Teenage Troubles (Prequel for Teenage Baby)

Chapter 21 | The captors

Chapter 21 | The captors

Pastel dresses, shades of a faded rainbow. Beige suites. Red ties. That was all Lou could see right now. Aside from that, unspoken calamity concealed behind pretty flowers and lost among glinting diamonds.

The day their father died now marked the day Dominic and Cara would get married. Same date, one year apart.

Lou couldn't be more uncomfortable about it. He'd begged them to find another day. But Cara had insisted. Celebration, she'd said. For everything he did to Dom. Is there something wrong, Luciano?

Lou had shut up about it because he didn't feel worthy enough to negotiate. Their father had been a bastard, the same one who'd abused his own brother, so why did he care? He couldn't answer if he tried.

"Dude, congrats!"

Lou felt a hand slap his shoulder. He winced and snapped his head towards the source of the voice. "For what?"

The man in front of him was from Cara's side of the family. "Because your brother's getting married?" The skepticism in his voice popped Lou's trance.

"Oh." Lou laughed awkwardly. "Oh. Right, yeah. I know. Obviously. Thanks. I just... I was thinking."

Lou hoped the man would leave despite the inadequacy. He did, but only after offering a weird look. Cara had still to arrive to the church and then it'd happen. From the corner of his eye, Lou caught Dom standing underneath the flowery arch, awaiting.

Lou didn't notice that the heel of his foot was constantly bouncing against the floor. He felt queasy, like any second and he'd kneel over and vomit.

"Lou?"

Lou turned. Dom was gesturing him over. Lou walked to him, one hand tugging at the black bowtie around his neck.

"Is everything alright?" The frown on Dom's brows was concerned. He reached forwards and took Lou's hand off the tie, then adjusted it again for him. "What's with all the fidgeting?"

You know, Lou thought. He said, "Nothing, Dom. I think I just wasn't expecting you to get married so fast. I'm literally standing in your wedding and I'm still shocked."

"It's been a year."

"...Since our father died."

Dom sighed. "Lou, just relax and forget about it. Who cares? Since when did we ever love him?"

Lou subconsciously mimicked Dom's sigh. Marrying Cara would make Dom happy, right? So if he constantly nagged, tried hurdling it, it meant he was selfish, right?

Right. Lou smiled and turned around just to find the people babbling about the bride's arrival. He stepped aside, beside the rest of the people, first row, a spectator halfheartedly watching unwillingness become a will he couldn't stop.

Cara appeared by the door, arm linked with her father's, white dress trailing behind as she slowly stepped forwards.

When she stepped past Lou's row, she smiled at him and he smiled back but a lingering, subtle repulsion radiated off both sides. Lou swallowed it down; it was his brother's wedding and he didn't want to ruin it.

Lou exhaled. At the head of the church, Dom was standing with tears in his eyes as soon as he saw Cara in the wedding dress.

Cut this shit, Lou thought. It was cute, people would say. And it was, if only he wasn't crying for Cara.

What happened next was a blur. Verses from the Bible. Vows. Cara and Dom holding hands, face to face. Priest rambling but Lou not focused. Then, Lou was called up for a minute. He handed the rings, watched as Dom and Cara wore them.