The Player

Chapter 23: I crash an ice plie dancer

They stood there pretending to be just friends when all the while everyone in the room could plainly see that they were only existing for each other.

                                     - Emma Blake

The vows were exchanged and max kept glancing at me after every vow. I was so grateful to god for my olive tone that did not express color easily while blushing. After the vows were exchanged, the groomsmen and bridesmaid gracefully slid to the dance floor.

Max quickly grasped my waist and intertwined our hands before sweeping us to a designated spot I was unaware of. The feel of his hard body pressed against mine did not help the butterflies inside my stomach.

Now there were fireworks exploding throughout my body.

Max knew how to dance. Moreover, he was very good at it. He just led me through the rhythm and I followed.

Throughout the thirty seconds, he never once wavered his eyes away from my face. My heart was galloping and if the dance had lasted too long then I would have probably died due to tachycardia.

Too soon, the bride and groom entered the dance floor and all of us backed away. They were professional dancers. At least the bride was. That is how they met and decided to marry.

As the married couple danced, max led me to the sidelines and passed me a glass of champagne from a serving waiter. I looked down at it apprehensively.

Max watched the dancing couple and slightly tilted his head towards me, "she didn't want this marriage to go like this."

"Pamela doesn't like this?" I asked him as I took a tentative sip of it.

It was sweet and bubbly and left my tongue more parched. I took another sip.

"no. She wanted something more fun. She said she wanted to get married in a bar while a local band played a salsa song. But her mother had different ideas." Max continued.

I turned all my attention to max, "she certainly looked like this wedding celebration was forced on her, but why?"

"Mrs Cobain wouldn't leave a chance to flaunt it on everyone's face that her daughter is getting married to a billionaire." Max said with a wry smile.

I looked at the couple who were completely enjoying their dance. The bride was smiling and laughing, she truly looked like a bride right now.

"But she is enjoying her wedding nonetheless." I said when all of a sudden a question arose in my mind, "how do you know this?"

Max smiled at me, "I was forced to attend this wedding. So I used to hang back during the rehearsals. We used to talk."

"How were you forced to attend the wedding?" I asked him.

My mom had followed me all throughout the house with a pout until I had agreed to come.

"My dad." Max sighed.

The couple had finished dancing and everyone clapped politely. More people joined the dance floor.

When I looked at max questioningly he continued, "My dad forces me to attend such public functions whenever I ask him for a favour. There is... someone at the wedding that I do not want to meet. But I had asked a favour so now I have to attend."

Max looked distressed. People started moving back slowly to tables now set along the whole garden. Ice sculptures of dancers were placed at regular intervals and more flowers were brought. Max guided us towards the balustrade that stretched over the hillock.