Last Chance

Chapter 5 — Last Chance

Tommy kept knocking, It was so loud , like it was echoing in my head . 

“Ariana! Open this door! What is going on?”

My entire body jolted. My breath caught somewhere between my chest and my throat. I turned to Levi, panic filling my eyes, he didn’t look like he was panicking at all .

“What do I do?” I whispered. “Levi…what do I do?”

He stepped toward me without hesitation, his voice  was low but he still sounded so confident, the complete opposite of the chaos in my head.

“End it now,” he whispered. “Tell him you don’t want to marry him.”

“What?” I blinked at him.

“You heard me,” he said,. “You don’t have to marry him. Tell him you’re done.”

“I—I can’t.” My voice cracked. “Levi, I can’t just—”

He grabbed my arms gently.

“You can. You’re allowed to choose yourself.”

“Ariana!” Tommy’s fist landed on the door again. “Why are you taking so long?!”

My knees felt weak. My heart wouldn’t stop racing. I looked around the room like maybe the answer was lying somewhere on the carpet or hanging in the air.

My phone buzzed in my hand.

Dad.

I opened it, it was a text message from him . 

“Ariana don’t mess this up. This marriage is the only good thing you’ve done since dropping out. You’re becoming a burden. Do not embarrass us tomorrow.”

My stomach dropped, wrong timing . 

Levi watched my face fall. “What is it?”

I turned the screen to him and he read it . 

“ Bullshit !” 

“ You see …I can’t leave this marriage ?” 

His jaw clenched. His fists clenched.

“Ariana… no,” he whispered. “Don’t let that decide your whole life.”

“It already did,” I whispered. “Levi, you don’t understand. I’m not… I’m not like you. I don’t have options. I don’t have a future without this marriage.”

“Yes, you do,” he snapped, stepping closer. “You have me.”

I swallowed hard, blinking back tears.

Tommy knocked again, I could tell he was already loosing his patience. 

“Ariana! Open this damn door!”

I panicked..

“Oh my God,” I whispered, grabbing Levi’s shirt. “You have to hide.”

“Ariana—”

“Please,” I begged, tugging him toward the bathroom. “Please, Levi. Just go…My life will be ruined if he sees you here like this “ 

“You don’t have to lie to him,” he whispered urgently. “Tell him you’re done.”

“I can’t,” I said, voice trembling. “Hide. Now.”

He stared at me for a long second, he was hurt,  there was frustration, longing—everything mixing in his eyes. But he followed me.

I dragged him into the bathroom, pushed him inside.

“Just stay. Please.”

He didn’t argue. He stepped in.

I shut the door gently behind him.

I inhaled sharply, scanned the room, God, everything was a mess. The bed, the sheets, the pillows twisted where we had been. My dress was half on, half off. My hair was wild. My breathing unstable.

I pulled the blanket up, straightened the pillows, wiped my face, fixed my straps, anything to erase the evidence of what had just happened.

Tommy knocked again, practically growling.

I opened the door.

Finally.

Tommy stood there with a scowl, his eyes scanning me immediately.

“What the hell, Ariana?” he snapped. “I’ve been knocking for ten minutes.”

“I—I’m sorry,” I said, forcing a shaky smile. “I was asleep.”

“Asleep?” He looked me up and down. “You look exhausted. Worn out.”

In my head, I said,

Because I just had the best sex of my entire life—with your brother

But I swallowed it.

“I was sleeping,” I said, . “You know how I sleep.”

He narrowed his eyes, stepping closer.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Tommy inhaled deeply again and again, My heart was pounding so fast , I couldn’t control it . .

“Ariana…” he said slowly. “Was Levi here?”

“ What ?” I stuttered. 

“ It smells like his cologne in here “ .

“Oh Yes….”  I forced out, “but only for a few minutes, he just came to check in on why I wasn’t at the party .”

He stared harder. “Why does he care ”

“He is my friend , of course he cares that I was no where to be found in my own party,. That’s all.”

Tommy scoffed. “Right.”

“It’s true,” I pushed, trying to keep my voice steady, If I over explained myself, It would be so obvious that I was lying . 

He folded his arms.

“You need to listen to me carefully.”

I hated when Tommy spoke like that—like I was a child. Like I belonged to him. Like everything inside me needed to be adjusted to his preferences.

“Ariana, after we get married tomorrow,” he said, “you’re ending whatever friendship you think you still have with Levi.”

My eyes widened. “What? Why?”

“Because I’m your husband,” he said simply. “And I don’t want my wife hanging around another man like that. Even if he’s my brother.”

“That’s ridiculous…we have been friends since childhood”

“It’s not up for debate,” he cut in. “I don’t like how close you two are. The moment you say ‘I do,’ that friendship ends.”

My chest tightened but he was already waving his hands to shut me up . .

“But Tommy that isn’t fair , you have so many female friends but I never stop you from seeing them ”

“I said what I said.” His tone was sharp, final. “You can be polite with him. Be an in-law. But that… childhood best friend thing? It’s over. Understood?”

I swallowed and I tried to object again but I had nothing else to say . 

He stepped closer again, eyes scanning me.

“Clean yourself up,” he said finally. “We’re taking pictures. Then we’re going out for the bachelor party. Don’t take forever this time.”

He turned and walked out.

I closed the door as soon as he disappeared.

My hands were shaking so badly I almost dropped my phone.

I rushed to the bathroom, opened the door.

Levi was standing there exactly where I left him but the look on his face…

God.

He wasn’t angry.

He wasn’t shocked.

He looked… shattered.

“What did he say?” Levi asked immediately, stepping closer.

“ You heard him …Why are you asking me again ?” 

“ I want you to say it to me “

“That I need to clean up and come out,” I whispered.

“No,” Levi said. “Before that.”

I hesitated.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Ariana.”

I looked away.

“He said… after the wedding… I have to end my friendship with you.”.

“He said we can only be in-laws.”

My voice cracked on the last word.

“He doesn’t want us close anymore.”

Levi stared at me like each sentence was a knife.

“And you’re okay with that?” he asked quietly.

“No,” I whispered.

“So say something,” he pressed. “Tell him you don’t want that life.”

“I can’t—”

“Stop saying you can’t,” he cut in sharply. “You can. You always could.”

I leaned back against the sink, exhausted, overwhelmed, and emotionally ripped open.

“Levi… everything is already a mess,” I said. “You know that.”

“It wouldn’t be a mess if you walked away,” he said, voice low and intense. “If you chose yourself for once.”

“I don’t have a choice.”

“You do,” he insisted..

“You don’t understand what it’s like to be told your entire worth depends on one decision. You don’t understand what it’s like to disappoint everyone, My dad said this marriage is the only good thing I’ve done in years. My stepmother has already invited half the town. We already booked the hall, the clothes, the photographer, everything. I can’t just back out, They will kill me !”

“Yes, you can,” he said quietly.

I looked at him, His lips still red from kissing me.

He stepped closer.

So close I could feel his breath on my cheek.

“This is your last chance,” he whispered. “Ariana… look at me.”

I did.

His eyes softened.

“I want you,” he said simply. “Don’t marry Tommy.”