Entranced 18+

Thirty Seven

The wedding was beautiful. Ijeoma couldn't hold back her tears when Kachi read his vows to Aria, who knew that the man was such a romantic? At one point, Ada had held her hands as they both cried, and then they'd laughed at Aria's vows. The reception was going well, food and drinks were flowing. The newlyweds had requested that the guests don't bring gifts or spray money at the ceremony. It was so typical of rich people that Ijeoma couldn't even say anything about. She'd given Aria a gift though, a custom lingerie for their wedding night and Aria had hugged her tightly.

She watched the couple at their private table, Kachi's gaze entirely on his wife. Occasionally, her gaze shifted to the best man, he was all over the place, making sure things went well. When he wasn't so busy, he smiled or winked at her and she just kept melting. Ada slid into the seat beside her, sighing and complaining about how her feet hurt, but Ijeoma wasn't really paying her any attention. This was one of the times that the best man was smiling at her.

"You really like him, don't you?" Ada asked.

Ijeoma turned to face the woman. "What do you mean?"

Ada gestured to where Zubby had been standing just now, but he'd moved to sit with Chike. "Azubuike, you really like him."

"What makes you say that?"

"You're always looking at him, and each time you do, you have this strange look on your face."

"What strange look?"

"Do you see the way Aria looks at Kachi?"

Ijeoma turned to look, confused by Ada's question. Aria stared at her man like he hung the moon, with awe and like she would stop breathing if he wasn't with her. "I'm not following."

"You look at Azu like he is the only person in the room."

Ijeoma rolled her eyes, that can't be true. It was ridiculous for Ada to even liken her relationship to that of the newly weds. Anybody could look at them and tell that they had gone through a lot together, their love looked like one that has already been tested and proven to stand. Whatever she had going on with Zubby didn't even come close to how Kachi and Aria loved each other.

"I'm serious. Anybody can see you like him, maybe even love him?"

"Madam Chief bridesmaid, why are you even here? Shouldn't you be as busy as Zubby?"

"Don't try to change the subject. Besides, Aria doesn't need me when she has Kachi already catering to her every need."

"I'm not changing the subject." Ijeoma sighed. "Zubby and I are not as you think, I don't love him."

"But you like him." Ada grinned and Ijeoma was forced to look away.

"Maybe."

"Wow!"

"Wow what?" She narrowed her eyes at Ijeoma.

"Nothing, they're having their first dance."

Ijeoma turned back to the mini stage where Kachi and Aria were slow dancing. "Love looks really good on them," she sighed. "God when?"

Ada slapped her arm and the two of them laughed. "Respect yourself o. You have a catch like Azu and you're saying God when? If you give that man small green light he's going to marry you, trust me."

That was impossible and it hurt. Ijeoma wasn't sure why it hurt though, even if she knew she couldn't have anything like that with Zubby, it was still something she didn't want. "I don't want to get married at all."

"What? Why?"

She turned back to the couple still dancing. "Their love looks very beautiful and all, but I've seen the other side of love. I don't want to put myself through that."