Bombshells ~ Complete

Chapter Nineteen: Fittings and Breakdowns

The wedding was only a few days away. I was so nervous, and I wasn't even the one getting married. I wanted to say something, do something, to stop the wedding but I was fresh out of ideas. The final dress fitting was in an hour or two, and Lila was trying to convince me to go. Lila had even offered to take Kas with us. 

Kas and I talked about what her father did to her, and she told me it wasn't my fault. I guess I should've believed her, but I couldn't bring myself to. I thought it was all my fault. She was acting pretty normal around me though. 

I didn't want to wear a stuffy dress, though. That's right, I was being a bridesmaid. Sure, great honor and all that. Except I didn't want the wedding to happen in the first place. Being apart of the whole thing was just the freaking cherry on top. 

"Come on. It won't be that bad. And if you don't like the dress, we can figure something else out but I think you'll like it." Lila said, pleading with me with her eyes. I sighed and looked at Kas. 

Kas had stayed the night the night before, and was super excited to go dress shopping. Lila was all too excited when I had asked if Kas could stay over. According to Lila, I needed more female friends. Peggy was supposed to be joining us at the dress shop, but she was running a bit late. 

"I don't know. I don't really like dresses. Jeans, big sweaters, and converse are pretty much my thing." I said, looking down at what I was wearing. I described my exact outfit. Lila sighed and crossed her arms. 

"I get that you don't like dresses, Ariel, but this is my wedding. To your father. I just want everything to be perfect." Lila whispered defeatedly. I ran a hand over my face, trying to rid myself of some of the stress. 

The three of us were standing in the middle of the kitchen, so it wasn't a surprise when Jaydon walked in. What was surprising was that he turned right around and hurried away. I sighed again. 

He had ostracized himself. I hadn't talked to him and no one could really get him to say anything worth saying. It was a difficult situation to say the least. I shouldn't have had such a major reaction to what he did, and maybe this whole thing wouldn't have happened. But he physically and mentally hurt me. I suppose that telling the first person, literally ever, about your father beating the crap out of you, and then that same person hurting you the same way your father had, would make someone... Well, hurt. 

"If I go, can I pretty please get something to eat?" I asked, smiling just a little at Lila's hopeful look. She beamed with joy at my words. Lately, I had become more confident with asking for what I wanted. Food, showers, pencils and paper for school, and not to mention asking if I could sleep in late on Saturday. Food was probably the most important thing I started asking for. 

I even gained a few pounds. Lila was ecstatic when I told her I was gaining weight. Everyone was, for that matter. Nathaniel had called me too tiny and skinny for my own good and then congratulated me on eating more. 

"Of course! McDonald's, right?" Lila asked. I hadn't really had any fast food before, so when I first tried McDonald's, I couldn't tell if it was love at first taste, or hate. And then, when I finished my Big Mac, I decided on love. 

"Sure, if that's alright with you, Kas?" I asked, looking towards my best friend. Kas nodded, picking up her purse from the table. I couldn't help but let my gaze linger on the faint scars along her wrist. It looked like she had cut herself. 

Who was I to judge what she had done to herself when I had done the same thing?

"Sounds perfect. Let's go!" She squealed, her smile illuminating the room. Lila and Kas scampered from the kitchen and towards the car, dragging me along behind them. I might have agreed, but that didn't mean I was excited about the whole prospect.