Chapter 5

Ruby

“No, the plan was-”

Vexon interrupted me, “Sounds good.”

What the fudge?

Grabbing hold of my wrist, he guided me towards his car, as a weird sensation traveled through me at his touch. “Listen, Vexon. This wasn’t the plan. It-”

“I know. But if I go with them, they’ll chew my head off with tons of questions, which I am not ready to answer. Cason understood that and changed the arrangements,” he explained, cutting me off once again.

Confused, I frowned at the back of his head. How did Cason understand him without them even talking? Did it just take some freaking eye contact between brothers?

“That doesn’t mean I should be the one who gets punished,” I countered as I got inside the car when he opened the door for me. Seconds later he sat in the driver’s seat next to me, looking at me with his blue orbs into my gray ones.

“Is being around me a punishment for you?” he asked deeply, his Adam’s apple bobbing in tension. The way he asked the question, it felt hot. Didn’t he turn on the air conditioner?

I started thinking about how I should reply. Polite yes or polite explanation? How should I reply?

“I barely know you,” I blurt out, and there goes my polite explanation. I hope he gets it.

He sighed and started the car. “Then let’s get to know each other,” he breathed out, and my eyes snapped to look at him instantly.

Why does he want to know me? It kind of bothered me.

“Because we are going to see each other often due to our siblings,” he explained, sensing my unease. Oh right! I must get to know him then, I smiled, before shooting my questions.

“Why didn’t you join other functions? Where were you?”

He looked at me for a brief moment before answering, “I’ve been in British Columbia for the last five years for trai- I mean, for studying purposes.”

“Were you about to say training?” I asked, tapping my index finger against my left cheek, thinking about what kind of training it could have been.

Could it be- No! Stop dragging everything there, Ruby. It’s study-related training. Plus, if it was that then Pearl would’ve known, right?

I could see his jaw tense up. “Study training kind of thing, right?”

He hummed in response.

“Oh, good. What is your favorite color?”

“Dark green. Yours?”

“Blue,” I continued, “What’s your favorite food? Mine is cheeseburgers and anything containing chocolate.”

“I love everything as long as it’s edible,” he responded.

The question-answer round was going smoothly, then, I asked a question out of curiosity, “One intense question. Do you think love at first sight is just a crush? Well, I do. I mean how can one fall in love in the first place? It’s definitely by looks.”

“Not if I see someone caring for others, laughing with them, and helping strangers like they are her family. In that way, I can see her inner beauty and fall for her,” he replied. His eyes fixed on the road, as a small smile played on his lips.

“Did you fall for the love at first sight thingy?”

“Yes,” he admitted boldly.

His straightforward reply made my jaw drop, “Woah! Bold, dude.”

Both of us fell silent then, as I didn’t have any more questions to ask and he didn’t seem to be bothered with asking me any in return. Why say we should get to know each other in the first place then?

After some time, he stopped the car. “We’re here,” he exclaimed before getting out of the car. He opened my door for me, as I grabbed the edges of my gown, and got out.

“Queen,” I swear, I heard him whisper. But why would he call me a queen? Was he even talking about me?

Cut it out, Ruby. It’s none of your business.

“Thanks for driving me here,” I said and he nodded as we walked into the church. There we met the other Bevines.

“I love the arrangement,” Vanera squealed. I took a glass of lemonade and was about to sip it. “I’m proud of Kendrik. He chose the perfect girl and the perfect family, and Ruby, I want your hand for my other son too,” Vanera said, making me spit out the lemonade on Cason and start coughing.

She couldn’t be serious. Please Lord, no! If she is serious, then no again please! What if she’s serious and talks to mom about this?

My mom would happily disown me and let them buy me without any profit.

You aren’t making any sense now, Ruby. Shut up!

“Are you okay?” someone asked with pure concern, while continuously patting my back so that I could stop coughing. I looked into his blue eyes, to see that it was Vexon. When did he appear behind me?

I looked around and found all the Bevine brothers surrounding me.

Was I zoned out for that long?

“What happened?” Kace asked.

“What happened? She freaking spat her water on me!” a frustrated Cason snapped, glaring at me as the lemonade made his gelled hair droop over his forehead and eyes. I suppressed my laugh.

“Actually, it was lemonade,” I said sheepishly and bit my lip, cursing myself for my stupidity. Why can’t I just keep my mouth shut?

“What did you do?” Vexon vigorously asked his brother.

“What?”

“You definitely did something to make her react this way,” Vexon said to Cason in an accusing tone.

Cason rolled his eyes, “I didn’t do anything. It was mom who said-” he stopped mid-sentence as a sudden laugh cut him off.

We all turned to look at Vanera to find her clutching her stomach, laughing.

“What happened, Mom?” Orson asked her and everyone had the same blank expressions on their faces until my bulb lightened.

“She got scared because...” she talked in between her laughs. “Because I was joking,” she managed to get out, still laughing.

“Joking about what?” Vexon asked.

Why does Vexon always want to know everything?

