Nicole POV
I watched our guests file out, some hissed in indignation, while some simply expressed their deeply concerned for Ethan and wished him well.
Thank God, the invitation did not cut across the world and the media hasn’t caught a sniff of it.
I plopped down on the chair weakly, wiping an invisible sweat off my face.
Grandpa has left me this job; to explain to our guests what happened and make sure they do not get so mad.
“You don’t look good,” Mia settled herself beside me, still clutching Dawn’s heel and her small purse.
“Good play out there,” I scowled.
Mia gasped, dramatically placing her hand on her chest. Her eyes widened, but I’m sure it was not in surprise.
“Oh Cole,” she pouted, clapping her lashes over her skin like someone shy. “You knew?”
“I thought you did too”
Mia rolled her eyes. She swiped her long curly hair to the right side and leaned forward.
She smelled like flowers and a set of new parchment; it’s a weird combination, but I like it.
“But you did make it so real there,” she pointed out.
“I have no choice,” I shrugged.
Mia hummed and gave a few nods. “Fair enough.”
I suddenly turned sideway… Something I deeply regret, for Mia’s face was still so close to me that my lips nearly touch hers.
I blinked, my heart thudding so hard in my chest.
It was like time stopped and an invisible hand was holding my head in place.
I want to move away, but my eyes refused to leave her lips.
Come to think of it, I had always been stuck with Dawn that I didn’t give Mia a second glance
I wanted to lean forward and kiss those lips. Sure, they’d taste like her lipstick and something else.
I…
Smack!
My head exploded in pain, eyes watering, I leaned back and held my hand.
“What?” Mia snapped, Dawn’s heel held high on her hand.
“What?” I hissed, still rubbing my head
I’m sure it’d leave a swell.
“What was that for!”
If Mia has been looking flustered and blushing earlier, then it’s nothing to what she’s doing now.
Her face and her ears all turned a brighter shade of red. The heat radiating from her face almost makes me hot.
“Fine!” She said with forced anger, “this is not the right thing to do. Your bride is missing.”
And thank her for reminding me that, it does make my head hurt less.
“I’ll be on my way.”
And without taking a last look at me, she trotted away, her hair swept all over her back behind her.
I rubbed my head again and let out a hiss.
What was I thinking? She’s crazy, and I’d wanted to kiss her.
Perhaps, I deserved that blow on my head.
And my bride?
I sighed.
It still hurt to think she’s never gonna be mine, but I’ll not be forcing it again
“I know she’s not hurt,” her Dad, Mr. Shaw has assured me earlier when I made to call the police. “Trust me, I know my daughter, it’s probably one of her tricks.”
“What are you saying?” I had asked him
“You think I won’t know,” he smirked. “Dawn wasn’t kidnapped, she ran away. I’m sure.”
Me. Shaw patted me softly on the shoulder before he walked away, leaving me to ponder on what he’d said.
Oh! He does know his daughter well, for Dawn hasn’t truly been kidnapped. I had helped her escaped.
Ethan POV
I blinked open my eyes. A frosty fuzzy star appeared before me and winked softly.
I sighed. Closing and opening my eyes.
Doing that for a few minutes, my vision cleared, and the frosty star seemed to have evaporated.
I tried to sit up, but a sting on my arm sent me back on the fluffy bed.
A familiar smell melted into my nose, and I let out an indignation hiss.
Antiseptic, vaccine… I’d hated nothing more than being here in the hospital, inhaling those annoying stupid smells of medicine.
I groaned, willing all of myself to sit upright.
An IV needle was attached straight to my arm, and I let out another sigh.
“You’re finally awake!”
“Andre!” I said weakly.
My stomach still felt as if it’d been a whole year since I’d last eaten.
Slowly, I lifted my gaze to his.
Andre grinned at me, thumping me lightly on the back.
“I thought I’d lost you,”
Yeah! They did lose me, for I had almost lost my stomach.
“I’ll call the rest and tell them you’re awake,” he grinned.
“How long was I out?”
“For 12 hours.” He said simply
What! 12 hours? Just because I was pugging. No
I raised a suspicious frown on Andre who merely shrugged and nudged his head sideway.
My eyes traced his gaze, and they landed on Mel.
Her shoulder slumped, head laid halfway on the armchair dozily.
I creased my brows, my mouth opened lightly when I realized Mel is still in her ball wedding gown, her veil thrown sideways.
Alright! It’d have been better if she could just change into something else.
Being here, all dressed like a newly married bride doesn’t go well with the mood.
“What is she doing here?” I whispered.
Andre scoffed, rolling his eyes as though I’d said something I shouldn’t have.
“Well,” he said grimly. “The wedding gets canceled.”
“Not postponed?”
“You could ask grandpa that,” he moaned out, rubbing his eyes. “And try to be nice to Mel… Well, I don’t know,” he paused to take a glance at Mel. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her, but… She doesn’t seem okay when she heard about what happened to you.”
I raised my brows. I don’t know what Andre is still trying to say or what he means by what he said.
“She doesn’t care about the wedding,” Andre continued. “She rushed here after hearing what happened to you and also… ” Andre stifled a yawn and rubbed his eyes again. “and she also refused pointedly to go home without you waking up.”
I don’t know what that could mean, or why Andre doesn’t understand.
Isn’t it just normal? I’m sick, and she came to visit. What other excuse could there be?
I stifled a gasp when I heard a loud crash before me.
Mel has crashed, head first onto the next seat beside her.
She lay still and for a split terrible second, I thought she’d died, but she stirred and frowned before she blinked her eyes open with a slight groan
Mel sat upright, let out a couple of cusses, and rubbed her temple; quite oblivious of the four eyes goggling at her.
“Are you okay?”
Mel snapped her gaze to me, her eyes widened, but instead of replying to my simple question, she leaped up and flung herself all over me.
“Wh… Mel… are… you…” I spluttered
“I’m glad you’re okay,” she said, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck, not caring that she was choking the breath out of me.
Yeah! Right! She might as well send me back to bed and let me stay dead for another 12 hours.
I gazed up at Andre for help, but he merely shrugged, mouthed something like ‘ we’ll talk later ‘ and turned on his heel, leaving me alone, cradled on Mel’s chest.
“Listen….” I tried to pull away. “I… I’m good, you know. If you… you can just let me go…”
Mel sniffed, finally pulling away enough for me to quickly catch my breath.
Damn! What was that for?
“You’re okay? Aren’t you?” She sniffed.
Wait… don’t tell me she’s crying.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Mel hurriedly wiped her tears, plastered on a wide smile but I’d seen that tears and she’s truly crying.
Why?
“I’m just glad,” she grinned. “That you’re fine.”
I don’t know why that made me feel horrible like I’d done something bad to her
I nodded and managed a faint smile on my lips. “I’m fine, alright. But why are you crying.”
Mel brushed, her eyes lashes clapping the skin under them and she bit her lower lip nervously.
“I’m not,” she denied
Something flashed through her eyes, but before I could make out whatever it was, Mel flung herself over me again, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“What…”
“Please,” she sniffed. “Just for a minute, let me stay like this.”