Winter is for Lovers (Bucky Barnes X OC) [Book 1]

15. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

My chest suddenly felt very tight as I gazed upon the sea of people walking around the convention center, gawking at all the different exhibits and presentations worldwide. I thought it impossible to try and find Bucky within the crowd, even though he usually stuck out like a sore thumb in his Army dress uniform.

However, several men were in their uniforms, and eventually, they all blended in a sea of green.

"Hazel?" A familiar female voice sang out, causing me to turn my head to see Rebecca striding toward me.

Her big blue eyes twinkled in the lights as her styled hair bounced with every step she took. She looked like a model in a catalog, strutting over to me with a worried look as she caught my wildly nervous eyes.

"There you are," she said as she hooked her arm with mine. "We were beginning to think we'd never find you!"

That was partly the plan.

She seemed to not have a single care in the world, or like she wasn't keeping the biggest secret from me. 

"I told you I had to go and talk to Howard about something," I said, distracted.

"I thought he left something at the lab?" She questioned.

"Same difference," I sighed, which seemed to suffice for the time being.

"Howard Stark and Doctor Hazel Grace at the World's Fair, now that would be a scandal worth gossiping about," she giggled. "I'm sure you two could cook up some brilliant invention in no time."

"Maybe one day," I shrugged.

"Cheer up, Hazel!" She said, shaking me around. "We're at the World's Fair. I'm so excited! Oh, and Bucky said we're all going dancing after this," Rebecca's smile faded as soon as she noticed my uneasiness, nudging my shoulder to grab my attention. "Hey, you good over there, Haze?"

I sighed; it was time to confront her.

"When was someone going to tell me?" I asked, halting in the middle of the crowd, no longer hiding my frown. I couldn't wait any longer; the anger was boiling over inside me.

How could she keep this secret from me?

Rebecca hesitated before the smile cracked on her face, and I noticed her eye twitch, her tell for when she was hiding something.

"Tell you what?"

"Don't do that. Don't play stupid; it's not a good look for you," I said to her, biting my lower lip in frustration. "I know."

"You know what?" She kept her innocence.

"I know about James leaving tomorrow," I told her. "I know that you know that he leaves tomorrow."

"How?" She asked.

"I heard the two of you talking outside of my bedroom."

"That's why you left in such a hurry..." She was piecing out the puzzle in her head, letting out a sigh of defeat.

"Does Steve know?" I asked.

"Yes."

So I really was the last to know.

"Bucky told him before we got here," she said. "He got his orders earlier this week."

I blinked up to the ceiling, trying to keep the tears from falling down my face and letting the mascara run down my cheeks, but it was hard to hold in everything I felt.

Anger.

Rage.

Betrayal.

"How could you keep something like that from me?" I said through a broken sob.