[Ambrosia Bellemore]
For the next few days, Neave's wedding was all everyone thought about. She wanted everything to be perfect, and I was determined to make the day magical for her.
Calum had agreed to be the best man for the wedding, not that he had any choice. I'd promised to plan our next date if he came with me without grumbling.
Two days before her big day, Neave called me while I was at the office.
"The bakery said you cancelled the order of my wedding cake," She says, calmly.
"Um, yeah. It was a hideous cake." I say.
"I designed it myself," She says.
I don't say anything.
"What are you planning?" She asks suspiciously.
"Nothing. No plans."
"Okay. Will the cake be there on time?"
"Yep." I say, hanging up.
My mother and I still weren't talking, even though we both tried to outshine each other in the wedding preparations. She surprised Neave and Paul with a new car yesterday, but I was positive that the cake would change everything. I was going to win.
When Calum dropped me home at night, there was another surprise waiting for me on the kitchen counter. A pink box with frilly ribbons and sparkles. With a squeal, I throw away my purse and my shoes and get my hands on it.
"What's wrong?" Freida runs out of her room frantically. She notices me staring at the box in awe and smiles knowingly.
"It's from Caecelia. I already opened mine." She says.
I gingerly lift the top off the box and pick up the letter inside.
Dear Ambrosia,
We've been through thick and thin. I've seen you covered in garbage and eating like a gorilla. You've seen me crying over boys and puking over my own clothes. I'm aware that my choice of boys has been a little awry, but I'm positive that this time, I'm doing something right. So, I need you by my side. And to lift my dress when I need to pee.
I give a scream of delight and hug Freida out of sheer happiness.
"I'm so happy!" I say, tears streaming down my face.
"Me too! So many weddings!" Freida says with a laugh, patting my head.
"I have to call Caecelia," I say. She picks up two rings later and two seconds later, the three of us are shrieking.
"I can't believe you're marrying Timothy Green!" Freida screams.
"You'll be Caecelia Green!" I scream.
"I can't believe I'm getting married!" Caecelia screams.
"OH MY GOD!" The three of us scream together.
"We've so much planning to do!" I say, taking a deep breath.
"We've got time," Caecelia says.
"Only two months," Freida says.
"I need to buy my dress! Will you guys come?" Caecelia asks.
"Of course!" We say.
"After Neave's done marrying, we'll plan everything together!" She says. "And Ambrosia? Timothy says he sent Calum a best man invite as well. Make sure he comes, okay?"
"I promise," I say, smiling.
"Thanks a lot. We owe you. See you guys at Neave's!" She says and hangs up.
The moment it cuts off, the phone rings again, this time flashing Calum's name.
"Ambrosia!" He screams, like he was running for his life.
"What? What's wrong?" I ask.
"There are about a hundred balloons in my room and an invite to be Timothy's best man!" He screams. Not with excitement.
"That's so cute!" I say, laughing.
"There are weird objects flying around in my room, Ambrosia. I fail to see how that's cute." He says with disgust.
"Show some excitement, Calum. Your best friend's getting married!"
"I don't see the excitement in that. Marriage is synchronous with life-long imprisonment. We just celebrate it to soften the blow." He says.
Everything inside me deflates like a balloon.
"Oh. Is that what you think?" I ask, narrowing my eyes even though he can't see them.
He must have realised his mistake because he begins to say something, but I hang up before he could.
"I'll show you life-long imprisonment, Mr Achorn." I mutter under my breath, take Caecelia's box and walk into my room.
~•~
I didn't talk to Calum in the next two days. I couldn't have, even if I wanted to. Neave made me and Freida scrub every surface of the house, even though the wedding was supposed to take place in a church five kilometres away. Neave insisted that it was all for her wedding, but Freida and I had suspected that she was just doing it to watch us suffer.
On the day of wedding, Neave rushed into the house at six in the morning with seven of her bestest friends. Needless to say, I couldn't fall asleep again.
"Ambrosia!" A nosey voice crooned and yanked the blanket off of me. Six blonde girls stood around my bed, grinning down at me. Squinting against the harsh sunlight, I groaned in complaint. Neave stood with her closest friend, Sarah, against my door, grinning.
