I Do

Chapter 17

   "Great! I can't wait!" I gush false-perkily. I tap 'End Call' and collapse into the pillows, repeatedly nudging Harry in the calf. 

   "Uhhh?" he mutters groggily, squinting at me. His usually glowing eyes are drowsy and his curls are ruffled from sleep. 

   "I need coffee," I demand, burying my head back under the pillow. 

-Hallie- 

   I knock lightly on the door to Harabella's flat, adjusting my hair and smearing a thin coat of Chapstick across my lips. Breathe, Hallie. You can pull this off. Just as I lift my hand to tap again, the door swings open, leaving my fist awkwardly hanging in midair. 

   I beam, recognizing Harry, who's forehead is creased and eyes are gazing intensely at me. "Hallie?" 

   "Um, hello," I reply. Why's he looking at me like that, anyway? Didn't Ara tell him about our agreement? It's his wedding too, after all, and he ought to know who's in charge of it. I glance down at the bulky binder (stuffed with images of every kind of ceremony imaginable) that's tucked beneath my arm.

   "You can't come in," he declares firmly, standing in front of the door like a barrier. 

   A rough cough spurts out of my mouth as I helplessly choke on my gum. Oh my God, has he found out about the sabotage? Is he absolutely furious? Does Ar know? Hallie, start tearing up and apologizing. No, be normal, act clueless. God, I need to quit jumping to conclusions. "Why?" I ask with a puzzled frown, puckering my lips in confusion. 

   "Because of you, I've been humming that Fabulous song twenty-four seven. It's about to drive me mad." He scowls playfully and his eyes sparkle.

   "Oh, denial," I play along lightheartedly, inwardly sighing with relief that he hasn't discovered anything. "You really ought to share that one with Louis, I think the lyrics fit him perfectly." 

   Harry laughs. "Most definitely. But what are you doing here?" he questions, ushering me inside. I inhale the thick scent of roasted coffee, my eyes widening as I glance around. I never noticed before, but his flat is massive, easily twice the size of mine, and furnished beautifully. Is anything in Harry's life not flawless? 

   Ar flounces into the room. Oh, right, there's his imperfection. "She's visiting," Ar announces brightly. She sips from her coffee mug, blinking her mascara-framed eyes innocently. "We're discussing, you know, wedding stuff."

-Arabella- 

   I clamp Hallie's arm between my glossy red nails, dragging her to the sparsely used office before she can protest.

   I've made up my mind. Being as it is, Hallie is my best friend. Not to mention obedient. If I ask her to pretend the wedding is my plan, she will. She kept the secret about Harry's on-air proposal, and about the time I cheated on John Thomas with an tall, tanned boy I met on vacation. I can trust her. 

   "Hal," I say, perching on the edge of the red velvet chair. I stare at her impatiently as she whips out her files, browsing through them. "I have a huge favor to ask you." 

   "Huger than planning your wedding?" Hal asks with a anxious laugh. She tilts her head to the left, confusion painted clearly in her face. 

   "In a way," I mumble before snapping into a brisk, convincing, encouraging personality. "Hallie, I understand you're putting lots of time and effort into this wedding. And I appreciate that so much." 

   She flashes me a pleased smile and nods, urging me to continue. "The thing is... um... well, you can't claim that you're the, you know, one who's planning it." Hal cocks an eyebrow with a wary frown and I shift uneasily, pinching at my pink sleeveless shirt. "Like, you're more of my assistant."