I kissed Leo Moretti... Let that fact sink in. Maybe, I should have it engraved on the wall right in front of my bed so that each night before I go to sleep, I ponder over my recklessly stupid decisions. What is wrong with me? Every time I see him, my stomach churns so bad I think I might throw up. I haven't felt this – butterflies in stomach, racing hearts, blushing cheeks, Bollywood background music – kind of crush since my teenage boy-crazed days.

Why couldn't I be like other girls who had their emotions under reign? I wish I could play hard to get. The guys I'd been with often told me that I was hard to read. Normally, I had a lid over my emotions. But when it came to Leo, it is another issue. He brings out a volatile side of me. Be it annoyance, respect or admiration I feel everything at extremes when it comes to him.

"Meg, are you even listening to me?" Emily snapped her fingers in front of my face.

"Yeah totally." I lied. Honestly, if I had to hear about another bridesmaid fight I'm going to loose my shit.

Emily just glared at me. Ugh, disadvantages of being a bad liar. 

"What's wrong Meg?" Emily asked, keeping those calendars away. "You look like a kicked puppy."

"Well consider this hypothetical situation, if you have a crush on a guy and ended up accidently kissing him what'd you do?"

"One, no one just accidentlykisses someone. Two, don't do that hypothetically speaking shit with me. You totally kissed Leo, didn't you?"

Can you blame me Em? I mean have you looked at his him when he smiles? I think my insides turn into puddles... okay that sounds so wrong. Note to self, never use the cringey phrase insides turn to puddlesever again.  

"I'm stupid okay? It was just the moment felt so right and we both got carried away but then he flinched."

Of course I was so stupid to have kissed him. I buried my face between my palms; I could never face Leo Moretti ever again. This has to top the list of most embarrassing things I've ever done.

"You're being dramatic. You should talk to him about it. If you guys kissed, clearly there are emotions underneath and not to mention that super obvious chemistry between the two of you. You need to sort it out." Emily said.

"Not happenning." I said. "Look it was a mistake. I doubt he'd want to talk about it. I'll just avoid him and hope that he forgets it. Then everything can turn back to normal."

Emily shrugged. Her sensible mind had enough of my shenanigans and absurd logic.

"And how are you going to avoid him? Literally we're just moments away from meeting him."

That's right I'd dreaded this meeting with Gigi. Ever since that kiss happened between Leo and I, I've wanted to avoid Leo. Today I had to go to Moretti mansion once again to decide the colour scheme and I was freaking out. 

"I don't know but I don't have the courage to meet him after what happened."

Emily and I reached the Moretti mansion in her car. Just as Emily parked the car and we got out, I noticed a hoard of people gathered around the entrance and heard some high pitched screams. Emily scrambled in the crowd to find out what it was. I noticed Alex arrive and run towards the crowd. I stopped him in his steps and asked him what was going on.

"Nico and Leo got into a fight." Was the only thing he said before diving in the crowd to sort the issue.

I clearly heard Leo screaming curses at his brother. Alex's attempts were definitely not successful. I removed my phone and dialed Gigi up; maybe she could sort this fight out.

"You fucking cheat." Nico yelled followed with a string of Italian expletives. 

Leo punched his face before Alex held him back. I do not understand Italian but I certainly wouldn't want to hear what Nico and Leo meant.  They were hitting each other swearing at each other in Italian, it couldn't get worse than this.

"What is going on?" I heard Gigi exclaim.

When she saw her brothers fighting through the crowd, she quickly went in to diffuse the conflict. Andrew greeted me with a polite smile.

"I never got a chance to ask you but how're you holding up after the kidnapping thing?" I asked him.

"Don't worry, I'm holding up well.  Being an heir to Spencer family is literally like having a target on your back. So I've been trained in martial arts and specifically trained to escape hostage situations."

I could not relate with that.

"Good to know you're holding up."

Andrew looked towards the crowd. People had parted and we could see a glimpse of Leo and Nico fighting each other. Both of them looked like they'd kill each other.

Andrew let out a long sigh.

"I will never understand why men get violent in matters that concern a woman. I mean why battle it with the other man when you can simply ask the woman in question who she prefers?"

"What?"