“I just-” I interrupted Vanera.

“Well, I’m okay now, so it doesn’t matter. It’s between me and your mom. I need to go check on the arrangements, so bye,” I announced with a wave as I walked away and towards my friends who I had just spotted.

Thank my lucky stars.

“Rubster!” Max said aloud, crushing me in a bear hug, “We were damn bored without you.”

“Exactly,” Tiffany pouted as I hugged all of my friends, yet Sergio still wasn’t there.

“Where is Steve?” I asked Max while Tiffany, Mel, and Darwin were busy discussing things between themselves.

“He’ll arrive soon. He just isn’t here yet,” Max answered and I nodded, as all of a sudden my phone started vibrating.

Mom:

The bride and groom are here. Come quickly.

“They’re here,” I chirped and everyone left what they were doing as we rushed over to the door.

Music played loudly as we all stood in our respective places, as we waited in anticipation. Kendrik entered first, his mother slipping into place beside him as they walked down the aisle towards the priest in front.

He looked dashing in his wedding attire, his suit immaculate and fit him well. A huge smile graced his face as they finally got to the front and turned to wait for his bride to enter.

“Aww,” I sighed, unable to help myself. Watching Kendrik smiling from ear to ear, clearly excited for this day. They were perfect for each other, and I was glad that they could choose their own love.

When will I feel this way? Will I ever find someone like him? Where is my ‘one and only’?

Questions were popping in my head like bubbles until someone cleared their throat. I looked and saw it was Vexon. “They are made for each other, aren’t they?” I asked him, still admiring Kendrik and he hummed in response.

Mom came to my side with a smile, “Let’s get this show on the road,” she informed me before she went to go find my sister so that they could make their entrance.

“Kendrik,” I greeted as I went to stand beside him.

“Hi, Ruby. How are you? Umm, sorry, I’m damn nervous and super excited all at the same time,” he said, and I let out a laugh. “I’ll keep her safe and happy forever. Promise,” he whispered to me.

“Pinky promise?” I asked him, putting my littlest finger out.

He chuckled as he shook his finger with mine. “Pinky promise.”

“And don’t be nervous. I will always have your guys back, so now let’s get this thing started,” I said as I motioned for the music to begin playing.

As the first few notes filled the church, everyone present stood to their feet and faced the door as Pearl and my mother stepped into view. She looked amazing in her wedding dress, as she stepped into view.

Kendrik sucked in a breath beside me as he looked at his bride and soon to be wife. “God, she’s beautiful,” I mumbled, staring at her with love shining in his gaze.

Flower petals rained down on my mother and sister as they made their way down the aisle, my friends throwing them in handfuls on the two of them. When they finally reached the front, Kendrik stepped forward and took Pearl’s hand in his as she stepped away from my mother.

With that, my mother and I kissed Pearl on her cheek before we took our seat.

Silence fell over the church as the Priest started up the ceremony, “We are gathered here today, to celebrate the union of Mr. Kendrik Bevine and Ms. Pearl Gerund in holy matrimony,” he began.

Everyone watched with bated breath as the priest continued until finally Kendrik and Pearl had to say their vows. The words they said to each other captured my heart as I watched them speak of their love to one another in front of us all. I didn’t realize I was crying until I felt sudden warmth on my cheeks and in the corner of my lips. I dabbed at my tears with a tissue, making sure that my makeup wasn’t ruined.

Mom sat crying silently beside me. “I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Kendrik and Pearl Bevine,” the priest said, “You may kiss your bride,” he told Kendrik. And we watched as he swooped my sister into his arms and gave her a kiss.

Mom’s tears rolled faster as she turned to look at me with a big smile. We got up to follow the happy couple out of the church before we met them in front to congratulate them on their marriage. Mom pulled Pearl into a big hug, her tears never slowing.

“You’re all grown up now,” she said to Pearl before she turned to me and pulled me into the hug with them. “Soon you’ll be gone too. I’m so proud of you both, and I know your dad is proud too,” she said with a big smile.

She was right, after dad’s demise, we never did anything that would hurt or shame our mother. We always stood beside her as she stood beside us, plus we were glad that we could succeed together.

Kendrik and Pearl got in their wedding car while the rest of us split up into our respective cars and headed to the main venue for the wedding reception. When we got there, mom was still somehow crying.

“Mom, I think we should go get some food,” I suggested, as I led her into the venue. Pearl and Kendrik were already there talking to some people they knew.

Everyone was enjoying the music, as they sat around eating or gossiping in their groups. The smell of cheeseburgers drew me away from the table I was at with my mother as I tried to find them. A stack of cheeseburgers sat on a platter staring at me. Grabbing a plate, I took a triple cheeseburger.

After the long tiring week I had, I finally got some time to myself. The wedding was finally over and I could now enjoy myself. And I would begin with my first and last love – this amazing cheeseburger.

Lifting the burger to my lips, I was about to take a large bite out of it when gunshots filled the air around me and my burger fell from my grip.