Craving Scarlett

|5|. Sick

The announcement was greeted by loud bursts of applause and several murmurs of "cheers" and "congratulations" to the newly engaged couple. It was all so sweet. Very great really.

I should have been happy for them; the large smile on Audrey's cherry red lips, the soft romantic classics that filled the air played by the hired band, even the people around me were laughing, celebrating with the couple, showing just how excited and happy everyone was for the couple.

But all I could think was; how dare he?!

How dare Marco DeSantis play me like this? He had flirted with me, touching me in ways that were far from appropriately, and coming quite close to kissing me in two instances! And all along he was planning to announce his engagement to Audrey? What was he looking for with me? A brief fling? Perhaps a steamy one night stand? Did I really look like that kind of girl?

God, I felt so stupid. I should have seen this coming. The first time I saw Marco DeSantis, I knew he was trouble. All my instincts had screamed for me to run, to run as far away from him as possible. I should have listened. The feelings he evoked inside of me were too intense, too powerful to not scorch me in the end. He was not the sort of person that I should want or need because it had only end up in heartbreak. I had experience it before, I didn't care for another. But, like moth to a flame, I had foolishly allowed myself to be captivated by him. By his essence. I had thought that maybe this time it would be different. He would be different. How wrong I was. Men were all the same.

Fury such as I had never known before coursed through my body in angry waves. Not even when I was going through my messy divorce had I felt this angry. Like I would happily electrocute him and rip his fingernails off one by one, slowly and painfully. And this was the girl who would never hurt a fly. I just wanted him to hurt a little. Like I hurt.

My anger blazed once more, screaming to be let loose. Suddenly my legs began to move of their own volition, taking me to the raised platform where they stood. I felt calm, as pristine and as lucid as still, sparkling water. My hands were perfectly stable, my legs steady. My walk was methodical as I approached the couple.

At first no one noticed my presence on the stage, bring too occupied blabbing about the exciting news, but slowly but surely, one by one, they turned to look my way, eyeing me skeptically. Soon enough the whole room was pin-drop silent, the chatter and soft romantic music dying down to an abrupt halt. Everyone's breaths held as if sensing something melodramatic, something scandalous was going to happen.

Their wish just might come true.

Before long, the newly engaged couple noticed the silence and in turn faced my approach. Audrey's mouth hung slightly open in a highly unladylike way, I was sure she wouldn't appreciate if she could see her face now. Marco's face, of course, was as inscrutable as always. Well, that would soon change.

I stretched my lips into a large smile, so wide the side of my face hurt. I sauntered towards them, my glass of champagne raised up in a toast. "I'm just here to congratulate the couple." I spoke with a loud voice making sure that the other guests could hear me. I directed my gaze to Audrey's stunned ones. "Why do you look so alarmed? Or were you expecting something different?" Audrey visibly paled.

I could feel the pressing eyes of the crowd honing in on me, watching as things unfolded.

"You know Audrey, when I first met you, I thought you had an amazing personality and anyone would be really lucky to have you as a friend or a partner." I studiously ignored the burning stare of Marco and held Audrey's green eyes as I continued, "And I was right. You were my friend and..." To my horror, my voice cracked.