Assurance

"You really should pay more attention to what you say." babbled my mother next to me. "I mean really Kristiny, there's a reason she didn't give you a spot in the wedding. Every cousin was a bridesmaid except you!" she exclaimed as we drove into the wedding reception.

"Do you really think I care about wearing a shit-green ass-high dress in front of two hundred people?" I snapped. I was in a bad mood to say the least, there was a reason I had told off the bride.

"I'm being serious! I'm tired of being the sister with the snappy daughter. I wish you could just be around our family without making a scene." she persisted as we walked in the banquet hall.

"I didn't make a scene." I whispered to myself as she walked off, leaving me alone. Even though I really never cared about why my mother scolded me, that fact that she did it made me feel pretty low. I studied the room around me and sighed. This was my cousin Katy's wedding and it was outrageously expensive. Our family lived pretty simple upper-middle class but she followed the Stepford manual and married rich. I didn't really pay attention much to family matters but I'm pretty sure his name was Luke.

"Are you waiting for someone?" said a voice behind me.

"No." I said walking forward not even bothering to look behind me. I could only imagine how awkward I looked standing in the entrance. I looked around and saw my tolerable 15 year old cousin Matilda standing with a group of her friends.

I repeat, a group of her friends. Her friends meaning she invited them, when my mother told me no one got to invite friends.

And she says she's not a bitch.

I bit my feelings aside and walked over to their inner group. I racked my brain for her two friend's names. To me they were Dinky and Pinky, but I'm sure only their parents called them that in private. They were weird pair since Dinky did most of the talking and Paige just nodded.

"Kristiny! Oh wow, you look great. You remember Dana and Paige right?"

"Yeah, of course." I lied, giving an overly big smile at the pair of them.

"You made quite the scene before the wedding."

"Let's not talk about that." I chirped.

"Did you see the detailing on her dress? It was amazing!" gushed Dinky, I mean Dana.

"That's my problem, she spent so much time of her own dress. We ended looking like shit." she said motioning to her dress. "Literally." I couldn't even contain my snort of laughter as I studied her ugly dress.

"Where'd you get your dresses?" I asked Dana and Paige.

"Mine is Dolce and Gabana and Paige's is Versace." said Dana and Paige nodded on cue. "Where did you get youre's ? It fits you like a glove, you really do look amazing in it."

"Forever 21." I said simply and they slightly cringed. That's what separated me from a lot of my family, I hated spending money like they did. I laughed at myself thinking about when I bought it. I nearly put it back because i thought $50 was too much.

"Umm, that's nice." Matilda mused. "I want Dana and Paige to meet Aunt Charlotte, we'll catch up with you later." She said quickly, before walking off.

Nice, rejected by a 15 year old.

"Kris!" I heard someone shout behind me and I smiled to myself. At least someone wanted to talk to me. I turned around and it was my favorite Aunt Charlotte. Everyone always joked around and called her the mistake child of the family since she was so young. She was only 25 and lived in the United States. I loved her because she was such a free spirit. She didn't live off of anyone and didn't take crap from other people.

"Charlotte!" I exclaimed as she wrapped me in a hug.

"I miss you so much, but I've got to go talk to mum. Hangout tomorrow,I'll call you." she said before flitting off.

I was left once again.

Was I really that bad?

I went to the one place that was always social during times like these, the women's restroom. I walked in and it was pure chaos in from of the mirrors. I stepped forward and studied myself for a second. I really did look nice today, even if I didn't wear dresses much, I really enjoyed wearing this one. My hair was slightly wavy and my face bearing only eyeliner and lip gloss. It wasn't long though before my cousin Kara shoved an eyeliner stick in in my hands.

"Fix me!" she commanded and I went to town while tuning in the gossip.

"Did you guys see his side of the family?" said my cousin Janney.

"Yeah, kinda sketchy bunch don't you think?" said someone I didn't even know.

"At least the groom's normal, but money isn't everything when it comes to family character."

"Exactly, did you see the one with tattoos on his fingers." I smirked to myself as everyone in the bathroom gasped. It was a wonder to me how no one from the groom's family was in here.

"Just ghastly, but they seem like sweet people."

"Forget his family, why did you say that Kristiny, you know...." I finished her eyeliner and walked out. Our family was so judgmental, I was sort of proud of Katy for marrying a family with normalcy.

