THE RULES OF MISTLETOE

Chapter 2 - Two Options

Elisa Muse

Colette and I woke up early the following day. We had a plane to catch, a long flight to endure, and a family to face... at least, I have to.

We cleared security and headed to the nearest airport coffee shop to fuel the day. I was not a morning person and a nasty woman without coffee, which is essential to taming the beast.

"Are you ready?" Colette said, and I nodded.

"Thanks for coming along. I am sure it will be a wild ride," I said, and she nodded.

"Anything for you, ma biche..." She giggled, and I rolled my eyes.

"But I was not asking you about taking the plane and leaving Paris. I was asking about being there and the odd possibility of running into the man..." she said, and my stomach churned.

Five years ago, my entire life changed...

FLASHBACK

"I can't believe it is only a week away!" I said to my mother, and she smiled.

"Yes, you and Noah have been together since you were in diapers... this is a dream come true..." Mom said while fixing the veil on my head. I was on my last dress fitting before the wedding. The most minor tweaks that must be done for it to be perfect.

It was a dream come true for both of our families. I still remember how elated my mother was when Noah and I broke the news about us being officially boyfriend and girlfriend four years ago. Noel and I were high school sweethearts; we were official by the end of our 9th year, and against all odds, we were together through high school... naturally, we wanted to leave for college as husband and wife. My parents were best friends with his parents, and in a way, we were fulfilling the family's dream.

"Mom, did you get wedding jitters'" I asked her, and she smiled.

"Sweetie, yes... I almost didn't marry your father..." She smiled and cupped my cheek tenderly. The glow in her eyes said it all... she loved my father even more than the first day, and she hoped the dream would become a reality for me. She and Sammy, Noah's mom, always said that we were meant to be together.

"Why would you ask that?" Mom bit her lower lip, and fear crossed her eyes.

"I don´t know. Noah was my first boyfriend, a kiss and everything, and now marrying him will mean he will be my first forever." I paused, feeling a big knot settle in my stomach.

"Are you having trouble with him?" Mom asked. "Because I can talk to Sammy and ask her to straighten him out," Mom said in her heavy, nonsense tone.

"Oh No! Mother! It was just a question," I quickly said, and she nodded.

Deep down, the knot in the pit of my stomach, the nerves, the wedding jitters, but the lack of spark in Noah's eyes when he spotted me told a completely different story. I was happy, Noah as a catch, and I was too... it was a match made in heaven, the perfect couple, the perfect family, and the perfect future... but nothing is perfect... I am going to blame everything on these damn nerves and brush it off; after all, a week from now, I am going to be away on my honeymoon in Paris. Paris! I can't wait!

Mom and I made our way back home. We kept these appointments secret to surprise Grams with the beautiful gown we had made for the special day. I was barely nineteen, and Noah was a year older. However, due to a severe case of dyslexia when he was younger, he was pushed a year behind in school. I was with him through all of it as a friend—we have always been friends—and I trust him with my life.

Grams sulked when we arrived because we hadn't included her in the last dress fitting. As I headed to my bedroom, Mom took care of her, and I found a small note under my door. Eddie's friend Noel also often left notes or stickers at my door. Despite being boyfriend and girlfriend and soon to be married, we had established clear boundaries regarding space and privacy so he would never dream of entering my room when I wasn't there.

I picked up the note and unfolded it...

"POOL HOUSE @7,

N"

I giggled. Noel had been most anxious about our honeymoon, and even when we promised to consummate our love once we were married, I was not immune to his charms and a good make-out session.

If I must be honest, I couldn't wait either... Maybe we can eat the cake before the wedding tonight. After all, what is a week in the grand scheme of things? My heart fluttered, and my hands felt clammy.

I checked the time, and it was close to seven. I changed my outfit into something more cute and my underwear into a sexy, lacey one. If I allow Noel to pop my cherry tonight, I want to do it in style.

I sneaked out of my home. If my family saw me walking out, they would ask endless questions. These are questions I was not in the mood to answer. I silently made my way to the pool house.

The pool house was an apartment my parents first had as a storage place. When Eddie chose to study music, they remodeled it and converted it into a two-bedroom apartment with a music studio. That way, if Eddie had a spur of inspiration, he would have a place to crash.

Everyone knew the pool house as Eddie's man cave, which went unused while he was studying in New York. So, naturally, while he was out, it was our official make-out place...

I walked closer and heard some noise inside. My stomach quickly flipped, knowing Noel was waiting for me. I took a deep breath and silently opened the door. I was ready to be his, even though we were not married.

My entire body wanted this, my heart belonged to him, it was natural that my body would too...

With silent steps, I made my way to the upstairs bedrooms... Then I saw the light coming from one of the doors. He must be waiting for me there. The door was slightly open, and when I was about to push it to walk in, I heard,

"Oh, God... Noah..." a female voice moaned.

Instead of opening the door, I peered through the door crack, and naked on the bed, was Noah pumping hard into Adrianna Carter... Of all the people he chose to cheat on me, it had to be her. The woman who hated my guts, my nemesis...

"f**k, Adri... you feel so good..." he grunted while the slapping noises increased in intensity.

The same intensity that shattered my heart, the same slapping I would feel... Tears welled in my eyes and fell even against my will...

I saw enough, and I was about to retire silently and confront him once I was on a better estate, but the sob I was painfully holding in escaped... aldo against my will... He stopped and turned around to see my retrieved figure...

"Ellie..." He screamed while I ran like the devil and locked myself in my bedroom.

Moments later, I heard a knock on my door, "Ellie..." his voice boomed on the other side...

"It is over..." I mumbled between tears...

I heard a gasp, and I knew the entire audience was there... I was sure they saw me running inside and then Noah following me... My family loved to be in everyone's business, and this was no exception.

I took a deep breath and opened the door. Turning to stare at my parents, I said, "I am leaving tomorrow. " With that, I locked myself in my room again. This town holds too many memories and too much pain. The entire dream had been crushed and stomped upon, and I was sure I would never be able to love again, unlike I had always loved Noah.

The following morning, I packed a bag, went to the airport, purchased a ticket to Paris, and left, hoping never to return. However, I was heading back.

END OF FLASHBACK

"You spaced out," Colette said, and I gave her a tight smile. Our plane took off while I was going down horror memory lane.

"I'm sorry. Some unpleasant memories crawled into my head," I said, shaking my head. She held my hand.

"We have two options..." She wiggled her eyebrows... "Either we get pissed out drunk, or we sleep without drinking..." She giggled...

"Pissed out drunk..." I said, and she clapped. Of course, anything to drown the pain and tuck it back into the corner where it was locked away.