Seven - Rip Her to Shreds

THE GIRL standing before me wore a black patterned chiffon dress and nude suede heels. Her trusty trench coat was wrapped around her petite body, the material delicately flaring out from her waist to about halfway down her thighs. Her long brown hair was left in a disarray of waves and pulled back with a copper hairpiece.

She rolled her eyes, those vibrant, eerie eyes the color of dark oceans looking away and focusing on her brown leather handbag. Picking it up, the girl adjusted it on her elbow before straightening out the lapels of her coat.

She looked nervous. The small frown of her eyebrows was proof enough of that. Maybe if she smiled, I suggested to myself in my head, she'd look more relaxed.

Just as I thought that, a painful, strained smile etched itself on her pink lips. Everything about her stance screamed discomfort. 

And that girl is me. 

I've always been a friendly person, at parties or events, but I actually had to meet these girls. I couldn't just smile and stand behind my parents as they introduced me to random people I didn't have to talk to. These girls, the rest of bridesmaids, had to like me. 

I'm not completely anti-social, my job has taught me that much. But speaking about modern contemporary art and discussing the meaning behind classical paintings is completely different from sharing a late dinner with a bunch of women I've never met. 

Women are complex creatures that I myself, being a woman, can't even begin to understand. If I say the wrong thing or laugh the wrong way, women have the power to rip you to shreds. 

And not just figuratively speaking, because these Jersey socialites get their nails done every week.  

The ringing of the room phone caused me to jump at least a foot in the air before running over to answer it. "Hello?"

"Miss Chevalier, Miss Mercer is here for you waiting in our lobby."

"T-Thank you! Tell her I'll be right down." I groaned and stood up from the bed. I had no more time. Time to face Simone. 

I took a deep breath and told myself to keep moving, don't look back until I was in the lobby fifteen floors down. Because if I did stop, I would surely find an excuse to not go down there. 

My eyes shut painfully tight as the elevator descended. I've always hated elevators. Feeling as if I'd left my insides back up on the tenth floor, I stepped out of the metal death machine. 

Subconsciously smoothing down invisible wrinkles, I walked towards the front desk and spotted Simone...speaking to none other than Cole freaking Richmond. 

They were laughing and joking as if they were old friends. And who knows, they might be. I've been gone for half a decade after all. 

Simone caught a glimpse of me as my steps faltered on the spotless marble floors. She let out an excited shriek before delicately running over to me in her five inch heels. 

I'm sure I didn't look that good running like that in Converse, let alone with those skyscrapper heels. But of course, Simone would probably look perfect even running away from a chainsaw killer. 

"Eleanor!" she said wrapping her arms around me and pulling me into an aneconda hug. My eyes widened a little at the impact but once I shook off the shock, my hands came up to lightly return the embrace. 

I heard a little snicker and my eyes flashed up to glare at the asshole standing there with an amused smile on his face. "Eleanor, I've missed you!" 

"You too, Sim," I said using her old nickname. She pulled back and gave me a blinding smile. 

Cole raised an eyebrow at this before recognition clicked in that raisin-sized brain of his, I could tell by the slight shift of interest in his eyes. 

"You look incredible. Florence has done you very well," Simone said, causing my attention to shift back to her. 

I looked down at her and felt the oh so familiar insecurities creep back into my head. 

Simone's silky locks lay curled and pinned back by a diamond pin. Her face was flawlessly done, her outfit perfectly tailored. 

And that giant diamond on her finger shone brighter than anything I've ever seen. Simone saw my look and raised her left hand excitedly. "Isn't it perfect?"

I smiled a little and nodded. "Just like you, Sim."

She opened her mouth to speak but was caught off my Cole. "So this is Eleanor."

Simone turned to him and lightly touched his elbow to pull him towards us. "Why yes, Cole, this is my sister."

"Cole, meet Eleanor," Simone said waving her hand between us. "Eleanor, this is Cole."

"The best-man," he said with a crooked smirk. I raised an eyebrow and pulled my hand out to shake his. 

"Well Sim," I said with a sickly sweet smile on my lips, "If your fiance is anything like his best-man, then I'm sure you've got yourself a keeper."

Simone laughed, completely oblivious to my sarcasm, while Cole's grin just widened. "I assure you, Eleanor, I'm much funner."

"That I don't doubt. And please, call me Elle." Turning to Simone, I gave her a look before stepping back from Cole. "Well, we should go."

"Of course, you ladies have fun." Cole stood there with his hands in his pockets as I pulled Simone away.

