Decisions Ch. 04

The man held out a leather-gloved hand. "If you will please, sir." I handed him the envelope. He opened it, his eyes travelling and reading the ink of the invitation. Anton's words of advice resounded through my head. 'You look a bit young so they're going to question you right off the bat. Just hand them the envelope and let them do the talking.'

The man turned the invitation over, his eyes scanning the blank side. I resisted the urge to silently curse. Did he not think the letter was genuine? He turned it back, right side up. Gently folding it back into the letter, he handed the envelope back to me. "Mr. Williams," He addressed, more warmly this time. "Apologies, I didn't recognize you. I must say, I mean no offense sir, but you weren't scheduled to appear for at least another three hours or so."

I took back the invitation, placing it in my jacket pocket. "Please, just call me Chris... or Christopher. My host recommended that I go to the hotel early to avoid the traffic and... the... picketers."

As this was one of the largest nonhuman events in the country, many Anti Monster Groups pledged to picket and protest the event. A few of the fanatical ones had already arrived and were setting up. Anton and Yulia recommended that I arrive early in the afternoon to beat the majority of them and get some time to eat lunch, decompress, work on homework, and explore the hotel. I was to change and meet them at the entrance to the ballroom come 7:00.

"Ah... yes, the picketers." The man said regrettably. He turned his head to look at the sidewalk, where a few lawn chairs were set up. "Unfortunately, as the sidewalks are not hotel property, we cannot eject them from the premises. The D-Toss is nasty business. Oh, dear me. Where are my manners? Rupert Lukeson." He said, sticking out his hand.

I shook his gloved hand. "Christopher Williams. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise, Mr. Williams." He faced the bellhop. "James, will you please take Mr. Williams' bags while I escort him to the lobby?"

"Yes, sir." The bellhop began to take my duffel bag, before I stuck out my hand.

"I got it." I said, politely.

"Are you sure?" James asked, surprised.

"Yes. I can carry my own stuff. Thank you though, I appreciate it." I bent down to pick up my duffel bag, slinging it over my shoulder. I was only staying here for one night, so I didn't need to pack that much. Just a few change of outfits, my laptop, notebooks, and personal hygiene stuff. "Have everything?" Rupert asked. "Right, this way, if you will please." He lead me across the driveway towards the lobby, the beating heart of the Fairmont.

"Ooooh." I breathed, walking into the lobby. The glass doors only teased at the extravagance of the interior. It was as if I had stepped into an early 20th century building. It was grandiose, with a few small shops, a restaurant, and the entrance to a grand ballroom. White marble pillars supported the ceiling, which arched above, painted as if it were the afternoon sky. I looked down at the floor, my own astonished reflection looking back at me.

"Not many people give that reaction anymore." Rupert hummed, taking off his cap and matting down his hair with a gloved hand.

"What reaction?" I asked, turning to him.

"Yours. The legend says that the hotel was so grand, that they built the city of San Francisco around it." He signaled to catch the attention of a well-dressed African-American woman wearing a headset and carrying a tablet. "Not many people seem to admire that fact anymore."

The woman came over. "How can I help you, Mr. Lukeson?" Rupert smiled warmly. "Theresa, may you please find out what room a young Christopher Williams is staying in?" He asked when she got close.

Theresa nodded, looking at her tablet. "Certainly." She tapped away on the screen. When the information finally loaded, she reached into her pocket, pulling out a white plastic card. She inserted it into her tablet. After a few seconds, the tablet spat out the card, imprinting the key onto the card.

"That's a neat machine." I raised my eyebrows. She laughed and handed the key to me. Fairmont Hotel written on one side in cursive, and a black stripe running through the other side. "Despite the antique feel we try to generate, we have to stay ahead of the competition somehow."

She turned to Rupert. "He's staying in the Tower Suite, Mr. Lukeson. There's a second guest on the waitlist for the room that has yet to arrive and also a package awaiting in the mailroom. Shall I have it sent up?"

Oh, that's right. Anton and Yulia told me that I was probably going to have to share a room to save space, since the amount of luxury rooms were limited. They'd both hinted that i'd be sharing a room with Stasi, but I wasn't too sure. I mean, I know they love me and all, but what kind of parent willingly boards their daughter and her boyfriend together?