"Wakey-wakey, maid of honour! We've to get you ready!" A girl with a huge nose says, pulling me by my hands into a sitting position.
In no time, I was ushered into the bathroom by six plastic blondes. One of them thrusts my toothbrush into my mouth. Someone runs a comb down my ragged looking hair. Another pulls out a shiny new make-up box and places it on the counter.
My eyes stay closed.
After about two hours, my face is done, my hair is shiny and twisted into a complicated pattern, and I'm technically hairless.
"Where's your dress?" One of the plastic barbies asks. I point in the direction of my closet, to a light purple dress I'd picked out out of sheer desperation and boredom.
Freida enters the room at the same time in a beautiful blue gown, and informs that I'd received a parcel. Thinking it might be something for Neave, I open it. And the blonde army gives a collective gasp at the beautiful dress that flows out.
It was the same green dress I'd been eyeing at Charlotte's.
I thought you'd look beautiful in this.
-C
Oh, Calum!
"Oh my God, that's a beautiful dress!" Big nose says, laughing shrilly. The others nod their heads in unison.
"Put it on! Put it on!" They say.
It fits me perfectly, landing just below my knees. The bodice is tight, but not too tight and it shimmers beautifully under the lights. It's the dress I'd wanted all along.
Freida and I take my car to the church. Neave is already there, looking absolutely stunning in a floor length gown. Every time she walks, the blonde barbies give a collective sigh.
Someone taps my shoulder.
"Dad!" I say, my hands flying to my throat in surprise. I hadn't seen the man in five years!
"Ambrosia, my wafflecakes!" He says, wrapping me tightly in his arms. I pull away and continue staring at him with awe.
"Are you still angry with me?" He asks, smiling softly. He's gained some weight, and his face is tanned and glowing.
"Yes," I say, my mouth pinching into a thin line. "You left me behind with these freaks, of course I'm mad!" I say, now smiling.
He gives out a chirping laugh, exactly like the one he made when I garfed down more food than my mouth could fit.
"How have you been, Dad? Where have you been?!" I ask, running a hand to smooth down the lapel of his jacket
"I've travelled all around the world, Am. India, Africa, China, visiting places." He says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
"Are you going to stay?" I asked.
"For a few days," He says, his tone apologetic. My face falls in disappointment.
"This is no time for sadness. Your sister's getting married! We'll catch up later." He promises. I nod a little and smile.
We watch the people chatting and smiling in a comfortable silence. My mother walks around the throng of people, occasionally throwing a cursory glance at us. My father walks away to greet some of his old friends.
A hand wraps around my wrist and I startle.
"Miss Bellemore, looking beautiful, not as usual." Calum Achorn's cold voice whispers in my ear. I give a huge laugh and turn around and freeze in my tracks.
He's wearing a shiny, new blue suit, his hair a little untidy and messy, which was unlike him. His eyes were bright as ever, blue and deep. The lapiz lazulis.
"Thank you for the dress, Mr Achorn." I say, grinning.
"We aim to please, Miss Bellemore." He says, grinning back.
I notice my surroundings for the first time. Everyone's staring at us. The blonde barbies are giving Calum appreciative looks, my mother looks enraged and dad gives me a suggestive grin. I can almost see the headline in tomorrow's paper.
"It's about to start," Someone announces and thankfully, almost all the attention is diverted from us. Calum and I take our positions, ready to make our entrance as the maid of honour and best man together. My knees start shaking at the thought of all the eyes on us.
But when the music starts playing and everyone gets seated, Calum takes my hand in his, calm and peaceful. Giving him a look of immense gratitude, I look straight ahead, ready.
~•~
The wedding has begun, and my characters are happy as ever! What did you think about the chapter?
I've a little surprise for you guys! Do you want to see Caecelia and Timothy's engagement pictures?! Huh? Yeah? Well, here they are! (All the pictures shown below don't belong to me. Courtesy: Pinterest)
How CUTE are they, huh? I'll see you guys soon with part two!
Ps- Thank you guys a lot for 10k reads!