Page 16 of The Runaway and the Rugged
EMELIA
“You can do this,” I repeated, sounding like a broken record as I stared back at my reflection. Soft coppery curls laid perfectly over each shoulder while my face was painted in a layer of flawless makeup.
I couldn't deny that I looked beautiful.
I was made up just the way Nathaniel wanted, right down to the lacy soft pink garter he picked out for me to wear.
I wanted to throw up. I wanted to explode into tears and rip this dress clean from my body, but I knew I wasn’t strong enough to commit to that. Not when I had willingly let this whole situation get this far without expressing my reservations. A whole two weeks had passed without anything being said.
Not to Nathaniel. Not even to Clarke, but only myself, my biggest enemy.
From dress shopping to the catering for the reception, I foolishly went along with everything he wanted. Looking back, it was all just a whirlwind of nodding my head in agreement and an unrealistic hope that this day would never arrive.
And now that it had, all the regret I had buried inside was now emerging. Scratching and clawing its way out, leaving me no room to breathe.
I was suffocating.
Suffocating in this life I tried so desperately to fit into, but everything was beginning to slowly close in on me.
“Millie?” Clarke’s voice appeared from just outside the room. She tapped her nails softly against the wooden door before slowly letting herself inside.
“Come in,” I shouted, immediately fixing any imperfections from having a slight breakdown, and reluctantly turned in the direction of the door. Seconds later, she walked inside, taking in my dress, my face, everything with wide, loving eyes.
“Millie, you look beautiful,” she gushed, but it was the last thing I wanted to hear right now.
“Thanks, so do you.” Her hair was up in a sleek updo while blonde strands perfectly framed the sides of her face. From the back, her long, intricate spine tattoo was on full display, showing every colorful flower, that eventually dipped below her dress.
“Getting nervous?”
I swallowed.
“A little,” I confessed.
She laughed, but it was one to make me feel more at ease.
“I can tell, but I think that’s normal.”
Was it normal to want to run away and disappear?
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I nodded, too terrified to disclose the full truth to her and instead pretended like everything was fine.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” she asked, her gaze unwavering and unflinching, as if searching for any deception. “You’d tell me if something was wrong, right?”
Oh god.
Don’t lie, Emelia. Don’t you dare.
“Of course, I promise. I’m okay.”
I was the world's worst friend. The guilt was already eating at me and just before she left the room to give me some space, she turned to me one final time and smiled sadly. “I love you.”
The moment she closed the door, I pressed my hand over my mouth and burst into tears. With nothing left to hold on to, and with everything crumbling around me and the fear of marrying Nathaniel at all-time high, I threw open the back door and darted out, desperate to disappear into the vastness of the ranch where I could finally breathe again.
Anywhere but here.
6
GARTH
