Pretty quick, right? I’ve missed writing this story so much. Plus the exciting fact that the plot of this story has all been sorted out makes me so happy. I’ve been writing nonstop! It’s actually four in the morning here right this very moment but I don’t really care. Yesterday, I quit writing at seven and slept at nine… in the morning! I don’t know what’s happening to! There’s probably something wrong with me since I’m writing Wicked so much but I don’t think you’d pity me about that.
So this is actually where the plot thickens… I hope you enjoy this chapter… well, so to speak.
Tell me what you think, okay? Hm… 50 votes to unlock the next chapter. Can we try this again? Hahaha. I feel like a smoocher.
Enjoy guys. Check out the external link. I’m actually proud of that achievement. :)
X Princess
Chapter Eighteen – Tonight it all ends.
Choose. The word rang like an earsplitting bell inside my head. This couldn’t be possibly happening to me. How could I choose? Again? I just chose not twenty four hours ago! Darren was too much of a gem to break.
And then suddenly, it dawned on me. I can’t. I couldn’t break his heart.
But it was either him or Damon. How could I choose Damon over him? Darren has only been amazing to me. How my heart works, I had no idea. If only I could ask help from Adam. But neither he was out of the choices… He’d be disappointed if he found out I was giving Damon another chance, and that was another thing I didn’t want happening. Yet, they just kept on filing up.
How could I have this much power over them? Maybe I should just sail alone at the Pacific and never come back. Letting myself drift away was another good idea.
Darren was offering me the fresh start I was looking for, but Damon was giving me back what I’ve always wanted ever since the beginning. My mind knew what my choice should be but my heart was tremendously aware of what my whole being craved for.
Insentiently, I scoured the dance floor to look for Damon, he wasn’t there. They had moved to the bar where they were having a contest of downing flame shots and found that he was already staring at me. He smiled.
Never have I thought that I’d ever be graced with that kind of smile again. It was only one time when I saw that soft, carefree smile. Back before when we were driving to get our first grocery together, when the topic about me being boyfriend-less have arisen. That was a beautiful night. I didn’t think I’d ever see that smile again.
And then I suddenly remembered Darren. I looked at him, myself slightly surprised that for one tiny fleeting moment, I had forgotten all about him. How cruel of me. How could I do this to him? And as much as I realized how badly I was treating him, the more I have to let him go. But if I let him go, what would that say about me if I stayed with Damon—a man who left his fiancée just to be with another woman?
“Louise!” I heard a voice, retrieving my entire being from my reverie. When I turned I saw Eva sauntering towards me, dragging Damon by the wrist. “I have something for you. Come!”
Eva immediately grabbed and hauled me by the hand, leaving two surprised gentlemen behind us. In no longer than fifteen minutes we were at some place fancy, I figured it was Eva’s suite. It looked exactly like Damon’s, except there were undergarments, empty chips packaging, and soda cans scattered all over the floor. I was actually quite relieved that Eva had managed to grab me out of that awkward situation.
On the way to her room, I almost tripped on a huge can of whip cream. Eva was such a loafer. She pushed me down the side of her bed and shuffled about at a walk-in closet.
“Found them!” She cried, emerging from the closet with two red boxes and a black paper bag before dropping them all beside me. “Here you go. Open them!”
“You seem excited than I should be.” I commented.
She smiled, biting her upper lip, rubbing her hands together like she was a hungry predator about to eat her prey, except she was a jolly one. “I’ve never given a girlfriend a gift. Bless me the pleasure of my first, okay?”
Wow. Seems like they’re making a line. I chuckled softly and started undoing the gold ribbon around the first red box. It was a beautiful white dress with a black belt that was folded on the side.
“It’s beautiful.” I exhaled, imagining the dress on me. “I haven’t opened the rest yet I already feel like this is too much for a birthday gift.”
She grinned, softly biting her tongue that was slightly showing. Clearly, she looked more than excited. “Just open the rest.”
I did as told, and in the second red box was a pair of black stilettos while in the paper bag was a small black chain sling bag and I had already imagined it perfectly matched the shoes and the dress.
Suddenly, my vision started blurring and without me immediately realizing it, a tear fell down my cheek.
“You know, good shoes take you to good places.” Eva said, suddenly in a comforting manner, wiping the tear from my face.
“They’re too much for a birthday gift!” I cried softly.
She smiled. “To be honest, they’re not just birthday gifts.”
I frowned.
“Tomorrow night’s my official engagement party. I want you to wear them.”
My heart clenched. What did she just say?
“Mom and Dad wanted to do it again, officially, since everyone was still here.” She said in a low voice before laughing coyly. “They couldn’t wait.”
How was Damon going tell her tomorrow? How could he even tell her? Was he going to even tell her?
Eva looked at me, her cheeks red. “I really like him Louise. I know how cheesy this is gonna sound, but I’ve never felt this way before.”
The dress Eva gave me was beautiful. It had a vertical opening at the back along the spinal line, and the belt was a perfect touch. I wore the necklace tonight. If anything happened, I was going to need this present. This may or may not be returned to its rightful owner this evening.
