CHAPTER 3: LOUD, GENTLE AND RUDE
1276 Words
The maid helped me pick out a dress that wasn’t too fancy, but it still screamed, “I’m new here, and trying too hard.” Whatever.
I didn’t even know where we were going, and surprise, my husband—the human storm cloud wasn't exactly feeling chatty.
We arrived at the party ten minutes later than Mr. Grumpy wanted.
"So this is who you chose as my replacement?" a girl said, right on cue, like she’d been standing there rehearsing it in the mirror.
And Lioran, bless his emotionally constipated soul—wrapped his arm around my waist. Real stiff. Real dramatic, like he was making a point and it was obvious who the target was.
"She’s my wife," he said, monotone, eyes on her. Might as well have added “and I hate my life.”
"Oh, so I break your heart and you run off and get married?" she smirked. "People usually smash a couple bottles and break a few hearts when theirs gets broken." She said with a flash of disappointment that was quickly replaced by sarcasm.
Love that for me. I was the rebound. Classic.
Lior just shrugged.
"We’re gonna be great friends," she said, then grabbed my arm and dragged me into the crowd before I could protest like a drunk fairy godmother on mission.
We stopped at the counter and took the seats. She poured two glasses. Hers. Obviously.
"I’m Liz," she said, flashing me a teeth-whitening-ad kind of smile while sliding a drink to me.
"Lunarr," I said, trying to keep my voice neutral." And I don’t drink." I slid the glass back to her, opened my small purse and brought out the hamburger the maid had wrapped for me on my way out.
She blinked, in amusement. "Creepy name. Naive girl." Then gulped both drinks like hydration was her passion.
"Why’d you pick the rude one?" she asked, pointing her empty glass to the ground, like she wasn't the one who drained it.
"I don’t know what you mean." I said taking another bite of my hamburger.
"Lioran is... complicated. We dated for like three months and didn’t even do it. Every time I tried, he’d clutch his head like he just remembered his mom's cooking and bolt out the room. I should have gone for Levan."
"Who’s Levan?" I asked. Not that I really care.
She froze. Her face lit up. "Wait. Ohhhh, s**t. This is gonna be good."
"I’m confused," I said, trying to catch the joke.
"Come. Walk with me."
And I followed. Because clearly, making terrible decisions is my new hobby.
She strutted like she owned the place. People moved for her. Not out of respect. Out of fear. She had vibe.
"Who's that over there?" she asked, pointing.
"Lioran," I said without thinking.
She snorted like I’d just told the world’s dumbest joke. "Lioran always has his shirt undone like he’s auditioning for a soap opera. That one’s practically buttoned to the throat."
"Not always," I mumbled. "And stop. It’s not funny."
"Who and who was present at your wedding?"
"Just me, him, and my dad."
She cackled like a witch. "And how’d you two meet?"
"Why are you interrogating me?" I snapped. "Whatever. I need to go to him."
"That’s not even him," she said, wheezing with laughter.
"Thanks for the company," I muttered, and walked off.
I stopped in front of him. "I want to leave."
He turned and smiled softly. "Hey, flower girl. Didn’t know you came to places like this." He said gently, unbelievably like he wasn't the one that brought me here and I just ruined a perfect image of what he had of me.
Now, I'm more than convinced, this guy definitely has some disorders.
I haven't even rounded up my theory when another voice came from behind.
"What's going on?" I think I meant thesame voice, came from behind.
I turned. And there he was.
Same face.
Same height.
Same black shirt.
TWO of them.
Standing on either side of me like a glitch in the Matrix.
"Can someone explain to me what the actual hell is going on?" I asked, fully unhinged.
"I told you to stay put," Liz reappeared like a comic-book villain. "Now look who’s confused. Boom." She said exaggerating the fire with her hands.
"I didn't know you know her." the one in front said gently, almost too composed.
"Me neither," said the other one, blandly. Like he really doesn't give a f**k.
Liz pointed at the one in front. "That’s Levan. He’s the gentle one. Soft voice, fine hair, emotionally available. Tragic. Should have gone for this one but too good for me."
"And that," she spun, pointing to the other, "that is Lioran. My ex. The emotionally shut-down one, with stupidly flawless hair. I dumped his ass yesterday, and today he’s married." She inhaled.
"One more thing, black is both their favorite colour, that's why I call them the demons," She said dancing to the rhythm of her own words. " The rude demon and the gentle demon" She giggled.
She was having way too much fun.
"And Levan, this is Lior's wife."
"Lior is married?" said another identical voice from behind.
OH COME ON.
Another one.
Same damn face and height. Again.
"Ahaaa! My absolute fave!" Liz squealed. "Leocan. The fun one. Loud. Chaotic. Wears cardigans like a theatre kid gone billionaire." She sauntered up to him. "I love it" She added with zero chill trailing her hands from his chest down to his belly, making him smirk.
Seems like she would have gone for all three of them.
"You didn’t tell me you had identical brothers!" I spun to Lioran. The original Lioran.
He blinked. "It doesn’t matter." His normal nonchalance.
"It does matter," I hissed. "Because it wasn’t supposed to be you."
I jabbed a finger at Levan. "He called me flower girl. He bought flowers. He smiled. He was supposed to be you."
Then I turned to Lioran. "You weren’t him. I thought you were him."
Silent. All of them.
"So what is this? Levan. Leocan. Lioran. Triplets?"
"Yup. Lev, Leo, and Lior," Liz confirmed like she was the official triplet tour guide.
"Liz, shut up," Leocan groaned. "Bro, you seriously got married without telling us?"He said like he was expecting an answer. "I'll forgive you though, because she's pretty." He added, biting his lips.
He seemed loud. Almost as bubbly as Liz. Liz's energy is unmatched. He's definitely the one who called me beautiful in the hallway. His hair is slicked to the side like a youtube tutorial gone rogue.
"You didn’t tell me you were getting married," Levan said quietly, eyes on me.
Come on–I didn't even know I was getting married.
Soft, warm, gentle, polite. That's the voice I definitely had a crush on. Those black beautiful eyes that pierced me everytime I stared at them. The one I wanted to marry.
"Can we get the f**k out of here?" snapped Lioran. Messy hair, haunting brown eyes that look almost unreal, the one who made the earth hold it's breath yet the one I'd only met yesterday, and married today. He's effortless with his shirt, his hair and his behavior. Definitely a walking red flag I accidentally said yes to.
That’s when it all clicked.
The loud.
The gentle.
The rude.
And I chose wrong.
I married the wrong one.
My chest tightened. My brain short-circuited.
"I can’t—I—"
And then I ran. Because duh.
"And the princess runs away," Liz closed the scene, laughing like this was her favorite movie.
And guess what?
It kind of is.
- Writer
