I clasped the delicate lace of my bridal gown so tightly that my knuckles turned an ashen white. The pristine fabric, meant to symbolize purity and new beginnings, now enshrouded me like a funerary veil, suffocating the remnants of my former freedom...
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I shouldn't have drunk so much.
But he shouldn't have kissed me.
I would never let that happen again.
Sleep avoided me all night as my mind was consumed by a chaotic jumble of thoughts. Despite furiously scrubbing my lips over and over, I still couldn't shake the feeling of his lips on mine. It made my skin crawl.
Last night's drunken mistake was never to be repeated.
A sharp knock and the eager voice of Mel cut through my lingering regret, "Yessie, are you up yet?"
"Yes, just a sec," I said as I groggily stumbled to the door.
Mel's broad grin was almost too cheery for this early hour, especially since she had been drinking with me all night last night.
"Well, you look like an unmade bed," she remarked, laughing at her own clever joke.
"Gee, thanks for the wake-up call," I grunted, shuffling off to the shower.
The hot water washed away some of the stress that had been gnawing at me all night. When I came out, I felt slightly more human, albeit one not fully prepared to greet the day with any real enthusiasm.
I donned my favorite red sweater, black jeans, and black boots, and trudged out of the room with Mel.
As we sauntered down the hallway, we ran into Diego, glaring down at us with all the warmth of a chilly November day.
"Good morning," Mel chirped, not at all bothered by his icy stare.
Diego grunted in response and stormed into his office, slamming the door in our faces.
"Does he not know he's an asshole or does he not care?" she muttered under her breath.
"A healthy dose of both, actually," Luca suddenly appeared, his infectious grin lighting up the hallway.
"I'm sorry," Mel apologized, flustered by her blatant comment.
"No you're not," he laughed.
"No, I'm not," she chuckled.
As we made our way out to the garden, the warmth of the sun washed over us. The flowers were in full bloom, their vibrant colors a sight to behold. But I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that Alessandro was nowhere to be found, and I hoped I wouldn't have to lay eyes on him for the rest of the day.
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