"So where are the other bridesmaids?" I asked as we walked out of the hotel double doors and were instantly hit with the cool New Jersey winter breeze. 

It didn't get too cold out here during this time so with my trench coat and black leather gloves, I was perfectly fine as we climbed into Simone's town car. 

"Oh, they're meeting us at the restaurant." I nodded and sat back to enjoy the ride. I didn't realize just how much I missed NJ until I was driving past the tall buildings and busy streets. 

"Eleanor, we're here," Simone said after a while. Without meaning to, I tensed when she touched me.

"Okay," I said and stepped out of the car. Together, we silently walked into the exclusive sushi bar following behind the hostess to our table. 

Sitting there already were three other women. When they spotted us approaching, they stood and landed their eyes on me. 

I stood my ground and refused to back down even when one of them gave me a look of distaste and another rolled her eyes and sat back down. 

"Hi, I'm Alice!" a small, petite woman said as she pulled me into a hug. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Eleanor."

"Um you too," I said as she pulled back and flopped down happily in her chair. 

The next person to approach me wasn't as friendly. A smile graced her lips but her eyes said it all: she hated my fucking guts already.

"This is Meredith," Simone said, making the introductions. 

"Her best friend," she said in a curt tone as she took my hand in her iron-like grasp. I smiled wider to cover up my wince as her grip on my hand tightened. 

"Sister," I said playing along. It almost sounded like Mer was a teeny bit jealous. But what do I know, right?"

"And that over there is Felicity." I recognized her name from the group chat last week. She was the one that said she'd envisioned me to look like "Megan" from the movie Bridesmaids. 

"Pleasure," I said and sat down in between Alice and Simone. 

"It's really great to finally meet you, really. We've all been dying to see who you are! I mean you're such a mystery Eleanor," Alice said to the tense, quiet table. 

"Please, just call me Elle."

"Elle? I knew a girl named Elle. It's not a very common name. Actually, come to think of it, I know a painter with that name too. I just can't ever pronounce her last name. Che-something."

"Chevalier?" I asked with a small smile on my lips. She nodded and then let out a little squeal as realization hit her. 

"Oh, my gosh. It's like meeting a celebrity!" I didn't miss the snort from Meredith sitting across the table. 

I was about to tell her to please not freak out about it because I'm just your regular girl, when out server arrived. 

Good thing too, because I was starving.

DINNER, TO say the least, was painful. The whole time I sat there stuffing my face to make it through that awkward meal.

Meredith and Simone mainly spoke about the wedding preparations and upcoming events. Alice pipped in once or twice but otherwise stayed quiet. I could tell that she wasn't of this world. She was an outsider from the NJ socialites, so why she was a bridesmaid puzzled me. Or me, for the matter.

Felicity ordered cosmo after cosmo while I kept shoving rice sushi rolls down my throat. I was bored as hell, and guessing by the many times she checked her phone, she was too. 

"Hey, are we missing someone? I thought you had five bridesmaids." I said once I swallowed a huge lump of rice, seaweed and avocado.

"Yes, Hannah couldn't make it," Simone said taking a sip of her glass.

"You mean you didn't want to baby-sit," Felicity said under her breath. Meredith covered her mouth with her napkin to muffle her laugh while Alice sat unmoving.

"That's not true. It's a school night and Hannah has to rest," Simone said in an indignant voice. 

"Is she still in college then?" I asked and watched as everyone, except for Alice, bite back smiles.

"Hannah is fourteen." my eyes raised a little at that. Since when does Simone hang out with people like Alice, outside of our circle, or with preteens?

"Oh. Cool." I said shrugging my shoulders. Alice sent me a small smile which I hesitantly returned. 

"She's Maxton's sister. Of course she had to be in the wedding," Simone said answering my unspoken question.

Felicity slammed her wine goblet down and stood up abruptly. With a smile, she grabbed her bag and said, "Let's go dancing."

Meredith began to object when Simone stood and smiled. "Okay!"

I raised an eyebrow at this. Since when is Simone not boring? Not having enough time to ponder the change, Alice pulled me up and dragged me behind all of them to the waiting cars. 

"Simone, um I don't think I'm up for dancing. Jet lag's a bitch." Meredith's jaw dropped at my language but I ignored her. The word was in the dictionary. Deal with it.

"Oh no, you have to come. It's a girl's night out!" Alice said, still not letting go of my arm.

"Yes, please come, Eleanor!" Simone said with a smile, "I insist."

Not waiting for an answer, Felicity threw her hands up in the air and yelled. "Wooo! Let's get fucked up!"