Marvels Of Fate

Temporary Scars

Before I've managed to fully exit the airport, my very pregnant and hysterical best friend slams into me.
"Ow," I groan.
"Thank you so much for coming, Mus!" Kate shrieks, letting me go and then surveying my body. Smiling contentedly, she pulls me in for another hug.
"Thank you for inviting me." I say, as she lets go again. Kate's eyes are shining with tears and the ear-splitting grin just doesn't want to leave her face. "Are you gonna cry, Kate?" I question teasingly. She shakes her head and wipes her eyes, with the heels of her hands.
"No, of course not!" Kate exclaims, sniffing. "It's the...pregnancy. Messes with everything in a woman's body."
"Sure." I draw out the word and look at her skeptically. "Well, what're we waiting for? Christmas?"
"Actually, no." Kate pouts and glances around the terminal. "Liam's friend was arriving today as well, but I think he's coming out from the far side, so...they'll be here any minute now." Kate loops her arm through mine and guides me toward a tiny coffee shop, located near the entrance of the airport. "Till then you have to tell me everything about yourself and Carter. When is the big day, huh?" My eyes widen at the question and I feel sick all of a sudden.
"Oh, please!" I flick my wrist to dismiss the subject. "We're not important. Tell me about the little ones in there." I nod my chin toward her over-sized belly. With Kate, a subject change always works out. Especially, when the subject change involves something about her.
"Getting naughtier by the minute, that's what they're up to. Last night, I got such bad contractions and cramps," Kate grimaces at the thought of them. "Honest to God, I thought it was coming out time. But then they subsided and Liam timed them, so all's well again." She sighs and glances around the terminal once more, finding Liam.
"Won't you miss being pregnant? Getting all that attention from friends, relatives and the media?" I question, leaning against a wall.
"No, not one bit. Mus the day you get prego, you'll understand what I'm saying; it's the most blessing, yet tiring experience of a couple's life. It puts everything to a test." Suddenly, there's a loud holler from the other side of the terminal and both of our heads swivel in the noise's direction.
"Finally!" Kate yells, when her eyes land on Liam. At the same time, my eyes land on his so called 'friend.' Fuck.
"You couldn't have told me who this friend of Liam's was, before right now?" I murmur in Kate's ear, through gritted teeth. She gives me a sheepish grin and saunters toward her fiance.
"You would've run for the hills," Kate defends herself. I narrow my eyes at her and decide to use her as my human shield. Standing beside Liam - his so called friend - is none other than Harry. Liam hollers again and grins at me.
"You're finally here!" Liam says, pulling me into a bone crushing hug. "Don't freak out," he whispers in my ear, before letting go and stepping back. Is it my expression? Can everyone tell that I rather be stuck in a volcano, than here - facing Harry - right now? This is the first time we've met face to face, after I left him in NYC. He, on the other hand, seems completely unaffected by my presence. His head's lowered towards his phone's screen and his eyebrows are all scrunched up. The lines are very faint, but they're there; worry lines, creasing his forehead. His hair is perfectly styled, unlike the effortless look he used to adorn before. Harry also seems to have aged a bit, but it only adds to his handsome face. It's as if these past few years have taken a toll on him.
"Babe, this is too heavy for me!" A shrill voice calls from behind him. My eyes land on a woman, who's lugging a black hand carry - which looks perfectly light to me - behind her plastic coated body. Oh yeah, she's fake from the butt till her face. She's wearing a white dress, that's way too short for travelling purposes and dark, rounded shades cover half of her non-existent face. What, does she only survive on water that she's so damn skinny? I hear Kate scoff from beside me and take my arm in hers, once again.
"Liam, we're heading towards the car." Kate says, dragging me alongside her, as I'm just wondering which unfortunate soul is her boyfriend; the one who she's calling 'babe.' As if on cue, Harry looks up from his phone's screen and turns around. He raises an eyebrow at her, and frowns.
"What the fuck, Rain?" Harry spits bitterly, making me jump. His tone has never sounded so venomous, especially towards a woman. "It's not like you're lugging boulders." He turns back around and marches past me, bumping his shoulder into mine. "Sorry," Harry murmurs. He doesn't even look at me twice, as he continues his angered march.
"Here, I'll help you." I hear Liam say from behind me. Kate scoffs and rolls her eyes.
"Liam, be less nice." Kate tells him, pulling me behind her.
"I don't think Harry noticed you, Mus." Kate says, as if to assure me.
"It doesn't matter either way." I say, pouting. "He seems to have changed."
"Oh, trust me, he has. For the worse, to be frank." I search the parking lot for Harry. However, he seems to have disappeared.
"Guys, the car is this way." Liam says, nodding his head towards a Land Cruiser. He helps me put my suitcase into the trunk and then he puts in Rain's hand carry. As I'm about to get into the car, Liam sidles up to me and smiles.
"Don't worry about Harry. This douche bag attitude is his norm now." Liam tells me, before opening the driver's side door and getting in. I want to ask why, but I bite my tongue and decide that this question is for later.
********
"All's well?" Liam asks, entering my room, just as I've finished stowing away my last piece of clothing into the cupboard.
"Yeah, thanks. This room is really...huge for one person." I say, glancing around the room that I've been given. It's more like a suite; walk in closet and all.
"Well, this was supposed to go to Harry and Rain. But Kate insisted on keeping you in her line of sight," Liam glances at his own room door which is right opposite mine.
"Of course. I'll thank Miss Bossy later on." Liam stands there, awkwardly, in the doorway for a bit.
"Are you okay, Mus?" He finally asks. I look up from my laptop and frown.
"What do you mean? Yeah, I'm fine here, trust me." I assure him.
"No, not here. Like, in general. Are you okay?" Liam's eyes are filled with brotherly concern.
"Of course I am!" I chuckle, and get up. "Why wouldn't I be?" He shrugs his shoulders, scanning my face with his eyes.
"I don't know, something's just off about you." Saying this, Liam turns on his heels and exits. What...Wanting to know what others are finding off about me, I go towards the dressing table. There, in the oval mirror, a tired person stares back at me. Not tired - as in lack of sleep and work overload - but generally tired. Shoulders sagging, worry lines creasing her forehead, and her eyes reflect dullness. I widen my eyes, trying to see if that makes a difference. No, it doesn't. The dullness is in her dark brown orbs. As if instilled in them. Sighing, I flick my hair away from my forehead. As I do so, my wrist reflects in the mirror, and so do the red lines that are temporarily tattooed on it. Hastily, I pull down the sleeve of my sweater and step away from the mirror.