I realized there was one more place I could go during this reception to keep myself sane.

It was best part of weddings and I thanked the heaven's for it.

The Open Bar. No money, no carding, just drinks.

"A medium Jagermeister bottle and a glass. " I said to the bartender who must have been eighty. He looked sort of taken back that I boldly asked for the bottle.

"Same as her, but with two Red Bulls" said a voice behind me. I looked down and saw tattooed fingers on the bar that clearly said the word 'drop' on it. I looked up at his face and my breath took in slightly as we gazed at each other for a moment. There were some people that were just good looking but this guy was gorgeous. I tried not to stare at him for too long but it was hard. I silently laughed to myself realizing he was guy they were gossiping about in the bathroom.

The bartender placed two bottles and two glasses in front of us. "Grab the glasses, he said. I stood there slightly confused for a second, but then grabbed them and followed after him. He led us to an empty table around the dance floor and we sat down next to each other. He didn't even speak as he opened one bottle of Jag and a Red Bull, equally pouring them in each glass. He looked up at me and smiled, handing me a glass. I noticed he was watching me, as if waiting for a reaction. I looked down at it cautiously, but drank the strong mixture in delight.

"It's actually pretty good." I beamed at him.

"Always is, kinda like getting drunk off of soda." he said before taking a long swig of his own. We sat next to each other in a comfortable silence for a second, watching the scene of dancing in front of us. I studied him from the corner of my eye for a second. His hair was obviously straightened, and he had a strong jaw line like most of his family. His skinny frame was apparent and so were his covered hands. I can only imagine what he looked like on a regular basis out of the tuxedo.

"So partner, I'm Oliver." he said turning towards me, interrupting my analysis.

"Kristiny." I said taking another swig of my drink.

"That's a funny name." he laughed flashing a beautiful smile at me.

"So is Oliver." I said feeling the alcohol start to loosen me up.

"It's Oli." He laughed again.

"It's Kris." I smirked.

"Kristiny! Dance with your friend, we need you in pictures too." said Charlotte out of nowhere. She was suddenly by my side and pushing 'Oli' and I out of our chairs. She ushered us to the dance floor of slow music and Oliver placed his hands around my waist easily as I laid mine on his shoulders. He smiled down at me as I slightly blushed. We were still on a first name basis and I was already slow dancing with him. We looked towards Charlotte as she pointed the photographer in our direction. He looked at us and smirked slightly as he started to snap pictures of us.

"Looks like we have paparazzi." I mused as Oliver started to sway us to the music.

He snorted slightly and said "Yeah right, that's just my brother Tom. He likes to play with cameras and call it art."

"So Mr...Oliver, I know absolutely nothing about you yet we've drank together and are now dancing." I said looking down, his gaze made me blush too much.

"It's Oli love, Oli Sykes actually. And there's not much to know, nobody really never pays attention to me much. I lay low." he whispered into my hair, making my neck tingle and let out a giggle.

"People pay attention, trust me. You're known as the boy with the tattoos in the lady's room." I said allowing myself to look up at him and he smiled.

"I get that a lot. Are you sure they didn't mention my good looks and charm?"

"Damn, I missed that part." I said in mock anger and he laughed.

"So, Ms...Kristiny. I know nothing about you either. Shed some light."

"It's Salas." I said proud of my last name. My mother liked to pretend her first husband wasn't South American but my tan skin, non-blonde black wavy hair and last name were a constant reminder. "Kris Salas actually. And there's not much to know, nobody really ever plays attention to me much. I lay low." I said mocking him and he let out a chuckle.

"Oh you don't lay low, you're known as the girl who told off the bride before the wedding and somehow ruined her, although I don't know how."

"You don't want to know." I shrugged.

"Look at the Bride, she's glowing." he whispered. "It's a shame that she has the neck of a giraffe or she would be perfect."

"We all have our secrets." I said looking into his eyes this time.

"Believe me love, I know."

I smiled to myself as he twirled us around slightly, setting his chin on my shoulder as we swayed. We stayed like that for a moment just moving to the music. I didn't know a thing about this guy but he intrigued me like no other. I wasn't eager to find out his life story, I just wanted this moment. His breathing tickling my neck as my finger tips toyed with his hair. I beamed inside and leaned in towards his ear.

"Right before the ceremony she told me my shoes were ugly and I told her she had a double chin. She's been holding her neck up like a fool ever since."