My Life Is a Cliché
Introducing Morana
“Why are all of your clothes out of date?” Katie asked irritably, throwing clothes out of my closet.
I sighed. “You know I hate shopping. Do I really have to go tonight?” I added. “I’d much rather stay in and eat ice cream.”
“You have to make a public appearance, Morana,” she lectured. “If you don’t, you’ll never get an investor!”
“I told you I don’t need one,” I countered but we both knew that wasn’t true.
I ran a small business. At first Auto Find was a simple Internet based business. Lately, though, it launched into needing a physical office, several employees, and an investor. I wasn’t poor by any means but I definitely wasn’t rich enough for this.
“What have I gotten myself into?” I muttered, accepting the black dress Katie handed me.
“Don’t talk like that,” she said, putting her hands on my shoulders. “Don’t forget that fire you had in college. You were so headstrong and I know you still are.”
“I never imagined it would get this big, though,” I admitted, stripping down and changing into the dress. It went down to my knees and hugged me in all the right places. It was a little too low cut for my liking so I grabbed a necklace. “How many people will be there?”
“About 200.”
My jaw dropped and I paused in the act of putting my heels on. “You found 200 investors?”
She cleared her throat. “Yes and no.”
“Katie,” I began.
She put her hands on her hips. “You need someone, Morana. And don’t try to say you’re happy on your own.”
“It’s easier this way.”
She sighed and helped me with my makeup. “Don’t you ever wonder what it’s like to be with someone?”
I didn’t answer. Of course I did. But I knew what happened when a woman falls in love.
As if she could read my thoughts, she said, “Not every relationship ends the way your parents’ did.”
I put a layer of chap stick over my dark red lipstick. “Well, I wouldn’t know about that, now would I?”
My parents had been dead for 18 years. I’ve already forgotten what they looked like. I would study myself in the mirror and wonder who I looked most like but I could never really tell.
“Time to go,” Katie announced and I sighed heavily again.
“Let’s get this dinner over with. I’m not promising that I’ll find someone,” I added.
“Just as long as you dance with at least one hottie,” she agreed, following me out to my car.
I was nervous as I drove. My mind was now on my business, not men. I had prepared a small speech but I suffered from stage fright so it would probably be Katie delivering it for me. It always ended up like that but she didn’t seem to mind. Katie was beautiful with long blond hair and big blue eyes. She liked being in the center of everything which is probably why she made herself my publicist.
We pulled up to the large restaurant and I fidgeted with my seatbelt.
“You’re positive about this?” I asked but she was already out of the car.
I groaned and got out, grasping my purse tightly and locking my car with the key fob. We were early, something I was the one that insisted on. If she was going to make me go, we were going to be there on my schedule.
We went into the large party room the restaurant had set aside and I walked among the tables.
“There will be ten at each table,” Katie explained, holding a clipboard that I hadn’t noticed. “Everyone has an assigned seat. After the dinner, you’ll mingle with the investors. Some will dance with you.”
“Some meaning the bachelors you’ve lined up, right?” I asked dryly and she sent me a radiant smile. “What time is it?”
She checked her smart phone. “In 15 minutes.”
I went over to the table she and I would be sitting at.
“Won’t there be two people out of place?” I asked, noticing there were still only twenty tables.
“I had two people call and cancel,” she answered, “so I figured we might as well sit with them instead of having our own table.”
“Makes sense,” I nodded and walked around to look at our guests’ names. “Any names on here I should keep in mind. For investors,” I added and she pouted.
“Just five: Marcus Hamilton, Heath Patrick, Bryan Portland, Nathan Dire, and Thomas Marks.”
“I’m assuming that Johnathan Pierce, Thaddeus Hatch, and Ian Tompson are some of your ‘eligible bachelors’ then?” I asked and she sent me another innocent grin.
I went over to the sound system where a DJ was setting up.
“Name?”
He put his headphones on the table. He was in his early 30’s.
“They call me DJ Beatz,” he said and I arched a brow. He cleared his throat. “Seriously, though, just call me D.J.”
“Well, D.J., have you checked the microphone?”
“Yes, Miss….” He waited for my last name but I didn’t supply it. “It’ll be ready when you are.”
“Please no vulgar rap music,” I said. “I don’t care what else you play.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I sat at my seat at the table and allowed myself a minute to collect my thoughts before the doors opened.
