ARTHUR
I parked the car on the side of the road. I took another look at the building where the navigator had taken me. It was one of the highest buildings in New York in the heart of the city, on the ground floor of which there was a salon of wedding dresses.
I also double-checked the address to make sure everything is correct. Once I came inside, I carefully looked around. A huge hall opened up in front of me. Everything here was luxurious. Starting from the marble floor and sparkling crystal chandeliers, ending with elegant sofas and fresh flowers.
Gorgeous wedding dresses, bright and exquisite, were hung around the perimeter of the hall. Kornelia stood on a pedestal in the middle of the hall. She was gorgeous in her magnificent snow-white dress encrusted with diamonds. Her beautiful hair was loose and covered with a veil.
I couldn't take my eyes off her.
KORNELIA
Trying on a wedding dress, the price of which could amount to a fortune, I couldn't help but think that I was out of place. Four assistants fussed around me, offering various options, but the most important people were not around. There were no friends, no family, and I felt empty and lonely.
But then Arthur appeared. He hurriedly went inside, and as soon as he saw me, he froze in amazement. He continued to look at me with his sky-blue eyes, and I felt that everything immediately became right.
"Say something," - I said, breaking the silence.
"I dreamed of seeing you in a wedding dress," - he said, looking at me with mixed feelings. His voice sounded gentle and full of sadness at the same time. I felt my heart skip a beat for a moment when he added, "But not under these circumstances."
"And how do I look?" - I suddenly asked, nervous of waiting for his answer.
"Breathtaking," - he whispered, looking from me to the dress and back again. The tone of his voice, soft and full of emotion. His serious gaze gave a sense of importance to his every word.
It was his superpower. His every word carried to the farthest parts of my soul. His every glance penetrated to the very depths of my heart. It has always been so.
"You're so merciless," - he whispered with an unbearable sadness in his voice.
"Do you think I called you to make it even more harder?" - I asked, feeling tears welling up in my eyes. My heart clenched, as if it was trying to hide from the pain.
"Then why?" - he shrugged, looking dreamily into the distance. I caught the longing and doubt in his gaze.
"You said you didn't have time to explain everything to me then because I left," - I said. Arthur looked at me in disbelief.
I took the skirt in my hands so as not to get tangled in it, and sat on the edge of the pedestal. The voluptuous dress spread out to the sides, leaving almost no place for anyone else.
"Tell me everything now. I'm here, and I'm listening to you," - I added, looking into his eyes. As if yielding to my request, he sat down next to me. It's time to find out the whole truth.
"I don't even know where to start," - he said thoughtfully and clearly confused.
"From the beginning, I guess," - I shrugged.
Arthur stared at the floor, and as if remembering, began his story, "I think it all started on the very first day when you transferred to our school. Everyone was talking about it all the time. She's new. A lot of rumors started spreading around you at once. I think that's what got Dean's attention."
"Do you mean your friend Dean Hemerson?" - I asked.
"An ex-friend," - he said angrily. "Anyway, he's interested in yours. And when he got rejected, he just went berserk. And what a refusal, you can say that you humiliated him in front of the whole school."
"He shouldn't have let his hands go."
"You're right. But for a boy who is used to get everything he wants, it was a shock." Anger was growing in his voice. "That's why he wanted to take a revenge."
"Impunity is inspiring, I suppose," - he added in a calmer tone.
"And what was the plan?" - I asked after a short break.
"Everything was pretty corny. Get closer to you," -he paused, clearly wondering if it was worth continuing further. "To hurt you later."
"In what way?" - suddenly I felt a little sad.
Arthur hesitated with the answer, trying to find the right words, "At the beginning I didn't know. And then I just didn't care anymore. Because no matter what he planned, I wouldn't let him."
There was another pause. It was painful enough for me to hear what Arthur said, but I knew I had to figure it out to the end. "Why did you agree to this?" - I asked.
Arthur took a deep breath. This conversation was even harder for him than it was for me. "My father just left the family. My mother stacked alone with me and my brother. It was very hard for her to do it all alone. I got a job after school, but even that didn't help. The bills were piling up every month, and the situation was getting more complicated." After a pause, he added "Dean offered me money."
I didn't know what to say. There was nothing in my head, not a single soap at that moment.
"I'm not trying to justify myself, Nella," - anxiety began to grow up in his voice. "There is no forgiveness for my act, I know that. But at that moment, I was only thinking about my family. At the end of it all I never took money ."
He gently took my hand, and I let him do it. He looked into my eyes with tenderness, "But then I managed to know you. "
He took another deep breath, and looked away. "You can't even imagine how sorry I was," his voice cracked a little. I felt tears welling up.
"How many times have I wanted to tell you myself, explain everything. But I was so scared to lose you. I was replaying this conversation in my head over and over again, trying to find the right words. But I didn't have the courage to tell you," - he whispered, and then added, "And then one day you found out by yourself."
I couldn't hold myself back anymore. Tears welled up in my eyes and I turned away from him.
He gently lifted my chin so that I looked in his direction, and then gently wiped the tears from my cheeks.
"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me in this life, Nella," - he began. "I loved everything about you. I loved you, your hair that smells like chocolate, your night-black eyes and freckles scattered all over your face. I loved your lips, but I loved kissing them even more.
I loved watching you smile, I loved making you laugh. I just loved your laughter, especially when I was the cause of it.
I loved your presence, I loved your smell, I loved every part of your body.
I loved our conversations, endless, deep and soul-catching, or on the contrary, meaningless and funny. I loved fooling around with you, and I loved when you were serious.
I loved your touch, and I loved touching you. I loved just looking at you. I loved your spontaneity and rebellious spirit.
I loved the way you marveled at the world around you and opened up to it, and the world opened up to you in response. I loved when your soul opened up to me, when you shared your worries and fears. And I did the same thing in return.
I loved everything about you. And I still love!"
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Thank you so much for finishing this chapter. I really hope you like it.
I'm looking forward to see you in the next one!
~ NALI
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