For muse_shuffle - April Disc Two
The Almost Weddings (3/3)
Two times and it has rendered me >> Punch drunk and without bail >> Think I'd be safer all alone
(Stone Temple Pilots - ‘Vasoline’)
“You’re not dressed.”
Isabel gave a shake of her head as she dropped her bag on the chair near Daniel. Technically she was dressed, but she didn’t think he’d be in the mood for an argument about semantics when she explained why she wasn’t ready.
“Why aren’t you dressed? Isn’t there something about seeing the bride before the wedding being bad luck?” Concern was etched into his features, and he raised a hand to smooth his beard.
Iz’s stomach jolted, and she clutched a hand to it as she dropped her gaze to the floor. “I think maybe in this case the bride is bad luck period.” She blew out a shaky breath and reluctantly raised her eyes to meet his again. “I’m sorry, Daniel. I’m sorry for everything.”
Her fiancé frowned, concern turning into confusion. “Isabel, what have you got to be sorry for? I seem to recall that it was me who asked you to marry me. I’m hardly here with a shotgun to my head.”
His attempt at a joke fell flat, and she wanted to cry as his expression changed yet again to one of comprehension. He understood now.
“No,” he said simply. “Not this time.”
She gave him a pleading look, before running her hands through her hair and shrugging her shoulders helplessly. “I can’t do this, Daniel. I just can’t.”
He stepped up to her, cupping her face with his hand. Blue eyes searched her green ones, and he offered her a warm smile. “It’s just cold feet, love. Everyone gets them. While I’m eternally grateful you left those other guys behind, I’m not going to let you wuss out on me. Isabel, I love you.”
“I love you too, Daniel.” She placed a hand on his chest, and fiddled with one of his shirt buttons. “You look so handsome.”
He smirked, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her to him. “You know, I’m pretty sure there’s enough time to get me out of all this and back into it…” he brushed a kiss against her cheek. “And for you to get into your dress.”
“Daniel…” Iz felt sick. There was a reason why the previous two times she’d bolted she’d never spoken to the groom. With Daniel she felt like she’d owed him the courtesy of breaking his heart to his face. Only he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Instead it was her heart that was breaking.
He leaned in to kiss her, a hand at the small of her back, and a hand gripping her neck keeping her in place. The whiskers of his beard scraped against her pale skin, leaving red marks. Iz couldn’t help kissing him back, tears starting to spill down her cheeks. The kiss deepened, and she gripped at his shirt as her body melted against his. It was only when his strong hands slipped up and under her t-shirt that she thought to break the kiss.
She took a gasping breath, and sniffed as she tried to stem the tears. “I can’t do this, Daniel. I’m just… please, I can’t.”
He was still holding her, and he gave her an odd look. “Is this about him?”
“Him who?” she asked, genuinely confused.
“Campbell.” Two syllables filled with so much distain.
Izzy’s eyes darted around before she tried to snort and roll her eyes in an effort to seem offended. “It’s got nothing to do with him.”
Daniel’s arms disappeared from around her like she’d just scolded him. He stared at her with nothing but disgust in his eyes. “I knew it. You and him spend too much time together.”
“We’re partners!” she exclaimed, her arms wrapping around her middle in an effort to feel comforted.
“No, you’re not just partners. You were never just partners, Isabel. You love him.”
“Of course I do, he’s my best friend. Just like Ali.”
Daniel shook his head, and gave a frustrated growl as he rubbed the back of his neck. “No, not like Ali. You don’t want to fuck Ali.”
She backed away, putting more distance between them. “I don’t want to fuck Campbell.”
Daniel arched an eyebrow and stalked his hotel room until he located his pack of smokes. “Yeah, and I’m planning on quitting right after we say our fucking vows.”
“Daniel-”
“Don’t. Just don’t. He doesn’t deserve you.”
“I don’t deserve you,” she replied softly.
Daniel had found his cigarettes and pulled one out of the packet and lit it up. He tossed the lighter and smokes back on the bed and laughed. There was no joy, or warmth in the sound though. It made Iz shiver. “I might have argued that point about two minutes ago, but right now I’m inclined to agree with you. If you’re going to run away, you better do it now. This is your out, Izzy.”
He never called her that. Ever since he’d heard Campbell call her that countless times Daniel had just stopped calling her that all together. Now she knew why. He was jealous. In the back of her mind she couldn’t help but feel like he had good reason to be. She was fast realizing she couldn’t deny whatever the hell it was she felt for Campbell.
“I really am sorry, Daniel,” she told him as she grabbed her bag, and left his room without looking back. She pulled out her cell and hit one of her speed dial numbers. “Ali? Yeah, I know… Look, you think there’s a way out of this place without going near Daniel’s family?”
