|| Coral ||

"What is it that I don't know?" Wyatt gave me a perplexed look.

"N-nothing," I let out, not knowing what exactly to say to his question, and turned around as the tears started brimming my eyes.

"Oh!" he exclaimed as if a bulb lit up over his head. "Your mom mustn't be coming to the wedding. That's what I didn't know. That's too bad. I was actually looking forward to meeting her. Maybe next time. I hope she's been well."

Helplessly, I just nodded my head, biting my bottom lip to hold back the tears from falling.

What the hell was I supposed to say? 'Oh, Mom is actually dead, so no, she's not coming.'? It was okay, he would eventually get to know through the unsent text.

He sighed and said, "Alright then. Have a goodnight." With that, he opened the door and left.

I let out a sob as soon as the door closed behind him. Even now, after two and a half years, I still cried at the mention of my mom. I tried not to think about her too much, which I knew was the worst thing I could do as a daughter, but it just hurt so much every time.

I couldn't even manage to visit her graveyard since I had been in Houston, but I did plan to visit when the workload would be a little less here.

And it made sense why Wyatt wouldn't know about her demise. Because I told him about it in the explanation text which he never received. Theo and Ara also didn't probably tell because they thought he knew and it was such a heavy topic to talk about.

Whatever! I couldn't care less about that. This... was all so fucked up.

———

After crying to my heart's content last night, I felt a lot lighter. I was ready to run around all day.

I put on a brave smile and got out of my room, and of course, I saw Wyatt first thing in the morning as his room was right across mine. I was about to greet him when I noticed him on a call.

"—Yes, I can't be at the office today. No, I can't send Blake to bring that file. I need him here. Send someone else—" His eyes fell on me. "Hold on a second." He removed the phone from his ear and said with a smile, "Good morning, Angel."

My eyes widened.

I was shocked—would be an understatement.

Work-mode Wyatt doesn't put away his phone for me. Work-mode Wyatt doesn't prioritize me over his work call. Heck, work-mode Wyatt doesn't even notice me — the voice in my head chanted.

I composed myself and let out, "Uh, yeah, good morning."

But seriously, who was this person?

"Let's have breakfast together?" he asked.

"No, I'm having breakfast with Ara."

"That's too bad. I'll see you later, then."

I nodded and started walking towards the elevator, and he didn't get back to his call until I was a little away.

Once I got into the elevator, I couldn't stop the grin over my face.

Did his thick head somehow figure out that his lack of attention towards me was one of the reasons I broke up with him?

Come to think of it, even someone like him must have always known. He must have wondered about the possible reasons for our break-up since he didn't get an explanation, and this must be one of them he came up with and was trying to fix. That must be why he has been attentive towards me since we met again.

Frankly, it made me happy.

However, as something else came to my mind, my smile dropped.

But...

Why was he trying to fix something that was related to me? People fix their attitudes only when they want things to work out, right? He couldn't possibly want to get back together with me, could he?

His behavior towards me could also mean... I shook my head. That was just him getting on my nerves to get revenge on me for his sufferings.

I was being stupid and naíve. I shouldn't forget about how he treated me during our last year of dating, and people didn't change that easily. He could try and try to fix himself, it would all just have the same outcome just like our last relationship. Plus, I was sure he didn't want to get back together, just like me. He probably just wanted closure or something, again like me.

Sighing, I stepped out of the elevator and was surprised to find Ara waiting for me.

"Hey, what are you doing here? Aren't we supposed to meet up at the restaurant?"

She grabbed my wrist and said urgently, "We don't have time for that. Let's go pick up my dress first, then I have to head to work as soon as possible."

"But—"

"I'm sorry, hun! But you'll have to handle the rest of it on your own! Our hotel is having a VIP guest on short notice, so I have to be there on time. Now let's hurry up!"

I didn't even get a chance to object as Ara dragged me outside to her parked car and shoved me inside.

"If I had known earlier, I would have just called for room service," I grumbled, putting on the seatbelt, while Ara rushed to the driver's seat and headed out to the designer.

We reached there in only twenty minutes as Ara almost crossed the speed limit on every street. We hurriedly made our way inside, and Ara grabbed her dress from the designer.

After only five minutes of waiting, Ara came out running from the trial room and gave a quick spin. "How does it look?"

I was in awe at how beautiful she looked, but she didn't let me stay in awe too long as she impatiently snapped her finger. "Yes, yes, you look perfect. Are the measurements oka—"

"Great." She didn't let me finish and rushed back in and came rushing out in a minute.

Wait, this was all happening to fast—

She shoved the white gown in my hands and said, "It's your responsibility now! Bye!" With that, she was gone like a strong gust of wind.

I was left standing there dumbfounded with her wedding gown in my hand.

"Ms. Hawkins, did the gown fit her okay?" Mrs. Hoover, the designer, asked after coming back in.

I looked at her with my jaw still slacked. "I honestly couldn't tell."

"I'm sorry?" She gave me a clueless look.

I shook my head, snapping myself out of my stupefied self. "Let's see... By the time she quickly put it on and got out, I'm guessing the dress fit her perfectly. Thank you so much for your wonderful work, Mrs. Hoover! The gown is absolutely gorgeous."

"Thank you for your kind words, Ms. Hawkins. Would you like to try on your maid of honor outfit or take it with the rest of the bridesmaids' outfit?"

"I would like to try it on right now if it's not too much trouble."

"Okay, I'll have it taken out then. Wait a minute."

