It Only Gets Worse

Chapter Seven

×Chapter Seven×

“I don’t want to ever hurt you again,” he whispers. We are still in an embrace but no longer kissing. Being at my short height, I lean my head against his chest. He kisses the top of my head.

                “I’m hosting an engagement ball for you, tonight.”

                “What?” I look up at Aiden.

                He smiles. “It’s at my palace. Everyone’s coming. Yes, even Nate.”

                “That’s great.” I feel anxious now, and out of place. “When are we…getting married?” The word feels wrong on my tongue.

                “Next week,” he says.

                “Wow, a lot can happen in a week.”

                Boy, if I had realized what I had said at the time. Then maybe I could have seen what was coming.

‡

Aiden stays back at his palace (God, how weird that sounds as a substitute to “place”) and I go shopping for a new dress and accessories for the ball with Nate. I’m so happy, I’m grinning.

“Well, any luck here?” he asks. We looked at the prom dresses section but I didn’t find anything quite so fancy enough that I had in mind for this ball.

“No…but I have a place in mind,” I say, thinking. “I think I saw this store we went by in the mall called Elegance. Maybe they have something nice. Anyway, do you have something to wear?”

He laughs at me. “Yeah, I already have a tuxedo,” says Nate, wrapping his arm around me as we walk out of the department. I pull into his embrace, walking slowly. Nate is like the brother I never had; I feel like I can actually be my own self around him.

When we arrive at the store, I squeal and run inside, feeling like my old self, the pre-Aiden girl, who was confident and happy—sometimes.

Nate and I look through their dress section until one ball gown catches my attention. It is pure, shimmering silver, a strapless dress, the fabric bunched up and flowing down from the waist. The absolute most beautiful, yet simple, dress I’ve ever seen.

Nate buys it for me (since him and all the other guys had a bottomless amount of money somehow, with Aiden being a prince and all) and I also choose to go along with it some sparkling silver five inch strappy heels, fishnet stocking-et arm sleeves, and an intricate, onyx stoned choker necklace.

“Thank you so much,” I gush to Nate, once we’re driving back to the palace.

“Anything for our princess,” he says, giving a friendly push to my shoulder.

I laugh, saying, “Yeah, some princess we’ve got up in here,” pointing at the bandage on my wrist.

“Felicity…”

“I’m sorry, I was just kidding.” Awkwardly, I pull my hoodie’s sleeve down over it.

“Well…it’s probably healed up all the way by now, anyway,” he thinks out loud. “Have you looked, yet?”

“Not since—Aiden bandaged it up yesterday,” I say, blushing.

“…How have things been between you two lately?”  Nate asks, mischievously.

“Don’t ask.”

He chuckles, saying, “Why not? Is someone in love?”

“You’re not being funny.”