'Tis the Season

Mystery | The Wedding Getaway

Ever since Stacy made up with old childhood best friend, Aria, during Christmas break a year ago, they had been talking to each other non stop. Sure, it was through online considering they were towns apart, but video-calling had been their routine every single night, so much so that it felt weird if one of them didn't.

Stacy was back in town. This time, she was dressed in a formal dress for a wedding day, Aria's to be exact. Long story short, five months after they reunited, Aria announced about being engaged, and how she was invited to the wedding right on Christmas Day. Which was today. 

She had no idea about the guy that her best friend was going to marry, except for the fact that it was arranged by Aria's parents who had been worried about their daughter ending up alone. Even though she knew Aria's parents too well and their history in taking control of their child's life, which she assumed this was one of the cases, too.  

Either way, she had no say about it because like always, Aria went along with it. So she took one last glance at her reflection in the rearview mirror, retouching her lipstick and readjusting her dress. After that's over with, she got out of the car and walked straight to the church where everyone seemed to hold horrid looks on their faces while milling around the church worriedly. 

She knew something was wrong right away when she approached closer and overheard a group of women murmuring about how the groom went missing, presumably dead, and the bride-to-be was gone as well. 

"I bet she murdered him, my house was next to hers, and I heard them fighting last night!"

"I did too, God, she's going to get what she deserves for doing such a thing to him!"

"Right?! How could she, I wouldn't know how her family is going to do after this. Their reputation must be tarnished!" 

Those were the things said about Aria that Stacy heard. She couldn't take them and ran back to her car, sitting in silence, pondering over a few things. She thought about the possibilities of where her best friend might be. Then, she remembered that there was one place where she and Aria used to go to as a teen. 

She turned on the engine and drove away instantly, her mind was scattered with worst case scenario but she dismissed them all. Not even half an hour later, she arrived at the building. Their school wasn't far as opposed to their houses that they usually rode their bikes together. She got out of the car almost immediately, looking over the building, realizing that nothing had changed except for the repainting that they did for the walls.

Making her way hurriedly towards the stairs, walking past the very few students or teachers she met along the way because that wasn't part of the plan. She finally approached the top of the building, the rooftop that separated the two schools. Even though they both went to different school, but it was next to each other, so they'd go over there to meet up every time during break or just when she didn't want to come home just yet. 

Jackpot. She spotted someone standing a few feet away from her, still in a white, floor-length wedding dress, looking over the houses below. 

"Knew you'd be here." Stacy nudged Aria on the shoulder when she approached, earning herself a thin-lipped smile from the girl. 

Aria let out a shaky breath, as if she had been crying judging by the puffy eyes when Stacy observed her earlier. "I didn't mean to do it, you know. But he," She stumbled on her words, taking another long breath. "You probably have heard from the neighbors." 

"Yeah, but I don't believe them one bit," Stacy shook her head, "What happened?" She asked.

"I told them that he was no good and that I didn't want to marry him, but they didn't listen, like always," Aria chuckled,  "And last night.. Last night, he showed his true colors and I-" She took a long pause, as if not knowing whether to tell but Stacy raised one hand up on her shoulder for assurance. "I didn't mean to do it, I was just defending myself." She revealed finally, looking at Stacy with so much hurt in her eyes. 

Stacy understood exactly what her best friend was referring to and pulled Aria in for a hug. She stayed like that for a while before Aria decided to pull away. As if feeling a pang of guilt for abandoning her best friend long ago, she decided to support whatever Aria needed, even if it might've been wrong. "What are you going to do now?" She asked.

Aria nodded, "I didn't do much damage to him though, he ran off right after and left me alone. But I guess it's kind of hard to convince the others that now." 

Relief was what Stacy felt at the moment when Aria confessed that. "Well, whatever it is, I'm not going to leave you alone this time. You know that, right?" She stated.

"I don't think I can go back now, not now anyway," 

"Well, you're in luck 'cause I was going to go on a trip alone after this, but you can come with me, if you want. Consider this your honeymoon getaway." 

Without waiting for her best friend's approval who still seemed not convinced, she already dragged Aria away out of the building, into the car. 

There's no reason for a bride to be unhappy especially on Christmas Day, right?