Hypothesis : Love

13

The garden provided solace despite the chilly night air. The music in the reception area was but a distant whisper from where she sat. She needed to get away from it all and have a chance to compose her thoughts before she could talk to anyone. Hopefully no one else would notice that the bride had disappeared.

Obviously someone had because soon enough she saw a sad-faced Aurora stalking towards her. A small smile tugged at her lips.

"Ken," she said when she was a little closer.

The woman grabbed a garden chair and sat facing Kenadie. She took her hands and held them in her own.

"Hey Rory."

"Have you been crying?"

"Isn't it obvious," Kenadie scoffed. Her makeup was probably smudged up horribly now.

"Tell me what happened."

Kenadie explained everything; the bullying that scarred her for life, the fact that Finn Klein was not only at her wedding but that he was her new husband's best friend and her fears about what kind of person Sebastian might be.

Aurora froze in shock. It was hard to believe that people in high school could be so hateful and she completely understood why Kenadie couldn't bear to look at Finn any longer.

"Finn did what he did and he's an asshole for it. But let's not rule off Sebastian just yet. I mean, you just married the guy and from what I've seen so far he's really nice. At least talk to him," Aurora spoke calmly.

"You're right."

Kenadie thought back to one session she had with Mrs Pence about the importance of communication in a relationship. It appeared she'd have to start exercising those skills sooner than she thought.

"I'll go call him for you. In the meantime, here you go."

Aurora reached into her bosom and took out pieces of crumpled up tissue paper. Kenadie raised an eyebrow at her.

"Relax, I grabbed them right before I came here. I haven't been sweating on them," she reassured.

Kenadie's face relaxed and she began wiping her face as her friend made her way back to the building. She noticed her stop at the door, a tall figure blocking light from inside. Judging by the angry flailing of Aurora's arms, it wasn't Sebastian.

Her suspicion was confirmed when she saw Finn jogging towards her followed by Aurora who struggled with her long dress and high heels.

"Kenadie," he said breathlessly when he reached her.

"Ken I tried to stop him but he won't listen to me."

"It's okay Rory, you can go back inside."

Aurora looked shocked but she didn't object and as she walked back the way she came, Finn sat on a garden chair a slight distance away from Kenadie.

He cleared his throat. "I'm not even sure where to start with this."

"You can start by explaining why you're ruining my wedding." As the words left Kenadie's mouth, she felt the tears coming up again.

"There was no way I could've known-," he paused as if realising this. "Please don't take this out on Sebastian. He's the greatest person I know and he has no idea about this."

Kenadie didn't say anything, her silence a way of encouraging him to keep going.

"Listen, I was beyond stupid in high school and I surrounded myself with toxic people and there isn't a day I don't think about what I did to you," his voice quivered.