Love's Requiem

Once everyone had begun to leave, Niko took us back to the hotel and Bella and Denis decided to tag along for the walk.

“You know you’re perfectly capable of walking right?” I asked Bella while she jumped on my back.

“I know, I just don’t want to.” She chuckled kissing my cheek. “Make a left.” She shouted in my ear.

“Owe.” I grumbled.

“Sorry.” She said innocently.

Once back at the hotel, Denis, Bella and Jack decided to go to the café that was still open next door. Meanwhile, Niko seemed to have a plan for him and I.

“Alex come with me, let’s have a beer.” Niko told me after he said good night to Angela.

“Sure.” I nodded as we went to the lounge together.

Once we got our beers we took a seat a one of the tables by the windows.

“So you’re really going to go through with it this time?” He asked me.

“Definitely.” I assured him. “Why do you ask?”

“Well I mean look at last time.”

“I know you’re probably not my biggest fan. But what happened before with Bella and I was
just stupid. Nothing is going to stop me from marrying her Friday.”

“You both are just so young, I don’t understand why you’re rushing in to this.”

“I love her, I’ve never met anyone else like her.”

“Just don’t hurt her again, or else I’ll probably be forced to kill you.” He chuckled patting my shoulder.

“Denis and I are heading back to Baka’s.” Bella said as her and Dennis came walking in to the bar two hours later.

“You sure you just don’t want to stay here for the night?” I asked her, as she hugged me from the side.

“Yeah, Jesse, Dennis and I have to have girl talk.” She said making Niko roll his eyes.

“You three are such women sometimes.” Niko groaned, making her laugh.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” She told me giving me a kiss, and then hugged Niko telling him something in Croatian.

“You think too little of me Isabella!” He chuckled as she left.

So I spent the early hours of the morning drinking beers with Niko, and talking about pretty much anything that came to us.

“Come man I want to go sight seeing or something!” Jack exclaimed smacking me in the head with pillow that morning.

I let out a groan putting my pillow over my head, “Five more minutes.”

“Dude it’s already one!”

“Huh?” I exclaimed sitting up.

“Yeah, we let you sleep in, I already was at Bella’s grandma’s for breakfast and everything.”

“Why didn’t anyone wake me up?” I asked him as I got up.

“We tried, Bella said to just let you sleep seeing as you probably tried to drink as much as her brother last night.” He explained as I grabbed my phone and headed to the bathroom.

“Good morning sleeping beauty.” Bella giggled answering her phone.

“You should have woke me up!” I told her.

“I tried, but you weren’t budging.”

“Where are you now?”

“Heading to the cemetery with Dennis, Monica, and my Baka. My parents are showing yours around the city.”

“Why are you going to the cemetery?”

“Eh family thing, I’ll see you tonight for the non-rehearsal rehearsal dinner.” She told me.

“What time is that?”

“Like 7 I think, I’ll call you. I gotta go. Jesse should be at the hotel with Niko.”

“Alright, see you tonight, I love you.”

“I love you too.” She said before hanging up.

“So what’s the deal?” Jack asked me.

“Looks like we’re spending the day with Niko and Jesse.” I told him pulling out fresh clothes to wear.

Niko took all of us around the city, and to one of the art museums that I had missed the last time I was here. Afterwards we headed back to the hotel to rest up for a bit, before we got ready for the dinner we had tonight. I was in the middle of fixing my hair that evening while Jack was in the bathroom getting ready, when there was a knock on the door.

“It’s raining!” Bella whined as I opened the door to see her holding a dripping umbrella and looking absolutely amazing in a short black dress.

“You walked here?” I asked her letting her in.

“Yeah I need the exercise.” She chuckled hugging me while pulling me in to a deep kiss.

“I missed you too?” I said pulling away.

“Did Niko do a good job as tour guide?” She asked me, as we sat on the bed and she crossed her legs.

“Yeah, new shoes?”

“I borrowed them from Monica, I asked her to bring like a closed shoe so my feet won’t get wet she gives me these.” She said shaking her head.

“What did you do today?” I asked her putting an arm around her.

“Cemetery to see my Deda, then salon to get my nails done with Monica, Melanie, and Michi man that’s a lot of M’s.” She went on.

“Busy, busy.”

“Hey, I have to look semi-good tomorrow.” She laughed as Jack came out.

“Well look who finally decided to come and remember her BFFF.” Jack exclaimed looking at her.

“If I wasn’t so sure I’d tumble over I’d stand up right now.” Bella told him, as he hugged her.

“You didn’t have fun with my brother?” She asked as the three of us left to meet up with everyone else.

“I did, but it’s not the same his voice is much deeper than yours. And his eyes are prettier, when I looked in to them it was like the first time I listened to Blink.” Jack went on making her laugh hysterically.

“Great now you have a man crush on my brother.” She said shaking her head as she took my hand.

The restaurant wasn’t that far of a walk, and of course everyone was already there once we got there. It went well, the food was great, Jack used Bella to help him try and hit on girls but still failed seeing as she taught him all the wrong things to say. My parents were really warming up to hers and vice versa. Everyone had a really good time. Unfortunately after dinner, was the last time I’d see Bella until the wedding tomorrow afternoon.

“So I’ll see you tomorrow at the church.” Bella asked me outside the restaurant right, as everyone was getting ready to leave.

“Yup, I’ll be the idiot waiting at the alter.” I told her making her smile. “Go get some sleep, we have a big day tomorrow.” I told her.

“Don’t get too crazy tonight.” She told me; as I put my head down to kiss her. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” I told her as Dennis came out and the two of them left.

“Come on Alex, its my duty to show you a good time in Zagreb on the eve of you marrying my baby sister.” Niko chuckled walking out of the restaurant with a few of his and Bella’s cousins and Monica’s husband Luka.

And he did just that; we went to at least three bars that night just the guys seeing as Kara had went back to the hotel earlier. The last thing I remember from that night was doing shots in the street as we all walked back to the hotel.

“Dude get up! You’re getting married today!” Jack shouted jumping on me.