August Flynn.
"Will you marry me?" Jordan asked; he was on his knees, and I was standing in front of him hoping the question was intended for me. I but I saw him walked towards Avery, a broad smile on his face as he repeated the question.
"Will you be my wife Avery?"
I stood still, my nails digging into my palms; my heart plummets as the sentence reoccurs in my mind several times.
I stretched out my hand, staring at Jordan Reed, the best hockey player, the man I have always fantasized about day after day. Today he won the national championship, and a party is held in his name, but him popping the marriage question to Avery is something I never imagined in my entire lifetime, despite the hurt she had caused him.
"Avery Sinclair, I repeat, will you marry me?" He asked again when he noticed her silence, her eyes shows her hesitance then she turned to me, she the pain in the my eyes then she screwamef a loud yes.
My heart stopped beating for a millisecond ,He was still standing beside her, before hugging her tightly. The crowd was silent as they watched with anticipation but when she accepted his proposal, they all erupted in a thunderous applause.
The scene was making it impossible to breath,I couldn't continue standing there like a statue while they showed the world that they were meant for each other, while I was being killed from within. I recalled the day Jordan had arrived at our house; my father had introduced him as my stepbrother. My heart raced as I admired every fiber of his being. I was ready to do anything he ever asked of me, to the extent that I became his assistant whenever he went for a match with the team; he sent me errands, but I never cared.
Tears threatened to streak down my cheeks; I briskly walked out of sight, my eyes focused on the ground. I don't want anyone to see my saddened expression. I suddenly bumped into someone. I didn't want to lift up my eyes to see who it was, so I hurriedly apologized and changed my course of direction, only for the person to stand right in front of me again. I was about to lift up my gaze to vent out my frustration. I could feel the face close to mine; a feminine voice whispered incoherent but audible words, "Follow me, and I'll make you irresistible enough not to be ignored by Jordan." I held my breath, my feet frozen in place, wondering how he knew about my feelings for my stepbrother. I turned to look at the feminine voice that had just muttered gently, but she was nowhere to be seen. I looked forward and saw a lady walking away; my feet followed her. I was hesitant, but her words haunted me, her back familiar.
I found myself outside the building; the peeking moon from the west could be seen. A lurking dark figure stood in the distance. I stretched out my hand while hoping for her to stop, but she refused. A looming figure suddenly pinned me against the wall. I saw a lady; her face couldn't be seen because of the darkness, there was no evident light outside the building, and she was wearing a hoodie.
She brought down her hoodie; my mouth hung open when I saw Vivienne. Her eyes were unchanged, but her general physique was exceptional. The tears I had been holding back finally found their way down my cheeks as I hugged her tightly. "Vivienne... I miss you."
"It is not time for all that; let's change that nerdy look, and let's make Jordan regret treating you like trash." She husked and pulled away from the tight hug, wrapping her hand around my wrist.
I stopped and looked her in the eyes. "Where are you taking me to?"
"It's a surprise; just follow me." She seems excited.
I pout my lips, my feet still stuck in the same position. "Vivienne, I know what you are capable of. Where the fuck are you taking me to?"
She raised her hand in surrender, her eyes briefly scanning me, and let out a sigh. "I just want to change your look a little bit and make you more presentable."
"Am I not presentable enough?" I asked my voice to crack.
"No, that's not the point; just stop asking questions and follow me, okay, please." I sighed before I succumbed to her pleas.
She then took me to a small room in the security lounge. There was a lady already waiting there; she urged me to sit and told the lady, "Do what I paid you for." The lady nodded as she immediately started prepping me up. In less than an hour, everything was set. I paused, my heart racing as I watched myself in the mirror. I felt a newfound confidence. Before I could finish admiring myself, Vivienne immediately grabbed my hand and dragged me back to where the event was ongoing.
I was hesitant to follow her; I didn't want to deal with the pain of seeing Jordan doting on the woman who had rejected him several times, yet he kept running back to her like she had cast a spell on him.
I took graceful strides towards Jordan. I stood beside him, my hand outstretched. I was about to touch him only for Avery to stop me by standing in front of me. She briefly scanned me, a smile on her face. "Oh... you don't look so bad, but understand the fact that Jordan is mine now; you can clearly see we would soon be getting married."
Jordan turned, his arm wrapped around her waist; it struck something in me, and my heart broke to the tiniest pieces. Jordan also stared at me, his eyes glued to my face, the hesitation evident. "August... what are you doing here?"
I instinctively scratched my scalp; it became almost too itchy. I was not bold enough to look into his alluring eyes. "I…wanted…to ask if you guys would be going to...the hockey practice tomorrow?" I stuttered.
"You look..."
"Yes, I know. I look weird, right...I know you don't have to say it out loud."
"No, you look hotter tonight; I never knew you had some fashion sense." His words left a mark where they shouldn't have, because he has always seen me as boring old cargo.
"But this is not how you were dressed at the beginning of the party..." He paused and thought for a moment, "Did you dress up for me?"
"No, actually..."
"Stop the pretense, August; it's clear you have always cared about Jordan, but unfortunately, he's mine." Avery cuts in with a mischievous smile.
I saw Jordan pinch his nose, slightly frustrated. "You know what, August? Just pretend pretend like I am your real brother."
"But you are not..." I cuts in, my voice cracking.
"Please, understand that I'm your brother even though we are not related by blood."
"I know, I just wanted to lo..."
"Please say no more, August; just leave before you ruin my mood, because I can't let you ruin my night with Avery."
His words cut deep; I swallowed a lump, I immediately turned away with trembling hands, and then I stopped. I desperately wanted to tell him he's making a mistake by proposing to Avery, but I was not brave enough to face him anymore. Deep within, I still wished he could stop me and tell me that everything was just a prank and he only cared about me, but it never came; his entire attention was focused on Avery. My face was facing the ground as I walked away. I knew I can't continue being humiliated and broken, I have to pick up the remaining pieces that is Left of me. I clenched my fist, determination surged, and I realized within my being that I needed to love myself enough to see that Jordan might actually never be worth it, but why do I still care?
I was still walking when I bumped into a hard, masculine body. I gently lifted my face, and I saw the coach standing in front of me. The calming and romantic music that was played in the background was not helping matters. It was Jordan's coach, his gaze focused, a smile evident before he leaned close to my ear and whispered, "I know you care about your stepbrother; you don't need to fake it."
I paused lifting my gaze to look at him, I can't help wonder if portraying my feelings for Jordan was so obvious for him to had noticed?
