4.
1641 Words
Yvette
“Do you know this filth?” Mira’s voice pierced the air.
Everyone turned. Danielle, the crowd… Zac.
My heart threatened to pound out of its place.
Someone get me out of here, I prayed silently. But I knew no one was coming to save me. I had to save myself. Yet I couldn’t move.
My pulse pounded so loud I was sure he could hear it.
Our eyes locked again and his jaw clenched.
“No. Not really.”
“But you just called her name…” Mira insisted.
“I don’t know her,” he cut in sharply, “Drop it.”
“He got the name wrong anyway...” Danielle chimed in a near whisper.
“I don’t remember asking you anything,” Mira snapped, “old fool.”
Before Danielle could respond, Zac’s gaze hardened on Mira.
“Mira, let’s get ready. Our guests are almost here.”
“I don’t care!” She spat, “Tell them the engagement party is cancelled! I want my money back!”
“Ma’am, we have a no-refund policy—“
“What?!” She almost laughed, “You did this ugly thing and you expect me to do what? Let go? Get ready for my lawyers. I’m suing you all...”
“It doesn’t look so bad, Mira,” Zac said, his voice calm but firm. “No need for her to give you anything.”
“Absolutely not!” Mira huffed. “She must pay. She doesn’t want to see me angry!“
She stomped her foot, throwing a tantrum in front of the crowd.
Zac had never been one with a lot of patience, but he seemed to have a lot with her. He pulled her away from the crowd, leaving me frozen in place.
Watching him walk farther and farther away with Mira by his side, my blood began to boil.
After all the hearts he broke, that’s the one he loves? That’s the one he settled for?
THAT?
I replayed the evening in my mind again and again, and I got upset at myself for flinching when she raised her hand at me.
I should’ve fought back. I could’ve easily beaten her to pulp.
And what was with his attitude when she was the one hurting me?
He could’ve judged better. She slapped me first. She pushed me….
Also, he could’ve said anything else… but he doesn’t know me? Really?
“Yetti.” I jumped out as I turned. But I only saw Danielle.
She smirked. “So you do know each other.”
“We don’t.” I breathed hot. “Proud rich people like that are not my type.”
Danielle’s smirk deepened. “It definitely sounded like you know each other.”
“I don’t know him.” I snapped. But I still couldn’t do it as well as he did. His denial was strong and mine was shaky.
Even Danielle didn’t believe. “He’s really handsome, the nasty b*tch doesn’t deserve him.”
I don’t care. I said in my mind.
They deserve each other.
The cunning heartbreaker and the nasty attitude lady, they were heaven’s match.
From the beginning, he was like that. Cold-hearted, inconsiderate.
He could never stand my presence. Our conversations, no matter how hard I tried to be nice to him, always had that tension. That distance.
Yet when I should’ve stayed away from him, I believed his lying words and he used me.
I still remember that day like it was yesterday. My heart still ached. So how dare he frown more than me?
“Yvette…” Danielle tapped me gently, snapping my thoughts.
One of the guests was returning, it was probably one of the groom's men.
“Who’s in charge here?” He asked, eyes sharp.
I raised a hand.
“The engagement party has been postponed for now. Announce it and pack up. You can forget about the refund.”
Our small team exhaled in relief. Without a doubt, I knew Chad was already calculating how much we had to borrow from the bank to be able to pay them off. It was better that than going to court.
“Let’s pack up, people!” I clapped tiredly, “Good work.”
“Good work, ma’am!” They called back and we began to dis-decorate.
I tapped my phone screen, it was almost 8p.m. I had only one hour until my daughter’s babysitter called.
“Chad, Danielle, Grace! Let’s use all the hacks we know. I have to be home as soon as possible.”
“Why are you always rushing home?” Chad scoffed.
I got used to questions like these since Jan was a month old. Now she’s four.
“I have to feed my cat.” I replied casually. But my mind was elsewhere.
Subconsciously, my eyes traveled back to the door, as if I was expecting to see him but they were gone by now.
The evening still felt surreal.
It wasn’t enough to be broken by him, I had to make decorations for his engagement too?
I couldn’t even believe he was actually here getting engaged to someone else.
I couldn’t tell if I was mad or sad.
Removing his decorations should have given me joy.
It should’ve made the ache in my heart less painful but instead a part of me wanted to know why he chose to be with a woman who needed character lessons, the other part of me wanted to slap him across the face and tell him to never appear in front of me again.
My phone buzzed and startled me so hard I nearly jumped.
I glanced at the caller and sighed softly. Jan’s babysitter was already calling.
I stepped down and called for Danielle. “Can you handle what’s left? I really have to go… please?”
Danielle smiled at me. “Go on, love. You need the rest…”
I nodded softly, carrying my tote bag. “Goodnight team,” I said, “Chad, be careful with the confetti. We might need them again.”
I didn’t realize how foggy and cold the evening had become until I stepped out of the hall.
Christmas in Rosehill always had a bit of fine dust in the air and lots of visitors. Cabs became scarce and their prices doubled. Tripled in fact.
I didn’t mind the prices today, I just wanted to get home to my daughter.
I stopped by the side of the road, looking for a cab.
Just then, a car swerved towards me, and the headlights flared in my eyes.
For half a second I didn’t understand what I was seeing; the world narrowed into that blinding light heading towards me.
I stood too frozen to move.
Tears welled up in that split second. The mere thought of leaving my daughter alone in this world scared me more than the coming vehicle, yet, I couldn’t move. Couldn’t blink.
Just a few seconds before it reached, I heard running steps and a voice screaming behind me.
“Move!” He screamed, “Yetti!!! Move please!!”
The last thing I remember was someone throwing his body on me. We both hit the floor and for a moment everything went quiet.
My thoughts, the sky, my daughter’s face… Zac.
Zac?
I blinked.
He was white from fear.
“What is wrong with you?” He yelled, “Why couldn’t you move? You could’ve died!”
I sat up and my head felt like it would split open. The swerving car had stopped away from us.
I stood up but it felt like I was drunk. My head spun. The world was blurry.
“Yetti?” My name rolled off so naturally on his lips. “Are you okay? Your phone—“
I snatched my phone from him before he could see my caller.
“Let me take you home at least.”
“I’m fine.”
“I’m worried about you.” He scowled.
“You’re worried?” I almost laughed. “Please… like you care”
“Of course, I do,” he pressed on, “why else would I out myself in harms way?”
I dropped my gaze and cursed my luck today. But the more I thought about it, the more my rage grew.
“Have you forgotten your promise?” I blurted out. “You were not supposed to come near me. Don’t—“
“Yetti…” he whispered, “I’m just trying to make sure you’re safe.”
“I’m shocked…” I replied curtly, “You denied me in there like it didn’t matter and you’re talking about my safety.”
“I didn’t deny you…”
“You said you don’t know me…”
“I thought that was what you wanted.”
“What I want is for you to go away! Just go! Don’t come back here!”
Zac looked like he had been punched in the gut. He took a step back and I swear his eyes watered.
The little girl in me wanted to burst into tears. I wanted to accept the look on his face as the most broken I had ever seen Zac.
But I was still angry. His fiancée slapped me.
I snatched my tote bag from the floor and turned away.
I extended my hand to wave a cab but just as I grabbed the door handle, Zac grabbed my hand.
“I’ll take her home,” he said to the driver, “you can go on.”
I didn’t hear him run after me until he held my wrist. Firm but gentle. He spun me around and leaned down to my eye level.
“I know you hate me, hate me where I can see you. I’m not leaving again..”
- Writer
