Hugh's Pic up top. *swoon*
Enjoy!
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It wasn't a known fact that I used to have a crush on Jon Burns. But somehow his devious younger brother figured it out before his wedding. Back then, Hugh and I weren't enemy level in terms of our relationship. We have our differences and nothing more. I didn't how or when he figured it out. And on the day of Jon's wedding, Hugh had decided to inform me that he knew.
It was right before the ceremony began, when relatives and friends chatted until the coordinator signaled us to seat down a few minutes the bride walked the aisle. I was sitting on the left side, fourth row seat beside my mother and father. When I remembered it, I regretted the moment I chose to seat at the edge of the long bench.
I didn't notice the groom walking pass me towards the altar. I had an inclination that everyone who was associated with the wedding walked in the middle aisle. So I was surprised when I finally saw Jon walking up. I prepared myself to stand and congratulate him until a hand tapped on my shoulder. I turned around to see a smiling Hugh.
"You look bitter," he remarked coolly like he was complimenting me.
"What? I looked better, you say?" I pretended that I misheard his words.
"Don't be a poor sport, Mitch just because the man in our dreams got hitch."
I grasp in shock at his words. My eyes blinked rapidly. "What did you...?" I asked breathlessly.
"Oh you heard me. Don't be a poor sport just because the..."he replied but trailed off as I grabbed his arm and pulled him away from prying ears.
"I didn't ask you to repeat what you said. And, how the hell did you know about that?" I hissed silently as I continued walking towards the huge door, where the groomsmen and bridesmaid are waiting.
"Oh! That... sorry I slipped. I didn't mean to say it out loud." He finally replied when we reached outside the church as I let go of his arm and face him.
"How did you find out?" I asked in clinched teeth.
"It's written all over your face since forever," he replied nonchalantly like it was an obvious fact.
"And what give you an inclination that I liked him?"
"This. Your reaction right now, but I had my guess for a few years now," he replied smugly like I fell for his trap, which I did.
My mouth hanged wide open as I tried to find a witty comeback. But I've got nothing. I did have a crush on Jon in elementary school though it didn't last long. Yet sometimes, I always think what it would be like to be with him. I never took action on those feeling since I knew they weren't real. My feelings for him were centered on the fact that he was nice and treated be better than Hugh. In comparison to the two, it was likely for me to fall in love with Jon. But I was wrong.
I marched back without a reply to the church, leaving a smug Hugh behind. Throughout the ceremony, I tried to keep my eyes away from him. I was angry yet at the same time mesmerized by how he dressed. He was wearing a tux with a bowtie with his hair slicked back in a neat do. For the first time, he looked like a gentleman. It was rare to see him cleaned up. He liked his V-neck shirt and jeans, which was his primary casual style.
After the ceremony, it was easy to avoid him since the guest and the entourage was seated further away from each other. I thought I would bee seeing less of his face until he sat down on the empty chair beside me. I gasped in shock before finding the confidence to snap at him.
"Why are you seating here?"
"I just wanted to say hi, and my brother wanted to talk to you," he replied casually before leaning in towards me. "If he is asking you to be his mistress, I would say run. He is not worth it," he whispered teasingly.
I smacked him right on his head, making him groan and cursed in pain. "I can't believe you are drunk right now and the program hasn't even started yet," I glared at him as he rubbed his head to soothe the pain.
"What was that for?"
I stood and grabbed his arm, pulling him up with me. "You need some fresh air. We are going outside," I ground my teeth in annoyance as I started walking out of the venue.
"What? But Jon wanted to talk to you. I'm not kidding," he weakly tugged his arm form my hold but I had a good grip on him.
I sighed heavily as I stopped walking and scanned the busy ballroom for the bride and groom. I spotted them being swarmed by guest as they entered the venue. I contemplated going there until I felt Hugh tugged on my hold again.
"I will talk to him later. Let's go out and find you some water. How much have you drink since this morning?" I asked in disbelief as I made my way towards the other exit in the room.
"It was two glass of whiskey and a few bottle of beers after our talk at the church," he mumbled admittedly.
We were by the lobby of the hotel when he said it. I stopped and looked at him in confusion. "Why are you even drinking?"
