Please Don't Say You Love Me

The Horns That Hold Up Her Halo

"It's perfect." Tessa exclaims as I try on the dress. She twirls in circles like a little girl. 

"Okay. This one it is." I say as I look at myself in the mirror. 

Tessa looks at me with an admiring looks in her eyes, almost dreamy. "There is no way Vincent is not gonna want a piece of you." She starts snapping pictures of me.

"Hey!" I exclaim and turn around covering my face. I swear what is Tessa's problem and pictures.

I close the door to the dressing room and take off the dress putting my clothes back on. I open the door and there stands giddily Tessa who seems like a child who ate too much sugar. She snatches the dress and she saunters to the cashier. "We'll take this one." Tessa says with too much enthusiasm.

After we pay for the dress. We go home both of us with new expensive dresses. I sigh. I don't want to go to this fake date. I don't want this fake marriage with this egoistic rich player. Oh and have I mentioned what a gentlemen he is? Ha not! 

Tessa does my hair and makeup. Leaving me looking beautiful. She knows how talented she is. We both put on our dresses.

While I'm deciding which heels I should wear. Tessa is in the corner by the window taking selfies. I swear this girl...

I don't think Tessa has ever once deleted a picture from her camera roll. She literally has to pass her pictures to a hard drive every three weeks or else her phone is full.

"Damn I look hot." Tessa exclaims as she posts her pictures on instagram. "Come over here girl, lets take a selfie so that the whole world can see how butt-iful we are."

"Tessie don't." I whine.

"Lilac just one picture." She begs.

"By one do you mean fifty." I groan.

"Hey it's not my fault that my finger gets excited and it keeps clicking on the screen taking gazillions of pictures. If you got a problem go talk to my finger not me." Tessa says as she scrolls through her pictures.

"Fine just because you are my best friend." I walk over to stand where there is good lighting.

Tessa squeals. "I get away with so many things just because I am your best friend."

And then she snaps a gazillion of pictures. She lets me pick out my favorite one and post it on her instagram.

"Tessie you need some help." I say.

"Lil your ride is here." Tessa exclaims as she looks out the window. "Go. Go now."

"Tessie wait up until he calls. I'm not desperate." I tell her as she stares at my phone almost as if willing it to ring.

My phone buzzes. Tessa jumps up and down. I open it.

Asshole- I'm outside. Better be ready. 

"Oh my god! You did not just put Vincent under the name asshole."

"I did." I smirk.

"Shut up you are going to be engaged with him tonight. So you better chill." 

"Oh well Tessie I'll see you later when you go stalk me." I say as I walk out the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I get into the sleek black car. Vincent doesn't even acknowledge my presence as he steps on the gas pedal. The ride is filled with silence. He doesn't say a word not even a hello. How is this supposed to work? We can't even look at each other and we are supposed to make people believe we are in love?

Vincent pulls up at the front of a fancy over the top Italian restaurant. Vincent gets out of the car and approached the door man. He hands him the car keys. Vincent comes and opens my door offering me his hand.

I timidly place my hand in his. I can't help feel the spark of electricity go through me as his skin connects with mine. I slip out of the car as gracefully as possible as Vincent slips his arm through mine.

And we begin our walk to the front door which thankfully is five feet away.

We are greeted by a man with an easy smile and a thick Italian accent. He gives us a table near a quiet corner. 

Vincent sits across from me. He still hasn't said a word. Vincent leans forward closer to me his elbows on the table. "Hey beautiful Lilac flower." Oh so now he's calling me beautiful when this morning he was being a complete jerk.

"Vincent." I let on trying to be harsh but instead the word comes out smooth and fiery like velvet silk. My tone ends up being flirty. Ughhh I hate my life.

"Baby your eyes are so beautiful." Vincent says once again emerging the flirty and charming Vincent I met at my brother's wedding.

I feel uncomfortable under my own skin. I just don't understand why he is so bipolar. One minute he hates me and the other he is telling me how beautiful I am. 

Luckily the waiter comes to my rescue. "Can I have the usual for both of us and your best wine." Vincent tells the waiter that he apparently knows.

Vincent pours some wine into both of our glasses. We both immediately drink down the wine. I let the smoothness of it relax me as it soothes my tongue. This will help with what is to come tonight.

I pour some more wine into my glass but Vincent stops me by putting his hand over mine. 

And guess who walks in... dun...dun...dun...

My dear little Tessie.

She flaunts in with Isaiah on her arm as she walks in with that charming smile of hers. I can literally see the confidence radiating off of her as she walks with her 9 inch heels through the restaurant like she's a model who owns the place.

"Daughter of the devil." Vincent mutters under his breath as he sees her. 

Tessa turns and stops right by our table she smiles me a sympathetic smile and then she turns to face Vincent "Oh no, honey, I'm an angel, I swear. The horns are only there to hold up the halo." She turns on her heel as she walks to her table leaving Vincent red and angry.

"Can you just get over with this, now?"  I ask Vincent.

"As you wish beautiful, your shining knight of golden armour is always at your orders." He blantly smirks.

I roll my eyes as he gets up from his chair and bends down on one knee. I see a few heads turn our way including Tessa. She hides her giggling behind the menu. "Lilac Merenderson will you marry me?"

Vincent's dark blue eyes have a twinkling dazed look in them. It's like staring and the night sky. And for one crazy moment I think that this moment is real. That he really wants me and that I...

No.

It's a fake marriage.

The words slip out of my mouth "Yes Vincent, of course, Yes!" 

I could be an actress my acting is so damn good.

Vincent slips on the ring and I can't help admire how pretty the diamond is. Out of the corner of my eye I see Tessa staring. 'Kiss my ass' I mouth at her.

She smiles sweetly and blows me a kiss. I love Tessa.

Vincent pays for our food. He wraps his arm around my waist as we walk out, pulling me closer. Vincent whispers into my ear "I guess you found the shining knight you were looking for." 

"I wasn't looking for a knight. I was looking for a sword." smirking I answer as his face falls.