I was nervous enough.After she took what seemed like a few dozen pictures, we were ready to go.

  The ride over to the plaza was exciting. I could feel the stares as we stopped at a red light, and for the first time in my life, it was me they were gawking at. When we arrived, the driver opened our door and helped us out of the car, andI noticed that I was the only one to say thank you. He tipped his hat to me.

  I was completely unprepared for what I faced as I made my way into the ballroom. I had never in my life seen anything so extravagant. There were huge floral arrangements in every corner and on every table. Beautiful people were standing around everywhere as servants dressed in black and white served drinks and appetizers.

  I must have been standing with my mouth hanging open because Aimee put her hand under my chin. “Don’t look so shell-shocked. Just relax and follow my lead.”

  I nodded and tried to rein in my nerves asI followed her around like a puppy. As I suspected, no one acknowledged me in the slightest. Every once in a while, Aimee would remember to introduce me to someone, and they would politely greet me, but that was basically the end of the conversation.That was fine with me. I was completely content just blending into the crowd. There were so many people here, I felt like I was floating through the night.

  True to her word, Aimee never left my side. Not that she had much of a chance. I stuck to her like glue; however, she drew the line when she had to go to the restroom. “I’ll be right back. Just stay here in the sitting area. You’ll be fine.”

  My anxiety kicked up about five notches the moment she left, andI started to shake. I tried to talk myself out of the panic attack, but my body wouldn’t cooperate.I kept telling myself they were just people who put their pants on one leg at a time, and I was no different than they were.

  As I started to calm down, a large group of débutantes invaded the small sitting room, laughing and talking about the party.I felt completely out of place. Knowing I had to get out of there, I decided that I’d just wait for Aimee right outside.

  I excused myself through the crowd of girls and finally made my way to the door. Just as I pushed it open, I heard, “Who was that? Don’t you hate it when people try to fit in?” Another girl piped up, “Nice dress though!” I felt a bit of pride until the first girl said, “You think? It’s so last year.”

  I closed the door to the wild laughter as tears filled my eyes. I didn’t want to do this here. Not now. I couldn’t breathe. Where was the door?

  If I could just get out of here, I would call my parents. Dad would be all too happy to hear me eat crow and come pick me up. Everywhere I turned I saw more people, and as I tried to make my escape, my composure slipped. I could feel my traitorous tears falling down my face.

  Wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, I turned once more to find my way out. That’s when I ran smack-dab into a tuxedo-clad chest.

  “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. I—I can’t seem to find my way out of here,”I said with a sob. My head was down as I tried to keep this strange man from seeing what a mess I was.

  He didn’t move as I’d expected him to, and I was surprised as a warm hand lifted my chin.His eyes were the coolest blue I had ever seen, and I just couldn’t help but stare. They reminded me of ice. “What on earth has such a beautiful woman running away in tears? This just won’t do. Come with me.”

  I wouldn’t have cared if he’d had three heads at that point;I was desperate for an escape. I took his offered hand and followed him into the darkness.

  “Where are we going?” I asked in a shaky voice, suddenly realizing a strange man was leading me around, and I had no idea where I was. I tried to stop, but he continued pulling me along.

  “Just a bit farther. Trust me,
you’ll love it,” he said with a smile.

  Ilooked over myshoulder and couldn’t see any signs that a party was going on just around the corner. Even though my mind was telling me to run the other way, I wanted to trust this handsome man.

  He stopped short at some double doors and then just pushed them open, revealing a huge room with a wall of windows. The sight took my breath away as I scanned the downtown city lights in the distance. When I was finally able to form a sentence, I whispered, “Wow.”

  Then there was a chuckle beside me. “I knew you’d like it.” He dropped my hand, and I hesitantly moved away from him and over to the windows. Never in all my life had I seen the city from this view. It was so quiet and beautiful.

  Behind me, I heard him gathering ice into glasses. “Would you like something to drink?”he asked in his smooth voice as I turned around to face him.

