CHAPTER 22: Success Or Failure?

KATE’s P.O.V.

Today, we will meet our wedding planner to help them in our wedding preparations. Also, Dad said that if we wanted to have a personal touch to this wedding, we need to be here. Though we don’t have much thing to do.

Dad told me that this might help me get close to Darren and vice versa. He said that if ever there’s still a chance, I should grab it and make him fall in love with me. So I tried my best to be as sweet as possible around him.

“So, what color do you want to be the theme of our wedding, Darren?” I asked sweetly.

I’ve been asking him so many questions since we arrived in here. But all he ever answer was anything is fine and I should be the one to choose since I’m the bride. But that doesn’t stop me to try and be more comfortable around him. Even my hearts states the otherwise. It feels like I’m missing something... Or maybe someone very important to me.

“Anything...” Darren answered, bored.

“But I want you to choose,” I pouted, trying to look cute in front of him.

I heard him sighed before resting his head on the couch. I came closer, giving him the magazine I’m currently holding where he could chose a color from. I badly wanted him to participate in this wedding so that I can make sure that I’m not looking like an idiot in front of my Mom.

“Choose, Darren.”

“Fine, fine. Will black do?” he asked sarcastically.

Mom glared at his direction, looking mad because of his suggestion. Though he’s idea wasn’t so bad after all. Imagining myself wearing a black wedding dress is a definitely a must try since that color gives the expression of what I’m truly feeling about this wedding. If I wanted to be his bride before, now I wasn’t as interested to this wedding as much as Darren is.

“Darren, please take this seriously. I don’t want my daughter’s wedding to be joke.”

“Sorry,” He apologized towards Mom.

“Mom, that’s fine. And maybe his idea wasn’t so bad after all. Black is good,” I stated as I fluttered my eyelashes on Darren, hoping that we could create a different connection towards each other but there’s nothing. I felt nothing.

“Kate, please choose another color. I think that black is not appropriate for the occasion. It’s a wedding day, dear. Not a wake or a burial,” Mom stated firmly, her voice is full of authority.

I know that she probably hated Darren after all the events that happened in the last few months. I just nodded to Mom before tugging Darren along with me.

I wanted to tell him the truth now... That I’m not so sure about this wedding or maybe beg him to stop this insanity. He should just find Claire and apologize to her. But when the right moment comes and we both stopped walking at the wall of dresses, I couldn’t find my tongue and the proper words to tell him. I can’t speak anymore so I just invented some random stuffs to tell him, only reopening the topic about the theme of our wedding earlier.

“Mom doesn’t like your idea, though if that’s what makes my future husband happy, I’ll do it.”

When he didn’t answer, I tried to gain as much courage as I can to make an affectionate move. I just wanted to see if I could still feel something towards him. Something that I felt before with someone... That night, with Elijah.

I smiled towards Darren before giving him a quick kiss on the lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck. He didn’t pushed me away or anything, but I knew it to myself that he didn’t felt something... Same as I.

“Hey, Darren... Is something wrong?” I tried to asked him, pretending to be worried.

“Nope.”

“You looked stunned when I kissed you. What’s the matter?”

“Nothing, Kate. I’m sorry but I can’t do this right now. Can I take a rest for a moment? I’m heading home.”

Thankfully, he did it. I was just waiting for him to say it himself. That he wanted to end this day as well. I instantly grabbed the opportunity to escape this nonsense wedding preparations.

“Sure... But, would you dropped me and my Mom off at our house first? You know, everyone does that...” At least Mom wouldn’t think anything suspicious about us.

He nodded in agreement, not wanting to start another argument between the two of us.

”Let’s go home, Mom. Darren is tired but he volunteered to dropped us home first,” I stated as soon as we came back to Mom.

She looked at Darren with amusement in her eyes. As if she couldn’t believe that he offers us a ride home. Though she didn’t know that it was just because I’m the one who insisted it.

Darren dropped as home, and as soon as we got inside of our residence again, I rushed into my room. I just wanted to take a break from all of this. I wanted to end this game already. All I wanted to do right now is to see one person... But I know I couldn’t do it because of this stupid marriage.

Days passed by. We are currently here at a known boutique to pick out my wedding dress. Also, I’m going to try it on for elders said that if a bride tried her wedding gown, the wedding will be postponed. I badly wanted that thing to happen so even Mom didn’t want me to try it on, I still did.

