Meant To Be

Chapter 4:

Inhale.Exhale.Inhale. Exhale...

This was it. The moment of thruth, the night were everybody would know she was officially engaged to Archie Andrews.She looked herself on the full length mirror.

Hair, check...make up, check...dress, check... Nails, check.Did she looked good?, too trashy?...was the dress too tight?, too reveling?.The whole situation was something she would like to forget, to run away and move back to New York would be ideal, but that was just not an option anymore. So here she was...looking at her reflection trying to figure out if she looked the part she was about to play, it was one thing to hate the whole Idea, but another to look bad....Veronica Lodge could never look bad. Ever!.

She picked a black classy dress, nothing too extravagant, something semi formal.Her mother gave her some advice on how to behave when she was around the wives of the the men of the council and even thought she just rolled her eyes, she took mental notes of everything she said.

" Mija, Archie has arrived"

"Ill be down in a second"

It took her will power to actually walk towards the door. This was going to be hard. Pretend to be in love and happy with someone was something she has never done.Yes she had liked people but she had never fallen in love. Never!

The stairs look actually taller than what they really were. Maybe it was the 4 inch hills what was making it dificult to start decending towards the tall red headed man that was waiting for me. His suit Impeccable. His black tie complemented the simple white dress shirt he was wearing.

Archie Andrews was not an ugly man. He was tall, built, hansome...a gentleman, everything a woman would love on a man...but maybe it was the circumstances that made it difficult for her to see him as a nice decent person. To her, regardless of his looks, he was a monster that forced her to change her life.

" you look very nice"

I could tell by the way that he swallowed that he was as nervous as me, he extended his hand and helped me down the last step. His eyes looking deeply into mine. His hand was warm.

" thank you"

He didn't let go. He just stood there looking at me.

" I have something for you..."

" Something for me?"

His other hand reached into the pocket of his black slacks,I hold my breath as he slides the beautiful piece of jewelry down my finger. The single solitary standing shiny. It was not too big, not too small.

" It was my grandma's, she gave it to me so I could use it the day I decided to get married".

I felt speechless. What to say when someone gives you an explanation like that?, sure it was sweet...but nothing could make her forget the circumstances they were both in. She always imagine her marriage proposal to be romantic, maybe under the night sky, next to the beach.

The doorbell sounded louder than usual. The guests were starting to arrive, and my heart started to race.

" Mr. And Mrs. McCoy, please welcome"

My mother definetly knew how to handle this type of events. She has had a lot of practice thru out the years.

I felt Archie tense right beside me, he dropped my hand and suddenly not knowing why, I felt unprotected. My mother turned around and looked at me, expectant to see me play the part I was chosen for.

Without thinking, I grabbed onto Archie's arm and I pulled him towards the entrance to meet the so "expected" guests.

Without realizing how fast the time was passing, I noticed that we were finally in the dining room. I believe I had only 3 glasses of wine. Enough to be tipsy, but not enough to be drunk like I wanted.