A Little Bit Married

Gray Clouds

I zipped up the dress, then took a deep breath, my chest heaving. My mind kept telling me to stop. The family was not one I wanted to be in trouble with, especially with his reputation. I shook my head once Samantha held my hand, however, her friend tight. She obviously trusted me to help.

I swallowed down the inhibitions and walked ahead, pulling her along. I opened the door and poked my head out. There was no one. It seemed most of them had gone to the hall. I gave a sigh, then pulled her. She immediately followed behind me. She showed me the path to the door, and we slowly made our way down the long balcony towards it.

It was easy to find, and I wished the door had been as easy to open.

"It seems sealed," I said, turning to her.

She immediately shook her head, strands of hair falling away to frame her face. "No. No, it isn't sealed. It has just been sealed so long. I swear."

I swallowed hard, then walked forward. "What if it is sealed?"

I grabbed the knob nonetheless and started to push it back, as much as I could, and as quietly too. It was hard to be quiet, especially since the door wouldn't budge, but I tried my hardest.

I kept on pushing it till it finally cracked, opening up a small passage. Samantha broke into a happy laugh, her hair bobbing as she clapped, her happiness reaching her eyes.

It only convinced me to work harder. At least, I knew I was making her happy. At least, she would be fine once she got out of here.

I gave it one last push, my weight falling freely on the door. It budged, causing me to lose balance and trip forward. I gave a low yelp, my eyes wide as I fell forward. My eyes caught the distance I would have been falling from had Samantha not caught me in place, breaking my fall.

"I got you," she said, a small laugh leaving her lips.

I gave a sigh, a laugh escaping me as she pulled me back. I took a bit of time to catch my breath while she called the man who would pick her. She took a couple of steps away from her while I waited, my eyes scanning the environment for a potential threat. The coast was clear, and she returned, a bright smile on her lips, one that immediately improved the colour of her eyes.

She really was beautiful, even more beautiful with a smile on her face than the obviously expensive wedding dress.

"He will be here in ten minutes. Even if we go down now, there won't be anyone on this side of the villa since the wedding is literally the opposite way."

I nodded. "So... let's go?"

She nodded eagerly, and this time, I let her take the lead. She had just taken the first three steps of the downward spiral staircase that would immediately grant her freedom when a voice came.

"Who are you?"

I froze, then slowly turned to the owner of the voice. My hands went behind me, and I gestured for her to leave, my chest tightening as I came face to face with an elegantly dressed woman. She looked to be in her late fifties but was obviously polished by money, her eyes squinting a little as she took me in.

My lips parted, but no words came out of it, my chest heaving hard. I felt nervous tears sting the back of my eyes, my knees weakening.

"That door is meant to be locked. Why exactly did you open it?"

I turned to the door, then back to her, like I had suddenly forgotten about the door I had been fighting for the past thirty minutes.

"Oh, ma'am. I... I am the bride's friend and..."

"Samantha is not allowed to have friends over, young lady."

I blinked. Hell, she was right to leave. What does this woman mean by not being allowed to have friends? On what should have been her wedding day? Where is that done?

I swallowed, then broke into a smile to mask my nervousness.

"I am really sorry, ma'am. We are so tight, I simply couldn't accept it. Actually, Samantha is still in her room, and I got lost trying to find my way out. I just thought to at least come and wish my best friend a happy married life."

The woman's right brow raised. "I guess Samantha still does not learn. You can leave. I hope you both are still best friends after the wedding."

My eyes widened at the subtlety of her threat, but I said nothing. I watched as she turned away with all the grace in this world and slowly walked towards the bridal room.

To my utmost relief, she did not enter it. She instead entered the room right next to it. If I remember correctly, Samantha had said that was the groom's room.

Hell. That just means she would tell him what happened. What if he came looking? I turned around and quickly ran down the stairs, towards the back gate. Samantha was standing there, worry lines in her face, her fingers nipping at each other.

"What did you tell her?"

"You need to leave," I said, urgency sipping into my tone. "I told her I was your friend, and she said she doesn't think we will be friends after the wedding. I think it is a threat, and she went straight to the room next to the bridal suite."

I could see fear immediately jumping into her eyes, her fingers lightly trembling.

"That...that is Mrs. Emilia. She is Gray's grandmother and the closest to him in the entire house. I swear, if she reports us.. no. You need to leave too, Evangeline. If not, you will be in danger. I swear."

I nodded. "Let us get you out of here first. I can just run home after."

She nodded, and together, we ran down to the back door. There was no one attentive enough to notice anyone there. We slowly got out, Samantha, right in front of me.

She stopped for a second, her eyes scanning the road. A few feet away was a parked black car. She stopped, squinting at it.

Slowly, the driver's window rolled down, and a hand peeked through, waving. She immediately broke into a smile as she turned to me, pointing at the hand.

Her smile was contagious, and I found myself smiling too, my eyes fixed on the man's hand. He was wearing a peculiar bracelet, one I felt like I had seen from somewhere else. It just seemed way too out of context that I couldn't place where it I had seen it from.

"Evangeline?" Samantha said, grabbing my hands. "You are an angel, I swear. I have lived in aich constant fear, and you came along... and risked everything for me. I don't have any money..."

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I may be poor, but I am a woman first. And no matter what happens, I will be glad I did this later because I would never have been able to live with myself had I not. I hope you are happy, Samantha."

She broke into a teary smile and then pulled me into a warm hug. I could sense her relief from the couple breaths she let out before she finally let go of me.

"I will never forget you. I will never forget your kindness. And please, leave too. Please. I would hate for anything to happen to you."

I nodded, patting her hands to assure her, my smile big. For some reason, I felt tears fill my eyes for her happiness. She pulled me into another hug before she turned away and ran down the road to the parked car.

She stopped to wave at me again, and I smiled, my focus shifting from her to the other side of the glass. It was a tint, and I couldn't see who was behind the wheel, but my mind reeled back to that bracelet. I was almost sure I had seen it somewhere else.

She waved again, then finally entered the car. I watched a little tearily as the car reversed, then turned down the road and sped off.

I gave a small sigh. I hadn't known her for more than an hour, but it felt almost like I had lived half her life with her. I smiled to myself. Even though I just lost whatever money I could have gotten from the catering and my almost empty bag that I was way too scared to get, it still felt completely worth it.

I sighed again, then started to turn, when a slow, deep voice caused me to stop in place.

"That was quite touching."

I felt my heart leap to my throat, my chest heaving. I slowly turned to the voice, and my world crumbled right in front of me.

A pair of swirling dark grey eyes met mine in a terrifying gaze. He had downturned, sleepy eyes, and it made him look completely evil. Brooding. Dark.

He was leaning on the door, his hands folded elegantly in front of him. Dark, chiselled features that were so trimmed, so put together that it felt like I was watching what an ambitious writer would consider to be sin itself.

"Hi," he said again, a smile raising the corner of his dark pink cupids bow lips. His hand stretched to me, and he slowly tilted his head to the right. "I am Gray. The groom whose bride you just let out."