Chapter 3:

LORRAINE'S POV:

  “You look so beautiful darling, can you bring the veil?” my mother says with a bright smile on her face.

  “Mum, I don't need a veil” I groaned as I try to adjust myself in the gown.

  

 “yes you do Lorraine, be quiet” she shuhes me and puts the veil on my head, “ugh, breathtaking absolutely breathtaking” she gasps and takes pictures.

 It's been two hours since we arrived at Lotus Threads to pick up my wedding dress that my annoying mother ordered a month ago. I didn't have a say in the wedding and I didn't want to have any, all I wanted was the whole charade to end as soon as possible so everyone can leave me alone.

  Over the last week ever since the engagement broke out, every news blog and magazine has done nothing but talk about it. Everywhere I turn I'm either being followed by parasite paparazzi or I'm stopped by a stranger to get a photo of my ring.

  When Dexter gave me a 24 carat rose gold engagement ring, I didn't understand why he went all out for a wedding we didn't want, he even went as far as inscribing both our names on the ring, disgusting but I had to smile and pose for pictures at our engagement party, I am mentally exhausted.

  “Your mom's right, you look really beautiful” my best friend Ava says.

  “Don't encourage her please not you too” I whisper and smile.

  She laughs, “a wedding isn't the end of the world Lorrie, I mean it's not like you're marrying with conditions or a rope around your neck”.

 My smile drops, “yea but still” I readjusts myself and look at the mirror and I was indeed beautiful with my curves showing in the skin tight lace gown that flowed beautifully and had an off shoulder design with little butterflies around it, but I couldn't see past my empty eyes and broken heart. I don't want this and if I ever wanted to get married I wanted to do it on my terms not my family's.

  “Do you like it or do you want any adjustments made?” the attendant asked me.

  “No, it's perfect” I smile weakly.

**********

After jewelry shopping and hours of walking all over Manhattan buying random stuff my mother finally heads home leaving just me and Ava.

 We head to our favorite Cafe to get food.

  “For a bride, you sure don't look so ecstatic, is getting married to Dexter that bad?”

 “You have no idea,” I sigh and take another bite from my cupcake. Sweets are always my guilty pleasure, I did my best to stay healthy but once in a while I stress eat and it's always sweets, “but I do love the attention so that's something”.

  Ava smiles weakly and holds my hand, “you know you can talk to me about anything right? I am your best friend”

  It took everything in me not to tell Ava about the arrangement a week ago when I told her about the engagement and holding it in was like swallowing larva and trying not to explode.

  “Of course, the moment he tries anything I'll call you, you know it” I smile back.

  “Good, now I do have some questions and I need proper answers”

  “I'm listening” 

  “Why Dexter? I mean I'm no stranger to how you have hated him for the past years of your life now you're getting married to him?”

  “Impossible to believe I know, but I don't know, we grew up I guess. All our squabble and fights were all…childish” I defend and lie through my teeth, I hated lying to Ava she was the only person in the world who really knew and understood me.

  “Childish? Did you forget he terrorized you throughout highschool, you got suspended multiple times because of his stupidity, he almost cost you your SAT’s and now those were childish?” she asks with worry in her tone, “you're not pregnant, are…are you?”

  “What? No, oh my God Ava” I laugh.

  “I'm concerned,” she says as drinks her juice.

  “and I love that you're concerned about me Ava, I really do but like I said I assure you I am not pregnant, plus you know if I ever do get pregnant we both know who i would want” I smirk.

  “Still holding that crush I see, nice” Ava giggles.

  My phone beeps with a reminder to pick up my laundry, “We gotta go, it's laundry pick up time”.

We both leave and walk for about fifteen minutes before getting to the laundry mart, “good evening, came to pick up my clothes I brought in yesterday?”

  “Yes, wait a second” the attendant says and heads to the back of the counter.

   “When exactly are you going to fix your washing machine?” Ava asked concerningly.

   “When I have actual time, plus I've been so busy with marriage stuff andddd”, I turn around and face her, “with marriage my ‘husband’ would take care of it” I smile then erupt into laughter.

  “An independent woman indeed” Ava laughs.

 “Lorrie?” I hear the most familiar deep voice beside me, a voice that made my heart skip, a voice that I always ran towards even in my nightmares, in my dreams and in everything I found myself….

  “Matt…Matteo?” I turned and my breath hitched, my heart stopped and I loose all train of thoughts.

  There's no way.