ChapterTen
1302 Words
The rehearsal ended with polite applause and relieved laughter.
The coordinator continued chatting about timing and cues, Britney’s mother fussed about flower placement, and staff members moved quietly to clear the space.
Marcus folded his paper containing his vows and slipped it into his pocket.
He barely made it three steps down the aisle before Jasmine intercepted him.
“Marcus,” she said, her tone light but her eyes anything but.
He forced a polite smile. “Jasmine.”
She didn’t waste time. “Is there something going on between you and the performer?”
His expression didn’t change, but something behind his eyes flickered. “What?”
“Lucy,” she clarified. “During the vows. You kept looking at her.”
He gave a short, dismissive chuckle. “I was not.”
“You were.” Jasmine said calmly. “And you barely looked at my sister.”
Marcus exhaled slowly, already tired of the accusation. “You’re overthinking it.”
“There’s nothing going on between me and the performer,” he said firmly now. “Nothing.”
Jasmine stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Good. Because if there is, I’ll find out. And if I do, I’m telling Britney. I won’t let anyone hurt her.”
Marcus' jaw tightened. “You need to calm down. You’re reading too much into a glance.”
She held his gaze for a moment longer, measuring him.
“I hope so,” she said quietly.
Then she walked away.
Marcus remained standing there for a second, staring after her, irritation simmering under his composed exterior.
Across the garden, Lucy gathered her things and began walking toward the exit path. She kept her head down, hoping to slip away unnoticed.
“Lucy.”
She stopped.
Josh.
He approached slowly, his expression softer than it had been during the vows.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She forced a small smile. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
He studied her carefully. “Hearing Marcus read those vows…that must’ve been a lot.”
Her throat tightened. For a moment, she considered pretending she didn’t understand what he meant.
“It was,” she admitted quietly. “But I’m trying to get over it.”
Josh nodded, but something in his eyes darkened slightly. “You’ve been… hard to find lately.”
She looked away. “I’ve been busy, that's all.”
“With work?” he asked gently.
“With everything,” she replied quickly.
There was a pause.
“Can we see each other tonight?” he asked. “Just dinner. Or even a walk.”
Lucy hesitated, too long.
“I can’t, " she said finally. “I already have plans with Lila.”
Another lie.
Josh’s jaw tightened just slightly. “Okay.”
He tried to mask the disappointment. “I can walk you back to your quarters.”
She shook her head. “No, it's fine. After…everything I just heard, I just need a moment.”
He nodded slowly, stepping back. “Yeah. I get that.”
She didn’t look back at him again as she walked away.
Josh stood there watching her retreating figure, something unsettling growing in his chest.
This wasn’t just busyness.
Something had shifted.
And he could feel it.
Lucy didn’t slow down until she reached her quarters.
The door closed behind her with a soft click, but her chest was still tight, her thoughts still loud.
She dropped her folder onto the small desk and exhaled.
Lila was sitting on the edge of her bed.
Waiting.
Lucy froze for half a second.
“You okay?” Lila asked quietly.
Lucy nodded automatically. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
Lila didn’t respond right away. She just watched her.
“Are you sure?” She asked again. “Because you don’t look fine.”
Lucy forced a small smile. “It was just… a lot. The vows. The rehearsal. You know.”
Silence stretched between them.
Then Lila spoke carefully. “Is this about you still being in love with Marcus?”
Lucy’s stomach dropped.
“Is there anything you want to tell me?” Lila asked.
Lucy kept her back turned, pretending to busy herself with her bag. “No. Why would there be?”
Lila stood up.
“Lucy,” she said softly but firmly, “I can’t believe you would lie to my face.”
Lucy turned slowly. “What are you talking about?”
“I saw you,” Lila said.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
“The other day. During the Island tour. I was with the guide when we passed the beach. “Her voice wasn’t angry, it was disappointed. “I saw you and Marcus. The picnic. The wine. The way you were laughing.
Lucy’s breath caught.
“You told me you had plans with Josh,”
The words hung there.
“I just…I don’t understand,” Lila continued.
“When did that happen? You and Marcus? Are you two trying to get back together? Is it friendship? Is it more? I don’t know what’s going on, and you didn’t think I deserved to know?
“It was nothing,” Lucy said quickly, too quickly. “He just wanted to apologize. That’s all. He arranged something nice to make peace.”
Lila’s eyebrows lifted. “I thought he had already apologized. Multiple times.”
Lucy hesitated.
“ So why the picnic? The wine? Why the whole grande gesture?”
Lucy looked away.
“I don’t know,” she muttered. “Maybe he just wanted closure.”
Lila shook her head slightly. “That didn’t look like closure.”
The words hit.
Lucy swallowed. “You’re overthinking it.”
“Am I?” Lila’s voice cracked just a little.
“Because you looked happy. Really happy.”
Lucy felt that one.
“I just…”she rubbed her temples. “I’m not in the right frame of mind right now, okay? The rehearsal was already a lot. Seeing him say those vows…hearing it…I just want to lie down. I’m exhausted.”
Lila stared at her for a long moment.
“This isn’t about being tired,” she said softly.
But Lucy was already walking toward the bed, but Lila stepped slightly in her path.
“Lucy,” she said, her voice steadier now, less hurt and more serious. “I hope you know what you’re doing?”
Lucy stopped but didn’t turn around.
“I mean it,” Lila continued. “This man is getting married in two days.”
Lucy exhaled sharply. “Nothing is happening.”
“Nothing?” Lila repeated. “Because from where I was standing, it didn’t look like nothing. It looked like you two were gallivanting around on the beach.”
Lucy turned then, frustration flashing in her eyes. “It wasn’t like that.”
“Then what was it like?” Lila pressed. “Because you told me you were going to see Josh. You lied. So whatever it was, it wasn’t innocent enough to tell the truth about.”
Lucy didn’t answer.
“You’re not the kind of person who hurts people,” Lila said quietly. “You’re not careless. And Britney…she seems really nice. She doesn’t deserve to be blindsided.”
The room went silent.
“I’m not trying to hurt anyone,” Lucy whispered.
“But that’s how these things start,” Lila replied. “You think it’s closure. You think it’s harmless. And suddenly it isn’t.”
Lucy swallowed hard.
“I just need a nap,” Lucy said, her voice smaller now. We’ll talk later.”
She lay down and turned away.
Lila stood there for a few seconds longer, her arms crossed, hurt simmering beneath her calm exterior.
She wasn’t angry.
She was worried.
And that was worse.
- Writer