Rupert whistled, rubbing his hands together. "The Tower Suite! The most underrated room in the hotel, and yes please, Theresa. Have the package sent up." Rupert put his peaked cap back on, gesturing to the elevators. "Let us drop off your bag in your room, then you can go relax and enjoy yourself before the Ball. Who knows? You might catch a glimpse of the Royal Family."

"They're already here?"

"Of course. They arrived a few days ago." He lead me to the elevators, pressing the button on the panel.

As we waited for the elevator, I peeked down at my phone, tapping out a quick text to Stasi.

Hey Stasi. What are you up to? X

Just as I pressed send, the elevator dinged, the doors sliding open. God, even the elevator was nice. Mahogany paneled wood and everything. I gawked at the mirrors above and around us, staring at my reflection from all angles. Rupert pressed a gloved finger towards the '12' button. The elevator doors closed and whirred, taking us high into the sky.

My phone buzzed, signifying that I had a text.

Getting ready for the ball. :( What are YOU up to? X

I swiped my screen to bring up my keyboard.

Just normal Chris stuff. I miss you. X

"I support you, you know." Rupert said, peering up at the floor number. We still had a couple more to go.

"I'm sorry?"

"I support you with what you're doing." The elevator slowed to a stop, before a bell dinged, and the doors slid open. Rupert stuck out a gloved hand to keep the doors opened. "There's a lot more people than you think who don't support this injustice. They just need a voice. Your room is down the hall, Christopher. Room number 1213. If there's anything you need, please, do not hesitate to call the lobby. They'll direct your call straight to me."

I stepped out of the elevator. "Thank you." I said, sticking out my hand for a handshake.

Before the doors could close, I stuck out my hand, stopping the doors. "Wait.. there is one thing that you can do for me." Rupert adjusted his cap. "Oh? What can I do for you, Christopher?" I told him what I needed, and he nodded, smiling. "I'll have it delivered to your room."

I thanked him, letting the doors go. The elevator doors closed on him, his perpetual, grandfather-esque smile being the last thing I saw of him. I awkwardly stood in the hallway, before turning around and looking at the directory.

"1213... end of the hallway, to the right." I mumbled to myself. I walked down the empty hall, my feet impacting the soft carpet being the only noise.

"1207... 1209... 1211... there we go." I said, coming to the door. I pressed my keycard against the black plastic locking mechanism. The lock buzzed and flashed green. I held my breath opening the door.

One thing's for sure. I couldn't believe the Coven was footing the bill. I stared at the room, wide eyed. Suddenly becoming a giddy school girl, I spent the next ten minutes exploring the marble bathroom, with a separate bed and shower and the bedroom. Although contemporary and small in design, the room was bordered by large picture windows with breathtaking views of the entire city. There were two telescopes, one in the bedroom and one in the living room. There were luxury linen ensembles, pillow top beds, two flat-panel TVs, and a very expensive looking sound system in the living room.

I was too excited fangirling over my room that I didn't notice Stasi texted me back ten minutes ago.

I miss you too. :( I wish I was with you. X

I smiled softly at the black font on my screen. I haven't seen her this entire weekend and I was dying to see her in her dress. I sent back one last text.

Don't worry, i'm sure you'll have a ball! :) We'll see each other soon. Love you lots. X

I shut off my phone, placing it back into my pocket. I crossed my living room, sitting down on the plush couch and kicking my feet up. I zipped open my duffel bag to retrieve my laptop. Even though I was dying to explore the hotel, I wanted to do that with Stasi. I might as well as do something productive while I waited for her.

I'll admit, I lost track of time while doing my homework. It was soon dark out. I was midway into my Government paper on Bias in the Media when I heard a knock at the door. I stood up and walked across the patterned carpet. A man in the same uniform as Rupert, but with in a white jacket instead of black, was waiting at the door. "Your package, sir." he said, delicately handing me a long suit bag. "The Ball is set to begin in an hour." He added as he turned to leave.

"Thank you." I said, closing the door and setting down the case on the bed. I unzipped the bag, my eyes widening. Kirby had come through. Even though my fashion sense was limited, I could tell that my tuxedo looked phenomenal. It was black, made of the same soft fabric that Kirby had recommended for me. Underneath, there was a white Oxford shirt and a black vest to go with it. While I was sorting through the suit bag, laying everything out delicately on my bed, a small slim leather box with a note attached to it fell out.

"From Mom and Dad."

