Page 87 of Vapor

Carefully slipping out of bed, I check to make sure he’s still sleeping. I pad across the room and sit at the small desk beside the mini fridge. The dim glow of the bedside lamp casts shadows across the hotel room as I uncap the pen. A small notepad sits beside the telephone.

I turn it around and set pen to paper. My heart aches with every word I write, but I know this is the only way to protect the man who has stolen my heart and given me a taste of the freedom I’ve always craved.

“Vapor,” I begin, the ink bleeding into the crisp white paper,“I never thought I’d be lucky enough to meet someone like you. You make me feel alive in a way I’ve never experienced before. But the weight of my father’s control hangs over us like a dark cloud, threatening to suffocate everything we have.”

Tears blur my vision as I continue, pouring my soul onto the page.“I don’t want to marry Broussard, but the stakes are too high. If I don’t, my father will never let you go. He’ll hunt you down, and I can’t bear the thought of losing you.”

My hand trembles as I finish the note, signing it with a simple,“I love you, Blue.”

The finality of the words sends a shudder through my body, yet this is what I must do. It’s the sacrifice I have to make to ensure Vapor’s safety.

Carefully, I fold the letter and tiptoe across the room, the plush carpet muffling my footsteps. Vapor’s chest rises and falls steadily, his handsome face relaxed in sleep. For a moment, I allow myself to memorize the sight of him, knowing that our time together is fleeting.

With a heavy heart, I place the note on his bedside table, my hand lingering for a moment before I pull away. The air is thick with tension and sadness, the silence punctuated only by the steady rhythm of Vapor’s breathing.

As I slip out of the hotel room, leaving behind the man I love in the hopes of protecting him, I pray that one day we’ll find our way back to each other. For now, though, I must face the storm alone and confront the demons that have haunted me for so long.

“Goodbye, Vapor,” I whisper into the darkness, my voice cracking with the weight of my decision. And with that, I step into the unknown, propelled by the strength of my love and the desperate hope that somehow, someway, we will be together again.

***

As I step out of the taxi, the iron gates of my father’s mansion loom before me like a prison. I swallow hard. My heart pounds in my chest. Part of me can’t believe I’m walking back into this place, but what choice do I have?

I walk up to the gate and punch in the code to get in. It works. Maybe he knew I’d come crawling back eventually, so he never bothered to change it. He was right. Maybe I’ve been fooling myself this entire time; after all, who knows me better than him?

The front door swings open and my father steps onto the porch. He glances at me before looking past me, searching the lawn to see if anyone is with me. I’ve never felt this alone in my entire life.

“Welcome home, Blue,” my father says, his voice cold and devoid of warmth.“I’m glad you finally made the right choice.”

“I’m only doing this because I don’t have any other options. I hate you for what you did. You killed someone.”

“One of their sluts. Doesn’t count,” he says dismissively.

“How do you—you know what, never mind. I don’t even care anymore. You’re getting what you’ve always wanted. I should have known you’d stop at nothing to make me marry that monster. Are you happy now?”

“You’re such an ungrateful little bitch.” He grabs my upper arm and drags me into the house. As he pulls me upstairs, I yank my arm away.“I have a surprise for you.”

“I don’t want it.”

The door to my bedroom swings open and Lacy steps out. The smug expression on her face makes me realize she knows everything. She was in on it. Maybe not directly, but she knew, and she could have stopped the bombing. But she didn’t. She’s just as bad as he is.

“Why are you here?” I demand.

“Someone had to bring the dress. Although you didn’t ever go back for any more fittings, I’m sure it will look fine.”

“Do you know what he did?” I point at my father.

“What he had to do. I still don’t understand why you’re being such a baby about this. After tomorrow, you’ll be rich beyond your wildest dreams.”

“Make sure she’s ready by ten,” Father says, glaring at me before shutting me inside my bedroom with my sister. This time, I hear a lock click behind me. I could still escape through the window, but that would mean putting Vapor in danger again. I just can’t do it.

“You’ve made your choice,” Lacy says.“You and that biker could have run away together. Fled the country. But you stayed. Stupid. Get some sleep. You don’t want to look tired for the wedding photos.”

I don’t sleep a wink. I’m still awake when my father unlocks the door the next morning. Several women I’ve never met file into the room carrying a variety of bags and boxes. I watch in silence as they transform my bedroom into a bridal chamber.

“Get yourself ready,” my father commands, satisfaction evident in his smirk.“Your groom is waiting.”

I mechanically prepare for the wedding. My movements are slow and calculated, devoid of joy as I allow the team of makeup artists and hair stylists attack me with their instruments. Lacy oversees everything, directing them to curl my hair tighter or add more blush. I don’t care about any of it. I’m just a doll to be made up, not even human anymore.

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