"Two million going once, going twice sold to bidder two."
Take that, jerk Sebastian. Trying to humiliate me...
"Who is that?" Margaret is my daily news. If there's hot news, she's already in the know. I keep updated and well versed through her. She's my ride or die really most of the time - die part, from overdoing. What's there not to love?
"I don't know. Weird, such fine specimen and I haven't seen him around these parts before."
"You're not saying we have ourselves a new fish in the market."
"That's exactly what I'm saying." Not good.
The thing is, most of us know each other from somewhere and the mingling amongst us is... entangled - putting it nicely. New people were...rare. And when they got here, it made our social circle loose its established entanglement.
It's what happened when Sebastian and I broke our engagement, choosing sides and trying their luck - more went to his side than mine, actually they all chose his side than mine except Margaret. To say it was better that way would be a bold faced lie. It's how I found myself staying at home and wrestling with Sara Tilli - imaginary wrestling of course - I'm not violent.
Don't smirk. I'm super-hyper sensitive.
Back to the present - thank you, isn't Mr Bidder the handsomeness my forehead had the painful pleasure of getting up to close and personal? His taste is really not bad. I'm a great painter, if I do say so myself. Why else would I sell my paintings at such a high price? Keep it a secret though, only Margaret myself and now you know that I have a successful career as a painter.
What I would give to see the look on now catalogued disgusting scumbag Sebastian face when he knows just how many people would kill - figuratively - to own a painting of mine. And the only one in the world signed my real name at that. Idiot. He chose to spite me by losing money. Really an idiot.
He must really love helping the less fortunate, no? Don't we all though, don't we all.
"Too bad I don't know of him, I'd introduce myself otherwise..."
"You like?"
"I'd like to admire."
No, no, no. Margaret and I work because our tastes are different and I mean extremely so, we're polar opposites. Where did the sun rise from today?
"But my forehead is acquainted with him. You can't like to do... anything." Please no, I call dibs.
"What? When, how? Oh, so that's why your face was all red. You, you secret admirer! How could you hide all that?" I didn't. I wasn't. I'm flustered. I had a heroine moment, alright.
How uniquely a start of an immortal love story is that! She shouldn't blame me.
"Ms, my boss says - compensation for your forehead's suffering."
He bid for a painting gifted by me to disgusting scumbag Sebastian, then given to the organisation by disgusting scumbag Sebastian to spite me, as compensation for me?
Did I get that right? Do you also feel this is overwhelmingly destined?
"Your boss is?"
"Over there, the gentleman wearing a black shirt." He knows I'm fishing for a name. How cheeky...
Me like. Me really like.
"Thank you." I can't make things difficult for a messenger. I'm glad I came, oh how glad I am that I came.
"Let's go." If God's willing Mr Bidder, we will meet again. Bronze is only so big and there are only so many events, we'll meet again.
"Aww, am I witnessing the beginning of starcrossed lovers story?"
"Shut up."
Cheers to cheered up me. Dive into something else head first and forget the mess that's waiting for me in the real world because if I know the Dions - and I know the Doins - they're waiting for me at my place and until they don't think my reaction is satisfactory, I will never hear the end of it or them.
Maybe I should crash Mama Jewel's daughter's wedding. A very dumb idea but why not? They won't chase me away - they have the respect your boss custom. When my parents go look for me, they'll only find house to let. Am I a genius or am I a genius?
The bridal shower, rehearsal dinner and the wedding. Not to mention all the plans they'll do in the upcoming month. Isn't it brilliant? Forget that Mama Jewel's family will be uncomfortable especially bringing Margaret along - I'm too cowardly to wedding crash alone - I'll give them a big cheque. Right, right?
"I have a horrible idea."
"What?"
"Mama Jewel's daughter is getting married, I'm thinking to go into hiding there."
"That's a terrible idea. Count me in. Bronze is boring lately. Let's go be snobs at a wedding."
I knew she would get it. Why do you think I love her? Margaret is my sole unconditional supporter.
Temporary farewell to Bronze, I don't have any complaints against you, I just need to be scarce from certain parental figures for a while.
Mama Jewel is going to be pleasantly surprised but her husband and children, I'd better not say. I think they don't like me - I know they don't like me. They treat me like how I treat my parents, overly polite - want to be over and done with. But I'm not there for them, I'm just using their family's wedding as an alibi when my parents ask me where I am, and they will then investigate to make sure I'm not lying.
My father isn't wealthy for the sake of it, he has the ability. Apparently, still has the ability in other areas too. Gross. I don't know why I just thought of that. It's just, you have to understand my father was thirty when I was born and I'm twentysix now, he's fiftysix and going to be a father. You can understand how that can be... unsettling no?
Anyway, hello York. I'm here as a refugee, treat me as friendly as possible.
The matter of our stay? Margaret has an apartment here, she has history with York. Right after uni, she met someone and moved here... it's a story for another day. How long has it been?
Since my rescue Margaret from herself mission, the relationship ended badly - really set fire to all his belongings bad - we had to hold an intervention for her with her mother and stepfather. You can imagine how horrible it had gotten to require intervention. That was two years ago.
It's a dark history.
"You're not going to relapse, are you?"
"Not you too." I have to be sure, I can't have my partner in wedding crashing crime go dark on me.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Scum is scum. I thought it through after the intervention. I have you, mom and dad. Someone who'll hide me in a glass cage isn't sincere to me, a glass cage bought with my money at that. Being here again, it's reminding me why I loved York in the first place."
She's right, while I'm a Bronze diehard fan - for its glitter and filth, the artist in me loves the contrasting balance Bronze has managed to acquire. She likes York, sunshine and warm winter. Margaret by nature isn't someone hardcore or rebellious, the prick made her develop a shell. She used to be sundresses and flowers - now, she's smokey eyes and maroon lipstick.
What I hate the most about the situation is when I found out, the damage had already been done.
I hope this time, York will live up to its friendly weather.