Project Runaway ✔️

Chapter Thirty-One

Thirty-One

I would like to say Heidi Hopkins took the second break-up with Tanner well, but that's not entirely what happened.

One minute Tanner is professing is wonderful love for me, and the next I being sprawled onto the hard ground with a black bun in my face. Heidi could not fight, and her scrawny body felt more like a single toe on my stomach. Although, I think the flowers did break most of the fall.

After being trampled on, suddenly I felt pellets falling. At first, I questioned weather it was her hands trying to attack me or maybe it was beads of sweat falling from her forehead, but no. It was raining outside, and within what I thought was a Texas drought, the sky opened up and sent us a shower, ruining my dress and perfectly curled hair.

I tore Heidi off of me and gathered myself (as much as possible), together. Heidi tried to get up and swat at me, but Tanner grabbed her my the back of the shirt like he was picking up a feline and pulled her away.

"Jesus, woman, what do you want from me?" He cried.

"Don't you get it? He doesn't want you, and fighting me won't change that!"

She wiped her face, turning to Tanner.

"So I drove all the way here for nothing."

"Not for nothing. I'm glad I had a chance to tell you the truth, because everyone deserves at least that, even you. I shouldn't have ran away and lied."

She fought herself from solid ground and brought herself to her feet. She swallowed what was left of her pride and nodded her head, choking back what was...tears? Was she actually crying?

"I'm sorry I ruined your uncle's wedding, Lilah. I wish you all the best."

I thought about inviting her in to get cleaned up before she left, I swear I did, but then I thought better of it. It was best we left things on a decent note before something else happened.

Heidi left soon after, leaving Tanner and I standing in the rain together. The storm began to grow louder as the doors to the hall were pushed open.

It was the bride, herself.

"Peach, I'm so sorry."

She wagged her finger into the air and shook it in my face, holding on her dress with her free hand.

"You miserable child! You didn't like me since the beginning and you were just waiting for the perfect time to ruin my wedding!" Her mascara cascaded down her cheeks, but no tears in sight.

"I didn't like you, but I didn't try to ruin you wedding." She was doing well enough on her own.

"You liar! You'be been nothing but a nuisance since you've arrived! I'm so glad I stole your watch!"

What?

"What?" I said, stunned in shock.

"Yes, would you like me to spell it out for you? I took your precious daddy's watch! Your 'friend', James Pardi, was going to pawn it and give me half the money so I could use it on my studio and he could use it for booze. And I'm so glad I did it! You're nothing but a brat that needs to learn a lesson."

"Let me get this straight. You weren't cheating with James Pardi, but instead, you were making a deal with him in order to make money off of my dead father's watch? You make me sick."

I had already been angry with Heidi's untimely presence, and Peach's betrayal had only deepened the anger in my scored heart. I felt like punching a wall, or punching Peach.

I dug my nails into my skin and prepared for something I knew I'd regret. I took a deep breath and thought it through, and as Peach taunted me with her eyes, I wearily looked behind her and spotted Uncle Rudolph and Mom behind Peach. Peach followed my gaze and pretended as if nothing had happened.

"Rudolph, honey." She gulped.

"You don't get to call me 'honey'. It's one thing to treat me like shit, but it's another to treat my family terribly. You may have taken Lilah's watch, but it's the last thing you'll ever be taking from my family. I'll trade you the watch you stole for the engagement ring on your finger, how about that? It's a small price to pay for what you stole. Give the ring to Lilah, Peach. You and I are over."

"Rudolph, please no. I didn't..."

"Save it. I don't want to hear any more lies from your mouth. Give Lilah the ring."

She stuffed the ring into my hand and turned to my uncle, hoping that her handing the ring to me would make him change his mind. No, Uncle Rudolph had finally awoken from whatever spell Peach Pollock kept him under for so long. He was alive again and thinking for himself.

"Get out of here while I explain our break-up to the guests."

I wasn't sure how the guests would take it, but if they knew the entirety of the story, they would applaud my uncle like he deserves.

That's when I realized that my uncle was strong, and I was wrong in thinking that I would have to pick up the pieces. Uncle Rudolph would be just fine all on his own.