Isabel Owens
Original Character
Words: 926
Two times and it has rendered me >> Punch drunk and without bail >> Think I'd be safer all alone
(Stone Temple Pilots - ‘Vasoline’)
“You’re not dressed.”
Isabel gave a shake of her head as she dropped her bag on the chair near Daniel. Technically she was dressed, but she didn’t think he’d be in the mood for an argument about semantics when she explained why she wasn’t ready.
“Why aren’t you dressed? Isn’t there something about seeing the bride before the wedding being bad luck?” Concern was etched into his features, and he raised a hand to smooth his beard.
Iz’s stomach jolted, and she clutched a hand to it as she dropped her gaze to the floor. “I think maybe in this case the bride is bad luck period.” She blew out a shaky breath and reluctantly raised her eyes to meet his again. “I’m sorry, Daniel. I’m sorry for everything.”
Her fiancé frowned, concern turning into confusion. “Isabel, what have you got to be sorry for? I seem to recall that it was me who asked you to marry me. I’m hardly here with a shotgun to my head.”
His attempt at a joke fell flat, and she wanted to cry as his expression changed yet again to one of comprehension. He understood now.
“No,” he said simply. “Not this time.”
She gave him a pleading look, before running her hands through her hair and shrugging her shoulders helplessly. “I can’t do this, Daniel. I just can’t.”
He stepped up to her, cupping her face with his hand. Blue eyes searched her green ones, and he offered her a warm smile. “It’s just cold feet, love. Everyone gets them. While I’m eternally grateful you left those other guys behind, I’m not going to let you wuss out on me. Isabel, I love you.”
“I love you too, Daniel.” She placed a hand on his chest, and fiddled with one of his shirt buttons. “You look so handsome.”
He smirked, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her to him. “You know, I’m pretty sure there’s enough time to get me out of all this and back into it…” he brushed a kiss against her cheek. “And for you to get into your dress.”
“Daniel…” Iz felt sick. There was a reason why the previous two times she’d bolted she’d never spoken to the groom. With Daniel she felt like she’d owed him the courtesy of breaking his heart to his face. Only he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Instead it was her heart that was breaking.
He leaned in to kiss her, a hand at the small of her back, and a hand gripping her neck keeping her in place. The whiskers of his beard scraped against her pale skin, leaving red marks. Iz couldn’t help kissing him back, tears starting to spill down her cheeks. The kiss deepened, and she gripped at his shirt as her body melted against his. It was only when his strong hands slipped up and under her t-shirt that she thought to break the kiss.
She took a gasping breath, and sniffed as she tried to stem the tears. “I can’t do this, Daniel. I’m just… please, I can’t.”
He was still holding her, and he gave her an odd look. “Is this about him?”
“Him who?” she asked, genuinely confused.
“Campbell.” Two syllables filled with so much distain.
Izzy’s eyes darted around before she tried to snort and roll her eyes in an effort to seem offended. “It’s got nothing to do with him.”
Daniel’s arms disappeared from around her like she’d just scolded him. He stared at her with nothing but disgust in his eyes. “I knew it. You and him spend too much time together.”
“We’re partners!” she exclaimed, her arms wrapping around her middle in an effort to feel comforted.
“No, you’re not just partners. You were never just partners, Isabel. You love him.”
“Of course I do, he’s my best friend. Just like Ali.”
Daniel shook his head, and gave a frustrated growl as he rubbed the back of his neck. “No, not like Ali. You don’t want to fuck Ali.”
She backed away, putting more distance between them. “I don’t want to fuck Campbell.”
Daniel arched an eyebrow and stalked his hotel room until he located his pack of smokes. “Yeah, and I’m planning on quitting right after we say our fucking vows.”
“Daniel-”
“Don’t. Just don’t. He doesn’t deserve you.”
“I don’t deserve you,” she replied softly.
Daniel had found his cigarettes and pulled one out of the packet and lit it up. He tossed the lighter and smokes back on the bed and laughed. There was no joy, or warmth in the sound though. It made Iz shiver. “I might have argued that point about two minutes ago, but right now I’m inclined to agree with you. If you’re going to run away, you better do it now. This is your out, Izzy.”
He never called her that. Ever since he’d heard Campbell call her that countless times Daniel had just stopped calling her that all together. Now she knew why. He was jealous. In the back of her mind she couldn’t help but feel like he had good reason to be. She was fast realizing she couldn’t deny whatever the hell it was she felt for Campbell.
“I really am sorry, Daniel,” she told him as she grabbed her bag, and left his room without looking back. She pulled out her cell and hit one of her speed dial numbers. “Ali? Yeah, I know… Look, you think there’s a way out of this place without going near Daniel’s family?”
Isabel Owens
Original Character
Words: 926