Bad Royals

36

"Eliza?" Bella gaped, feeling as her eyes were deceiving her. But they weren't. Eliza was really here with her husband. Of course, they will be here. Her husband was Archer's close friend. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Despite the initial surprise, she wasted no time engulfing her best friend in a bone-crushing hug.

"I wanted it to be a surprise." Eliza beamed, and Bella couldn't be any happier. "Are you surprised?"

"Hell yeah, I am surprised." Bella laughed with her best friend, and after the greeting, Eliza excused them from the group wanting some alone time with her best friend. As soon as they were away from them, Bell sighed in relief. "You have no idea how grateful I am for you right now."

"I think I have." Eliza chuckled and took two glasses of champagne from one of the waiters passing by. "I saw you were standing all awkward and uncomfortable there, so I thought, hey, my girl took enough, and it's my cue to butt in."

"Wait! You were watching this whole time and just now decided to interfere?"

"Well, yeah." Eliza shrugged. "I thought you needed a lesson for ending things like that with him."

"I certainly do need more than one lesson." Bella nodded sadly as her eyes went over to where Archer was standing at, laughing with Eliza's husband. He seemed happy.

"Hey," She felt Eliza's hand on her bare shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You did what I thought was best." Bella nodded, not really convinced anymore that she made the right choice. "But you know?" Upon hearing her friend's suggestive voice, she dragged her eyes to look at her. "You still have a chance to win him back once and for all. Just make a move, say the words, and he is all yours." Bella started shaking her head when Eliza added as in a way to tempt Bella. "Forever."

"I can't, Lizzy," Bella said. "He is happy now."

"Yeah, right." Eliza scoffed as she took a sip from her champagne. "Keep convincing yourself with that." Just then, slow-dancing music started playing, and that meant that the soon-to-be bride and groom should have their first dance as stated in the traditions. People started cheering for them, making away for the lovely couple as Valerie started dragging Archer by the hand towards the middle of the dance floor. The song started playing from the beginning, and Archer's hands found their way on Valerie's hips which set Bella's jealousy on fire. And to add to the fuel, Valerie's arms circled his neck, and they started swaying to the music. Moments later, her fingers started playing with his golden locks. Why is she messing up his hair? Someone should tell this bitch to leave his elegant hair all alone. "That could be you." Eliza's voice rang through Bella's ears. Eliza was like a nagging devil in Bella's mind, and Bella didn't really want to do anything to shoo her away.

Later, Eliza's husband came and dragged Eliza to the dance floor like every couple in the room while Bella was standing all alone in the corner like the lone duck she is. She wanted with envy as all these couples were dancing and having fun together while she stood just there feeling bad for herself. She can't have what these people have. She certainly can't have it with the only man she felt deeply for. And upon that thought, her eyes danced their way to where Archer was dancing with his fiancee. He was smiling down at her as she said something, then he started laughing. He really is happy. Why did that sting so hard? Slowly, he bent down and caught Valerie's lips in a slow, loving kiss. Maybe she was just a bitch to other people, but she was good if he stuck that much to her to Archer. Their kiss dragged on, and Bella's eyes started to sting with tears, and for her bad luck, Archer's eyes caught her off guard. He can't see her upset over him. She was on the verge of crying, and she knew it. She gave him a weak smile to trick him, then hurried out of the hall and to the pool area.

Just when she was safely alone and sitting on another garden sofa from their sofas that faced the pool, just then she let her tears fall freely. Thank god that her makeup was waterproof because she was in for a hell of a ride of waterworks.

She was weak. So weak and stupid. Why did she let him go when she can't even stand the idea of him with another woman? And what on earth made her think that she would be able to attend their engagement party and it will all be okay? She can't even stand witnessing them laughing and kissing. And she was all alone dressed up and crying on her idiotic decisions. She already lost him. Just then, her phone that she held in her clutch beeped, and she was happy for a distraction, so she took it out and swiped the phone open to find a text in store for her. Her heart raced like a manic as she read the name of the sender.

Archer. It read Archer.

As if he will be standing here watching her, Bella's head lifted to search for him but came out empty as she found herself all alone in the pool area. She looked back down at the text and, with shaky hands, willed herself to open it. And she did.

As soon as her eyes ran over the words, she thought she was losing it. But she read it once, twice, and thrice. Then just one more time, to make sure she read it right.

And she gasped: 'I love you.'

Three simple words. Three simple words that he sent made her heart and mind race with millions of thoughts and emotions. What's the meaning of that?

Did he send it by mistake? He was getting married, so what does that mean? Is it her last chance to prove him something? Or... or...or what? She doesn't know what to think anymore. She felt as if she was on the verge of passing out only from reading these three words. She couldn't feel her heart pounding anymore. It was as if the world just stopped right then and now as she found her fingers typing back on their own, and she did nothing to stop them as for once, her mind, heart, and body all agreed on the same decision. She knew what she had to do to end this once and for all.