  “Just water will be fine,”I answered.

  “You don’t like to drink alcohol? Good to know.”

  He seemed surprised, but I was only eighteen.

  “No, I’ve never actually tried anything but champagne on New Year’s, and that was just a sip,”I replied andsuddenly felt like a silly little girl. Here was this beautiful man, who was probably much too old for me, asking me to have a drink. What on earth was I doing here?

  “I really should be getting back. I promised my friend I wouldn’t leave her alone.” I started walking toward the door.

  “Please don’t leave.” His words made me stop in my tracks and turn around. “I could really use a minute away from all the stuffed shirts in there, and I would be happy with a little company. Could we just sit and talk for a minute? You seemed upset earlier when I saw you coming out of the bathroom. Would you like to talk about what happened?” His eyes pleaded with me. Surely Aimee wouldn’t miss me for a few more minutes. “What do you say?” He stayed behind the bar with a guarded expression. It struck me that he seemed as nervous about his question as I was about my answer. I took a deep breath and decided to stay. He appeared to be trustworthy, and he had saved me from that horrible restroom.

  “I suppose one drink wouldn’t hurt.” I smiled and reached for the glass of iced water he held out for me.

  “Would you mind if we sat on the couch. These shoes are killing me,” he said with a grin. I watched him slip off his shoes, and. I walked over and perched myself on the edge of the couch.

  “I understand. I m-mean about the s-shoes,” I stuttered embarrassingly. “I have been looking for a moment to take mine off since I got here.”

  He relaxed into the couch, and took a small sip of his drink. “Seeing that we are getting comfortable, would you tell me your name.”

  “I’m Maddison Turner, but everyone calls me Maddy,”I answered. “What’s yours?”

  He held his hand out to me. “My name is Jack Duvalt, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Maddy.”

  I giggled as I shook his hand and then returned to drinking my water. He drank the brown liquid in his glass down in one gulp. “So, Maddy, can you tell me a little bit about you?”

  He stood and made his way back over to the bar area to get himself a refill, and I used this time to get a good look at him. I would guess he was a little over six feet tall. Almost a foot taller than I was. He had short brown hair that was cut close around his ears, but remained curly at the top. I noticed he’d put some type of hair gel in his curls to keep them in place. It looked almost as if he was in the military. He seemed to take pride in his appearance. Everything was in place, and he was extremely muscular. I could see his large chest under his jacket that was obviously tailored to fit. If I were to compare his looks to someone, I would say a young James Bond. He had a way about him that made him appear in charge of any situation, yet it seemed like he was so unsure of himself around me.

  Probably due to my long silence, he cleared his throat and said in a sterner yet playful voice, “I don’t mean to make you feel awkward. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t feel comfortable.” He turned to face me, and I couldn’t look away from his gorgeous eyes.

  I wasn’t used to talking about myself. “There isn’t much to tell,” I said with a little shrug. “I’m a senior at Stanford Grace Preparatory School. My mom’s a teacher, and my father is a postal worker. My friend Aimee invited me to the party tonight, but I soon realized that not everyone was happy about me being here. That’s when you found me. Sorry about that. I shouldn’t let that stuff bother me, but it just does.” I stopped, realizing I’d just spilled my guts to a complete stranger, and turned away to look out the windows again, desperately wanting to go home.

  The couch dipped next to me, and Jack put his hand on my arm. “Hey, I don’t know what happened in the bathroom, but I can tell it upset you. Truth be told, I was bored to tears before we ran into each other. So, for what it is worth, I’m glad that we met each other.” With that, he picked up my hand and kissed the back of it very gently. His lips felt so soft. Goose bumps rose on my skin. Could he be any more perfect? My insides turned to mush, and I secretly wanted him to do it again.

  “I must admit that I had been watching you for a while.” He looked down at his glass as if he was embarrassed to admit his actions. “Truthfully, I noticed you from the moment you came into the room and wanted to come up and talk to you, but I was nervous. I was sure that a beautiful young lady such as you would have been spoken for.” His words were like satin wrapping around my heart, and I was sure I was staring at him with a shocked expression. No man, besides my father, had ever told me I was beautiful.

