He Was a Friend

/45/ She failed. /

She exchanged some hi's and hello's to the other single ladies asked to come to the stage with her. She also greeted the newly weds with best wishes and congratulations, before heading out to the 'battle field'.

Hah, this is one battle field where I won't activate my competitive instincts. Not a chance.

She positioned herself to the leftmost part, almost near the presidential table where the primary sponsors are located. She nodded on her mother who was at that table, given how their families are so close to each other.

"Get the bouquet, baby," her mother pleaded her.

She rolled her eyes and focused back on the host.

"Okay! Without further ado, our bride here, will now start with the bouquet toss! She will be using a fake one, just so it won't hurt any of you. Because her original bouquet will definitely cause an accident, seeing how even her now-husband had a difficulty holding that up until now," the host chuckled, as she signaled the bride who has her back turned from them.

The audience laughed, after all, they also witnessed how Lawrence was the one holding the bouquet most of the time instead of Grace.

"Ready in 3!"

I'm so not gonna get it.

"2!"

The other ladies scuttled a bit, some of them shy, some into the game.

"1!" the host shrieked, as everyone in the hall watched the bouquet go up into the air.

Louise also looked up to watch the bouquet.

I have to watch it in order to avoid it properly, after all—

It seemed like a slow-motion video as the bouquet went very near her, which she can just ignore as she planned. However, in her peripheral vision, she saw how the bouquet will land on her mother's soup, who was sitting just behind her.

Her arms and hands instinctively reached to her side, as she grasped the bouquet from the flowers, just in time before it touched the soup.

It was too late when she realized what she has just done, and her mother's surprised but overjoyed laugh and excited clapping didn't escape her ears.

F***!

"And we've got our bouquet representative, Louise! That was a great muscle reflex, I must say! Louise, please come here on stage and wait for your partner!"

The audience clapped and cheered. The other single ladies also clapped as they went back to their seats. Louise then walked towards the stage, holding the bouquet with a defeated face.

So much for not catching the bouquet, Lou, she scolded herself.

"And now that we've got our bouquet winner, we now proceed with the garter toss!"

Eric's eye glinted as he stood up, and watched Louise as he silently walked forward, like a predator marking his prey.