Peter Tabella: Chapter 2

Peter crashes a stuffy, snobby party with his cousins and brother. But he finds something he wasn't looking for.

PETER

 

An enormous black hat is shoved onto my head.

 

“Mike, where’d you get these?” I laugh, adjusting it so my face is in shadow.

 

“That’s confidential,” he says with a wicked grin.

 

“So basically,” says Jack, “his daddy.”

 

“Our daddy,” Mike corrects, slinging his arms around Tommy and me. “And no, actually. It was Target.”

 

Jack rolls his eyes at his brother’s antics. “Shall we proceed?” he asks with a dramatic bow.

 

“No!” Mike says, releasing Tommy and me. “We’re way too noticeable. We have to go after some other group.”

 

I look around and laugh at the giant hats. Tommy and I probably don’t need them since we won’t be recognized, but Mike and Jack are pretty well-known with the Bowers.

 

We end up slinking in behind some giggling girls, our hats covering our dark hair and eyes. I look around at the huge room full of gowns and snobs. Mike and Jack are already off in the mix, dancing badly and, I’m sure, saying some perfectly horrible things. Creating general havoc.

 

This is the biggest Bower party I’ve crashed, and I’m not entirely sure what to do. I usually just make an a*s of myself and everyone else, but I have a feeling this is too big for something like that.

           

Tommy, of course, is taking pride in his usual task. I feel bad for anyone hungry or thirsty in this place. Actually, I think as I look around, I take that back. These people are all stuck up rich snobs.

 

I realize I’m attracting some curious looks, and quickly whisk off the hat. I don’t look that similar to Mike or Jack, so I’ll be fine.

 

Feeling slightly bored already, I sidle over to the food and pop a cookie in my mouth. Too late, I remember Tommy’s mission and spit it out. I subtly drop it on the ground, my mouth coated with a layer of salt.

 

Tommy walks by, his smirk visible under the ridiculous hat. “Smooth,” he says in passing, and I laugh.

 

I look out again at the room of whirling dresses, and suddenly my eye catches on a girl. She sits on a bench under the enormous staircase, and I’m completely captivated. I silently will her to show her face�"and she turns around to look directly at me.

 

My heart stops, and I’m not certain it will start again. She is beautiful. As I stare back at her, the noise and music fades away until all I can hear is my heartbeat. I have to go to her, talk to her�"I jump into action, walking toward her as quickly as I can.

 

Then I stop, realizing how creepy that might seem. I walk slower, but my eyes remain fixed on hers.

Author's Note

I think we know where this is going... Please review!