When Carter and Suzette entered the house, I quickly wiped my tears and hurried down the stairs, hoping they'd decline to attend the wedding. But the moment Carter said "yes," something inside me snapped. Without thinking, I grabbed the pillows from the sofa and hurled them at him.
"How could you? I thought you took my side? You traitor!" I screamed, my voice trembling with anger and betrayal.
Carter and Suzette both yelled back, trying to dodge the flying pillows as I lunged at them, pillow in hand.
"Baby, calm down. We'll explain it—" Carter started, raising his hands defensively.
But I cut him off sharply. "And you agreed to this too?" I stared at Suzette with wide, hurt eyes.
"Yes—I mean, no—! Ah!" Suzette cried out, trying to hide behind Carter as I threw another pillow in her direction.
"Calm down—Nova—just listen to our explanations!" they both pleaded, their voices frantic.
But I was beyond listening. I started chasing them around the room with the pillow, my anger fueling every step, determined to make them understand how betrayed I felt.
Carter and Suzette tripped and fell to the floor together, with Carter landing on top of Suzette as I continued to swing the pillow aggressively at them.
"Novaria! Stop it! You're hurting Suzette!" Carter's voice rang out, firm and commanding, his tone surprisingly serious.
I froze in place, pouting, then slowly sank down onto the sofa, my anger momentarily subsiding. I knew Carter's serious tone meant he was getting angry—when he used his real voice, that's when I knew I'd pushed him too far.
Meanwhile, Suzette was stunned. She'd never heard Carter's real voice before—so deep, husky, and commanding. Her eyes widened as she gulped, stealing a glance at his face, feeling a strange flutter in her chest.
Now that everyone had calmed down, I shot them a hard glare. "Talk."
Carter hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Well... I agreed that we will attend the wedding tomorrow."
I raised an eyebrow, urging him to go on.
"Isn't it the best time to show them that you've already moved on from them? That they don't affect you anymore? And that you don't care what they say about you?" Carter explained, his voice steady and reassuring.
I slowly started to nod, realizing he had a point. Maybe facing it head-on was the way to go.
Carter glanced at Suzette with a smirk before turning back to me. "So, I'll be fixing your hair and makeup while Suzette will pick out your dress—and you need to find a date."
"A date?" I echoed, arching an eyebrow.
"Yes, a date—or it's okay if you don't want to," Suzette started to say, hesitating.
I shook my head with a small smile. "No, that's perfect." Without another word, I headed to my room, determined to find someone special for the occasion.
"Where are you going?" Suzette called after me.
"To match myself a date," I said confidently, opening the Linder app to start swiping.
Suzette looked at Carter, raising an eyebrow. "Get your tools and be here by six tomorrow."
"What tools?" Carter asked, confused.
She rolled her eyes. "The colors where you paint your face."
Carter chuckled, then teased, "It's called 'makeup,' sweetie."
"Yeah, that," Suzette replied simply, about to say something more when Carter suddenly interrupted with a wide grin.
"O to the M to the G!" Carter exclaimed, shaking Suzette excitedly. "My love just agreed to be my partner!"
In an instant, Suzette's expression shifted to annoyance. She kicked Carter out of the house aggressively. "Come here tomorrow by six, or else!" she warned, before slamming the door shut.
"You meanie!" Carter yelled after her, laughing.
Meanwhile, I was deep into swiping left and right on the Linder app, searching for a match. But no matter how many profiles I browsed, none of the seemingly decent men showed any interest in mine. I remembered Suzette mentioning that my profile picture might be the issue, but I didn't see anything wrong with it and had kept it the same.
After the last person declined a meet-up, I sighed heavily and turned off my phone, feeling a bit frustrated.
"Men are stupid," I muttered, causing Suzette, who was lying on my bed watching a movie on her phone, to look up.
"Tomorrow is the wedding. Are you sure you don't want to try a little harder?" she asked, pausing her movie and giving me a pointed look.
"Fuck it. I'm going to bed," I said with a sigh, sinking onto the bed and turning away. "I'll just survive tomorrow on my own."
