The Love Clause | ✓

12. atom bomb

"Excited for the wedding?"

On the porch of Jane's house, Alia turned around when Zelda's soft voice interrupted her thoughts. The fashion designer smiled, and she couldn't help but do the same. A soft breeze made the yard trees sway while Alia watched some men carrying golden chairs towards the beach.

After they had arrived from the ballooning camp, everything had changed in the Vincent's house. There were men dressed in black T-shirts carrying things to the beach, nervous women walking around with flowers and bows, Jane's PR agents dealing with insistent journalists and, for the first time in the holiday, Alia felt she was... in a wedding.

"You can say so." She smiled and looked to Jane, who were smelling roses with her mother. Zelda lowered her slanted eyes. "She's gonna be a beautiful bride."

"Oh, she will." The fashion designer smirked, then whispered, "Especially because I was the responsible for her dress."

They both laughed. Alia still couldn't believe one of her greatest idols where there, laughing and chatting with her like old friends do. She sighed, elbows placed on the porch balustrade, and silence grew between them.

"Are you ok, darling?" Zelda finally asked, standing beside her. Alia watched the lawn as a poor man carried a tent towards the beach. "You seem... pale."

"Yeah, I..." Alia thought for a moment before giving a worn smile. "I guess I'm still sick after all that... ballooning thing. Too much adventure."

After they'd left that miserable ballooning camp, Alia couldn't stop shaking, her body numb because of fear. Jane, otherwise, was excited, talking about the wind, the blue sky and the balloon with Edward. Alia just wanted to lay on the ground and die.

And even though Mr. Henderson had held her shaking hand in the way home, Alia still felt a little bit sick.

Zelda nodded, her elbows next to Alia's. A bird sang near a flower bed.

"Nothing more?"

Alia pretended she didn't see the smirk growing on Zelda's face. Slightly embarrassed, she looked away from Mr. Henderson, who was helping Carol with the flowers. The scene of that morning hit her like a truck.

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh, nothing." Zelda smirked again, shrugging. "Just having some... thoughts. Well, it's gonna be a big party."

"Yeah," Alia quickly agreed. Shrugging, she looked at the lawn. "And Jane is so relaxed. She doesn't even look like a—"

Alia fell silent when saw Jane took Mr. Henderson by the arm, laughing and walking around with him, both disappearing behind a tree. Alia clenched her jaw and looked away, aware of Zelda's stare. A somewhat tense and expectant silence fell upon the women.

You're not supposed to feel like this. But she did. Even though she didn't want to, Alia couldn't help but feel her stomach burning. What's happening with you?

"They make a pretty couple, after all," Alia said with a hint of disdain behind the exhausted voice.

"Well, William and I still prefer you as his girlfriend," Zelda whispered in a funny way. Alia smiled. They shared a quick silence. "Why did you choose fashion?"

"To make people happy," she answered without even thinking about how random that question was, her attention lost on the lawn. Finally, Alia shrugged. "That's the power of fashion, right?"

"I couldn't agree more." Zelda smiled, eyebrows raised. "Even though you're an excellent model..."

"Oh, God." Alia laughed, slightly embarrassed when remembered those crappy photos. "We really do stupid things in our twenties, don't we?"