This was not our plan.

Ch 19: mads and clee forever

Cleo Atwood

~Flashback - 2 years ago~

Tears streamed down my face.

Every muscle that fought them back have finally been given permission to be released.

There's no words to describe the feeling of watching your little sister, your best friend and the first child you've had a hand in raising — walk down the aisle.

Madeline looks so beautiful in her dress. I watched from the alter, which allowed me to see every alluring detail — the lacy sleeves that crafted it's way around her shoulders.

The white fabric, shimmering with every step. She looked like a dove as the rest of her dress followed gracefully behind.

I barely even cared that I was actively crying in front of our entire family, because it was an emotion nobody in the room could ever understand.

Not even her best friend who stood to my left, or her other bridesmaids who she'd only been friends with for a couple months.

Not even Jason, who stood directly to my right could understand how I felt. Not that I would ever care for him to.

She reached the alter, beaming from cheek to cheek. Tears forming in her eyes when she locked her gaze onto mine.

"sei bello" I whispered, reaching my hand out to her.

("You are beautiful")

She simply smiled, as a tear fell down her face. She reached for my hand and squeezed it before moving in front of Jason to stand on the alter.

It's moments like these where time feels like it stands still.

~Present day~

And this was one of those times.

"Fallon." My voice shook, as I approached her.

"Stop." She responded, her eyes not daring to break our gaze. Although this would be an obvious situation to read, this was the one time where I was unable to analyze Fallon.

Visibly she was horrified. I knew she'd found the letter, if her holding it in her hands wasn't obvious enough.

"Just shut up." Her voice broke as her body shifted from the stance it's been frozen in. Her arms hung by her sides as she led her head fall.

"Amore." I mumbled, I did my best not to cry. This is the one thing that I've been terrified of, above all else.

Even above the possibility of getting caught for killing Jason, and getting thrown in prison — I feared hurting Fallon more.

I feared what the heartbreak of her finding out what I really did, would do to her. Would do to us.

"Please let me explain amore." I pleaded, to which Fallons head snapped up at me. Her eyes said so much more than she'd ever allow herself to say.

"I.. did not have a choice." I began. Fallon immediately pushed past me to walk out of my office, slamming the door behind her.