The Guardian Wars: Part One #Wattys2016

Chapter Five

The backyard of my parents' home had been completely converted into a lush wedding venue. The tennis court had been covered by a white silk tent and filled with tables and chairs for the reception that would follow Lynette and Gregory's wedding. All new shrubberies and flowers filled the gardens, and a gravel aisle ran between rows of white wooden chairs. Three new fountains had been built, along with an excessively large stone altar meant for the Bride and Groom to stand under during the actual ceremony. I stood there with the wedding party while we rehearsed. My mind buzzed as I focused on the conversation that Rowan and I had just finished in the game room.

"Olivia!" Lynette barked. I looked up as I snapped out of my trance.

"What?" I whispered, looking around for a clue to my mistake.

"The ring!" she growled once more.

"Oh." I reached into the silk bag around my wrist and produced Gregory's wedding band. Lynette rolled her eyes as she snatched it from me, then placed the ring on Gregory's finger. She gave him a sugary sweet smile that made my stomach turn. It was taking all of my self-discipline to keep my mind on the task at hand, but I was failing miserably.

I had already tripped over the dress of the bridesmaid in front of me as we were walking up the aisle, dropped Lynette's practice bouquet and let it get trampled by a groomsman, and I had missed my cue for the exchange of rings. My mother was thankfully oblivious to my blunders. She was too excited about the wedding and all of the important people who would be filling her home soon.

I looked towards the back of the yard, where the Guardians were standing. Rowan and Clive were having a heated conversation. Clive kept shaking his head and pointing at Rowan accusingly. Rowan rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged, before looking at me. Clive followed his eyes and shook his head at me. I turned quickly back to the wedding, hoping I hadn't missed another important cue.

Finally, we were forced to stop rehearsing as Anthony announced that dinner was about to be served inside. As I walked distractedly through the back yard and into the sun room attached to the back of the house, I noticed someone walking directly behind me. I turned slightly hoping to see Rowan, but instead it was Penn.

"You seemed distracted up there," he growled in my ear.

"I hope I had nothing to do with it," he continued. I could hear his grossly confident smile in his voice. I wanted to slap him for his suggestion, but my better sense stopped me. Of course he was confident, I had pretty much been told that I was going to marry him. I was a sure thing. I shivered as the thought crossed my mind. Suddenly am image of Rowan knocking him to the ground popped into my mind and I had to stop myself from smiling. A new confidence overtook me as I spoke.

"Don't worry, you didn't," I snapped back, losing all of my years of social training in one single remark.

"Well, perhaps we can change that." Penn retorted, in a tone that made my skin crawl. He let his fingertips brush against my arm as he walked around me and into the house. I wasn't sure why, but his presence made me nervous. It made me feel unsafe, and in turn eager to find Rowan. I looked around frantically but I couldn't find him before I made it inside.

My mother was waiting for me by the back door. She grabbed my elbow as I attempted to walk past her and yanked me roughly into the kitchen.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded nastily.

"I-I don't know what you mean," I stuttered, feeling blindsided by her anger.

"Pennington Lamonte is well above anyone that we had ever hoped you would be paired with, and you are ruining it. He can say no, Olivia. He can ask for a retest, and leave you to live a long, lonely, miserable life. This doesn't have to be hard, just be sweet to him. It's like you haven't learned anything from your sister!" she spat.