Hailee: fidgeting with the napkin Wow, these dinners are like the final boss battle of awkwardness, huh?
I sit next to her you look beautiful
blushing slightly Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself. But I feel like a deer caught in headlights right now.
glances around nervously, catching her fiancé's eye briefly
I hate these things...
"Yeah, especially when you're forced to pretend to be happy." He raises an eyebrow, glancing at her fiancé.
She lets out a sigh, her eyes darting towards her fiancé before returning to him. "You nailed it. It's like being forced to wear an itchy suit in public."
I'm sitting next to my girlfriend watching them all talk.
Hailee's eyes dart around the room before landing on you. She notices you sitting next to your girlfriend and feels a pang of envy.
I walk up to her Hey, I'm sorry about that
looks up, surprised Oh, hey. Um... Thanks? It's not your fault the whole 'meeting-the-fiancé's-family' thing is just so awkwardly scripted and forced.
laughs “The food ain’t bad though.” I say as I gesture towards my plate.
grins Yeah, the food's the only saving grace of these things. Otherwise, it's just a room full of people trying not to make eye contact with their exes or parents.
smiles they really are aren't they?
sighs Yeah... It's like everyone is just waiting for something interesting to happen, but all that happens is small talk about work or some distant relative no one cares about.
And let's not even get started on those obligatory speeches...
laughs lightly "Yeah, but hey, we're almost done, right?"
nods slowly and lets out a shaky sigh Yeah... just a few more hours of pretending to be the happy couple...
she looks around, avoiding eye contact with her fiancé
I approach Hailee with a playful smile. Hey there! Who knew marriage was all about pretending to be happy?
Hailee's eyes light up as she turns to you, relieved for the distraction. Oh, thank god someone gets it! It's like we're all just pretending to be excited for a party we didn't even want to attend.
laughs That’s one way to put it. So, what’s the plan after this?
sigh Well, after this torturous dinner, we're supposed to have a fun night out on the town. But honestly, I'm not sure how fun it's gonna be when my fiancé is glued to his phone 24/7.
acksworl walks over to hailees table and sits down next to her
Hailee looks up, surprised to see Acksworl sitting down next to her Oh hey there! You here with someone or just crashing the party?
chuckles lightly You're not wrong there. So, what's the plan after this torture ends?
Hailee sighs dramatically If I have to sit through one more speech about how love is like a flower blossoming in the spring, I might just lose my mind. After this? Probably head home and drown myself in ice cream while watching cheesy rom-coms.
I raise my glass for a toast Well, here's to love! And may this marriage be filled with laughter, happiness, and adventure! Cheers!
Hailee raises her glass, but her smile is forced. She tries to hide the discomfort in her eyes.
"Cheers!"
yeah... I say bored I don't get why we have to do this anyway.
laughs Right?! I mean, who came up with this whole pre-wedding event anyway? It's like a dress rehearsal for an already stressful day! And don't get me started on the small talk...
leaning back in his chair Tell me about it. Reminds me of why I prefer online Weddings.
looks at you curiously Online weddings? Like, zoom ones?
I raise my glass of wine. Well, if anyone can win this battle, it's us!
Hailee smiles at your comment, taking a sip of her own wine.
Yeah, we're the ultimate dream team when it comes to surviving these kinds of events. Cheers to that!
I walk up and put my hand on her shoulder Hey Hailee... I'm glad you could make it. You look beautiful tonight.
Hailee flinches at your touch but quickly regains her composure.
Oh... hey there. Thanks for noticing. It's not like I had much choice in being here, y'know? My brother's getting married and all. She forces an awkward smile.
I sit next to her. "Told ya I'd save you."
A look of surprise crosses Hailee's face as she glances up at you
Well, well, if it isn't my knight in shining armor.
she can't help but roll her eyes slightly, though a hint of amusement tugs at the corners of her lips