Cut And Dried

Back To Reality

Chrissie

I must have looked like everyone else eyes wide, mouth open.

What in god's name is Brent doing, he proposing to me!
Is he delusional, has he lost his marble's, he should be proposing to Phillipa not me, this is supposed to be only for three months as his girlfriend, nobody mentioned marriage.

If there's such a thing as double freaking out, that was me at this precise moment, this was so surreal I was frozen to the spot.

Then someone nudged me.

"Huh!" Was all I could muster.

"Say yes Chrissie now" hissed Claudia.

I was still not registering what was happening, when Brent asked from his kneeling position.

"Well, may I?"

I hadn't heard a single word Brent had said, I'm not sure he may have not said anything, everything seemed to be in a dream like state, I just couldn't process what was happening and all I could do was nod a few times when an elbow dug into my side.

Taking that as the signal to place the ring on my finger, he then pulled me in for a hug and kiss, I just went along with it, still lost to this world, he kissed me with such passion I closed my eye's trying to get to grips with it all, but still I couldn't help responding to his warm lips and deep probing tongue.

Damn this man was playing with my affections and my heart.

It's strange but as Brent and I kissed, I was picturing the two of us running hand in hand down the hill from Blenheim Palace's Town Gate to the edge of the lake laughing and then strolling along the lakes edge hands still joined swinging back and forth as we made our way to the Grand Bridge.

Then I was bought back to reality as I felt someone poking my shoulder, as the kiss broke I heard Destiny's voice.

"Let me see the ring" and felt my hand being removed from Brent's shoulder and swung away toward her, I looked up into Brent's eye's and saw he was staring so intensely at me I felt he was studying my very soul and the look was one I had caught glimpses of on his face before, but never had it been more pronounced than it was now and some inner sense told me if we were alone now we wouldn't be standing up that's for sure.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I tore my gaze from Brent's face and turned to Destiny, plastering a smile on my face, I held the ring up so she could study it.

As she and Claudia fussed over the ring I noticed Phillipa had slipped away from the table and was heading towards the back of the restaurant, I felt a little stab of guilt as she seemed a lovely person and Brent did that right in front of her.

After everyone who wanted to look at the ring had, I decided that I would go and speak with Phillipa, excusing myself from the girls on the pretence of needing the ladies room, I followed the route Phillipa had taken, passing through the door, she had a few minutes before exited through, I found myself in a narrow hallway, making my way along I could hear a female voice up ahead.

As I got closer I recognised it as Phillipa's coming from behind a small door on my left, I gave a quick knock and stepping in and immediately wished I hadn't as I saw Phillipa step back from Brent and there was no mistaking what had taken place by their stance, they had just kissed.

"Oh sorry" I mumbled and turning around I fled the room, tears welling up in my eyes, I staggered along the hallway confused and fighting back tears.

Why was I feeling like this, why get engaged to me then go after Phillipa it just didn't make any sense.

Before I could puzzle over it anymore I was bought to a sharp halt as someone grabbed my arm.

"Hey" came Brent's breathless voice. "Wait up I can explain everything"

"Hey, there's nothing to explain" as I tried to pull out of his grasp.

"Oh yes there is" he was getting angry with me but why I hadn't done anything wrong had I, again I tried to break free and the next thing I know I'm over Brent's shoulder and being marched back down the hallway.

I pounded on his back screaming for him to put me down and let me go and he only obliged when we were back in the room and he had shut the door placing himself against it, blocking off my escape.

Glaring at him I wiped a stray tear from my eye, before I felt movement behind me, quickly turning I was grabbed in a huge hug.

"Chrissie I can't thank you enough, I'll never be able to repay you for all you have done" I stood absolutely still as she hugged me again.

Now I was completely confused and she must have seen this in my facial expression as she pulled me over and pushed me into a large armchair.

"You don't know do you?"

I looked from her to him and back again, she gave a deep sigh before addressing Brent.

"You haven't told her, have you"

"Didn't get the chance" came the reply.

"No wonder poor Chrissie looks lost"

Turning back to me she started to explain.

"You see Chrissie my parents and Brent's want us to marry for their businesses sake"

I felt my heart drop, it was true then they were going to get married.

"Chrissie" Phillipa practically yelled at me. "Listen it's not like that, we don't love each other in fact I'm in love with somebody else and we plan to elope and get married"

"Oh" was all I could come up with.

"So Brent staged the engagement scene to free me up, I act like a jilted lover, run away to find myself, straight to my boyfriend"

"I see" I whispered lowering my head to hide my tears, so I was a pawn in a game as usual, I knew it was to good to be real.

Phillipa leaned in and whispered so only I could hear.

"But you don't see, Brent is falling in love with a girl and falling deeper every second, he dosen't know it yet, but I've seen how he acts when she's around and how his face lights up when he talks about her, just give him time he'll get there in the end"

I frowned at her.

"You don't see what I see do you"

I shook my head.

She stifled a giggle with her hand, before blowing my mind completely.

"It's you silly"

I looked at her as though she had spouted another head.

"He's falling for you" she finished with a triumphant smile on her face and a sharp nod of her head.