Ariana

Chapter ONE

Ariana's eyes popped open as the bright sun pierced through the window. She massaged her eyes, squinting all the while until her vision cleared up a bit. She sat up, stretched, feeling the morning light and the sweet scent of flowers that drifted through the tree just by her window. A smile crept across her face today was special. Ray was finally coming back after spending a month away on this work trip. She had missed him so much, and his coming back meant they were to dive headfirst into wedding preparations. I looked at his photo on the wall while my heart was racing from those memories of our last night together. I bit my lip as that longing sensation coursed through my veins while my arms brushed against my body. She was dying to have him back.

Ariana slipped out of bed and into the bathroom. She washed up, coming out a few minutes later to wrap a towel across her chest and another around her head in turban fashion. She smeared on lotion and slipped on a casual outfit she had laid out. Glancing at the time, she realized the minutes were flying by fast. Taking her phone with her, she walked downstairs to begin making her preparations.

Ryan's flight was at 1 p.m., leaving her with less than three hours to get everything ready. She started off in the kitchen by fixing his favorite meal. A little over an hour later, she had all of it neatly packed into his lunch box. The delicious smell wafted through the kitchen as she smiled proudly.

Her phone beeped. It was Mom.

"Hey, baby!

Hello, mum. How are you?"

"I'm great! I just wanted to check up on you, see how you're doing. You must be so excited-wedding planning time!" her mother chimed laughingly.

Ariana laughed. "I'm beyond excited, Mum. I cannot wait to see him again." Beaming, she widened into a smile.

"I can feel it from here. Three whole months apart! That's long."

"Too long, Mum. We have never been apart this long.

"Well, just a little longer now. Relax and enjoy the moment."

"I'm trying to, Mum. I will soon be going to his place; I don't want to keep him waiting," Ariana said, her voice full of excitement. "Later, I'll call you, okay? Bye!"

"Bye, sweetie. Drive carefully."

Ariana parked her car in the lot and took a deep breath to steady her nervous system. She reached in the back seat for the lunch box and her hands were shaking from excitement. She approached the front door, stopping inches before her knuckles grazed it, her heart racing.

"Okay, Ariana, breathe. You're here. Calm down," she whispered to herself, in some fruitless attempt at squashing the butterflies in her stomach.

She knocked on the door, and after a moment, knocked again. Soon enough, the door opened. Ariana's jaw dropped in disbelief as she came face to face with her best friend, Rachel, standing there in nothing but a robe.

"Rachel? What are you doing here?" Ariana asked, her voice tight with confusion.

"Uh. hey, Ariana," Rachel stammered.

Ariana frowned. "You never answered my question: What are you doing in my fiancé's house, and why are you half-naked?"

Before Rachel could say a word in response, Ariana heard a voice she knew all too well echo from inside the house.

"Babe? Who's at the door?" Ryan came to the door, and Ariana gasped.

"Oh, hey, Ariana. What brings you here?"

Ariana's heart dropped as her eyes scanned his face for some sort of answer. "What brings me here? Ryan, what's going on?

Ryan looked at Rachel and let out a sigh, shrugged. "Isn't it obvious?" he returned nonchalantly. "I am so over you. Rachel here." He placed his arm around Rachel's waist and kissed her, leaving Ariana speechless. "Rachel is my fiancée now, and we'll be getting married soon."

Ariana's lunch box fell from her hands, making a loud clatter as it reached the floor. "What did you just say?" she mouthed in an inaudible whisper.

"You heard him right," Rachel said, her tone cold. "He's marrying me, Ariana. What part is there not to understand?"

Ariana blinked, her head racing. "But our wedding is in less than a month! Ryan, how could you do this to me? To us? And with her?" She pointed accusingly at Rachel. "Rachel, you were supposed to be my best friend. My chief bridesmaid! How could you do this?"

Rachel crossed her arms and smirked. "Your man? Please. You always talked about how perfect he was, never stopping to think how that made me feel. Now I finally have a chance to feel loved, and you expect me to give that up because of you?"

Ariana's eyes welled with tears. "Ryan, are you really doing this? You're leaving me for her? After everything we've been through?

Ryan didn't bat an eyelid. "I don't care, Ariana. It's over. I love Rachel, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Ariana's chest tightened as she fought back tears. "Rachel, you stabbed me in the back. I trusted you!"

"Aww, poor Ariana," Rachel said mockingly. "Don't worry, I'll send you an invite to the wedding."

The words felt like a slap across Ariana's face. "How could you?" she whispered.

"I think it's time for you to go," Ryan said coolly. "We're done here."

Tears streamed down Ariana's face as she stood frozen, unable to process the betrayal. Rachel smirked and shut the door in her face, leaving her standing there, broken and alone.

It was the beginning of the end.