The Wedding Effect

[25]

This was it: the last time I was ever going to fall for a man. Parker's betrayal had proved that I was indeed unlucky in love, and I was going to stay single for the rest of my life.

But it hurt. It hurt like hell. Finding out that the one you were beginning to love decided to consciously play with your emotions. It made me want to run into the street crying, like in the movies.

However, I couldn't. I couldn't even find it in me to cry. Sure I felt like a thousand needles were pricking my chest. Like the whole world was crumbling over me. Like I couldn't breathe. But sitting at the base of the steps that led to the front door of the hotel, with my fist under my chin, I wasn't crying. I couldn't.

I felt like I was going to explode at any minute.

All his promises, all the little sweet things he said. He did. That marriage hint from this morning. It all led to this: he was leaving. And I wasn't going with him. He was going to leave my sorry ass just like everyone else did. And I hated him for it.

My head, my heart, my lungs, everything felt like I was on fire, a bad fire. The kind that would burn me down, destroy me, and then pick away the ashes. I couldn't get him out of my head, with his stupid smile and stupid-yet brilliant-green eyes. I had to give it to him, though: he had snagged my heart very badly.

A long exhale left my nostrils as I blinked because my eyes were beginning to sting from the dryness.

Cry.

I was practically begging myself, knees on the floor and hands clasped together. I needed to let it out. I couldn't.

Cry.

"Camsy?" The person's voice wavered in the middle of pronouncing my name like he wasn't sure if I was the one. I turned to the side to see the person.

My eyebrows furrowed. He looked familiar: shoulders, eyes, hair, face. I could tell I knew him. I wasn't just sure how.

I wanted to give him a reply or ask him why he was disturbing my peace, but I found, after opening my mouth, that I couldn't form words. So I gave up and ran my tongue over my lips, nodding instead.

He proceeded down the steps towards me. His eyes slightly squinted.

"Everything okay?" He asked, dropping to sit beside me. Even though I could feel his breath against the side of my face from how close we were to each other, I felt nothing. "You look a mess."

I opened my mouth, and words flew out this time. "I am a mess if you're not sure about that yet."

He laughed, looking away for a brief moment. "What's wrong?"

"Can't someone just be a mess and have nothing wrong with her life?" I tried to play dumb, but it sounded stupid, so I snorted after a beat. "Everything's wrong."

"Want to talk about it?"

Did I? "Not really, no," I replied. My brow arched. "I know you, don't I?"

His eyes widened as he chuckled breathlessly. "Of course, you would forget. You were drunk."

I watched him blankly, hoping I hadn't embarrassed myself before a stranger.

He faced me, staring at me with a softness in his eyes. "Trent, the bartender who tried to hit on you."

Realization slapped me.

"Trent!" I gasped, eyes widening. "I am so sorry. I was just so-"

"It's fine," he waved it off. "I understand. You're taken anyway. Hitting on you was stupid on my part."

I couldn't help the sad chuckle that left me. "I don't think I am, not if he's leaving."

Trent's gaze leveled, darkening by a shade of blue. "Damn..." He drew the word out, making me feel more sad. "That is a mess. Have you talked to him about it?"

I scoffed. "What's there to talk about? He'd probably just feed me with lies." I exhaled, moisture finally growing in my eyes. "I'm tired of all the lying."

"So, what do you want right now?"

What did I want? I wanted to be loved, to be wanted. To be settled like Mida. To have a trustworthy guy like Marcus. To be happy.

Maybe it was too much to ask from fate.

"I want to get away from this place," I replied instead, under his softening stare. "I want to go back home."

I wasn't sure that was a good idea. Home was the first place I'd met Parker. The possibility of me moving on from him if I went home was slim. But, at least home would take me away from this venue. The place I'd lost my heart to him, the place he'd convinced me that I could still find love.

I got up, staring down at Trent's seating figure. He watched me with a tinge of curiosity in his gaze, like he was trying really hard to understand me but was failing at it. He got up as well. His figure towered above mine.

"I think you should talk to him," he suggested, tucking his hands into his pockets. "Garth isn't the kind of guy who would just lie. As far as I know about him, he seems quite trustworthy."

I was beginning to think that was only a mirage. Everyone had this perfect image of Parker-a Garth image. The guy who could do no wrong. But he had wronged me now, and that image in my eyes was beginning to fade, beginning to be clouded by the anger and sadness he'd caused in me.

I stayed quiet, hands balling into fists.

Trent's gaze lowered to my fists, and he sighed, placing a hand on my shoulder to ease the tension. "Listen, Camsy. A conversation is needed if you want anything good to come out of your relationship."

"There's no relationship if it's built on lies."

"Some people aren't lucky enough to get the person they want, Camsy." His words sounded a little familiar, like something the former me would say.
From the way, his grip on my shoulder increased, and his gaze darkened. I could tell there was a message in there.

Too bad I wasn't ready for another man. Not after Parker.

He let go of my shoulder, going to put a finger under my chin instead. I searched for the sparks and found none. None like the ones I felt with Parker.

I needed to get him out of my system.

"You have to be willing to take, Cam. Fate isn't going to give you anything good the easy way."

With a gulp, he stepped back, his hand falling to his side. He offered a tight smile. "I'm going home, but I'll keep in touch."

I blinked. "How are you going to do that? I didn't hand you my number last night, did I?"

He laughed, walking away. When he was a few feet from me, he stopped and turned to face me. "I have my ways. Maybe one day we'll meet again." He shrugged with a smile. "Fix your relationship, don't let fate win."

With that, he walked away.

When he was gone, anger bubbled through me, merged with sadness and all the effects of heartbreak.

I began up the stairs, fists intact at my sides.

I was going to give Parker a piece of my mind. If he was leaving, then I might as well hand him a proper send-off.