92 days

thirty-five

Thank you all so much for 70k reads!! This chapter isn't edited, but it's been too long so I'm updating :)

Love u guys <3

—

Annie

Assisting with the preparations for Mrs Miller's wedding was going somewhat well. The ceremony is being held in the backyard of their home, and the setup is already extravagant. Though my attention was solely on decorations, I was also avoiding Ethan at whatever cost.

I have yet to discuss my departure from him with my mother, but a part of me wasn't even ready for the conversation anyway. There were no steep turns or reversible escapes in order for the conversation to go somewhere other than a brick wall or straight off a cliff.

So yes, I'm glad it was being avoided.

The wedding isn't until a few days, but prepping for it early was the go to plan.

Out of all the events I assumed were to be planned this summer, Mrs Miller getting remarried wasn't one I was aware of until the little talk we had.

It's not my marriage to speak on, but personally I don't know if this man is the one she's meant to be with.

If he loved her as much as she believes he does, why would he hurt her? Why would he inflict pain on someone he's supposed to love and cherish and be with until death?

Dare I say, she's weak for remarrying him. I'm aware that he took it upon himself to go get help, but I don't hate myself for feeling some kind of difference.

Maybe I'm being hypocritical.

Maybe I should've spotted the signs and the constant red flags when it came to Ethan. Maybe I shouldn't have let my sympathy get the best of me. Maybe I was being weak.

Love seems more complicated than I thought.

Maybe it is just a word with too much power.

It has to be.

Because when I imagine love, a certain smile forces it's way into my head.

And that scares the absolute crap out of me.

"Here... can you hang these in the foyer?" Mrs Miller says, extending her arms towards me with white garlands.

"Sure." I smiled with a nod, taking them from her arms and holding them in mine.

I trail through the backdoors and once I get to the foyer, I grab the small step ladder and use it to reach the frame of the door. The ceilings are so high in this house, it's oddly scary to look up at.

"Hey..." I hear a familiar voice say from behind me.

Looking over my shoulder, Ethan stands there with his hair perfectly done as usual and his light blue button up shirt with trousers.

His presence makes my stomach hurt.

"Hi, Ethan." I deadpan, turning my focus back on the garlands I were hanging.

I hear him clear his throat from behind me, almost as if he wanted my attention without wanting to ask for it. So, I acted as if I didn't hear him.

Silence flies by before he clears his throat again. "I like your dress."

My eyes shoot down to the lavender colored sundress I was wearing. These are the clothes my mother prefers I wear, but I don't mind the dresses. At least I think they don't look too bad.