“On your feet,” Katie said happily. “Here they come!”
I sighed. “You know I hate shopping. Do I really have to go tonight?” I added. “I’d much rather stay in and eat ice cream.”
“You have to make a public appearance, Morana,” she lectured. “If you don’t, you’ll never get an investor!”
“I told you I don’t need one,” I countered but we both knew that wasn’t true.
I ran a small business. At first Auto Find was a simple Internet based business. Lately, though, it launched into needing a physical office, several employees, and an investor. I wasn’t poor by any means but I definitely wasn’t rich enough for this.
“What have I gotten myself into?” I muttered, accepting the black dress Katie handed me.
“Don’t talk like that,” she said, putting her hands on my shoulders. “Don’t forget that fire you had in college. You were so headstrong and I know you still are.”
“I never imagined it would get this big, though,” I admitted, stripping down and changing into the dress. It went down to my knees and hugged me in all the right places. It was a little too low cut for my liking so I grabbed a necklace. “How many people will be there?”
“About 200.”
My jaw dropped and I paused in the act of putting my heels on. “You found 200 investors?”
She cleared her throat. “Yes and no.”
“Katie,” I began.
She put her hands on her hips. “You need someone, Morana. And don’t try to say you’re happy on your own.”
“It’s easier this way.”
She sighed and helped me with my makeup. “Don’t you ever wonder what it’s like to be with someone?”
I didn’t answer. Of course I did. But I knew what happened when a woman falls in love.
As if she could read my thoughts, she said, “Not every relationship ends the way your parents’ did.”
I put a layer of chap stick over my dark red lipstick. “Well, I wouldn’t know about that, now would I?”
My parents had been dead for 18 years. I’ve already forgotten what they looked like. I would study myself in the mirror and wonder who I looked most like but I could never really tell.
“Time to go,” Katie announced and I sighed heavily again.
“Let’s get this dinner over with. I’m not promising that I’ll find someone,” I added.
“Just as long as you dance with at least one hottie,” she agreed, following me out to my car.
I was nervous as I drove. My mind was now on my business, not men. I had prepared a small speech but I suffered from stage fright so it would probably be Katie delivering it for me. It always ended up like that but she didn’t seem to mind. Katie was beautiful with long blond hair and big blue eyes. She liked being in the center of everything which is probably why she made herself my publicist.
We pulled up to the large restaurant and I fidgeted with my seatbelt.
“You’re positive about this?” I asked but she was already out of the car.
I groaned and got out, grasping my purse tightly and locking my car with the key fob. We were early, something I was the one that insisted on. If she was going to make me go, we were going to be there on my schedule.
We went into the large party room the restaurant had set aside and I walked among the tables.
“There will be ten at each table,” Katie explained, holding a clipboard that I hadn’t noticed. “Everyone has an assigned seat. After the dinner, you’ll mingle with the investors. Some will dance with you.”
“Some meaning the bachelors you’ve lined up, right?” I asked dryly and she sent me a radiant smile. “What time is it?”
She checked her smart phone. “In 15 minutes.”
I went over to the table she and I would be sitting at.
“Won’t there be two people out of place?” I asked, noticing there were still only twenty tables.
“I had two people call and cancel,” she answered, “so I figured we might as well sit with them instead of having our own table.”
“Makes sense,” I nodded and walked around to look at our guests’ names. “Any names on here I should keep in mind. For investors,” I added and she pouted.
“Just five: Marcus Hamilton, Heath Patrick, Bryan Portland, Nathan Dire, and Thomas Marks.”
“I’m assuming that Johnathan Pierce, Thaddeus Hatch, and Ian Tompson are some of your ‘eligible bachelors’ then?” I asked and she sent me another innocent grin.
I went over to the sound system where a DJ was setting up.
“Name?”
He put his headphones on the table. He was in his early 30’s.
“They call me DJ Beatz,” he said and I arched a brow. He cleared his throat. “Seriously, though, just call me D.J.”
“Well, D.J., have you checked the microphone?”
“Yes, Miss….” He waited for my last name but I didn’t supply it. “It’ll be ready when you are.”
“Please no vulgar rap music,” I said. “I don’t care what else you play.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I sat at my seat at the table and allowed myself a minute to collect my thoughts before the doors opened.
“On your feet,” Katie said happily. “Here they come!”