Beautiful
The day before the wedding, people grew in volume. Everyone becomes busy and some are just having fun. Like today, some of the guests who just arrived are enjoying the beach while the other ones are busy with gown fitting and such. Like us.
”You look gorgeous ma’am, who’s your dermatologist?” the sheman designer said.
It made me flustered. I look at myself standing at the full length mirror while wearing a nude infinity dress. Maybe this is their wedding’s theme. The sheman slightly touched the ends of my hair.
”I’ll style you tomorrow.” he smirked. He seems to be so fond of me, which made me so shy.
”That man’s hot. Your boyfriend?”
He gave the man waiting on the couch an odd look. When I turned to look at him, I saw that he was frowning at us. I averted my eyes from his, swallowed hard, and shook my head quickly.
”No?” he raised a brow.
He furrowed his brows and spoke in his own hushed voice. To be honest, I completely disregarded him. When I heard Molly and Mia talking, the room suddenly wasn't so quiet anymore. I cocked my head to look at them.
”Oh my! You look so beauti- what the hell?”
Her gaze nailed Aciel making her words stop while I caught Mia’s eyes looking at me.
”What are you? Some sort of a body guard or what?” Molly raised a brow at him.
His bored eyes bore into her, seems to not mind her words.
”Men’s are in the other room. What that hell are you doing here? Let your girl breathe, asshole!” She passed by him and Mia was left standing in front of him.
I saw how their eyes met each other but unlike Aciel’s indifferent look, her glanced lingered to him. Aciel stood and went into my direction. I watch him without any words. Before he could approach me the designer shrieked silently before giving us space.
His eyes swept over my body from head to toe and back again. Because he's just looking serious to me, I have no idea what he's feeling. His hand went out for mine, and I recoiled little.
”Don’t mind her.” he whispered, just enough for me to hear.
My chest hurt and my heart was beating like a drum. I pretended to blink so he wouldn't notice that his words had an effect on me.
”I’ll be in the other room.” he uttered then kissed the back of my palm.
I heard Molly shrieking so my eyes went to her. She held her lips and acted to be serious. I even saw her glanced at Mia once who’s watching us seriously. I cleared my throat and just nodded.
For days now, he's been acting this way. Honestly, I can't figure out what's wrong with him. Does he want to rekindle the flames of jealousy with his ex? So why did he suddenly start treating me differently? In Seattle, he's never this bad of a person.
The entire time I was getting fitted, I didn't say a word. Usually, it's just Molly and I chatting, or Molly and Mia chatting amongst themselves. To pass the time, I perused the magazine pile on the coffee table.
”Mom,”
When I raised my head, I saw a middle-aged woman whose very presence radiated sophistication, and behind her, a woman who appeared even older than she was because to the wrinkles on her face but who was nonetheless stunning.
”Honey,” she embraced Molly back.
Mia joined the group in a hearty hello to the lady, and everyone else followed suit. As still as a rock, I watched them from a distance. There are times like this when I wish I had never been born.
”Oh, this is Alia. Aciel's… company.”
After the woman gave me a curious glance, I got to my feet and extended a helping hand. It was delivered to her in a carefree manner.
”Hugh’s mom.” Molly said to me.
I nodded and smiled.
Despite all the chaos surrounding the dress fittings, I'm relieved to see that they seem to be in their own little world.
When the elderly lady sat down next to me instead of accompanying them to meet with the designers, I was surprised. I gave her a friendly grin, and she returned it.
“You’re with my son?”
When she started talking, I let out a little gasp. I looked around at the crowd before giving her any attention. In the end, I only gave a slight nod. Despite my bewilderment, I think I know who he's referring to from Molly's account.
Just nodded and glanced in the direction of the person helping Molly with her dress. Her imposing presence has made it impossible for me to concentrate on my magazine.
”Look at them. Marrying at that age.” she started. I looked at her as she pointed in their direction.
”I remember marrying my husband at fifteen.”
My mouth dropped. “Fifteen?”
She nodded. “That’s how marriage works before. As long as you feel like you love that person, you decide and it happens. Unlike these two.”
A quick peek at them later, she proceeded.
”So if you ever realized that you love my son. Decide. Don’t prolong and beat around the bush. Stop fooling yourselves by the charm of the time." She looked me straight in the eye.
That’s all I can see while the wedding is happening. Molly and Hugh having the solemn ceremony. Aciel, who's seated at the other side of the aisle, dashing with a black suit and tie is Hugh’s best man. I once glanced at him and saw that he’s looking at me. I avoided his gaze and tried to focus on witnessing the wedding.
Everything was right there in front of me, from the sermons to the vow renewals. Even as a kid, I never thought I'd actually get married. No man would ever take me seriously because I always saw myself as the useless and worthless person I could be. I never even considered it.
However, seeing them warmed my heart a little. Indeed, there is much strength in marriage. It's a continuous process that continues with the person you promised your life to.
At when the priest announced that the groom can finally kiss his bride. My eyes unconsciously went to Aciel’s direction. I gulped seeing him looking at me again. Is that a coincidence?
The wind blew with grace, as if it, too, were pleased by the union of the two. This breeze, though, was really chilly. When I hear promises like this from other people, I tell myself that I'll make a different kind of commitment.
The temporary assurances. The harmful, harmful, and vicious guarantees. Those involved were never really reading from the same book, in my opinion. Like my parents, who never married because they never made a public vow to one another before God or the universe or whatever you want to call it.
I really intend for my words to be taken seriously. In a word, he frightened me. Not in a silly way, but he gives me the creeps. In contrast to what he may think, the vow I made was to myself. Either I break it, or I break him, and I'm terrified of both possibilities.
When we continued to look at one other, he seemed to relax. When he spoke, a shape appeared in his mouth. I looked at him with raised eyebrows since I still didn't get what he was saying. After repeating that, the corner of his mouth twitched upward.
My lips parted while reading his lips.
”Beautiful.”
