The Engagement Game (Book 1)

1. the party

"Wow, it's huge," I breath out.

I look up at the large building in front of me. It looks like something right out of a prince charming fairytale.

I enter the lavish entrance with apprehension, stepping over the gold engraved footstep with feet encased in uncomfortable yet stunningly beautiful shoes that my best friend Kacey had shoved onto me right before we left.

Kacey impatiently grabs my arm and drags me further inside the lavish hall.

"Oh this is nothing babe, hurry up we're going to be late." She says, waving away my awe.I roll my eyes as I stumble after her, "Kacey, slow down, you know I can't walk in these shoes."

"Then learn how to walk in them." Kacey says jokingly.

She slows down anyways and I catch up. We continue walking through the neverending hallways. I'm beginning to feel more and more apprehensive. None of this is what I am used to, I'm just a regular college student who likes to stay holed up at home and go out with my friends.

I'm here today because Kacey insisted on bringing me to her get-together. I'm still not sure what it is, but it seems as if its a fancy party where all her rich family friend's children are going to be. It's supposed to be something that they do every year and Kacey says it bores her out of her mind, so she insisted on bringing me to make it more fun.

I really didn't want to come, but Kacey said she'd uninvite me to her wedding if I didn't. I know shes joking...I hope? But I came with her because she kept on asking me too.

Well, now I'm here, and I have no idea what I'm doing. Kacey drags me to the final closed door and flings it open, revealing a large room with a few sofas, tables, and a bar on the side. Lounging on the seats are some of the most gorgeously dressed women I've ever seen. Slender, beautiful, and wearing fitting dresses, they're elegantly sipping on their cocktails.

Sitting on the other side of the women are three men. They're just as good looking, if not more. In finely made tuxedos, they talk to each other and the women occasionally join in. One of the men is in a grey suit. He shoots me a quick glance as we enter and catches my eyes. I feel my heart jump a beat, he's so good looking.

He looks away quickly, but my cheeks are already heating up from the milisecond of eye contact that we just had.

Kacey tugs at my arm again and I'm jerked back to reality.

"Stop ogling Ryden." She hisses into my ear.

I turn even redder than before, if thats possible, and stumble into the seat that she pushes me into. She draws in close to me and whispers, "Don't be embarassed, everyone does it the first time they meet him."

"Who is he?" I whisper back, my curiosity burning.

"Oh hes not not a big deal, just the son of the family that made every single thing you're wearing right now."

Sensing the sarcasm in her voice, I glance down dubiously at my sparkly dress, the jewelry around my neck, and the sleek heels I'm wearing.

"Yeah sure, no big deal. Aren't these all like ten grand each?" I gesture down at myself.

"Ten grand?!" Kacey looks at me offended.

"Oh, do they cost less?"

Kacey lets out a patronizing sigh and jumps out of her seat, "It doesn't matter, lets go get some drinks."

I tail after her to the bar where she pulls up two glasses and fills them up with different liquors. She shoves one of them at me. It's a light pink, almost like pink lemonade. I take a sip and my nose burns from how much alcohol is in it.