Royally Kissed | ✓

59; the purple moon

—fiftynine—

the purple moon

WHEN SPRING BREAK came in, and unlike others, Paige remained where she was while other college kids flew out of Bradbury to engage into the whole riot. Cain chose to go to Cancun with his friends from some fraternity and the football team; while Jouwee, on the other hand, wanted change – Florida to Ibiza. At first, at least.

"...it's okay," Jouwee said to Paige before the vacation as they chatted in the library, with Cain just knocking some random beats on the table with his pens. "I can help run some errands for you. I know it won't be easy planning and all. Plus, summer's just around the corner for the wedding. I'm not sure if it will be as smooth as you imagine it to be."

Paige shook her head. "I'm serious. It's alright. I want you guys to have fun. And I won't be doing it alone, you know that. I have lots of people to back me up here."

"Just make sure we won't be missing it," said Jouwee with a serious voice, smiling when Paige chuckled and nodded.

"Hey, why don't you just join us?" Cain sloppily gestured a hand to Jouwee. He shrugged. "I mean, some of my friends will bring their girlfriends with them, as boring as that would be..." Jouwee and Paige grimaced at that, to which he simply smirked at. "But, you know..."

Jouwee pursed her lips. "Hmm, yeah, okay. Pretty sure my couple friends won't mind me not third-wheeling them, anyway."

"It wouldn't be so awkward, though, if Paige and Arthur isn't a history, then you and I as friends, go together," Cain said, looking rather guardedly at Paige as if surprised. But it didn't seem like a slip. It was accidentally on purpose, she thought.

And that was all she could think about as Paige now stepped up to the platform. Two women were working on the back of the wedding dress she was fitting at the moment. And the dress was so dreamy and attention-catcher but for some reason, her smile was slightly beginning to fake as the day approached.

It was good enough that for weeks, her mind was occupied with refining the guests list with her mom, Isolde, Owen, and his mom, Claire; meeting up with the whole events team – from hired photo and videographers, caterers, florist, planner, and to the rest of the ceremony and reception group. She had never been so busy in her life, and she was very grateful for the rest of the team to work with her. Even choosing a cake was making her so psyched.

But now, in this fancy bridal shop – enveloped in a tasteful air of peace, it was getting difficult for her to shove the thoughts of Arthur away. She just tried to tell herself that it was a result of the wedding jitters. But knowing that her heart thought otherwise, she knew it wasn't just that.

Paige mentally shook her head, just catching up her mom's words that the dress was utterly beautiful. "Um," she smiled politely at the designer and to others in the mirror, "it is gorgeous. But I prefer a lot more simpler ones. Something a-lined, maybe, longer sleeves and a shorter train...?"

Her mom's face fell in slight confusion. "But honey, this is what every woman could ever hope for in a dream wedding. It speaks...royalty."

"I'm just not one of them, mom."

The seamstress laughed awkwardly, turning to her mother. "We would want for the bride to feel comfortable, however the design, Ms Cadwyn. I do have what you want, Ms Paige, and I'm certain that you'd absolutely love it."

She turned up a tight smile. "Alright. Sounds great."

And minutes later, she swept the drapes aside and revealed herself. When her mother saw her, she looked like she was about to cry. "This is more like you, I admit. You look like a real princess."