Love, Alaïa

Chapter 5- Cheat And Greet

It's currently 16:51 and guests start pouring in. It's amazing how many people can fit in our backyard. I turn around to the smell of food, happiness and bliss. I couldn't be happier for Dev and Alex. I take one final look in the mirror at my silk red dress that flowed just above my knee which I paired with a pair of black  heels. I grab my phone from the nightstand and head downstairs to greet our guests. Everyone just seems so happy, like there's kids running around and the ladies in the kitchen preparing the finest food and men in the backyard sipping on their drinks. Even the dogs are playing fetch! I scan the room in hopes of finding Gio. I don't see him anywhere since he basically is family and walks in and out of my house when ever he feels like. Maybe I should just call him. On second thought maybe his gone back home to change since he was just wearing a t-shirt and a pair of jeans this morning. Or maybe he could have went to pick up Momma Mel. I'll wait a little longer. So the party is about to start and I'm greeted by a bunch of elderly people. One woman, short with white hair motioning towards my face.

"Oh my, Alera look how big you've gotten", she says.

"Mhmm my name's Alaïa actually mam", I smiled kindly.

"Thats exactly what I said. What  a disrespectful girl.", she said with a disgusted look across her rinkly old face. "Uhh okay", I muttered.

Still in search for Gio I... "Wait... Why am I searching for Gio so desperately? I don't usually do that",just gotta shake it off I thought until I bumped into someone who was in rapid speed.

"Wait! You dropped your-", Before I could continue the woman who bumped into me caught my attention once again. That was the woman from the mall earlier! What was she doing here?! She began speed running off into the large crowd.
"Hey, wait! Wait!", I called out. Of course I had all the people staring at me but I didn't mind. I'm not usually one to stand out in the crowd but at this point I really didn't mind screaming at my sister's bridal party. I had to know who this woman was. She looked hidious and her vibe bothered me even more than the huge wart of her nose. Within seconds she disappeared and I cussed at myself for letting her go. How could I be so stupid?
I keep a watch out for her until I run into a familiar figure. The smell of that cologne I could make out anyway be it at a huge, sweaty college party or just in another room of my house.

"It's weird that we're almost half over with the program for the party and I'm only seeing you now", Gio said embracing me in for a hug. "By the way, you look gorgeous"

"Mmmhmm thanks", I muttered still looking around me for that mysterious woman.

"Umm 'thanks'? Since when do you say thanks when I compliment you? You usually just play with that cherry on your bracelet and blush and get all cute. Are you okay? You seem distant", he replied.

Did he just say I was cute? Why did he say that. I mean, he always says cute stuff to me but like I felt a different vibe. Oh shut up Lai. You can't think that way. What has gotten into you?!

"Nothing. I-uh I'm fine. Just emotional. I'm really gonna miss Dev alot", I said ignoring what was going on in my head.
Like 10% of my mind or maybe 15, definitely 20%! was trying to fathom why I was thinking this way and well the other 80%, couldn't stop thinking about that woman. And the fact that she was here in this place scared me even more. What was her intention? I'm quite certain that she wasn't a friend of Devyn or Alex. And what she said to me at the mall really made it a cliffhanger for me. Or maybe, I'm just overthinking this.

"Overthinking what?" You promised you won't overthink because when you overthink you overreact and I am over exhausted listening to same thing time and time again Lai", Gio said with one hand placed on my bare shoulder.
Oh shit did I say that last part aloud? Ugh him of all people aren't supposed to hear my thoughts. What if he heard more? My heart started pounding.

"No I'm not, umhh, look, look the video is starting. We should really watch it", I hastily changed the topic.

Like I was saying, Gio helped Dev make that video starting with their first selfie to the very last one and I think that's beautiful. All their memories, all their fights, all their accomplishments. Altogether in one video. Their whole journey.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to have your attention please. Devyn and Alex has put together a video that shows us their bright days as well as their dull ones. So sit back, relax and follow their path to happiness", the lady announced.

The intro started off so beautifully.
'I met you in the dark, you lit me up
You made me feel as though I was enough.
We danced the night away, we drank to much.
I held your hair back when you were throwing up.' James Arthur played in the back and I picture of the coffee all over her top came on. And next a picture of them holding hands for the first time as everybody cooed in unison.

Suddenly everything came to a standstill. The video as well as the music stopped and a black screen appeared. Gio and I immediately ran up to the projector to see what was going on until all the guests including Dev and Alex, my parents and me just stopped where we stood. The projector had started working again however this time a different video played. Instead of pictures of the couple flashing, some weirdly different pictures played and I didn't know how to feel.

The pictures showed Alex holding some other girl. The next showed them together on a dinner date and another video showed them making a cute snap where he gave her a peck of the lips. Who did this? Was Alex cheating on Devyn? Gio pulled out the projector plug and a hurt and furious Devyn stood up.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS ALEX? WHO IS SHE?", Devyn yelled with tears running down her face.

"Dev please listen to me. Dev. Dev I'm not cheating on you", Alex replied going in for a hug.

"Really? Because what I just saw is basically the definion of cheating. How could you? We've been together for always 5 years. Why would you do this to me?", she cried as I grabbed her comfortingly.

"Okay everybody calm down. Why don't you guys go upstairs and sort this out?", Gio said

"Don't tell me to calm down! That's it. You want her, GO! GO Alex. Wedding is off!", Devyn yelled and ran upstairs. I ran after her.

"Dev, I'm sorry", I said softly holding her in my arms. "It's going to be okay"

"But how, how could - how could he does this - to me", she said in between sobs.

"This might be some kind of mistake. You've know Alex for more that 5 years. You know that he esteems you as a Godess and when you're around, every other girl in the room is invisible to him. I'm sure this isn't what you think.", I assured her.

"Quit taking his part. You saw that video Lai, that wasn't a mistake. I should have known better. Why did I have to fall this high? I can't believe he would do this.", she sobbed even harder. "And on the day of our party."

"Shhhhh Dev, we're going to get over this. I promise. You can't throw everything away. You have to talk to him. Shhh it's okay", I  rubbed her back slowly.

This is going to be a sad night....