She Stole The Bride

13

Amelia's POV

Noticing that Sydney was alone, I walked over. "Miley's gone?" I asked.

"Yeah. I got Daniel to take her. Someone slipped her some drinks."

I smiled weakly. "Yeah. I'm sorry about that. Just wanted her to have fun."

"She's seventeen." Sydney's eyes seemed to burn holes into my face.

"I'm sorry. Won't happen again."

"I'd appreciate that." Sydney waved her hand for me to sit next to her. "Are you excited for tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I think I am." I looked around at the dwindling crowd. "See anyone you like?"

Sydney sighed. "Nothing I'm interested in."

"Not even the bartender?" I asked.

"You noticed that?" Her laugh left me even more curious about her. "Flings aren't my thing."

"I'm sure anyone here would love to have a relationship with you." I looked closely at her. She seemed shy about the topic.

"Relationships aren't my thing either," she said.

"So you just don't sleep with anyone?"

"I wouldn't say that I don't." Sydney looked into her empty glass. "It's complicated."

"I can understand, I guess. Never been interested in sex, but the romance, that's what I need."

Sydney moved her curls behind her ear and leaned back. "Sounds alot like what I would say."

"Yeah?"

"But that's before I started sleeping with women," she said.

I grinded my teeth. "I've tried it. Once."

"Women?" A sudden curiosity lit within her eyes.

"Yeah. A long time ago."

"At least you explored. I never did. It took getting married and having a baby to finally have the courage to—"

"Sleep with a woman?"

She tilted her head side to side. "It's more complicated than that."

"How complicated?"

"I just, I realized that I looked at women in a way that wasn't platonic. It still took me years after having Miley to even look a woman in the eyes. Everything gradually happened after that."

"Was it hard coming out?"

Her eyes fluttered with a hesitance to divulge more. "It was. I never wanted to hurt anyone."

"But you had to. I don't think Daniel would have wanted to be married to a lesbian."

Sydney's discouraged emotions turned into fits of laughter. "I doubt he would!"

We wandered off on our own. And found ourselves walking along the beach. My heels were in my hand. And Sydney had a bottle of wine that she sweet talked the bartender to give us.

"He did say that we'd be best friends," I said.

"Well, I am very lovable." She turned to the ocean. Her knees collapsed onto the sand beneath us. "I love frickin' Hawaii!" She stretched her arms out and inhaled deeply.

"Can I ask you something that's been on my mind?"

Sydney looked at me, curiosity and guilt lining her irises. "Yeah?"

"Do you think he still loves you?"

Panic darkened her brown eyes, as though the sun had set. "Amelia, it's—"

"I need to know. Can you be honest with me?"

Sydney struggled to keep my gaze. I could tell that she wanted to look away, but couldn't. "I want to be," she whispered.

"I think I've always known," I said.

"Amelia, he loves you. I'm sure of it."

I saw the tears running down her cheeks. She seemed afraid. I was afraid too. "I've turned a blind eye to all the signs, because in my heart, I know that you'd never take him back."

"I would never," she assured.

"I know."

Sydney reached for my hands. A shiver ran through me from her touch. "I can never love him the way you do. That's the most truthful thing I can say to you," she said.

"What if I don't?"

"You don't?" She seemed confused. Her hands released mine. "Having second thoughts?"

I raised my hand and looked at the diamond on my finger. "Long before I met him."

Sydney stared at my ring and placed her finger against it. "Don't do what I did. Just because he's a great guy, doesn't mean you should settle for someone you don't love."

"The crazy thing is that I do love him."

"I did too." Her voice was low and regretful. "I can't believe I'm asking you this, but are you—" she shook her head. "Have you ever considered that you might be—"

"Yes. I have," I said. Embracing her cheek with the palm of my hand, I tried to lean in.

"Amelia," she leaned backward. "You need to figure out what—"

"I love him. But I need to know if I'm, if I'm," her hesitation paused when my fingers travelled to the side of her neck, "just let me do this."

Her body relaxed, as I leaned further against her. As intoxicated as I was, by drinks and lust, I could still see her face clearly. She didn't resist. Her hand moved onto my thigh, and she was the one to close the distance between us.

I accepted her taking the lead. But I couldn't stop myself from intensifying our kiss. When she pulled away, her hesitance resurfacing, I felt everything about me crumble into nothing.

"I can't do this to him," Sydney said. "I can't, Amelia." Her body sprung to its feet and she ran into the direction that we came from. I touched my lips and closed my eyes, trying to convince myself that it meant nothing.