The Wedding Effect

[26]

Mida and Simone stood with surprised expressions as they watched my figure approach them. Anger, pain, and sadness fuelled my motions, my thoughts, and everything else at this point.

Simone's lips parted as she formed words. "We've been looking all over fo-"

I pushed past her and barged into my room, sending the door flying open and hitting the wall with a smack. My feet stomped their way onwards, hearing the door swing back shut with a quieter bang.

Parker, who previously had a phone pressed to his ear with his back to me, turned around with enthusiasm. His eyes growing wide and mouth agape.

"Cam-"

I lifted my hand and delivered a slap right to his face.

Parker's face shifted to the side on impact, and he froze like that for the first couple of moments. My gaze drilled holes into him, my hand burning from the aftereffects of the slap. Every normal brain cell in me was yelling at me, measuring the sanity of my actions. But my heart stung. It pounded against my ribcage, making it hard to breathe, binding my lungs.

When Parker looked up, his green eyes had a fire in them. His anger almost matched mine.

I'd never seen his angry side. He majorly showed his happy aspects, but I had also seen him sad on a certain occasion, five years ago. I had to swallow to get the consuming thoughts of him out of my head.

It didn't work.

Moisture was beginning to collect in my eyes by now. All the anger I'd felt had been compressed into that hit. Now that anger was replaced by sadness, hollowness, melancholy, and self-loathing.

Maybe my bad luck was as a result of my own inconsistencies. But why? Why did he make me fall this deep if he was going to let go?

"I hate you!" I cried out, tears fully forming, threatening to break loose. My voice was hoarse, my throat thick with emotion. I fought to glare at him without looking pathetic. "I hate you very much, Parker."

He frowned, shut his eyes, and exhaled, certainly trying to regain calm. It made a fresh anger bubble in me. He was being silent, proving all my theories.

What did I want from him? I wasn't sure. Maybe I wanted him to lie. So my sanity would be restored. His actions were only driving me crazier.

I pounded a fist into his chest, causing him to wince and step back. Other than that, he didn't seem affected. It enraged me. The tears broke free.

"What did you think, huh? What did you think of me? What did you think was going to happen? You were going to test out the waters with this pathetic wedding planner and then dump her ass without her knowledge?!" My voice raised with each word, up to the point where it felt like it was going to give out. But it didn't. With the way I was yelling, I could tell that Mida and Simone could hear me from outside.

"You're worse than the rest of my exes!"

That was the final blow. Parker snapped.

"I wanted to tell you!" He yelled back, stunning me to silence. I leaned away from him in shock. "I even wrote a damned letter. We were supposed to talk about this last night."

Recovering, I sneered at him. The tears were still running down my cheeks, but I ignored them and walked to the bedside table. I grabbed the letter off it and waved it in Parker's face.

"How did you think a letter was going to explain you deciding to leave? Deciding to break my heart, again!" I spat. "You're always confronting me for running away from you, yet today you acted out of pure cowardice!"

"I got a job!"

For the second time since this banter began, I was stunned to silence.

He got a job. Did he not already have a job?

"What do you mean?"

Parker cursed under his breath and ran his fingers through his hair, sending strands out of their arrangement. "Just read the letter."

I glared at him some more, but proceeded to do as he told me to. Unwrapping the folded piece of paper, I ran my gaze over the words.

Dear Camsy,

Over the past five years, we've done nothing but try to escape each other. I know at first it seemed like you were the only one running away, but I realized that I also tried to escape love. To escape you.

That night, I was scared of you because I felt a part of me already giving in to your love. I thought you were going to break my heart, just like Clare did. So I left and left a part of me behind.

But not anymore.

I got a deal with ARcane to develop Wellington's current project.

My eyes were hooked to the name 'ARCane' for a second longer. They were one of the top gaming companies in the world. The only company that had come close to creating realistic games. Games that you could literally step into.

So yes, this was a big deal. A part of me leaned with joy for him but the other, angrier part was eager to reach the end of this. To see what the point of this letter was.

In order to improve on the project, I've been requested to move to London for the time being. ARcane said the move will only be temporary so we can work on the project properly.

Believe me. I tried to make them send representatives to America, so I wouldn't have to leave you. I really cherish what we have, but this offer is one that I can't miss. Even my parents have already approved of it.

But I can't leave you again. I can't not be with you. I can't lose you again.

I turned the paper over, hoping to see a continuation but met nothing. Confused, my brows furrowed. I looked up at Parker, who now had a somber expression.

"What does this mean? You're not leaving?" Hope blossomed in me. All I needed now was a sign of affirmation from him, and everything would be fine again.

The side of his face that I had hit had taken up a brighter shade of red than the rest of his face. I fought back a grimace. Was I that strong?

He exhaled heavily, shoulders drooping. "I'm leaving, Camsy."

All the air left my lungs in one gasp as I took a step back. He was leaving. What was the point of this letter then?

"No, that's not all," he interrupted my raging mind by saying. Eyes brightening again, he stepped forward and cupped my face, staring me in the eye. "I want you to come with me."