Dirty Little Heart

Bridesmaids.

"So by proper shower, you meant proper shower," I ask Ethan.

He laughed, cupping my cheek while he put body lotion on my...well..bo*bies.

"Just because I'm not doing anything right now, doesn't mean I won't in the future."

"Yeah well, till then the moment would be gone,"

Ethan spun me around slowly and gazed right into my eyes.

"Patience, Love. Have I ever disappointed you before?"

I turn my eyes away, playing with him and almost burst out laughing.

"Oh, I haven't, I'm sure of it," Ethan growled concerned.

"Well, maybe, maybe not. Who knows," I say and I run out of the bathroom, wrapping the bathrobe around my body as Ethan follows up behind me.

"Catch me if you can," I challenge him as I run down the hallways.

"If I do, be prepared to bear my punishments,"

"Okay, but let me go out with Mai first. She's waiting." I say and lock myself in my room.

"You're gonna pay for that," Ethan says while standing on the other side of the door.

I open the door and kiss him instantly.

"I will."

Before I could shut the door again, he blocks the pressure by his feet.

"What?" I ask.

He takes my left hand and slides a ring onto my finger.

"Ethan, this is..."

"You don't have to say it."

It was a fucking sapphire ring. A blue sapphire. And it was so damn bright I could literally see the Titanic floating in.

"When did you get this?"

"Uhhh, three months ago."

"What?!?? And you..."

"This was the right time, Anna. We were already struggling in this relationship. But I guess deep down I already knew I would need this ring."

"Ethan.. I.."

I say nothing further. In fact, I pull him closer and give him a hard, warming kiss, including my tongue.

I settled my forehead on his. Taking in his scent, his love and affection.

"I love you, Ethan Cooper."

"And I, you."

I really didn't know what I would do without him.

"This calls for a marriage, you know." He says.

"I do."

"Wow, so quickly? We haven't even shared our vows together."

"Shut up and get your best man ready."

"And you, your bridesmaids."

"Meet you soon," we kiss each other again before walking our own paths.

I get dressed. After a few minutes or so, Ethan's driver drops me off at the barista and I meet Mai there.

"Well, hello, Mrs Cooper. How do you do?"

"Stop me, Mai, please."

"Oh, come on! You didn't even tell me! How did Jonathan take it? Was he crying? Was he sad!?"

"Well, he's an adult. He can take care of himself, I know. It was the right choice, Mai. We could have never been friends, even if I wanted to be."

"It just doesn't work that way."

"I know, Anna. You did the right thing." Mai comforts me.

"I know... he's gonna be torn. And I know what he had been, everything that I wanted. But it wasn't what I actually needed."

"It's gonna sound harsh but, I'm glad I chose Ethan."

"Me too," a voice comes from behind, a familiar one.

I look at Mai, who gives me an apologetic look. I turn back and see Jay standing. Hailey and Stella accompanied her, too.

"What're you doing here?" I ask.

"Mind if...I sit?" She says... with terrifying expressions and almost begging ones.

"Sure," I say and I looked forward at Mai, trying to ignore the fact she's here. Hailey and Stella find a place to sit with us, too.

There was a moment of awkwardness. We all were staring at each other as if we were complete strangers. It was... bleh.

"So, did you hear about the model who fell off the stage while cat walking?" Hailey says, trying to break this tension.

"Oh, Hailey, that was awful!" Mai says and we all burst into laughs. Okay, either we're all depressed or we're getting old, laughing at mimics like these.

Suddenly, Jay turns her full attention towards me.

"Anna, I..." Everyone shut up instant.

"I just wanted to apologise about that day. I didn't know what came over me."

"Hell yeah, you didn't," Stella added. Well, she's brutal that way.

"Stella, there no-" I was about to tell her there's no need to defend me, but Jay cuts in between.

"No, she's right. Look, Anna. To tell you the truth? I was jealous. I was jealous of all of you. You all know what you wanted in your lives and you have at least someone. Anna's almost married. And I'm nowhere in my life."

"When I first got to know that you had a relationship with the one and only 'Ethan Cooper' I just.. I couldn't take it. It felt as if I really was different or if I don't deserve the love you have."

"I know it's stupid. But I guess I was letting out my life's frustration with you. It was... fucked up. I...I fucked up. I hope you can forgive me."

I took a long pause, and everyone's eyes were now on me. Well, honestly, if it weren't for her badass behaviour, I wouldn't have been here too. I'm not saying I love the fact that she screwed the entire trip, but, yeah, she did something good out of it.

It.

"Well, forgiving would be a little difficult right now."

"But.."

"But..?"

"You can repay me by being my bridesmaid."

"WHAT?"

I turn to look at all the others while showing them my ring finger.

"Will you all be my bridesmaids?" I say, smiling.

"I.. uh." Hailey fluttered. Stella was numb, Jay was... high? And Mai...

"Hell yes!!" She said it so loud that all the others stared at us.

"We would love to be your bridesmaids! Wait... you're getting married.!? When are you getting married? When the fuck did you get engaged?"

"This is the first time I'm being a bridesmaid...I..."

She walked over to me and hugged me from behind... so tightly that she almost left me breathless.

All the other girls stared at us, trying to figure out if they should join in too or not.

"Oh, come On."

They all smile and joined our little circle. I couldn't help but have tears in my eyes.

"I'm glad I have you guys in my life," I say to all of them.

"So are we, you rich bitch, so are we."

We laugh as we stay there, feeling the moment.