"She didn’t know how long the music played, maybe an hour, maybe the whole night, maybe infinity."

She instantly painted a smile the moment the door swung open and the guests welcomed her with that standing ovation round of applause. Her led her to the make-shift stage of that social hall, where her family was waiting, as the emcees announced her coming---“THE DEBUTANT”.

She immediately scanned the crowd the very moment she sat on that elegantly designed cushion. Her family, friends, selected relatives were there--- a couple of people, yet she still felt lonely.

As much as she wanted to escape and lock herself on her room, she couldn’t do such. First, she’s surrounded with people whose eyes were on her. And last, she’s waiting.

The night went on, gifts rained, messages passed from one ear to another, and that dance she once got so excited about, now turned out to be the one she despised the most. Her father, brothers, cousins, friends, classmates; she couldn’t anymore remember who was who. All she cared about was that her feet soared and that she wanted to get out from that social gathering.

Then it came, like a thief in the night. Her favorite Pachelbel’s Canon in D minor echoed through the walls, she closed her eyes and waited for that ritual dance to come to an end.

And so she waited.

Losing count on the number of hands that held hers and swayed her to the music, she waited.

“How dare you step on my foot and sleep? I’ve come far enough just to be treated this way? They even made me wear this stupid suit and brush my hair like a shrink, and this is how you pay me?” sermonned a voice on her ear.

.

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HOW DARE HER?

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She opened her eyes to rebut with the accusations but was greeted by that smiling dude on that tuxedo and shrink-styled hair---

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Her long awaited eighteenth dance.

=)