Chapter 106: Chapter 106
Amelia's POV
The guards carried the gifts towards Stefan's car, opening the trunk and loading everything into it. The way they behaved as if they owned the car! I inwardly rolled my eyes but didn't say a word to them acutely aware of all the gazes turned towards me. I might be looking like some celebrity with two buff bodyguards on either side of me.
Finally, the ordeal was over but strangely the two security guards hadn't uttered a single word all throughout. Were they dumb? Shaking my head, I rejoined the party with them quietly following me. It was time to eat and I searched Cassandra out.
"Done?" asked Cassandra who was approaching the dining table and I nodded. "What's wrong?" she asked when I looked behind my back to see if they were still following me. Strangely they weren't there yet the eerie feeling of being watched was back again.
"Nothing, I'm feeling like someone's watching me," I shrugged. Cassandra's jaws dropped and she leaned toward me.
"I don't know why but I'm feeling the same as you are. As if someone's watching me all the time," she whispered back. What was going on? We exchanged looks of dread but did not have any solution to our situation.
We sat down to have lunch at our designated places eagerly waiting for the extravagant lunch to be served. I sat between Cassandra and Audrey while uniformed waiters served us their special bridal shower sangria, delicious baked buffalo chicken wings served with creamy blue cheese dressing. There were crab cakes with horseradish cream, cucumber, and arugula salad, chicken souvlaki, oven-roasted potatoes, and slices of honey and almond nut cake, served with a dollop of cream and strawberries.
I tasted almost all the items, though I gave the sangria a miss. I couldn't tolerate alcohol, so it was better to avoid it. Cassandra took a sip and decided to give it a miss as well.
"It's a little too strong for me. Alcohol makes me do weird things. I'd better stay away," she said and I nodded agreeing totally. I had an awful experience the first time I had it on my graduation day when we went out in the evening to celebrate and Brittany had forced me to drink.
The food was undoubtedly delicious and everyone present praised it. I watched Anna being fed by Audrey and Gran and felt a little pang of jealousy deep within me seeing how happy Anna was with Stefan's family. She laughed with them and they all treated her as their own daughter. I wanted the same too. I missed having a family of my own. I too wanted to belong to someone who would love me just the way Stefan loved Anna. Could Tristan give me the same fulfillment that Stefan gave Anna? I sighed, as that was a question only time could answer. I looked down at my food, a sense of loneliness gripping my heart. Even after having three siblings and nieces and nephews, I was all alone in the whole world. Suddenly the hair at the nape of my neck stood up. I knew I was being watched but I didn't turn around to check. I knew it was a hallucination. No one was there to watch me. It was just that I was missing Tristan.
In fact, I could feel being watched throughout the program, but looking around I didn't find anything suspicious, so I dropped the idea. Afterward, we all received bridal shower favors. They were extremely special, cute packets of scented candles and handmade soaps, tied together with tasseled decorative ropes. Gran was too tired to continue, so she left with Ellie, and Tristan's father came to take them home. She kissed Anna, Cassandra, Claire, and me before leaving.
I felt so loved and complete, it felt as if I was already a part of their family when in reality I was not even Tristan's girlfriend. I felt a little melancholy thinking about Tristan. Did he forget about the promise? I hadn't seen him even once since morning. Where the hell was he? He might have given up without even trying. To say I was disappointed in him would be an understatement. I was hopelessly upset and missed him immensely.
"Enjoy the party, girls. See you soon," she said with a wave. We all waved back at her.
"See you," said Claire. "I'll come down to check up on Alexander," she said.
However, I was brought out of my reverie when suddenly the doors burst open and a cacophony of loud voices and laughter filled the banquet hall. Gran had already left but Audrey hadn't been able to go. We all gasped with surprise seeing a group of eight men dressed in bright, colorful clothes, with bleached and dyed hair and muscled bodies walk in. They stopped right in front of us and started stripping to our utmost horror. Three poles were set up in the middle of the banquet hall, which I realized were for pole dancing.
My eyes literally popped out as I realized that these were strippers and they were about to perform for us. Who invited them for us? I shared looks of horror with Anna and Cassandra. They were as clueless as I was. What was happening? Who needed this sort of entertainment? Not us? I could see Audrey arguing with the manager of the banquet hall. So was he the culprit? I could see the other guests enjoying the show but we couldn't be like them.
Anna and I panicked, ready to flee the scene when suddenly four muscular men stripped to their underwear and came forward asking for the bride and bridesmaids. Anna yelped with fright while I ran to hide behind a shocked Claire. How could they force themselves upon us?
But the men grabbed us and sat down, placing us on their laps. I felt like throwing up, struggling to get free. I shrieked and tried to escape, and so did Anna, Claire, and Cassandra but they were stronger. Music started but we were too panicked to realize what they were up to.