"You don't know?" Andrew looked surprised. "Nico and Leo are fighting over Bianca. Apparently, Bianca was close to both of them since they're family friends. I don't know what really happened but Gigi tells me that Leo and Bianca were together when they were teens and then she left him for Nico but kept on cheating on Nico with Leo."

Hearing that made my heart shatter. Maybe that's why Leo flinched back. He never felt the same way for me. How could he, when he was already in love with someone else?

"Now, I hear Bianca left Nico to give it another shot with Leo." Andrew said. "I'm sad that you and Leo quit it. We all liked you over Bianca."

My fake relationship had come to an end, I should be happy but I felt like shit. Seriously, couldn't he just tell me that this fake relationship thing was a ruse to make his ex jealous? I feel so used and hurt right now. But, can I really blame him? Weren't we clear that it was a fake relationship, nothing more? If anything I should be blaming myself for my unrealistic expectations.

I saw Don Moretti arrive and a hush fell over everyone. He cussed at both his sons and scolded them for acting like children. Alex led Leo away while Gigi took Nico.

"I think we must leave." Emily said, walking towards us.

"Please don't leave, Gigi needs us." Andrew said.

I noticed Gigi jog up to us. She tried to smile but I could sense her nervousness.

"Not the meeting we were expecting huh?" Gigi said trying to lighten the mood. "My brothers were just up to their stupid antics. No need to worry about them."

"That's putting it lightly." Emily said.

"Now that it's over, let's get discussing." Gigi said and led us inside the mansion.

Even when we were discussing colour schemes, the air was so tensed up with Leo and Nico glaring daggers at each other. God, the atmosphere was so toxic, I just wanted to rush away and curl up in my bed. Gigi, Emily and I were the only ones talking and trying to make this stressful atmosphere better.

"...You know what Gigi let's give it some days. We'll send you more samples to think over." Emily said.

I was thankful for this. I couldn't wait to leave.

"Yes. That's a good idea." Leo added.

Strangely, Leo had avoided looking at me. He had been ignoring me like I didn't exist. When I said I wished he'd forget about that kiss, I did not mean it so literally. Did it mean nothing to him? Whatever, I couldn't be pondering about him. I shrugged off my thoughts and collected all my planners and folders to leave.

"Meg, can I talk to you for a second?"

I looked up and noticed Nico. Everyone else had left the room and both of us were alone.

"Yeah." I said. I noticed his roughed up appearance. He didn't seem like he was hurt too badly which was a relief.

"Leo betrayed you, didn't he?" He said. "He's always been like this. He betrayed me too. Wouldn't you feel hurt knowing that your brother was fucking your girlfriend? He hurt you too, didn't he? Don't you want revenge?"

"Revenge for what? There was nothing between Leo and me. It was just a misunderstanding and we played along because your parents approved of it."

Nico smiled creepily. For someone who had such handsome and angelic features, he looked scary with that kind of smile.

"Has anyone told you that you're a bad liar? I can clearly see it in your eyes that whatever Leo's doing is hurting you." Nico walked closer. "I'm offering you a chance to get even with him. Come on, aren't you at least curious to know?"

"Go on..."

"Be my date for the wedding." Nico said. "He used you to make Bianca jealous, you can get back at him. And believe me, there's no one he hates more than me. It'd burn him up to see you with me. Come on, I'm better than him."

He offered me his hand. I felt anger felling up in my chest. I pushed his hand away.

"You know what? I've had enough of these mind games. I'm done with this pretending game because it is stupid. Deep down, both you brothers are just the same careless and heartless. You both are so spoilt that you treat everything like it's a fucking game. But guess what, for some of us, these things aren't a game. Some of us have feelings. Some of us can't fake emotions even if their lives depended on it. I don't play games Nico. The only reason I agreed to be Leo's fake girlfriend was because I had feelings for him."

Nico was taken aback. I thought he was startled by my words. I traced his line of vision and saw Leo standing at the door. Involuntary, I gasped covering my mouth with my hands. 

He looked surprised. When I looked at him, I saw his eyes soften.

"Meg..." He was about to say something but I wasn't in the mindset to talk to him.

Before my heart would convince me to hear him out, I dashed away from both of them. I wanted to go home.