Wrong Place, Wrong Time ✔️

Chapter 20: Wedding

Maybe we were meant to break.

This chapter is dedicated to @MoondanceShadows who helped me plan this scene while I was alone in a creepy parking lot. Cheers mon amie.

(The Next Day) (Pic not mine)

Arya:

I stared at my reflection. A stranger stared back.

Celia and Mantennii had decided to move the wedding up, especially after mine and Lucas's escape. I haven't seen him or my siblings yet- I hope they're okay.

After the little scene in the alleyway, the five boys had managed to slip away in the shadows- so much for having my back, right?. Miss Muscles had wanted to go after them, but Mantennii said there was no point. It was quite comical seeing the disappointment on her face.

Once we got back to the house, the next few hours were horrible. I was almost immediately accosted by wedding planners, bombarded with questions on what flowers I wanted, if I liked the dress or if the menu was okay. I wanted to cry and breakdown. Nothing was okay- and nothing will ever be okay. But I pulled up a facade and pretended to be interested, when I really wanted nothing more than to burn all the plans. I cried myself to sleep last night, too drained to even think of planning an escape.

But today, I'd flicked the switch off on my emotions. I'd decided that nothing, apart keeping my siblings and Lucas safe, mattered. I didn't have anything against Lucas- no, he was a sweetheart- but I knew the concept of marriage would soon suffocate us. We probably would work out a way to deal with it, but knowing Celia and Mantennii, they wouldn't leave us alone. Probably start pressurising us to have children-

A knock on the door startled me out of my thoughts. It slowly creaked open to reveal my lead stylist- Sam.

"Hey," They smiled, "how you holding up?"

I sighed and shook my head. "I honestly don't know."

They walked over to me and put their hands on my shoulder, offering me a comforting smile. They knew that I didn't want to get married and offered to bust me out, but I refused, not wanting to endanger Jacob and Marigold's lives'.

"Well, on the bright side, at least you look gorgeous." They offered, shrugging. "I did a pretty fine job if I say so myself."

I wore a white, poofy dress that trailed on the floor. The upper bodice was etched with sparkling jewels and fitted quite snugly around me. My dark hair was pinned into a complex style, leaving a few strands to frame my delicately make-upped face. I was also wearing a pair of white heels- and knowing my luck, I'll probably trip over them halfway down the aisle.

I laughed lightly, but shook my head. "You did an amazing job, Sam, but this doesn't feel like me, ya know?"

"I know." They replied softly, a far away look in their brown eyes. "If I was designing it to how you feel, I'd have put you in a suit and left your hair down... none of this shit." They waved their hand over my outfit in disgust. "I know- better than most, I'd say- how not feeling like yourself feels like. I wish I could help you."

"Thanks, Sam." I murmured softly. "It really means a lot."

The door burst open and Celia stormed in, wearing a beautiful baby blue dress and heels. Her hair was in an impeccable do, not one strand out of place. She grinned at me. "You look beautiful, Arya! You're very lucky to have Sam as your stylist, he's done a great job, hasn't he?"

"They." Sam corrected sharply. I knew Celia had purposefully made that mistake. "I'm not a 'he', I'm a 'they'."

"Sorry, I forgot." Celia sneered. It took a lot of self control to not slap her.