  “Thank you. Now I’m also glad I came.” I quickly looked down to avoid seeing his reaction. I didn’t know what to do around this sudden attention and fidgeted with my glass, mentally chastising myself for not trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

  “So what do you do?” I said much too loudly, embarrassing myself. I couldn’t seem to think straight.

  “Hm…what do I do? Well, I’m a business major at Northwest Methodist University. I’ve lived in Dallas all my life, but I’ve traveled all over the world.” He stopped for a second and then looked at me. “It may sound glamorous, but it’s really very lonely. Most of the people I meet are so shallow and money hungry. I never really know if they are interested in me or my money.” Once again, he stopped and seemed to gauge my reaction. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to lay all my troubles on you, but you seem so different from the other people I have met. It feels like I could tell you anything.”

  Okay, it was cornball and stupid, but I loved it. Plus, I learned some very interesting things about him. His family obviously had a lot of money, and he was going to one of the most prestigious private colleges in the area. Not bad.Now, what was he doing here with me?

  “I don’t mind you telling me things.” I blushed at how ridiculous I sounded. “I’ve been told I’m a pretty good listener.”

  He continued to stare at me as if searching for something in my eyes, but I couldn’t look at him anymore. I needed to get out of here. I was setting myself up for heart failure. Despite all the compliments, I would be crazy if I thought this guy was remotely interested in me. He was a charmer who probably said these things to a lot of women.

  “Um…I think…I think I need to get going. I’m sure my friend is looking for me. Thanks for helping me out back there. You were a lifesaver.” I knew I was rambling, but I couldn’t stop.

  I got up from the couch, placed my glass on the bar, straightened out my dress, and went to the door. Looking back, I realized that Jack had followed my lead. His shoes were back on his feet, and he had placed his glass next to mine and was coming toward me when he stopped and our eyes met.

  “What?” I asked, as I looked myself over to make sure nothing embarrassing was falling out.

  “I hate to go back. I’ve really enjoyed meeting you.” He finally moved closer to me and reached for
the door. “I guess I will have to escort you back. I am not sure you can find your way without me.”

  Oh, great. He probably thought I was stupid. My life hated me. “Now that you mentioned it…I guess it would be a good idea. I wasn’t paying much attention when you walked me here,” I stated in a small voice.

  “You don’t know how refreshing it is to talk with a girl like you.” He walked toward me with a determined look in his eyes thatI could feel in my legs. Once he reached me, I realized that I had backed myself into the wall next to the door. He never stopped looking into my eyes and had a small smile on his face as he reached his hand up to touch my face. “I know we just met, but would you let me kiss you?”

  I was completely overwhelmed, yet I nodded my answer.My stomach was tied up in knots as he ran the tips of his fingers up and down my arms. It felt like an out of body experience. I closed my eyes so I couldn’t see his blue piercing eyes. Knowing what was coming, I licked my lips in anticipation. My entire body was on fire. I willed him to kiss me, but I was also a little scared.

  When I finally felt his soft, warm lips, I let out a throaty moan that seemed to come from deep within my body, but it was over far too soon, and he pulled away with a smile. I had never been kissed before outside of my family.

  “Now, that’s something I can’t wait to do again,” he said as he smiled and leaned in. I think I forgot to breathe as he kissed me again, firmer than the previous time. He ran his tongue gently along my lips, and I opened my mouth a little as the kiss got more intense. Then suddenly, he pulled away, leaning his forehead into mine. “Yes, I’m very lucky to have run into you, Miss Maddison Turner.” He smiled as he pushed away from the door and reached for the handle. I was too stunned to move.

  “Maddy, are you coming, or would you prefer to find your way back on your own?”He laughed.

  That snapped me out of my stupor. “Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry. Yes, thank you. I would love to go with you…I mean…back to my friend,”I stammered.