Strings of Fate

Bridesmaids and ballrooms olt awake as the bedroom door swings open.

I jolt “Sorry, lost track of the ton the phone, 1-” she stops herself.

“Well, I guess you didn’t even notice. | thought you looked a little tired. | guess a twenty minute nap isn’t a bad thing.” She collapses onto the large bed besideand snuggles in next to me. She smiles contentedly. Are all Shifters this cuddly? Or maybe it’s just a Kane thing.

“Was Bellamy here?” she questions.

“I think | can smell him.” | shrug.

“I ran into him in the hall. He was half-asleep. | think | must have woken him when | cup the stairs.” | keep my tone casual. Megan nods accepting my explanation. Wow, it is surprisingly easy to hide things from people when they aren’t actually expecting you to lie. Not that | did lie technically, | just didn’t go into a lot of detail.

Okay, now | feel guilty.

“Hey, Ry?” Megan sounds a little nervous. | smile at her use of a nicknfor me.

“Yeah?” “I know we haven't known each other long, but | was wondering if you would be my bridesmaid? I'm only planning to have one.” | am in complete shock. That was so completely unexpected.

“I, I'd love to. But don’t you have someone else you should ask before me? Someone you've known longer or something?” | hate myself for asking that. What if she changes her mind. | desperately want to be her bridesmaid. Megan sighs.

“No, | know it hasn't been long but you're already my i x | friend Ry. The Shifters here all treatdifferently.

They always have, it used to be because of my parents, now because of Bellamy. They're kind to me, and they likeand | do consider them friends. But they never relax around me. Not like you do.” Megan blushes and falls silent. Megan is so friendly and 1/5 39- Bridesmaids and ballrooms always surrounded by people, it hadn't occurred tothat she might be lonely.

“You know, for people who grew up so differently, we really do seem to have a lot in common.” | comment.

“There is nothing | want more than to be your bridesmaid. You're my best friend too your know.” | add. Megan squeals and throws her arms aroundso tight that | can barely breathe. | can’t stop laughing which also doesn’t help.

“Can't. Breathe. Crushing. Me...” | manage to get out. Megan releasesand sits up. | do the same. She looks as delighted as | feel. She glances at her phone.

“It’s about.... two-thirty. Tfor us to start getting ready. We're using the ballroom in the Oak Hotel down the road which isn’t far and the party doesn’t start until six. But | was to head down by about half past five to make sure all the decorations are right and everything. That gives us a little under three hours for hair and makeup.” She seems super excited. | am too, | get to be her bridesmaid and now we're getting ready for her engagement party together. Still, there's a bit of a damper on my mood since | know Tristan is wrong for her and if Bellamy and | succeed in our plans, there will be no wedding. But | know she’s meant for Darrien. So | guess this means I'll eventually get to be a bridesmaid for their wedding. | hope. Still, nothing | can do about that right now. | set aside all those depressing thoughts and focus on figuring out hair and makeup with Megan which translates to; sat there and watched as Megan the whirlwind span around the room and took care of everything.

It's quarter to five and I'm staring at myself in Megan's full length mirror. I've never seen myself look like this before. The blue in my dress emphasises my blue hair and the entire dress glitters beautifully and flows like gravity doesn’t even exist. My glittery black accessories add just enough to makelook put together. Megan has styled my hair in beautiful curls and then pinned one side away from my face. She then added skind of glitter to my hair which stands out against my dark hair and against the blue makes it seem like the sparkles are little stars. I'm wearing more makeup than | ever have in my life but surprisingly I love it. I'm starting to think it’s not make-up | dislike but poorly done make-up AKA make-up done by myself. Dark black makeup with a subtle sparkle in it around my eyes makes them stand out, yes. But for once | don’t hate it. My eyes are dramatic looking but so is everything else I'm wearing. Somehow, using makeup skills that | definitely lack, Megan has managed to make my pale skin look flawless like a perfect porcelain doll and the look is completed with a subtle nude lipstick. | feel like skind of galaxy princess. The back of my dress drags on the floor slightly which I'm going to have to be careful of and I'm going to Bridesmaids and ballrooms hate my shoes by the end of the night, but | can’t bring myself to care. If | look like a princess. then Megan looks like a queen or skind of goddess or something. The deep red of her dress matches the lipstick she skilfully applied. Her dress is elegant and makes her look like she should be on a runway. The beads on her dress catch the light just right. Her hair is pinned up in sbun updo with tendrils curling down around her face. Like me, she has glitter all her hair although hers is gold to match her accessories. Her golden eyes shine and | don’t think I've ever seen anyone look as beautiful as she does right now. She moves around the room grabbing her things and putting together a little clutch with all the items she deems essential for her evening. Lipstick, phone, concealer in case touch ups are needed. Bandages for her heels in case her shoes hurt her feet, and so on. We have music playing, but quietly since Bellamy was sleeping earlier, although he should be up by now. A knock at the door makesjump, but | know it’s Bellamy before he even speaks. He calls through the door.

“Are you girls ready yet? Megs you said you wanted to leave early.” He reminds her. She rolls her eyes dramatically.

“Almost ready. be down in five minutes!” She calls back. He sighs from behind the door.

“Sure, of COURSE you will.” He grumbles. | can hear him head back down the stairs.

“Okay so | might be more like ten minutes.” Megan decides as she adjusts the pins in her hair.

“Why don’t you head downstairs and placate the guys?” | shrug and grab my clutch. Tristan is meeting us at the hotel so at least | won't have to chat with him awkwardly. | head out the room and start to make my way down the stairs, going slowly so as not to trip in my heels or catch my skirt which I am holding out of the way with one hand. | can hear Bellamy and Darrien talking in the kitchen. Bellamy has his back toand is looking at something on a laptop he has open on the bench when | walk in. Darrien turns and givesan approving nod and smile which | appreciate.

“Megan said she might be more like ten minutes.” | announce. Bellamy sighs.

“What can possibly take this long?” he grumbles.

“I'll hurry her along.” Darrien declares and givesa sly look as he heads out the kitchen.

Bridesmaids and ballrooms I'm suddenly nervous although it’s totally ridiculous that | should be. Bellamy sighs again and closes the laptop with a little more force than is strictly required. He stands up and turns around, then freezes as he sees me. He blinks once, then twice. A smile runs over his face.

“You look beautiful.” He offers. | blush and stare at the ground.

“Thank you.” | mumble, suddenly shy. He looks great in the suit we picked out for him. The kitchen is awkward and silent for a moment before Bellamy speaks. He sounds amused.

“I see what you meant before, we match.” He gestures to his own outfit. | smile at him, relaxing now that the awkward complements thing is over.

“I like your dress.” He adds. Darn it, okay. Not over then.

“Well that’s probably a good thing since you insisted on paying for it.” | remind him. He laughs.

“It was worth every dollar.” he insists, | roll my eyes.

“You don’t even know what it cost. It’s still just a dress.” | point out. He smiles.

“But you look happy, so it was worth it.” My heart melts just a little bit. That was so sweet. It also makeswant to hide a bit. Still, I stand my ground.

“I am happy.” | remember Megan askingto be her bridesmaid and all | can think is how much | want to tell Bellamy.

“Megan askedto be her bridesmaid. She says I'm her best friend.” | blurt the words out in a child-like babble of excitement. Bellamy grins.

“I'm happy for you.” | giggle, | have a best friend. It's just so wonderful. | wonder who Bellamy’s best friend is. | don’t think | have actually seen him spend twith anyone but his sister. Suddenly Bellamy’s expression changes. He looks super uncomfortable and shifts around awkwardly.