Again | g.d

Part Thirteen

I walked behind Avery into the bridal shop, seeing the familiar face of the woman who had helped me the first time I came with Grayson.

Instantly I remembered what it felt like to watch him watch me in my bridesmaid dress just weeks ago.

Even though, now, the thought of Gray made me want to cry until I ran out of tears, butterflies still filled my stomach as I remembered the way he looked at me.

"Anna?"

I snapped out of my trance to look at Avery, who was looking at me worriedly.

"Sorry, what?" I asked hoarsely.

"I said," she began slowly, letting out a chuckle. "Do you mind waiting here to get the other dresses while I start trying this one on?"

"Oh, uh," I blinked rapidly, still trying to clear my head from the image of Grayson's eyes. "Yeah, sure."

She smiled at me. "Great! Thank you so much."

"Of course," I said quietly as she began to walk away.

I turned around to face the counter just as the woman came from around the corner, hangers of white wedding dresses in her hands.

"I remember you, you know." She whispered to me as she handed me the dresses.

"Yeah, I came in a couple weeks ago to try on a bridesmaid dress." I told her sweetly.

"Oh, how could I forget? You came with that sweet boy, too." She added on, making my stomach clench.

I slowly stepped away from the counter, not wanting to talk about Grayson. "Her fiancé, actually," I responded, motioning towards the direction Avery had walked away in.

"Oh, my, he still hasn't figured things out, I see." She laughed in surprise.

I looked at her weirdly. "I-I'm sorry?"

She placed her hand on her cheek as she thought about something. "Earlier this week, he came in with that young lady who's changing while she scheduled a dress fitting. When they left, he was rushing out the door and dropped something on his way out," she started. "It was this pretty silver ring with a little diamond sitting in the middle of it."

My heart stopped as I realized what she was talking about.

"He... he dropped my promise ring." I said softly.

Before I had any time to process what had happened, the woman continued.

"I stopped him just in time to give it back to him. And when I asked him about it, he told me it had belonged to you."

I blushed knowing that she knew what had happened between Gray and I. "Why are you telling me this?"

Immediately her body language changed, making me worry for some reason.

"Well, when I tried to give it back to him, he... he told me to do whatever I wanted with it. So for the last couple days I've been holding onto it, but what a miracle that you're here -"

I could feel pressure building up in my chest, and a burning sensation in my nose. "He just... left it?" I asked, my voice cracking.

"I'm sorry, sweet pea," the lady said regretfully. "I was really holding out hope for you, two."

"Thanks." I whispered, looking down again as the lady gently set the ring down on the counter in front of me.

With trembling hands I reached for the ring, clutching it tightly in a fist as I grabbed it. "Thank you for, um, giving it to me."

"Of course, hon'."

"Anna?" Avery called, shuffling back to the front of the store in a white gown. "Have you gotten all the dresses, yet?"

I quickly shoved the ring into the pocket of my jeans, sniffing as I grabbed all of the dresses off of the counter. "Yep."

"Then hurry up, slow poke." She teases me, lifting up he ends of her dress so she can saddle back to the dressing room.

"Well, that's my cue to go." I said to the woman. "Thank you, again," I said quickly, before following after Avery.

"I just don't get it," she mumbled. "He didn't look at her the same way he looked at you."

I tried my best to flash her a smile as I walked away, but couldn't.

I still couldn't believe he purposely left my promise ring behind - and worse, it only symbolized that he really was leaving me behind, too.

I should be relieved that he's finally choosing Avery and is going to leave me alone - saving us from drama and sneaking around.

But I'm not. Because it makes me realize that I want Grayson no matter what the consequences are.

I've pushed him away so many times in sake of trying not to hurt people. This time he's staying away for good.

I realized it too late. And now, the only person who's hurt is me.