UNEDITED
When Leon Saint-Laurent receives a wedding invitation in the mail, he soon realizes nothing's fair in love and life.
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Eliza is set on marrying James. She wants to step into a new chapter of her life. One where she can forget the past a...
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Eliza
2016, Whistler, BC, Saint-Sangster Rock
I have all the necessities packed. The bracelets Leon gave me for my sixteenth birthday jangle around my wrist. A bag of kettle corn and two lemonades are tucked in my bag, along with a photobook dedicated to the two of us. Two blankets and my wallet are also there. A box of unopened condoms sits on my nightstand, which I grab and tuck at the bottom of the bag. We're better safe than sorry if we get carried away.
When the thought of what could potentially happen crosses my mind, my cheeks turn pink. Everything I'm doing seems childish. I'm an adult living in my own apartment and working at the shop now that I've graduated post-secondary school. I should be telling Leon to meet me at the diner so we can play catch-up, not asking him to meet me at Saint-Sangster rock with a bag of childhood memories. That being said, I have to cut myself some slack. Leon and I haven't seen each other face-to-face since we were seventeen. We've talked and kept in touch since then, but seeing him in person is a different story. Every cell in my body is jittery with adrenaline. With the echo of his promise.
The adrenaline gets to my head as I sling the bag over my shoulder. I rock back and forth on my feet. I'm going to see Leon! He's fulfilling his promise! My palms are clammy. My hands shake with brutal excitement. I can't contain my emotions. A day hasn't gone by without me thinking about him.
Smiling like an idiot, I exit my apartment, locking it behind me, and head for the parking lot. My truck is on the far side, which is a good thing. The walk is allowing me to expel some of my pent-up energy. I can't act like a total idiot when he arrives. At least... not until the predictable awkwardness fades away.
Just as I'm loading the bag into the back of my truck, my phone goes off. I answer it without checking the caller ID. "Hello?"
"Hey," Tenille replies. "Are you ready for your big day?"
A smile creeps across my face, making me glance around the parking lot. If anyone were to see my face at the moment, they'd verify me crazy—in need of a trip to the local asylum. I rest a hand on my stomach, willing the butterflies in my stomach to calm down. "Ten," I say, "I can barely contain myself. I'm shaking."
On the other end of the line, Tenille chuckles. "After you bang each other up, come over to my house and we'll all do something, okay?"
I wrinkle my nose. Leon and I aren't going to bang each other. We're not teenagers anymore. Having sex on the other hand... well, that's a different story. I'm hoping our emotions don't get the best of us and we're practical about where it happens. To this day, I can't fathom why we had sex beside the creek. Someone could have seen us! "Who the hell uses the term 'bang' anymore?" I laugh. "Are you trying to be like Emma Stone in Crazy, Stupid, Love?"
"As much as I adore any movie with Emma Stone," Tenille replies, "quoting movies isn't my theme. I'll leave the nerding out to you and Leon. Last time I watched a move with you two, both of you quoted almost every line."