"Because you just admitted that you like Jon than me. And I've always liked you," he stated soberly for someone who was slightly drunk.
"Are you really drunk? Or are you just playing with me right now?" I asked as I stared at him in challenge.
"Are you kidding me right now? I just told you that and this is your reaction?" he asked in disbelief his words sounded serious.
I blinked my eyes a couple of times as I studied his face. I stood there rigid as I tried to come up with a reply. "Are you being serious right now?"
"For goodness sake! Jon told me that he wanted you to make a speech. If you refuse, you can talk to him later. I'm going to get another glass," he trailed off angrily as he walked pass me as he tugged and took off his bowtie.
I was stunned. I didn't know what to say. For all this years, Hugh had taunted and played me for a fool. How was I going to believe the words he was saying? And why now?
I felt my face flushed as his words slowly sunk in. But before my brain can completely processed it, I was snapped out of my trance as I heard my voice being called by someone familiar. I glanced up and saw my grandfather walking towards me.
"Honey, what are you doing here? Jon was looking for you. He told me that he wanted you to make a speech to represent the family," he stopped in front of me and patted my shoulder when I didn't respond. "Michelle, are you okay?"
I stiffly nodded my head and allowed him to loop my arm around his. "Granddad, I think I finally got an answer to my unrequited love," I mumbled absent-mindedly.
"You have some you liked?" he asked in interest.
"Yes. For five years now since I realized it. But I couldn't tell him since he always treated be awfully. I might be a masochist," I chuckled dryly at my bad joke.
"So this guy finally told you that he likes you?"
"Yes. He told after he found out that I liked his brother. But he misunderstood. I don't like his brother at all now."
"Did you clear it out with him?"
Like a kick in the back, I stopped walking and stared at my grandfather. "No, I think I did not."
"Then, tell him."
"I will. But I have to get back and talk to Jon first," I nodded as I snapped back to reality again. "Thank you for listening, granddad. I need to go now and clear this up. He is an impatient man."
I kissed him the cheeks and went ahead of him inside the venue to talk to Jon about the speech. When we were done talking, I excused myself and looked for Hugh. It look me awhile to find him until I heard his slightly drunken insult when I tripped near the dance floor as I walked in his direction.
I didn't know how to react when people around you was laughing as the man you though you have feeling for was trying to embarrass you. Like a wounded puppy, I turned and walked in the other direction. I thought that was it and maybe was trying to get rid of the awkward situation. But it wasn't. He was trying to embarrass me. He looked like an elementary school kid in his awkward stage of not knowing how to handle his feeling for the girl he liked.
And then, it got worst. I thought he wouldn't speak up and make a comment in front of his family, his brother's in-laws, and my family. He had been quiet since his last insult on my tripping incident on the dance floor. When it was time for me to give a speech, he talked.
"Good evening everyone and to the lovely bride and groom. I know I'm not part of the list on giving out this speech, but I have to say something since the groom and my family requested it," I started out shakily but my voice strengthened as I got an encouraging smile from Jon and Dahlia.
"My family is close to the Burns. They are like an extended family. Since you are now a Burns, Dahlia that would mean you're part of my family too. And it's nice to have a sister," I paused as I held up my glass of champagne towards her with a smile.
"I love you too, Mitch," she replied with a smile as she wiped away a tear falling down her right eyes. It wasn't the first time she had been crying.
I laughed at her enthusiasm as the crowd chuckled softly with us. "I love you too."
"And Jon, please take care of my new sister. You have been more than a friend to me and I would always wish you the happiest in life," I continued as I faced the groom with a grin and held up my champagne glass to him.
"Congratulation, bro! You sure are lucky to have two women loving you though you can only marry one," Hugh remarked and interrupted my speech.
There was a brief silence in the room as all eyes were on Hugh. "Hugh, shut up," Jon warned lightly as he glared at his brother.
"No, I mean you are lucky. Didn't you know? Mitch had a crush on you since we were young, and you still didn't choose her," he continued grimly as he glared back at his brother.
