Chapter 10 - party

Sliding the huge mahogany doors open, the eloquent looking Giovani O’Connell walked into the dimly lit common area and was immediately hit with violins and other orchestra instruments, making him feel like he had just walked into a seventies banquet, and thus immediately got him on his nerves.
“Jesus fucking Christ!” he cursed under his breath as he made his way amid the crowd of people who stood, chitchatting amongst themselves whilst holding glasses that were filled with Champaign and wine amongst others.
Spotting Topaz in the crowd who was laughing with Mason, the dashing young man gently pulled on her arm to gain her attention.
“Paz, what the hell is this music? This is not what I meant when I said fancy party. This looks more like a fancy funeral organized by the upper class in the mid-seventies” Giovanni O’Connell spoke and the young lass couldn’t help but burst into a fit of laughter.
“What’s so funny? Turn this shit down” he grumbles furiously.
“You know what? Never mind, I’ll handle it myself” he added as he noticed his sister wasn’t too apt about moving an inch. After a thorough look, Giovanni O’Connell noticed how wobbly she looked and he understood that she was already tipsy.
“How many of those has she had?” Giovanni’s question was directed to Mason who replied with a shrug.
“Fuck me” he cursed again under his breath.
“Again, don’t give him any thoughts” Gwen’s voice filled both Giovanni and Mason’s ears. The young girl approached both men with a flute glass in hand that contained red wine. She wore a smirk on her face, then winked at Mason making the young man’s cheeks turn pink and wanting nothing more than for the earth to open up and swallow him.
“Oh, thank heavens you’re here. Can you help me with her? I need to get rid of this music and then find the mayor” Giovanni was already handing Topaz over to Gwen like she was a parcel and not giving the young girl a chance to reply.
“Thank you” and with that, Giovanni disappeared into the crowd, smiling at some few persons who greeted him. He was a little too preoccupied with other things to stop for a chat with them.
As soon as the music sorted out, Giovanni O’Connell sought to find the Mayor. He could only hope he honoured his invitation. But after scanning the common area three times, and asking a few persons here and there, the young man concluded that he probably wasn’t coming.
Then, he’d started to search for the Wren Austin. He hoped that she too would at least come considering almost everyone was here. His heart sank when she was nowhere to be found.
In the end, he hosted the event for nothing.
Defeated, Giovanni O’Connell was ready to call it a day and retreat to his room, but Nanna Denis called out to him just as he mounted the first steps.
“Where are going too?” Nanna Denis questioned with an eyebrow raise.
“I…Uh…Nanna” the young man was speechless. He knew that he would get in trouble should he tell the older woman he had had enough socializing for the day, given that those he hoped to see didn’t show up.
“Get your ass back down. Have some fun” before Giovanni could process, the older woman was already pulling him into the crowd. She led the young man to where people her age stood and laughed over silly banter.
The conversation with the group of oldies is exactly what he needed to lift his morals. They had succeeded in brightening his mood and making him laugh until his side began to hurt. It wasn’t long until Nana Denis excused herself to go announce that the dinner table was officially open and everyone could help themselves.
Giovanni O’Connell took that opportunity and excused himself from the group, and as he walked away, he bumped again into Mason, but this time, he was accompanied by Gary, Joshua and some other guy whose name he couldn’t recall.
The young man sighed. It wasn’t that the sight of these men irritated him. Well, actually that was the case. Also, the fact that Giovanni was trying to stay as far as possible from Mason. He knew that the young man had feelings for him, but unfortunately for him, he didn’t swing that way.
Giovanni hoped that after years of being away, those feelings must have vanished, but unfortunately for him, they seem to be very active.
“Great party, Gio” Joshua commented and the use of the nickname made him frown and cause a dagger in his heart as he was suddenly hit by an unwanted trip down memory lane.
Gio was the name Wren used to call him when they had first started dating. The way it rolled out of her dulcet plump lips, was the most beautiful melody he had ever heard. But he had to fuck things up and he knew darn well that his Wren, the one he was helplessly in love with, was no longer that teenager.
Giovanni O’Connell realized he had not acknowledged Joshua’s greetings so he stretched out his hand and gave it a firm shake.
“Thanks, Josh” he replied. “Tell me, have any of you have an idea as to where Wren is? I was hoping she would make it to the party” Giovanni tried to mask the disappointment in his voice as he spoke.
“I’m sorry no” Gary replied.
“I think she should be at the pub” Mason replied and his tone was filled with a little bit of envy.
“Nah, I don’t think so” Garry replied. “Everyone in town is here” he added.
“Perhaps she’s out there shagging some dude. That’s the only thing she knows after all” the man whose name Giovanni couldn’t recall said, then he burst out laughing.
“You should try that bitch, she’s got some moves man. Fucking town whore” he added. Mason, Gary as well as Joshua stared at the young man, trying to inform him that he had gone way out of line, but he was too wrapped up in his world as he laughed to himself.
Giovanni O’Connell had his arm in a fist. He fisted them so hard that it made his knuckles turn white. His breathing became rapid and he was very close to throwing everything in the air and face-palming the bloody bastard with a metal chair.
The moment Giovanni stepped foot in Craigsburg, he had heard all about the town whore. He was devastated when he learned that the famous town whore was his childhood sweetheart, and right up till now, that news hasn’t settled in. So hearing this man talk so nonchalantly about her, made his blood boil.
Giovanni O’Connell closed his eyes and took in several deep breaths. It was only when he had calmed down that the young man spoke.
"Get the fuck out of here before I make you regret what you said"

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