A Little Bird Told Me

Her Fiance

I don't know how she met him. One day she was as single as me and the other she had a boyfriend. Maybe she didn't tell me and they had been talking for a bit, but knowing Teerana, she would've gushed about him to me. Teerana Visalyaputra. Part of a crazy rich Thai family. She was my age, 25, and we had been friends since kindergarten. She chose me as her friend, that may be weird, but- No, it is, I admit it. Even if she is not the nicest, I've grown attached to her. 

Anyway, we hung out in her backyard with a couple of her rich friends every Friday evening, and one day, that guy was just there. Tee didn't even get to introduce him to me.

I was sitting  on a bench near a rose bush and he was at the barbecue next to it. I leaned to try to smell the flowers' scent, but only got a whiff of smoked steak. As my annoying self, I couldn't control an outburst of coughs. I tried holding it in for a second. That was a bad idea, I felt my lungs scrunch against each other (if that's possible, I'm not a doctor, I'm actually a veterinarian, which if I think about it, is pretty close to a doctor, so you know what? I'm a doctor! For pets, a doctor for pets.), the urge to cough filling the air around me like a cloud of dust. I turned to the side of the bench and tried to steady my breathing, hoping no one noticed me. 

   "Woah, are you okay?"

I remember our first interaction like it was yesterday. My voice all hoarse, not turning in his direction I managed to croak a weak "yes". I thought he had left me alone, but a hand touched my shoulder. 

I coughed a bit more before he (Viviano, though I didn't know who he was at this time) spun me around, our eyes locking immediately. Staring into his earth-brown eyes with silver specks in them, I nervously slid my hand in my hair, trying to not look uncomfortable even if I was. 

His eyes seemed concentrated on my lips.

   "You got some... saliva here", the mysterious young adult (yes, Viviano, mysterious...) pointed out.

   "Ah, really?", I sputtered out, embarrassed. 

I wiped it out, cursing at myself mentally. I heard him hold a chuckle while I stood up, red like the flowers behind us. 

   "He's probably dying of laughter inside, that rich man, probably thinking he's so superior to me.", I thought, still ashamed for almost slobbering over a smoke inhalation.

   "I'm Viviano. You are?"

I side-eyed the handsome adult. Why was he making conversation with me? As if I cared about that. Most nights, no one except Teerana spoke a word to me, because I guess I wasn't as dressed up as them: I didn't look the part. 

For instance, that night, my friend was wearing a deep purple gown. On the other hand, I was wearing a tennis skirt with a random band t-shirt. So, I was glad that someone paid me some attention. I wasn't a ghost to him, just a girl who drools when she coughs...

   "Charlie. Charlie Wright. I'm-"

   "Tee's housekeeper? Right?"

My eyes went big. What? Why did he think that? Feeling honestly disrespected, I shot him a pained look (it was supposed to be a dirty look!).

   "No... Friend."

Now, it was his turn: His eyes went big and he almost choked on his tongue. Red spots appeared on his cheeks almost like a Dalmatian while he apologized.

   "I'm so sorry..! I don't understand, the girls there told me that..."

He pointed to Priscilla, Danielle and Edith, three close friends of Teerana. I growled under my breath. They were trying to smear my reputation when I didn't even have one in their world... 

   "You didn't look the part. You're just not overdressed like all of them," he added.

It was strange of him to state that when he was dressed like them.

His outfit was too much. He wore a jacket that was clearly made for him, it was simply a perfect fit. It had a simple, but elegant glen checkered pattern, which gave the suit a texture. The 4 buttons of his single breasted jacket were all buttoned up with the exception of one, a subtle touch of nonchalance that worked flawlessly. His pants copied the style of the jacket. To top it all off he was wearing a twisted rope golden bracelet. His outfit was indeed too much for a backyard event, and yet I wasn't bothered by his rig out. 

   "... I like your bracelet", I said, attempting small talk.

Surprisingly, he smiled at my compliment, thanking me and inviting me to sit next to him on the bench I was on before our encounter. We hit it off, laughing and sputtering nonsense at each other. We looked like good friends, not like strangers. With him, I was showing my real personality.

I have a tendency to hide my real personality from other people. To strangers, coworkers, even Teerana. Viviano didn't have to do anything for me to feel comfortable around him, it just happened. 

[...]

It had been maybe an hour and in my head, I felt as if Viviano was interested in me. Friends or not (or more), he was really curious about me. 

Teerana sat on his laps. 

I jumped, shocked by my best friend's action. I thought she was jealous that I was in a deep conversation with a handsome guy, but no. 

   "I didn't even get the chance to introduce him and you two are already chatting away?"

Teerana placed Viviano's hand around her waist, she swung her head over to where the guests were. 

   "EVERYONE! WHOOOHOO, OVER HERE!"

She wanted to make her announcement hence why she didn't care that maybe half of her so-called friends huddled around the bench. 

I observed Viviano, wondering what was happening. He wasn't even addressing me one look. Nothing. 

At that moment, I knew. 

Squirming on my seat, I stared down, listening to Tee's voice. I tried to catch up where she was in her long speech about their relationship.

Viviano and Teerana. In a relationship. Dating. Fine by me. He's off limits. Period. 

A part of me was thinking about how Teerana always got what I wanted or had my eyes on. It was unfair, but it was also my reality.

   "Also... We are going to get married in two months!"

   "What? How, what, when? How come I didn't know about this? Huh-", I stammered in complete shock.

Guy gives me attention. Guy is dating my best friend. Guy knows he's dating my best friend and still flirts with me. Guy is engaged to my best friend. The handsome guy is ENGAGED to my best friend.

At that time, I didn't know that Viviano was in love with me. I thought he was a player...

   "Calm down Charlie, it was an impulsive decision on my part. Our part I mean."

She laughed a bit "too loud too fake" if  I'm being honest here. And Viviano just seemed to be there for show as he didn't talk for the next hour or so. People asked questions to the engaged couple and my friend was the only one answering. 

I couldn't help but glare at Viviano throughout the night. When he was with Teerana, he ignored me.

At about 10 pm, I waved Tee goodbye, I had to go back home to my little brother, Jess. I took my backpack I had put in the vestibule. Heading for the door, I heard someone clear his throat.

   "Viviano..?", I whispered.

   "Um, no. That door leads to the garage, this one is the front door...", claimed a random man. 

He was right. I sighed, hurrying out the mansion.

I remember that night, I laid in my bed and was jealous of Teerana. She didn't deserve Viviano, he looked to be only her puppet. Their relationship seemed made up, an empty shell. 

The next day, my hard feelings were gone, Tee had even asked me to be her maid of honor.

Everything would turn out for the best. Me, single, Viviano with my best friend.