C7 Ex Girlfriend

She offered a quick smile and removed her palms from his. She started to walk away.

“See you around,” Luke called to her and she acknowledged with a slight nod.

Luke stared wistfully at her back as she left, wondering what the next few months had in store for them.

~~~

“Ava Grayson, it’s your wedding day. Your smile should be really wide today,” Alex said as she came into the dressing room, holding the wedding dress. “It’s your happy day.”

“It’s my wedding day, Lex, not my happy day,” Ava corrected. “I’m not marrying the man I love. It’s just a marriage of convenience.”

Alex scoffed. “Love? Ava don’t be silly. You’re about to become the most powerful young woman in the world. Who the heck cares about love?”

Ava had to smile at that. “You exaggerate a lot, Lex.”

Alex shrugged. “Again, you’re getting married to one of the finest men in Europe.

You have to agree with me. Luke is drop-dead gorgeous. I’m not exaggerating this time.” She added.

Ava couldn’t deny that. Luke was devastatingly good-looking. She had a thing for good-looking men, but this was marriage, not a ‘thing’. A marriage of convenience at that.

“Get dressed. The bridal entrance is just around the corner.” Alexis winked at Ava and left the room.

“Phew! It's happening, I'm getting married to Mr. Red! I can't believe I'm sacrificing one year of my life for this. Gosh”. She panicked as she paced around.

She moved towards the mirror, stood in front of it, and stared at herself for a while. “You got this Ava, you got this. She affirmed, her lips widened igniting a small smile on her face.

An hour later, Ava was regally dressed and ready for the entrance. She looked at herself in the mirror and was a bit taken aback by her reflection. She looked angelic in that white dress.

There was a knock on the door. “Ava?” Susan Grayson called.

“Mom, come on in.” She signaled the professionals in the room to leave.

Susan opened the door and stood in the doorway, observing her daughter. She smiled wistfully, her heart heavy.

“My God, Ava. You look breathtaking” she complimented and Ava smiled. Suddenly Teary-eyed. “Thanks, Mom,” she said, her voice breaking.

Sensing what was about to happen, Susan moved in quick strides and took Ava in her arms. “You should be your happiest today, sweetheart.” A tear dropped from Ava’s eyes. “Mom, I'm scared.”

“I know, sweetheart. But I assure you, everything will be fine. I know what you're scared of, but I tell you, it's just a matter of time. Okay?”

“But Mom, what if things don't turn out fine? I'm supposed to spend a year with a stranger” Ava said in between tears.

“Enough with the tears, sweetheart. You’re ruining your makeup. You should look your best”. Susan got a few wipes and handed them to Ava.

“You’ll be fine. Trust me.” “Now, you have just ten minutes. Let the professionals fix you back up” She winked at Ava and left.

The next few minutes were cold as a lot of thoughts clouded Ava’s mind.

~~~

Luke stood at the altar, waiting for his bride. He felt a bit uneasy.. and anxious. He was getting married. It was all happening so fast.

Two months ago, his ex broke up with him, and now, he was getting married to a girl he barely knew.

He was going to try to move on. But he wanted to be sure she was safe.

He looked over at his best man, Darrell, who raised his brows. Luke never asked him about what happened at the restaurant, and Darrell never offered any explanation either.

He believed it was for the best. He didn’t want to know what transpired between his cousin and his wife-to-be.

A movement in the audience caught his eyes and he froze. Farida?

Luke stood transfixed on the spot, his eyes darting frantically from familiar faces to unfamiliar faces in the crowd, searching for the face he had caught a glimpse of in a nanosecond.

He wanted so badly to leave the altar and go in search of her, but he knew deep down he was too responsible for that. He wasn’t going to leave an innocent girl standing at the altar, alone.

He couldn’t find her. But he was sure he had seen her. At least he’d seen her auburn hair. He wouldn’t miss it anywhere.

So where was she?

He sighed and adjusted his tie. He decided he was going to look for her after the wedding. He wasn’t going to let her slip from his fingers this time. If she was the one…

Hushed murmurs arose from the back, and just then, the pianist struck up a serene, yet beautiful melody.

The bride was here.

Luke and Darrell glanced at the church entrance simultaneously, and an astounded look fell on Darrell’s face. He looked on in wonder, feeling a painful lurch in his chest.

Luke, on the other hand, was starstruck. His breath had caught in his throat, and it took him a full minute to realize.

As he gazed at Ava, he felt a stir of emotions that threatened his confident stance.

He didn’t know a woman’s beauty could be so..unsettling.

There had to be a positive meaning to the word unsettling, he thought, because he couldn’t quite explain how he felt at that moment. Unsettled, yes, but in a way that made him feel good.

Unconsciously, he ran his fingers through his hair, and Darrell threw him a sidelong glance.

“Get it together, man” he mouthed and straightened to face the audience.

As Ava drew closer, Luke grew nervous and self-aware. He swallowed hard, his palms sweating, and stood straighter, his hands unconsciously going to his tie now and then.

What was it about her?