I laid there, feeling defeated, but deep down, a small part of me wanted to believe that what I was saying was true—that maybe I didn't need anyone to get through it.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Suzette was jolted awake by a hand gripping her wrist. "I lied! I won't survive today by myself!" Novaria exclaimed.
Suzette's eyes snapped open, wide with surprise as she took in the sight of Novaria, clad in a rumpled bathrobe, tugging at her wrist.
"What time is it anyway?" Suzette asked, still slightly disoriented, stretching her arms above her head.
"Five A.M.! And I still don't have anything to wear!" Novaria cried, frantically rummaging through her wardrobe.
Suzette slapped a hand to her forehead, sighing. Five AM. Already awake. No choice but to call Carter.
"Suzette? Why are you calling me this early?" Carter's voice, husky and low, greeted her.
Suzette swallowed, a blush creeping up her neck. "Did you think of me last night?" she purred, her voice laced with playful mischief.
Carter's voice shot up an octave. "You witch!"
"Come on, Carter," she teased. "Can you say my name again? Or better yet, moan my name?"
"Witch! If you don't tell me the reason why you called me, I'm hanging up! Right now!" he yelled, clearly exasperated.
She laughed for a while then finally said the reason why. "Come over here, Nova woke me up this early because she's getting freaked out."
"Alright, I'll be there in a sec," Carter said, but before he could end the call,
"One more thing," she said, her voice dripping with suggestive tones.
"What?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of anticipation.
She moaned his name, "Carter," before the call abruptly ended.
"Zette! Stop flirting with my brother and help me here!" Novaria's voice, sharp with a hint of panic, sliced through Suzette's laughter.
With Suzette by my side, dressing up felt surprisingly effortless. I knew that if I was going to face Hunter and my sister again, I didn't want to be the sulking, whining girl they saw that day. No, this time I was determined to show them a different version of myself — a more beautiful, confident woman who's ready to own the moment.
As I stood in front of the mirror, I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. I looked at myself and saw someone I barely recognized — in the best way.
The gown I was wearing was stunning. Made from a smooth, silky fabric in a deep emerald shade that made my eyes sparkle even more, it hugged my figure perfectly. It was a floor-length dress with a subtle slit on one side, adding just the right amount of elegance and a little bit of edge. The neckline was a simple V-shape, revealing just enough skin without crossing into anything too revealing, and delicate, thin straps rested gently on my shoulders.
Carter had already done my hair and makeup, and I was grateful for his touch. He'd styled my hair into soft, flowing waves that framed my face beautifully, his hands moving with practiced ease to make sure every strand was just right. My makeup was subtle but effective — a touch of eyeshadow that made my green eyes pop, a hint of blush to add warmth to my cheeks, and a soft, glossy lipstick that finished the look perfectly.
Feeling confident and ready, I stepped outside to find Suzette fixing Carter's tie.
"Can't you put on a smile while facing me?" Suzette said gently, her eyes furrowed in annoyance.
"Why? Are you my boyfriend?" Carter shot back instantly, rolling his eyes with a pout.
Suzette raised an eyebrow, a sly smile playing on her lips. "You want to go there alone?" she challenged.
Apparently, Carter's boyfriend couldn't make it today, so he'd been in a bit of a bad mood all day. That's why Suzette and he were heading out as partners, to keep things light.
As I started to walk down, they both looked at me and smiled warmly.
"OMG! I'm so jealous! Why are you so much more beautiful than me?!" Carter exclaimed, dramatically clutching his chest with a grin.
I couldn't help but laugh at his over-the-top reaction, but honestly, I felt a little nervous inside. Meeting them again after everything — I was trying to stay composed.
Suzette leaned in slightly, hugging me lightly to avoid messing up my makeup. "Are you sure you want to go alone?"
"Yes," I replied firmly, my voice steady with determination. Why would I need a partner? I wanted to show them I wasn't affected anymore — that I could stand tall on my own.
Carter nodded. "We'll be heading out first then," he said as Suzette gently opened the door. They had to check the cake and pastries they ordered for the wedding, so they needed to get going ahead of me.