Chapter 6: The Engagement

Azalea Johnson’s POV

I cannot believe I met that guy again. I thought fate would be so kind to me right but no, they have to shove into my face that I have to be in this guy’s presence again. After my little accident, my mum asked Alex to get on with the decoration. I thought he would complain but he just did what she asked of him.

after that, we have more guests arrived in the backyard. Including Amanda and her boyfriend, Tom, also known as my ex. I have been avoiding them all night as I was trying to keep busy by refilling the water, take a look at the dessert if they need some refill and other stuff that made me preoccupied to acknowledge them. Until I was alone at the food buffet table.

“hey, Lea,” a voice interrupted me when I was enjoying my food so much. I closed my eyes as I have braced myself to be in his presence right now. I turned around to look who was it even though I already know it was. It was from Tom.

“Hey, Tom, I don’t know you were coming,” I said as I went to hug him as nothing has happened. He was taken back a little but quickly recovered it without stammering his words.

“well, your sister is a friend with my girlfriend, so it would be rude to just let her have all the fun,” he said as he was leaning at the fence. I smiled at him as I was trying to conceal the beating of my heart right now.

“Cool, cool. Hope you enjoy it to the fullest,” I said as I was itching to get away from him. Please don’t let him ask the question, please, I beg you.

“so, are you alone tonight or should I be expecting another wedding?” He asked me as I can sense some of the similar eyes were training on me and him. They were listening to my conversation. I laughed.

“well, why would that be?” I asked him as I arched my eyebrow at him. He shrugged.

“well, considering that you already closed to thirty and all that stuff, you might want to think about marriage. heck, even your sister is getting hitched even before you did,” he said as he pointed at them. I looked at them and they were laughing. I smiled weakly as I knew I would never have that kind of love, not yet anyway.

“so, what, you’re a love therapist now?” I asked him as I arched my eyebrow at him. He was smiling as he knew it would make him like he was an old self again. But I knew better.

“well, if you considering talking about your feelings, you might want to contact me,” he said before he looked at Amanda who was waiting for him to talk to the bride and the groom.

“excuse me,” he said as he went to his girlfriend. They were talking animatedly as I was eating and drinking the wine away for the night. I need to be strong, I am strong, I repeated the chant inside my head before I took my plate and went out of the backyard.

I was moving between the crowd as they were talking animatedly, catching up with them and all the shit that people do when they went to the gathering. I was stopped by someone as they hold onto my wrist. I jerked up.

“Sweetie, where are you going?” My dad asked me. Even after all those years of exploring and adventure, he still the same, the same old man who loved me more than anything and my sister the same.

“nothing, I thought I would like some fresh air,” I said as I looked at the crowd. My dad knows me well that he understood me immediately.

“very well, be careful,” he said as he patted me on the shoulder. He then went to greet some of the guests and left me alone to my little sanctuary.

I went to the side of the house as I knew there was a spot for me whenever I wanted to get out of the party. I put my plate down and looked up at the stars. There was not much to see but I took a bottle of wine with me and I chugged it down.

Alexander MacWatters’ POV

As I was looking for the person that I thought I wanted to know better, I was holding on by Ian and his bride-to-be, Amber. Amber was the younger sister of Azalea.

“yeah, Lea and I used to go swimming all the time. One time when we were in the Great Barrier reef where my father used to work, we would go swimming—“ the last sentence was nothing compared to my thoughts as I remembered my last encounter with Azalea.

“did she learned to dance in the water or something?” I asked Amber who was animatedly talking about their memory together. She stopped and looked at me. I just realized I have asked a personal question and it was rude to do it directly.

“well, as far as I’m concerned, mum said she used to do ballet when she was 4 years old. I’m not sure if she was still doing that. Anyway, where was I? Ah, yes—“

I then listened to the story as I have nothing to ask her. Amber was a pleasant person, easy-going and loves to talk. Unlike her sister who the complete opposite of her. After that story, Ian went with me to talk on the other side of the room.

“dude, you need to chill out,” he said as he was sipping on his beer. I was thinking about Azalea when I saw she was talking to someone. she tensed up when she saw him. Something stirred inside me.

“hey, do you even listen to what I just said?” He asked me. I woke up from a trace as I did not know what to say.

“What? oh, yeah, sorry. I don’t. Look, I’m going to grab another beer. Do you want one?” I asked Ian but he just shook his head.

“better be sober tonight, or you might regret it tomorrow,” he said as I went to the cooler to get something. I was in close approximately to Azalea and the mystery guy.

“so, are you alone tonight or should I be expecting another wedding?” The guy asked Azalea. She was clutching her bottle as she was holding her plate as well.

“well, why would that be?” She replied. I almost smiled as she was one tough girl to break through but I guess this guy has something to do with her, one way or the other.

“well, considering that you already closed to thirty and all that stuff, you might want to think about marriage. heck, even your sister is getting hitched even before you did,” he said but I was way out to Ian to give him another beer.

“here you go man,” I said as I still look at Azalea. She stormed out of the way from that guy as he was insulting her with great measure.

“whose that guy?” I asked Ian as I pointed at the guy that was coming toward us.

“oh, that’s Tom, Amanda’s boyfriend. One of my groomsmen,” he said before they went to talk animatedly with each other. I was looking at the guy before I was looking for Azalea. I wondered where she might be. Then I saw a figure that was going to the side of the house, no doubt trying to get away. I chugged on my beer before I made my way toward her.

it was quiet and peaceful as I was lurking in the shadows to see that Azalea was putting her plates and looked up into the sky. She was chugging to the fullest before she raised her bottle and cheered/

“to my sister and all the shit that happened in my life,” she slurred before she took another chug. I chuckled at her before I came out of the shadow and started to approach her.

“what are you doing here?” I asked her as I went to stand in front of her. She grimaced at me before took another chug. I chuckled before she slammed the bottle onto the table.

“you mister is one mystery. Why are you even here?” She asked me. My eyebrow shot up at her as she narrowed her eyes at me.

“well, as you can see, I was attending the engagement party. Aren’t you?” I asked her. She nodded as she looked at the plate.

“you’re right. I think I might have done a very bad decision to come here. You know what my ex said to me?” She said as she pointed her bottle at me.

“what?”

“he said that I need to get hitched as well considered that I am near thirty. I was only 26 years old, damnit,” she said as she took another chug. I think I need to stop her now.

“Alright, easy there,” I took the bottle and drink it empty.

“hey,” she said as she stood up from the seat. She was reaching for the bottle but I was taller than her.

“no can do, princess,” I said as I was laughing at her. She narrowed her eyes at me again before pocking at my chest, blood rushed to my certain anatomy.

“you wanted to play rough? fine, I play rough,” and after she said that, the last thing that I would not think she would do.

She kissed me.