The Bet (BWWM)

Blem

You are cordially invited to celebrate the glorious union of Layla Soraya Brewer and Johnathan Oliver Washington on the fourteenth of February.

I scoff at the embroidered lettering before stuffing the bedazzled card back into the glamorous rose gold envelope it came in. I can already tell this wedding is going to work my nerves just from the invite alone. The frilly design and extravagant lettering scream Layla – over the top and in your face, just like her. Of all the things she has made me do for this wedding so far, this is the one thing she did completely on her own – clearly a mistake, but that's none of my business.

Glorious Union - as if God himself arranged it or something. It's not like she and John haven't been dating for the past four years or that she hasn't been dropping hints for the past three. He held out until they'd both finished college, but she wore him down eventually and got her way, like she always does.

February Fourteenth - Only my sister would think people would rather spend their Valentine's Day celebrating her than their loved ones. I tried to tell her what a bad idea it was when she set the date, but she wouldn't hear any of it. She insisted there was no better way to celebrate a day about love than to be at a wedding – specifically hers, because no one loved each other as much as she and Johnathan did.

Right.

Glitter mars my floor earning a deep sigh from me.

That's going to be a bȉtch to clean up later.

I contemplate vacuuming it up now but change my mind once I catch a glimpse of the time. I have exactly forty minutes to get dressed, grab a cab, and get to the club for my beloved sister's Halloween Bachelorette Extravaganza – seriously, that's what she's been calling it all day.

Usually, I would avoid something like this like the plague, but she's been blowing my phone up since today started. I swear we haven't talked this much since we lived under the same roof and even then, it probably was less. All day I've been itching to remind my little sister of this fact but, like most things with her, it's not worth the headache.

Sucking in my gut, I slide my nurse costume up my body. The stark white fabric of the dress washes me out a bit, but I could care less. I worked a ten-hour shift today and I look it. The second I got home I hopped in the shower, fully intending to take a nice long nap until tonight and maybe even sleep through this little shindig. Layla, however, had different plans. She'd called the moment I got in my car and ever since I've been on the go.

I had to pick up the cake for tonight, arrange and confirm the limo reservation, insure the club had her VIP section booked, make sure dad has his groceries for the weekend, and then change my costume after Layla vetoed my original idea, which took up the majority of the evening. It's hard enough finding a costume in the later part of October but it's hell finding one on Halloween Day. I had to go to at least six different stores and practically fight a sorority girl for this stupid getup.

When I say I'm exhausted, I'm putting it mildly. My eyes burn from being open for so long and the bags underneath them are puffy since I had to wake up earlier for work this morning. I should put on some concealer and a little foundation to brighten my face up a bit, but I don't have the time nor energy to fuss with makeup right now.

I can't be late since I'm the one bringing the cake. The club was closed for visitors earlier, so I couldn't drop it off. Instead, I've had to be in my apartment with the sweet temptation sitting in my fridge. Strawberry cake with cream cheese icing, I can taste it already.

My mouth has been watering since I picked it up from the bakery. I could easily cut the bottom layer off and cover it in frosting, so no one would know. It'd be my own private fȕck you to the sister that's worked me all month, down to this evening making this night perfect, only to tell the limo driver not to bother picking me up tonight. She wouldn't know the layer was gone but I'd get some joy out of knowing I screwed her over, plus, that little boost of sugar would be just what I need to get through tonight.