City Of Dreams

Two

I curse under my breath and run into the restaurant.

Flames shoot from the kitchen.

Everyone in the building is running around in utter chaos.

Why does this shit always happen to me?

A few of the men Addie invited run to the kitchen and start trying to put it out.

My phone buzzes in my pocket.

Blocked Number- What's a wedding  without a barbecue?

I grit my teeth, wandering around looking for Addie.

Everyone started filing out of the building.

I lost track of Addie and Darren in the sea of people.

I saw someone out of the corner of my eye.

Darren grabbed my wrist from behind and pulled me out of the building.

Oak bursted through a door with Addie following behind him, covering her face.

I ran over to him, breaking free from the death grip on my arm and taking Addie's hand as Oak went back inside.

I found a bench and sat her down, noticing a dark liquid running down Addie's face.

"Shit!"

I cried, looking for something to catch it with.

Fuck!

This is all your fault Charlotte!

If you just told the truth this wouldn't have happened.

You just made it worse.

"Dammit."

I took her hand away from her face.

She hissed.

I held back the vomit gathering in my throat.

A deep burn tore the left side of her face.

I clutched my head, calming the dizzy feeling a bit before I put the fabric to her face.

She growled at me.

"Ah! Shit that stings!"

I shake my head, making me dizzy again.

"You don't say."

I yelled at someone to call 911, but it seemed like no one could hear me.

"You're ok, Addie. It's not that bad. It's going to be ok."

I talked more to myself than Addie.

A crowd gathered around me, staring at her.

Oak stumbled back out, coughing and hacking.

"Anyone else, Oak?!"

I called out to him.

He shook his head, running to Addie.

He knelt next to her, reaching to touch her face.

"DONT TOUCH IT!"

I shrieked.

He cringed and pulled his hand away.

I kept the fabric on Addie's face, stretching my neck and looking around for Darren.

He stumbled out of the building, like Oak had done before.

I stood up to look at him better.

I scanned him, making sure he wasn't burned.

Nothing.

I sighed deeply and knelt down again to focus on Addie.

I curse under my breath as her mother and father circle around people.

"What happened?!"

Her loud voice made my head throb.

Addie's mother sat in front of her on the bench.

Addie stared at me the whole time.

"What?"

She laughed.

I couldn't believe her.

She almost had a barbecue wedding and she's laughing.

I take the fabric off of her face, examining the burn.

Good. Didn't get her eye.

I sighed but sucked the air back in.

It kept bleeding.

"Shit."

I whisper shouted.

Addie held my arm as I reached for another napkin.

"Charlotte...it's ok. Calm down."

My eyes widen.

She had to be joking.

I just ruined her reception for her wedding.

The wedding she's been waiting for her entire life.

And I fucked it up.

I reached for another napkin and put it to her face.

The sirens came closer and my guilt did as well.

This is all my fault.

Because I can't tell the damn truth.

It's my own fault.

And I can't go back now.