BEHIND CLOSED DOORS | D.M

036 | the wedding pt.2 - confessions

Gods, is she selfish. She has ruined it for him. He will curse her for the longest time, she knows it.

"Look at me, love." Though he orders her with a mere whisper, the crack in his voice is so evident that it makes her heart ache.

And when she finally finds the strength to turn around, and when she sees those glossy silver eyes, she nearly falls to her knees. Because she caused this unwanted affliction. Because despite it all, she is a coward.

And she does not deserve Draco Malfoy. He is too good for her.

"What happened out there?" He asks quietly, a crease drawn in between his brows.

With his hands tucked in the front pockets of his trousers, he allows the sun's rays to beam upon him. He looks absolutely magnificent dressed in an Italian tuxedo. Looks so beautiful but so lethal as his eyes turn from starlight to stormy grey, ready to destroy her with the mere flash of thunderbolt.

She knows what is coming her way, and she deserves it.

Draco's sharp jaw clenches. His chest rises as he inhales. "I can't do this today, Kallista," he rasps, taking a step towards her. An invisible bubble of wrath surrounds him, and she feels him containing his fury in. But as usual, he stays patient and composed. When his gaze falls to her fingers toying with her new ring, he swallows thickly. "Talk to me," he breathes. "Please."

When she finally speaks, she doesn't know how to conceal her wavering voice. Doesn't know to hide the fact she feels so defenceless and powerless.

"I don't know what you want me to say," she admits, holding his gaze.

He nods, slowly so, as he lets his tongue roll against the inside of his cheek. Drifting his stare away, a scoff rises from the back of his throat. And the moment he passes his hand through his golden hair, she sees it: the identical, unbreakable token that binds their hearts.

"Let me repeat the question." And when their gazes collide, she should be afraid of the fire starting to blaze around his pupils. This time, he sounds pained and outraged. "Why do you keep running away?"

Kallista knows there is no turning back. No running away. No keeping secrets. Not anymore.

"I just," she pauses, her arms falling to her sides whilst her hands form into balls. He takes a step forward, and another, until she is almost able to decipher those minuscule golden flecks swimming in his eyes. "I have guarded my heart—" she takes a second to breathe, tremulously so, each one of her words caught in her throat, "—my whole damn life. Do you know what's going to happen the moment I hand it to you?"

Draco shakes his head. He breathes deeply, his fingers twitching as though he wants to reach out to her. But he doesn't cross the line. "Just tell me."

Kallista flickers her eyes over his handsome face, exhaling. Tears threaten to break free, and she finally understands that it is all right to be vulnerable in front of him.

"You're going to break it," she quietly says, though her hands tremble and her features harden. "And I don't want that pain. Not with you, not with anyone."

The line in between his brows deepens. "What makes you so sure that I'll break your heart? Who's to say you won't break mine?"

The witch swallows the lump forming inside her throat and blinks. Once. Twice. Until she can feel the waterline drying. She doesn't want to break again.

She doesn't answer his question—because how is she supposed to respond to that? And so, she whispers, "Out of all women, why did you choose me?"

Draco's brows raise at her sudden question. But when he is determined to mend the fragmented pieces of her heart, he says, "Technically, I didn't choose you. I could have turned the deal down. I could have asked to be wed to someone else." He brushes a curl away from her cheek, and she shivers. There it is—the delicacy of his touch, the tenderness in his demeanour. "But have you ever told yourself we were brought together for a reason?"