I nodded as she went out of the waiting room. I slumped down on the couch with the wedding dress still in my hand. For some reason, I felt totally drained... and my day had just started!

I couldn't believe how that stupid girl left me with her dress and the rest of the work alone. Was I supposed to go shopping for my shoes all alone? And who the hell was going to say how I looked in my maid of honor dress?

Only one name came to my head.

Swallowing my pride, I dialed that person's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, I need one more help."

———

"I can't believe you came here in your best man outfit," I said impressively from inside the trial room.

Wyatt came here fifteen minutes after I called him. He had already been out with Theo for picking out their sides' clothes.

"Well, you called me when I was trying on my outfit, so I thought I should get your opinion on it as well," Wyatt replied from outside.

"I hope you didn't ditch Theo midway."

"He pushed me to come here himself."

"Of course, that prick did," I muttered to myself and rolled my eyes while looking at myself in the mirror. My outfit was an off-shoulder short sleeve ocean blue princess gown while the bridesmaids' outfit had the same design but in teal color.

"Angel, are you not ready yet? Does the gown need adjustments?" Wyatt asked in concern.

I knew I looked beautiful but still was nervous to step out in front of Wyatt.

"No, it's fine. I'll be out in a minute." I took a deep breath and did a final check before finally coming out. Wyatt was facing the other way, dressed in his ocean blue suit. "How do I look?"

When Wyatt turned out, both of our breaths hitched.

While I was aware that he was handsome and was going to look even more handsome right now, there was a strange feeling in dressing up in the same color and being each other's partner. It brought back a rush of nostalgia.

I was the first to avert my eyes and give a twirl to flaunt my dress. "So?"

Wyatt snapped out of his daydream and coughed before saying with a smile, "You look gorgeous, Angel."

"Thanks." For some reason, I felt shy suddenly.

"What about me? How do I look?"

"You look good," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Well, I expected an 'okay' from you, so I guess I really must look good." He chuckled mildly. "Hey, can you come here for a second?"

As I went over to him, he put his hand on my waist, almost making me gasp in surprise. "What are—"

"Damn, we look good," he said, sounding mesmerized and looking at something in front of us, so I looked ahead as well and found a full-length mirror. Even I was mesmerized now.

Wow.

For a moment, I let myself get lost and wrapped my arms around his, smiling genuinely, remembering just how many times we have worn matching outfits in the past. "We have always looked good together," I murmured.

Wyatt smiled as well. "True."

Just then, Mrs. Hoover came into the waiting room and gasped. "Oh, my God, you two look so gorgeous together. Let me click a photo, please!"

Our trance was broken as we looked back at her.

Before I could decline, Wyatt said, "Yeah, sure, no problem."

I glared at him as Mrs. Hoover pulled out a camera from the shelf and motioned us to stand like we were earlier.

"Stop glaring, Angel. Smile."

I huffed and forced a too-wide fake smile on my face.

"You guys look like a particular princess and prince. I can't quite put my finger on it," Mrs. Hoover said thoughtfully as she angled her camera.

Before I even had a chance to think about it, Wyatt was saying, "Cinderella and her prince."

"Yes, you're right! Like Cinderella and her prince!" Mrs. Hoover exclaimed happily.

"How did you think of it so fast?" I scoffed.

He brought his lips to my ear and whispered, "Remember we once went to see Susan's Cinderella play at her school?"

Susan was another one of his cousins. Five years ago, she had begged all of us to go see her play, especially since she was performing it with her crush.

I remembered snorting way too loudly when the play started with the step-mom and step-sister pushing Cinderella to work. The step-mom face twitching was too good to not laugh. Though my laugh was off-time and annoyed the surrounding people, it had made Wyatt laugh.

That memory brought a genuine smile to my face. Just then I heard a snap, and I was broken out of my fallacy.

"This was perfect!" Mrs. Hoover gushed. "It's so rare for the maid of honor and the best man to be a couple, but I'm glad I could get a shot of this—"

"We are not a couple," I cut in and moved away from Wyatt. "I think that should be enough for you, Mrs. Hoover. I'm going to change." With that, without waiting to see Wyatt's reaction, I marched right into the trial room.

I changed back to my earlier outfit which was a blue crop top and denim shorts.

When I came out, Wyatt had also changed back to his casual dark green shirt and black jeans. I looked around for the bags of Ara's and bridesmaids' outfits.

"If you're looking for the bags, I had Blake put them in the car," Wyatt informed.

"Oh, I see."

As the both of us started walking outside, he said, "So next, we are going to shop for your shoe next. Or do you wanna pick up Ara's shoes first? Or her jewelry?"

"What about you? What do you have in your schedule?"

"Oh, I have to buy a watch for Theo 'cause he says my choice is better in it, and—" We just reached his car and got into the backseats when my stomach decided to growl loudly.

All the three pairs of eyes in the car looked at me.

What timing! It was one thing to have my stomach growl in front of Wyatt, but with his driver and personal assistant present? I wanted to dig a hole and crawl in it and never come out.

Wyatt quietly chuckled with his hand over his mouth and said, "Didn't you have breakfast yet?"

I meekly nodded, resisting my urge to cover my face out of embarrassment.

"Me neither. Before doing anything else, let's have breakfast together first."

I nodded eagerly, not being able to wait to put anything in my starving stomach, but soon I was wishing that I had said no.

Wyatt leaned closer to my ear and whispered, "It's a date, then."

★★★