“I’m sure everything is going to be perfect on your wedding day, Ms. Frias... Or should I say, Mrs. Herrera?” one of the servants in a known boutique asked me.

“I hope so...” I smiled at him.

I looked at the mirror, surprised to see how the dress looked perfectly good on me. I’m now picking up the best possible dress for my wedding with Darren. Dad advice me to get everything that I need earlier than scheduled so that we wouldn’t rushed things through at the day when we exchange our vows.

“You look so beautiful, Ms. Frias. I bet your soon to be husband is surely head over heels in love with you.”

“I hope so too,” I answered, sure of the fact that Darren didn’t have even just a single interest on me.

“Now let’s go outside to show how beautiful you are to your Mom.”

I nodded, and the servant assisted me outside of the fitting room. Mom looked at me, stunned to see my wedding dress for apparently no reason.

“You’re so beautiful, Kate...” she stated, her eyes were nearly filled with tears of joy.

“Thank you, Mom.”

“I hope you wouldn’t need to marry a man who doesn’t even paid attention to you...” she whispered.

“Mom...”

“Kate, I want to see you walking down the isle while smiling, sweetie. Not like this. You’re too good to have an arranged marriage. I want you to pick out the man that you really wanted to spend the rest of your life with...”

I looked down, feeling sorry for myself. She’s right. All of this stuffs will be wasted if the man than I’m going to married is not the man I ever dreamed of... The man who’s willing to love me for the way I am.

“I don’t want to talk about this right now, Mom. Let’s packed up. We are done here.”

I leave her right there, before changing my clothes. As soon as I finished fixing up myself, I called my Mom so that we could head home as early as possible. Then I remember that I still need to buy some ribbons for my wedding. I wanted to personally chose it so I have to buy it myself. Thankfully, Mom didn’t complain. She just let me go alongside with her.

We are now at the stalls of different colored ribbons. I’m currently picking out some when Mom finally open her mouth to say something again.

“Is it worth is, Kate?”

“What?” I asked her, confusedly.

“This... All of this. That night... When you publicly humiliated that girl... Was it all worth it? Was it a success, or a failure? Maybe you thought that you get what you wanted. But was it all worth it?”

“Mom, what are you doing? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I stated, playing innocent though I could feel that she’s right.

“I know that girl, Kate. She’s your old bestfriend, right?”

I stopped, realizing what she’d just said.

“How did you know?” I curiously asked.

“I saw it in your Instagram account. I mean, if you think that I didn’t care about you before, then you’re wrong. I’m always watching you, Kate. Even your Dad and I are often abroad, I’m watching your every move through your different social media accounts. Claire... That’s her name, right? I saw everything... Your sleepover photos, parties... Everything that you two had been before. You’re really close to each other... But... What happened?”

“Nothing, Mom...” I looked away.

“Tell me, Kate. I’m your mother. I know if you’re lying or not. And I could see that you are right now. Darren isn’t the one, right? I just want you to realized that before you finally tie yourself to him...”

I face her, before saying the words I’ve been wanting to say in front of her and Dad.

“You know I can’t do anything, right? This is what Dad wanted me to do. I’m just following his orders. And I’m hoping that maybe... Maybe someday, Darren will finally realized that we really are meant for each other. I know someday we will probably be getting used to this.”

“But Kate...”

“What, Mom? You can’t even stand up for yourself in front of Dad. How can you help me?”

She looked down, feeling guilty and maybe sorry for herself. Then she looked up, having a teary eye before saying another word.

“I’m sorry if I couldn’t save you, Kate. But I know you can save yourself. Please do it... Just please...”

I was about to answer when I saw someone looking straight at my direction. It’s been weeks since I last saw him, and now, I caught him staring at me. Maybe he’s watching my every move. And I need to find out why. Is there a chance between the two of us?

“Mom... Wait. I need to see someone. Can you head home yourself? ” I asked hurriedly.

She looked at me with a confused expression plastered upon her face.

“Yeah... But where are you going?”

“I need to see someone, Mom. Please let me, just this once.”

She nodded before giving me a small smile. I thank her by planting a quick kiss on her forehead. After that, I ran as fast as I can to follow the man I saw earlier. The man that I’ve been wanting to see ever since that night.

“Elijah!” I called out as he reached the exit of the mall.

He turned around, facing me while plastering a dry smile on his face. I know it was fake. I could see it in his eyes.

“Hey, Kate,” he greeted.