I stared at the mirror emotionless. It felt like tonight was the judgment day. And everything will be coming to its end.
“He was looking for you last night, Louise.” Sam said. I hadn’t realized she entered my room. “Eva came back alone and you were gone. Darren went to check you here but he… he asked Eva full frontal.”
I didn’t have the energy to come back last night. After learning that their engagement was to be official tonight, my body has been automatically drained of energy. Their first shattered me, but this time… this time it’s sucking my very soul dry. Because this time, I stand a chance, no matter how little it was.
Sam walked behind me, meeting my eyes at the mirror. “Eva was worried you wouldn’t come to her engagement party after knowing you spent the entire day in bed.”
I looked down for a moment, biting my lip before looking back up again. “I don’t know what’s going to happen Sam. I’m scared… I’m scared of not knowing what to do.”
She grabbed my hand and squeezed it. “It’s going to be okay, Aimee baby.”
Suddenly, there was a clearing of throat somewhere. Our heads snapped to the doorway where a very handsome Darren stood.
“I apologize for barging in, but the door was open.” He said, smiling a little.
Sam dismissed his apology. “It’s fine. Everyone was decent anyway.”
Darren chuckled softly. “Do you mind if I bring her to the party, Sam?”
“Not at all.” She replied. “I’m just gonna grab my purse and I’m out. Errol’s already outside anyway. See you guys later.”
I smiled at her, gratefully, and watched her exited my room.
“You look beautiful, as always.” Darren commented, walking towards my spot. He picked up the bracelet he gave me that was at the bedside table and put it around my wrist. I watched his every move.
“It’s a really beautiful bracelet, Darren.” I said, looking down at the gold chain on my wrist.
He placed his fist at the bottom of my jaw, running it along the line. A cold shiver ran down my spine.
“I would kiss you right now,” He said and paused. “But I don’t think I have any right to.”
I didn’t provide him any response. I was so mesmerized by the beauty of his face plus his amazing personality, and the entire makings of his very being. And the impending dark cloud I was about to cast over him was masking everything.
“I’m not rushing you to forget him. A chance, Louise.” Darren said. “A chance is all I ask. And I’d wait a thousand years if that’s what it takes.”
I wanted to tell him that I couldn’t do it, that I couldn’t give what he was asking for; that I still loved Damon, and I could never let go of him, but before I could even construct the subtler, less spiteful version of that, he had already figured out, by the look on my face.
He looked down, pursed his lips, and then looked back up again, into my eyes. “I understand.”
I could already feel the searing sensation that was building up inside my eyes, so I looked down and that was when it started pouring out.
“Are you crying?” asked Darren, bringing my head up by the chin. “Please don’t cry.”
I liked Darren. I really do. The thing was… I love Damon. No matter how hard I try to forget him, it seems like I only put myself further into loving him.
“I’m so sorry, Darren.” I finally said. The guilt was weighing down on me like a huge boulder on my shoulders.
“Don’t be.” He whispered softly. “I don’t want you to feel guilty about any of this.”
Slowly, I raised my wrist up, and started fiddling with the lock of the bracelet. He stopped me before I could even succeed.
“I want you to keep it.” He said. “Can you do this for me?”
I took a heavy deep breath in and nodded. “You’re perfect, you know that?”
“Too bad you didn’t realize that sooner, eh?” He said playfully, the cheeky grin on his face was back.
Darren offered me his hand and together we went out of my room and started walking to the party. The venue was the huge tent before where the gala was held. From a distance it looked so vivid, glistening with yellow light. The memories of my first encounter here came rushing back and I couldn’t help but gather how far we’ve come from then until now.
Amidst my reminiscing, I was held back by Darren’s halted figure. I looked at him and found him surprised, a hard look on his face, staring straight ahead. When I followed his gaze, my legs turned jell-o.
Damon.
His eyes were narrowed at our hands entwined together. I swallowed heavily. Darren looked down at me just as I looked up at him and we both took it as a signal.
“I’ll be inside.” He whispered at my ear before placing a lingering kiss on my forehead, like it was the last he’d be giving me. Then he was gone from my hand, walking past Damon and into the tent.
I clutched my purse tighter, not knowing if I was to come near him or wait till he does… which he did, in a matter of painfully long minute.
“You told him already?” He asked.
I nodded slowly.
“How about you?” I probed and suddenly, it felt like opening Pandora’s Box…
He gave me a diffident look.
My heart was being suffocated, losing air rapidly. This was what I was afraid of—that I wouldn’t know what to do.
“You haven’t?” I confirmed. “And you’re going through with this engagement? Were you even planning on telling her?”
His expression didn’t change. The constricting feeling in my chest grew tighter and I sensed the huge lump that was forming in my throat. My whole body turned numb and I was afraid of speaking out my next words.
“I want you to decide, Mr. Clyde.” I whispered slowly, my voice croaking. “Choose. No sugarcoating, no evasion. Just tell me who you really want. Me… or Eva. If you choose her, please promise never to appear in front of me ever again.”
I pursed my lips and murmured softly, “I can’t do any of this anymore... so choose.”