Heart of Glass [ON HOLD]

Chapter 5

Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait, but I had a lot going on, especially with AP classes. I'll try to put up more chapters over the weekend. This is for the WATTY AWARDS 2011, so PLEASE vote and/or rate/comment!!!!!  It would mean so very much to me! 

So, without further ado, I present to you......Micah Pierce.

Chapter 5: Micah

Victoria and I walked back to my apartment arm-in-arm. We didn't talk to each other, and we didn't have to. We were simply enjoying each others' company. 

By the time we finally reached the building, it had started to snow. The doorman held the door open and smiled at Victoria. 

"Welcome back, miss," he greeted warmly.

"Back?" I questioned once we were alone in the elevator.

"I came to drop off my bags in your apartment. I know you hide a spare key under the rug, so I let myself in." She gave me a sharp look. "You forgot to pick me up from the airport last night."

I groaned and slapped my palm to my forehead. "Shit, I knew I was forgetting something. I'm so--"

Victoria held up her palm to shut up me. "I don't want to hear excuses. Just don't do it next time."

The elevator door opened and I led Victoria to my apartment. "Should I open the door or do you just want to steal my spare keys and do the job?"

"Okay, one, I didn't steal them. And two, I wouldn't have had to 'steal' them if you hadn't decided to get drunk last night," she snapped.

Slightly abashed, I unlocked the door and held it open for her. Victoria's phone rang just as she entered my apartment. She picked up and went in one of the bedrooms for privacy. 

My apartment was one of the most expensive ones in New York City. It had three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Two of the bedrooms were connected; one was a master bedroom, the other was supposed to be a nursery. The third was a guest bedroom. 

I made my way to the kitchen (every chef's wet dream) and poured myself a glass of water. My headache was a little better, but my throat felt like the Sahara. I was just flipping through the TV channels when Victoria entered the living room with her bags in tow.

"Moving out already?" I joked.

"Don't get too excited," she quipped. She gestured to her Blackberry. "Dad called. We have to fly down to Florida this evening."

"What?" I yelled, choking on my water. 

She waited for me to stop coughing before she spoke. "There's been a slight scheduling problem, so if we don't fly down tonight, then we get to fly down the day before the wedding."

"So we'll fly then."

"Okay. Then you get to stand at the altar naked. Does that sound fun?" She sighed and ruffled her short blonde hair. "Micah, grow up. You have to fly down anyway, might as well do it this evening."

"No." l knew l was being stubborn, but it didn't matter. 

Victoria cocked an eyebrow threateningly. "Go pack, Micah."

With a sister like that, l had no choice but to be mature. So l ran. Before she could catch me, I went into my room and locked the door. 

"Micah James Pierce! Open the goddamn door! What are you? Five?" Victoria screamed, hitting the door. 

"I'm not going!" I yelled back. 

"Yes, you are, actually. Open the door." She paused, expecting me to unlock the door. I didn't. "I'm giving you until three, Micah. Either way, you have to come out of the room. We can do this the easy way or the hard way." She paused a few moments more. I knew that I really had no choice, so I might as well not get her any more pissed off than she already was. 

"Okay, I'll go." I opened the door more, giving her space to enter. She pushed past me and started pulling clothes out of my closet.

"Get me a suitcase, Micah," she snapped, clearly irritated. 

I looked around for a while before a found one. It was red and quite ugly, but it was the only one I had. 

Victoria had carefully folded all my clothes. "This is what you're going to need, clothes-wise. Get whatever else you need. You have about," she checked her wristwatch, "ten minutes."

Before she could say anything else, I went to the bathroom and locked the door. I splashed cold water and looked at myself in the mirror. I was going to be married. What had my life come to? 

"Micah!" Victoria called from my bedroom. 

I stuck my head out of the bathroom. "What?"

"Could you please come here with your toiletries and make sure I packed everything you need?" She asked gently.

I complied and poked around my suitcase before declaring it acceptable. She looked through my bag of toiletries before sticking it carelessly between two polos and a sports jacket. Then, she did something completely unexpected of her. She pulled me into a hug.

Even in three-inch heels, she was a good three inches shorter than me. I was an average 5'11, whereas she stood at a simple 5'5. I wrapped my arms around her and ruffled her short blonde bob playfully. It was moments like this when I felt like the older brother. When Victoria finally pulled away, she had tears in her eyes. I knew better than to comment on anything, so I focused on pulling the zipper closed on my bag. 

"It shouldn't have been you, you know," she whispered, almost to herself. "It was never meant to be you."