Through My Eyes

Chapter Fourteen

The dress is her wedding dress - or as close to it as it could be :)

I look in the mirror. The dress that is clinging to my body is laden with beads, turquoise gems and lace. It's main features are the heavily layered ruffled skirts and the back that plunges to the midpoint of my spinal cord. The sleeves are non-existent and the neck is heavily adorned with gems and pearls in a pattern that makes them seem like icicles dropping from a roof.

It is outrageously hideous and ostentatious, just like Emmanuel said it would be.

That rotten retard.

It is the night before the wedding.

My eyes are puffy and red from crying and Damon is stretching his arms, which are most probably tired from comforting me all day. Madam Gisela, the woman who designed my engagement dress as well as this dress, fusses around me, stabbing pins into the dress here and there, tying different colours of ribbon around the waist as though seeing which one looks best, mumbling to herself as if I'm not even there.

Madam Gisela sighs and stands straight, making one final adjustment. She looks in the mirror, not meeting my eyes but letting them scan how the dress falls on my body.

She nods and says, "That will do. It'll take me possibly all night to make these adjustments. The dress looks good on you, Eloise." She turns to Damon. "Can you please step out of the room while she changes, please?"

"Of course." Damon walks across the room and just like Madam Gisela said, he steps out out of the room.

She orders me to kneel on the ground and then slides the dress up off my body. I immediately reach for the dress I was wearing before the fitting and slip into it as quickly as I can.

Turning on her heel, Madam Gisela stalks out of the room without a word. Before the door even has a chance to close, Damon barges in. He rushes over to me and encases me with his body, lifting my feet off the ground and burying his face in the crevice of my neck. His breath is warm, tickling my skin softly like a feather.

I close my teary eyes, embracing him as tightly as possible. Damon pulls me back and leans his forehead against mine, his bottom lip trembling. Although Damon's eyes are closed, I keep mine open. I want to make sure that his face and this moment are both burned into my mind for eternity.

A single tear runs down Damon's cheek and I reach up with a thumb, wiping it off. Damon's eyes open and he stares into my eyes, "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"Can't we just run?" I ask, whining needlessly.

"You know we can't just run. For the first thing, where would we go? Who do we know that will house two runaways without asking any questions?"

I sigh. I know he's right and what's worse is the fact that I can't do anything about it. Whatever he has planned, I just have to pray that it works. I have to pray that when the moment comes along, when the plan comes into play, I am ready and aware of it.

"No one." I say, lowering my gaze. Damon hooks his fingers under my chin and pulls my head up, so it's tilted back enough so my eyes meet his.

"That's right. No one is going to help us without my plan. I will make sure we're together. No one will help us right now but no one is going to keep us apart either. I won't let that happen." Damon tells me with such conviction and sincerity, I feel as though the words are my own.

Damon leans in to me, his eyes fluttering shut. I lean in myself, my heart turning somersaults. One final kiss. Just one final kiss and I will be able to get through the worst day of my life tomorrow. I can feel Damon's breath caress my face, centred at my mouth. I fight the urge to tap my foot impatiently and wait for the sensation of his lips upon mine.