Wheel You Marry Me?

CHAPTER 5.

I couldn't believe it, Ryan Tyler had just told me I looked good. Did he hit his head or something?

I stood frozen for a second, heart still racing. My reflection from the club mirror flashed in my mind: red dress, flushed cheeks, lipstick slightly smudged. I shook my head.

"This night is crazy," I muttered, reaching into my purse for my phone, my cracked, barely-holding-on phone and dialled Skylar.

She picked up after two rings. "Hello?"

"Where are you?" I asked, voice a little more high-pitched than I intended.

She sighed. "Um... something came up. I had to rush out. But I'm totally fine."

"Are you sure?" I pressed.

"I am. I'm sorry I bailed like that."

"It's okay," I said, although I didn't really believe it. "I had some good news for you, but I guess I'll tell you tomorrow. Sleep tight."

I ended the call, feeling the buzz of excitement slowly being replaced by boredom. The club was thinning out, the energy dying. I booked an Uber and made my way home.

Jeffrey was still up, glued to the TV, fingers tapping on his controller.

"Hey buddy," I said, flopping down next to him.

"Hey Aurora." He paused the game and turned to me with wide eyes. "Um, your video is trending on YouTube."

"What video?" I asked, alarmed. Did I do something embarrassing? Did I fall? Oh God, please don't let me have fallen.

"The one of you singing at City Nights," he said.

"Ooooh." I exhaled in relief. "Wait... really?"

"Yup! You're kind of going viral," he grinned.

I laughed, still not fully processing it. "Well, I might have bumped into Sandy Barton tonight."

Jeffrey's mouth dropped open. "The Sandy Barton? RetroMix Records?!"

"Yesss!" I said, holding out the business card like it was made of gold. "She gave me her card."

Jeffrey tackled me in a hug. "Aurora, this is huge! Your voice—people are finally hearing it!"

I smiled at him, tears pricking my eyes. "Hey," I said softly, "you wanna go get ice cream?"

"Yeah, I do!" he beamed.

We walked to the corner parlour, both of us laughing under the streetlights, holding ice cream cones like kids on summer break. It wasn't fancy, but it felt... perfect. The world felt possible again.

The Next Morning

I overslept.

Groaning, I rolled over and squinted at my shattered phone screen. 7:53 AM. I scrambled out of bed, barely managing to brush my teeth and pull on jeans.

But what surprised me most wasn't the time, it was my mother. She was painting.

She stood at her easel, sunlight pouring over her face, her brush moving in slow, precise strokes.

"You're painting," I said, almost breathless.

She glanced at me and smiled. "There's breakfast on the table."

What is happening?

She looked... sober. Peaceful. Focused.

I grabbed some waffles and milk and stepped out, my thoughts spinning faster than I could chew.

I was so distracted I didn't even notice the woman I was about to collide with until it was too late.

"Damn it! Watch where you're going, young lady!" she snapped.

I looked up and my stomach twisted. Eleanor Tyler.

"I... I'm so sorry, ma'am."

"Oh, it's you," she said with an icy smile. "Scarlet's kid. Or should I say... Fatty?"

"My name is Aurora," I snapped, trying to walk past her.

But she grabbed my wrist hard enough to sting. "Watch your tone, Fatty. Nobody talks to me like that."

The boutique door swung open and Ryan rolled out in his chair.

"Mum? What's going on?"

Eleanor's expression shifted instantly. She dropped my wrist and turned to her son. "Nothing, darling. This girl was just... apologizing."

Ryan narrowed his eyes. "You sure?"

"Positive," she said with a tight smile and slipped back inside.

He turned back to me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said quickly, brushing past him. "Excuse me."

Skylar's café felt like a sanctuary, until I saw her on her phone, grinning like a fool.

"Hey Sky," I said, raising an eyebrow.

She looked up, cheeks flushed. "Hey Aurora! How are you?"

"You tell me," I said, half-smiling. "What happened last night?"

She waved a hand. "Nothing. Really. I just... had to leave. Tell me your news!"

I laughed. "Well... I kind of bumped into Sandy Barton last night."

Skylar's scream could've shattered the windows. She jumped up and hugged me so hard I thought my ribs would crack.

"Sky—I—I can't breathe!"

"Sorry, sorry! I'm just—Aurora! This is amazing! What did she say?"

"She gave me her business card. Said I should reach out if I've got songs I want to record."

"Wow! Girl, this is it. You've got to start with that song you wrote last summer!"

"Which one?"

"Say It to Me Softly. It gave me literal chills."

I blushed, remembering the lyrics. I'd written it in a moment of pure vulnerability.

The door opened and the moment evaporated.

Ryan and his friends strode in like they owned the place. Ryan's eyes found mine instantly.

"Three mochas. Now," he barked, his voice sharp.

Skylar glanced at me with raised eyebrows. "What's his problem?"

I had no answer.

I brought their drinks over, trying to ignore the unease in my stomach. I should have walked away the moment I saw him.

Scott smirked at me. "You know, I've seen a lot of desperate girls try to sing their way out of poverty... but that performance? Cringe. You'll always be the poor little Fatty working in a coffee shop."

They all laughed. Even Ryan. His low chuckle cut deeper than Scott's words.

I stood there, heart cracking, then spun on my heel and ran.

I burst out the front door, nearly colliding with someone.

"Aurora!" It was Theodore. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

I couldn't even form the words. He pulled me into a hug and I sobbed against his chest, the weight of humiliation pouring out of me.

When I finally calmed down, he tilted my chin up gently. "Do you want to get out of here?"

I nodded.

And just like that, without needing an explanation, Theodore opened his car door for me like I mattered.

Like I wasn't just some girl in a red dress who tried and failed.

Like I was worth the space I took up.