I opened the box and gasped. "Oh... dad." In my family, on my dad's side, it was tradition that a man who came of age was given a watch. My dad had his battered gold one for almost 40 years and wore it so often that there was a pale tan line on his left wrist. There was never a real set age when one decided their son was "of age". The parents just knew. My dad was given his when he was 19, his brother? 25, his other brother? 17. The ages varied.

I stared at the watch, a solar powered water-resistant G-Shock with a polished steel bracelet. I lifted it and weighed it in my hand. It must have cost hundreds of dollars. I looked around the room, not coming to terms with everything. How did I even get here? Just a year ago, I was just a guy who was in love with his vampire best friend. Now, I was in love with my vampire girlfriend and an honored guest of the San Francisco Coven. It's crazy how these things happen, huh?

I checked the time on my watch. It was almost 6:30. I was to meet Stasi and her family at the entrance at 7:00. I quickly got dressed and examined myself in the mirror. The tuxedo and vest conformed to me as if it were a piece of armor. It's lapels came all the way down to my chest. The bowtie was black, small, and classy. Kirby had also provided me with shiny black Oxford dance shoes. The watch was a nice touch, as well as the pocket square. I could barely recognize myself in the mirror. I resembled a budget James Bond more than Christopher Williams.

I turned back to the bag, going through it once more to make sure I hadn't missed anything. Just as I suspected, there was a small silk parcel that I had missed. The thing I had sent Rupert to grab for me. I placed the parcel in my tuxedo jacket, smoothing out the bulge it created. As I walked out into the living room, I deftly slid my key into my pocket, walking precariously, as if afraid the wrong step would ruin my tuxedo. Before I left my room in general, I checked my phone for any texts. There was one from Elena.

We're on our way! Be ready! X

Chapter 5:

Striding into the lobby, I was met with way more activity than when I arrived. There were a lot of people milling about the lobby, most of them being people who were still trying to locate their partners. Security personnel in suits, resembling Secret Service agents were at the doors, escorting in guests and making sure protesters didn't raid the lobby.

I figured that'd be pretty awkward if that happened.

I waded through the crowd, trying to find Stasi, Elena, Viktor, anybody I knew. I was just about to throw in the towel and stand on a table to get a good view of where everyone was until someone called my name.

"Christopher!" A well-dressed in a charcoal grey suit called out to me. I snapped my head, thinking it was a member of the Sokolov family, but it was someone else.

It took a second to recognize the man, but only a second. "Mr. Tarasenko. How are you, sir?" I said politely, walking over. Vasili stuck out his gloved hand. I firmly took hold of it, shaking.

"Excellent, Christopher. I am excellent. How does it feel to be the first human to be invited as a guest of the Coven Ball, young man?"

"It feels great, sir. I'm honored."

"That is excellent. Oh! Might I introduce you to my wife, Galina, my daughter, Eva, and my son, Vladik."

Galina stepped forward elegantly, giving me a hug as if she were a long lost aunt. Vladik was next, giving me a fist bump. He was older than me, at most 21, but no less than 19. He was shorter than me, but stockier. Eva was a bit more different. She looked as if she were a fairly distant cousin of Stasi, with the same willowy figure and dark hair. Those were the only similarities between the two. Eva stuck out her cold, small hand, which I shook.

"Warm hand.." She murmured. I awkwardly drew my hand back, holding it to my side.

"So, Christopher, why is the "Hero of the Downtrodden" looking as if he were lost?" Galina asked.

"I'm looking for th-... Hero of the Downtrodden?"

"That is what they are calling you now, a political activist. Do you not like it? I thought it had a nice ring to it. As I was asking, what are you doing, looking as if you were lost?"

It certainly did not have a ring to it. "I'm looking for the Sokolov Family. Anastasia is my date." I said, still slightly irked that I was given a moniker.

"Ah yes," Galina smiled. "You and Anastasia make quite the couple. How long have you two known each other? 10 years? 15 years?"

"13." I confirmed.

"My, thirteen years! That's remarkable! Is it not, Vasili?"

"Indeed. Christopher, if it's the Sokolov Family that you are looking for, they will be waiting over by the entrance to the Ballroom, or somewhere around there. We are all waiting to be announced."

"Thank you, Mr. Tarasenko." I politely bowed my head. "I'm going to go look for them."

