| I spent the rest of the day alone in my hotel room redrawing my sketches and trying to compose a good picture out of them. I was really excited about the party that evening though, so I couldn�t concentrate very well and kept getting up and pacing about the room. I think Richard had gone home to type up his interviews or something but I didn�t really care. All I could think about was Mark and the party that night. I had brought my favourite dress with me. When I�d packed it I had doubted that I�d get a chance to wear it. I wasn�t going to bring it, but at the last minute I had thought that, as I hadn�t been told exactly where I was going while I was in Manchester I might just need it. I was glad I�d packed it now, and couldn�t wait to wear it that night. It was made up of a dark pink under dress with black crochet over the top and stopped just before my knees. It had been quite expensive when I had bought it but it fitted me so well that I had felt I had to buy it. In my head I played the scene out over and over again of my meeting Mark again that night. I walked into the room. Mark looked up at me, and then came straight over. �You look beautiful.� He�d say. I�d reply �so do you� then he�d ask me to dance and we�d spend the whole night in each other�s company, dancing and talking until it was time to leave and we had to be almost dragged apart. This wasn�t how it happened. Richard had arrived at my hotel on time and as usual I was running late. I�d spent hours getting ready, making sure I looked just right and I was actually going to be on time but one of the straps of my dress had broken as I�d put it on so just as Richard arrived I was rooting through my travel bag for a needle and some thread. I then had to let him into the room and listen to him lecturing me about my continual lateness. I had found the sewing equipment just after letting him in and so after quickly mending my dress we set off only 5 minutes late. The party wasn�t far from my hotel so we had decided to walk there. We had just turned the corner when the sky opened up and rain started to pour down on us. We quickly ran down the street and passed a small park that was on the same street as the party. When we got to the place we were dripping wet. The room was full of people and I couldn�t see Westlife or Mark anywhere. We were welcomed by Bryan�s fianc�e Kerry. I didn�t want to sound as though I was interested in Mark so I just casually asked if she knew where any of Westlife where so I could say �hi� to them. She didn�t seem to know so I asked her instead for the bathroom so I could sort out my hair, which was dripping wet and stuck to the side�s of my head. I turned to tell Richard where I was going, only to see him disappearing into the crowd somewhere with an unknown red head. I rubbed my hair dry and brushed out all the knots. It still looked damp but would hopefully soon dry in the summer heat. I went back to the main room and looked around for somebody familiar. I could see no one so went for a wander around the room on the look out for Mark. Then I saw him. He was standing by the drinks table with a gorgeous looking girl with long blond hair (it even looked natural) and a thin figure. They were laughing about something. I froze. I realised how stupid I had been. Why would he like me when he could have someone like her? The perfect girl. She took his hand and led him out into the middle of the dance floor and they disappeared out of my sight. I walked over towards the table myself and helped myself to a drink. Once I�d finished it I looked around for Richard or anybody but all I could see were strangers. I went back to the table and helped myself to another drink. I did this quite a few times. I felt neglected and alone in the room full of strangers and was growing very depressed, the evening had turned out nothing like I had imagined and I wanted to go home. I knew that I wasn�t drunk but was slightly tipsy and thought I�d better go before I drank anymore. I had one more quick look around for Richard to inform him of my leaving but couldn�t find him, I thought he�d realise I�d gone later on anyway. If he even remembered me. |