The Bride

19

"Hmm. . ." I muttered and looked at the sketches in front of me. "It's hard to choose!" I complained.

"Come on, Haidee! There must be one that you like!" Vivianne said.

One sketch was a fairy costume. the other was a flower, and the last one was a swan.

The fairy costume looked cute. It had a short skirt and long sleeves. The wings looked cute too.

The flower costume was beautiful. The skirt was styled like petals and it was curved upward at the bottom. For the top part, it formed a sweetheart neckline using two large petals.

The swan costume was elegant. The wings were folded to make the skirt. It was a turtleneck with no sleeves.

Was I going with cute, beautiful, or elegant?

I decided that I was too old for cute so that's out. Beautiful or Elegant?

Claire told me that some of the girls also dressed as flowers and some went with angels, peacocks, princesses, butterflies, and vampires.

I guess that Irene and Isabella were the ones to dress as princesses.

Julianne told me that she was going to be a vampire. Harriet dressed as an enchantress. Christine said that she'd be a butterfly. Claire would be a firefly.

I knew that Gayle and Carmel would dress as flowers. Gayle would be a rose and Carmel would be a yellow bell. Their state flowers.

If I would choose the flower, then I'd be in the same group as Carmel and Gayle. And I don't want that.

"The swan." I said.

Hannah nodded, "Good choice, Haidee. Now go inside the tub, breakfast is about to get started."

I obeyed and saw them talking about who would do which part of the dress.

I bathed quickly, knowing I have little time before breakfast begins. I wore my robe and exited the bathroom.

"Oh goodness gracious." I said and put my hand on my heart.

He laughed, "Sorry to startle you."

"What are you doing here?" I asked, "Shouldn't you already be at the hall?"

His smile faded and he looked at me seriously, "Why didn't you tell me that someone's been hurting you again?"

I looked at my feet, too guilty to say anything.

He sighed and rose from my bed and grabbed my arms. He looked at my left one and inspected it before looking at the right. His eyes hardened when he saw the bruise.

I grabbed my arm from him and covered the bruise, "It's nothing, really."

"Dee, It's not nothing. Both Claire and my mother told me about that."

I didn't respond. I know that I should've gone to him and tell him what happened, but I'm afraid of him not believing me. He could say that I just want those girls gone and win.

I know I shouldn't have defended Beatrice and the others when I was talking to him but I was afraid they'd spread rumors of me in their home towns.

"Dee, look at me."

I didn't. He put his hand on my chin and made me face him. He held my hand with the other.

"If you're having trouble with the other girls, you shouldn't hesitate to tell me. You should know that I'd believe you whatever happens." He squeezed my hand.

"I'm sorry." I said.

He smiled, "It's okay. Just don't forget to tell me, okay? If this happens again, tell me."