The room turned into ice. I heard a loud gasp as I bore my eyes in Hugh's direction. He was seated across the dance floor from me. "What the hell?" I asked in disbelief.
"Stop talking, baby brother or I will throw you out of this party," Jon stood up from his cheat and challenge his brother angrily.
"Don't worry. I can walk myself out of here. Good luck with the wife and mistress," he retorted as he got up his chair and lazily walked towards the main exit.
I didn't know where I got the strength, but I took off both of my shoes and aimed it directly at Hugh. "You bastard! You don't have the right to say that just because you knew!"
Since I was hysterical, both shoes didn't hit him at all. Instead I hit the sitting on the chair across from me while the other shoe landing a foot from him. From my embarrassment, I grabbed my purse and kept the champagne glass in hand as I stormed out. I saw a glimpsed of his stunned face before my back was towards the shocked crowd.
I continued walking until I got outside the hotel. I didn't stopped until a familiar car parked on the pavement a block from the reception. I didn't realize I was already crying when my grandfather got out of the car and enveloped me in a bear hug.
For weeks, I was a mess. I didn't socialize and kept away from anyone who was present in that party. I started to block myself out and worked myself almost to death in my office, trying to numb the embarrassment and fear. After a year, it toned down and people forget whether by choice or they were sympathetic. Jon, Dahlia and I had a talk a few months after the incident. I told him that I have no feeling for him romantically at all. And as I was saying those words to convince them, I was also trying to convince myself who was responsible for putting me in such a situation. And in that talk we had, I broke down and cried as my heart slowly shattered at the man responsible for my misery. The man that I loved.
I felt betrayed. I felt like I got stabbed at the back. Why did he do it? I always wanted to know why.
"Tell me. Why did you do it, Hugh?" I asked as I stared at him seriously while I pushed back a feeling that was trying to surface it's way back.
When I looked at him as he sat across from me in his casual blue V-neck shirt and jeans, it seemed like he hadn't learned his lesson. And the past two years was nothing. We were back at the part in our life when time stopped between us. As much as it passed, we were both stuck. I've known it since that day I looked at his eyes again for the past two years I've not seen him. We were both stuck and the clock had started ticking again.
"Do you still love him?"
"Just answer the question, Hugh. Don't skirt around it."
He stared at me for a moment. His eyes blinked once and then twice before he replied. "I was jealous. I was young. I was foolish. And partly, I was drunk. I'm sorry, okay. I'm sorry," he pleaded as he closed his eyes and ruffled his hair in frustration.
"Is that the only explanation you can give me?"
"What do you want me to say?" he asked in a desperate plea as he opened his eyes again. He looked guilty and apologetic.
"Why didn't you apologize? For the past two years, I've waited for you to apologize."
"Okay? I wanted too! But I was scared that you'll hate me," he suddenly stood up from his chair and paced in front of me.
"What are you? A ten year old?"
"Give me a break, here. When I got the confirmation that you like my brother, I just snapped. I wanted to ask you out but you were with someone at the time. And then a few days before my brother's wedding, I found out that you were single again. But I overheard a conversation with your friend - that British girl - that you have a thing for my brother or something though you were so vague. I had my doubts before when we were younger. You looked so shy around him, yet you always looked afraid or pissed at me. I don't know. I reacted badly," he mumbled in frustration as he continued pacing.
I gaped at him as I process what he was saying. Hugh Burns liked me since we were young at the same time that I liked his brother. But how didn't I see it? Five years before he messed up, I realized that I fell in love with him. Why didn't he see that? I didn't do anything because he never looked like he was interested. He kept on giving me side insults and pranks. He was always trying to get my attention.
And then it clicked. "Are you kidding me? You're way of showing the girl you liked is to treat her like shit?"
"This is not how I picture this date to start," he stopped pacing and grumbled under his breath.
"What?" And I thought we went out to vent out my anger from last night.
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A/N: Hey everyone! I'm very sorry for the lack of update on the story last week. I'm trying to write and finish the story, but I'm getting to much writer's block. We are almost there. A few more chapters before the awaited choice. And I like making surprises in my story. :)
I'll be updating tomorrow, for compensation.
Have an awesome day and happy reading!