Who Told you?
1110 Words
The engagement dinner lingered on far longer than I expected.
By nine o'clock, the house was still buzzing with conversation. Relatives wandered from room to room, holding half-empty plates, while soft music played in the sitting room. My aunties had already moved on from discussing the engagement to debating wedding colours, venues, guest lists, and decorations, as though the wedding was only days away.
I stood near the dining table, arranging empty glasses onto a tray, when my cousin slipped up beside me with a grin that immediately made me suspicious.
"You and Shadric have been watching each other all evening."
I almost dropped the glass.
"We have not."
"But everyone keeps watching the two of you."
I frowned.
"Why?"
She laughed. "Because every time one of you looks at the other, the other suddenly becomes interested in the furniture."
I put another glass on the tray.
Before I could answer, someone called from across the room.
"Avalan! Your mother is asking for you upstairs."
Relief washed over me.
"Perfect," I muttered. "That's my escape."
My cousin laughed as I turned toward the staircase.
I barely made it three steps before one of my aunties called me back.
"Avalan, have you people decided on a date?"
I turned around. "You people?"
"You and Shadric."
"Why would we decide without telling everybody in this room? Apparently, it's a community project."
My cousin burst out laughing.
"Don't joke," my aunt said. "Your mother has already rejected two venues."
"Of course she has."
"And Shadric's mother likes the second one."
"Then let them marry each other."
"Avalan!"
I laughed and escaped before another question could follow.
On my way upstairs, I glanced back without meaning to.
Shadric was helping his mother move some of the gifts away from the crowded table.
Someone said something to him, and he laughed.
I stopped.
It wasn't the polite smile I had seen him give relatives all evening. He actually laughed, head lowered for a moment as his mother said something else.
I couldn't remember the last time I had seen him like that.
Then he looked up and caught me staring.
I immediately continued upstairs.
Great.
Now I was the one interested in the furniture.
My mother was inside her bedroom sorting through neatly folded fabrics.
"There you are," she said. "Help me before your aunties unfold everything again."
I sat beside her without a word and began folding the remaining materials.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
The silence felt strangely comforting after the noise downstairs.
"Did something happen between you and Shadric today?"
I looked away and kept folding the fabric.
"Avalan."
That was enough to tell me she wouldn't give up.
I sighed.
"Nothing happened."
"I don't believe that."
I finally looked at her.
"Are you saying every time Shadric and I are together, something is expected to happen?"
"That's not what I'm saying."
"Then what are you saying?"
She was quiet for a moment before answering.
"I'm saying you've agreed to marry him, but every time somebody mentions his name, you look like you're preparing for battle."
I folded the fabric again, although it was already perfectly folded.
"Maybe I am."
My mother folded another piece of fabric and placed it beside her.
"Have you even asked him what he wants for the wedding?"
"No."
"Has he asked what you want?"
I paused.
"No."
She gave me a look.
"What?"
"Nothing. I'm only wondering how two people intend to get married without discussing the marriage."
"We're discussing the wedding."
"Those are not the same thing."
I stopped folding.
"Mother, please."
"I'm not interfering."
I looked pointedly at the mountain of fabric surrounding us.
She followed my eyes and smiled.
"Fine. I'm interfering with the wedding. The marriage is your problem."
"Do you think he's innocent?" I asked.
"I think both of you are carrying things you've never said aloud."
I laughed without humour.
"That sounds exactly like him."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Oh. You two spoke today?"
I looked away immediately, too late.
She noticed.
"What did he say?"
"Nothing important."
It was easier than explaining that one question from Shadric had managed to disturb something I'd believed for seven years.
My mother reached over and rested her hand gently on mine.
"Whatever you're doing, Avalan, be sure you know why you're doing it."
I gently pulled my hand away and stood.
"I'm tired."
She didn't stop me.
But I could still feel her watching me as I walked out.
Most of the guests had already begun settling into the guest rooms by the time I came downstairs again.
The kitchen was finally empty.
I took a bottle of cold water from the fridge and leaned against the counter, enjoying the silence.
It lasted less than thirty seconds.
Shadric walked into the kitchen and opened one of the cupboards.
I watched him open another.
"What are you looking for?"
"Glasses."
I pointed behind him.
He turned.
"You've been in this house all day."
"That doesn't mean I know where your mother keeps everything."
"Apparently not."
I reached past him, opened the cupboard above the counter, and took one out.
"Thank you."
"Don't get used to it."
He filled the glass from the water dispenser and took a drink.
"Your aunt asked me what colour I want for the wedding."
"And?"
"I told her I didn't know."
"Wrong answer."
"I realised that."
"What happened?"
"She brought me six shades of gold."
I laughed before I could stop myself.
Shadric looked at me.
"Don't look so pleased with yourself."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
"Apparently, my face talks now."
"Constantly."
For one strange second, the kitchen felt almost normal.
Then he set the glass down.
"Have you remembered?"
I knew immediately what he meant.
"I'm not discussing that with you."
"That's not what I asked."
"And I'm still not answering."
"So you have."
I looked at him.
"I'm not going to ask you who it was."
That surprised me.
"Why?"
"Because I want you to ask yourself why you believed them."
Before I could answer, footsteps sounded outside the kitchen.
Both of us turned at the same time. My cousin stopped in the doorway.
A slow smile spread across her face.
"Oh." Her eyes moved between us. "Should I come back?"
"No," I said.
"Yes," Shadric said at the same time.
Her smile widened.
Without another word, she turned and walked away. I watched her disappear down the hallway.
I looked back at Shadric.
He didn't ask again.
That somehow made it worse.
Because I had remembered.
And the person who told me Shadric gave my letter away had been Ryan.
- Writer