"Not a problem, Christopher. We will be behind you in line, so if you can't find Anton or his family, look for us."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

Taking my cue to leave, I departed. As I walked away, even over the din of the patrons of the Ball, I heard Galina talk to Vasili, complimenting me on my polite demeanor. I hi-fived myself in my head. You go, Hero of the Downtrodden!

The herd was beginning to thin out in the lobby. A line of well dressed couples waited in an orderly fashion outside of the ballroom. They were the top officials of the Coven, the elders. They were sorted from the least high ranking to the highest ranking. The basic members, the "normal" people were already situated inside.

I stood a little ways away, scanning the line, until finally I felt my mouth go dry when my eyes fell upon the raven haired goddess standing close to the front of the line, standing behind her parents. She looked as if she was ripped straight out of a fairy tale. She was wearing an elegant silver dress which clung to her shoulders, exposing her neck. The blue aquamarine necklace I had gotten her as a birthday gift was clearly visible. Aquamarine was the birthstone for March, which was... you guessed it, the month that Stasi was born on.

Despite her sullen mood, she clearly outshined the rest of the women here at the Ball. I wasn't even being biased.

Elena and Viktor were standing behind her. Viktor was doing his best to stop fidgeting in his tuxedo, but Elena was looking around nervously, her emerald earrings bouncing around as she turned her head left and right, until finally, her eyes landed on me. Elena was about to squeal, until I held up a single finger to my mouth, signifying for her to be quiet.

"Wait." I mouthed. I had a plan. It might get me accidently slapped, but Stasi's expression would be worth it. Elena nodded, forcing herself to look straight ahead at Stasi.

Anton and Yulia were preparing to enter the ballroom, with only two couples remaining ahead of them. Light clapping was heard from inside whenever a couple was announced. The Tarassenko family brushed past me, with Vasili looking at me strangely as he silently gestured to Stasi. I nodded, acknowledging him, holding out both of my hands in front of me.

"I got this." I mouthed.

The couple in front of Anton and Yulia were announced to slightly more louder applause. Anton nervously adjusted his bowtie, before he interlocked arms with his wife. The man at the door checked their names down on the guest sheet, before putting his mouth on the microphone.

"From the San Francisco Coven, please welcome, Elder Anton Vladimirovich Sokolov and his wife, Yulia Mikhailovna Sokolov!" Anton was popular in the Coven not only for his political smarts but also his larger than life personality. It was evident in the even more louder applause, coupled with sporadic whistles, and from what I could see from my angle, a few standing ovations.

Just as Anton strode in, I made my move. Slightly jittery from all the adrenaline, I took three long strides, walking up next to Stasi and interlocking arms with her. I meant to say something humorous and confident, maybe something along the lines of, "Sorry, there was a long line at the bathroom." But the way she jumped and stared at me wide-eyed and jaw wide open, her eyes trailing up and down at my tuxedo made me lose whatever focus I had.

"Uh... hi." I said with a silly grin. Elena gasped loudly behind me, making me turn around to look at her. I laughed at Viktor's expression. His mouth was opening and closing as if he were a fish out of water. I turned back to Stasi and saw that she was still staring at me open-mouthed.

"Chr-... Chris! What?! How!?" She spluttered. "I'll explain inside." I grinned at her.

The man on the microphone checked our names once more, his eyebrows rising. He put his mouth to the microphone, speaking with an awful lot more gusto. "From the San Francisco Coven, please welcome, Guest Christopher Robert Williams, and his date, Anastasia Antonova Sokolov!"

The man nodded at me, leaning over to shake my free hand. "You're good to go. You have a good time, Christopher." He said cheerfully. "Alright, let's roll." I said, striding forward a bit too enthusiastically. I nearly tripped over the threshold in my excitement which would've pulled Stasi down with me. Viktor, and Elena laughed at my recovery.

If Anton had an eager applause, then ours was deafening. As we walked in, there was a loud intake of gasps, before loud clapping and cheering flooded the room. I smiled awkwardly as we made our way to our table, with an attendant guiding us. The ballroom was littered with round tables, where six people could sit around them comfortably. The arched ceiling above us had a projection on it, simulating a cloudy and cold night, no doubt to give the atmosphere of a spooky Halloween.

"They love you." Stasi said into my ear as we made our way to our candlelit table. I shook my head. "No, i'm pretty sure they're in love with you as much as I am. You're outshining everybody in here." I replied back, making her cheeks tinge pink.