Partners In Crime

4• Like you guys always do

=5 Days Left=

"Where the hell have you been? I've had to deal with Miles and his awful family on my own!"

Solana scolded Marina as she came rushing down Tranquility Hotel's grand staircase into the lobby area, where Solana and Miles' extended families had been arriving for a welcome party.

"Sorry, sorry, Alex had something to talk to me about before I came here," said Marina, her face flustered, her explanation staggered as she caught her breath. She peered around the open space.

Miles stood by the entrance with his father, the hotel owner, and took the time to greet every single family member who passed through. Lobby boys took their heavy suitcases and placed them onto luggage carts. They all congregated over to the concierge desk, handed their golden keys. Other lobby boys handed out champagne and canapes on golden trays.

"Alex was talking to you?" said Solana, her mood brightening. She had lighter makeup than yesterday, the locks in her hair now decorated with gold coils. Marina watched her face, and nodded to her friend.

"Interesting." She watched with her face shrewd.

"It-about-you know what we were discussing, right?" said Marina, running a hand through her hair, now reaching way past her shoulders. She pulled out her notepad, one flip-y one which she'd stolen from her work. She reached for the flask again, another quick fireball sip.

"Hmm...I'm no detective Marina, but," she glanced around to make sure no one was listening, "it's the help, right?"

Marina smirked, reading through all the names she'd written down. Two columns, one labelled 'Kane', the other 'Madaki'.

Solana quietly squealed.

"Thank fuck, thank holy fuck!" She brought her hands together in front of her, a silent prayer. "I knew I did something with that dinner last night."

Marina watched the relief fall on her friend's face, a silent dread washing over her. She forced a smile on her face.

"Miles doesn't- Does Miles know about mine and Alex's...history?" She lashed the word out through her teeth, for want of a better word. "With weddings?"

Solana shook her head.

"You're here with Theo, right? Miles is an idiot. I doubt his suspicions will go beyond anything except you guys just...messing around together. He'll probably think you're cheating on Alex with Theo."

Marina's mood soured at the mention of Theo. He was the last person she wanted to think about in that moment.

She caught the congregation of the bridesmaids, two small groups of girls coming from both sides of the family. Erin, a girl they met from another wedding, who'd been shunned by both Miles' cousins and Solana's, stood on the outskirts of the circle.

"Come on Lana, I need to say hi to your bridesmaids first," she said to her. Solana didn't hold back the sheer distaste of having to do so. She scrunched her nose, frowning.

"Fine."

The two made their way over to the bridesmaids.

When Erin turned around, she looked relieved.

"Hiya!" she said cheerily, taking Solana in a hug before Marina.

"I just wanted to say congratulations, Solana, and thank you for inviting me! Truth be told, I felt a tiny bit like I wasn't welcome when I first got the invite," she said as she drew away from the embrace.

For a split second it crossed Marina's mind that Erin and Alex already knew each other. Then for the next moment she was convinced Erin was his guest. Inside felt like standing on the precipice of a dark pit below.