Trembling With the Strings

“Babe, do you really love me?” Darius asked, kissing me softly and holding me close to his bare body.

“I wouldn’t have said it if I hadn’t meant it, would I?” I murmured, pulling back to bury my face in his chest.

“People say things they don’t mean all the time. A straight answer would be nice, Gracie.” I looked into his eyes. Why did he look so tired?

“Sweetie, what’s wrong?” I begged softly, his gloom slowly spreading to me.

Darius sighed, pulling himself from me and out of the bed altogether. He jumped into a pair of jeans and threw a shirt on, tousling his hair.

“I just need some time to think,” he murmured, leaving the room and closing the door softly behind him.

What had I done wrong?

I made a face and pulled myself out of bed, getting dressed just as Dray had. I didn’t really want to interrupt his alone time since he’d probably get pissed off at me and throw something at my head, so I decided to go bother Marcy. Her bedroom door was hanging open, and I could see her sitting at her desk. She was writing something or another, but I figured a visit from her future sister-in-law wouldn’t be so strange.

“Hey, Marcella, what are you doing?” I asked her, peering over her shoulder.

She shrieked, shoving her paper out of my view and turning to me with a look of utter surprise on her face. She smiled nervously.

“Oh, hey, Gracie!” she shouted a bit too loud. I gave her a funny look, but she stood up and pushed me away from the desk. “What brings you here? Shouldn’t you be bothering Darius or something?”

I glared, pouting. “I don’t ‘bother’ him! It’s hard to annoy someone when they like being bothered all day, every day,” I grumbled, rolling my eyes. “So what have you got to hide, hmm?”

“What? I’m not hiding anything,” she grumbled, rolling her eyes and walking over to her mirror. She messed with her shirt.

“Hmm, then what were you writing just a few moments ago?” I asked her, refusing to let this go.

“Nothing, okay?” she scowled, checking her watch. “Look, I have to go, and I don’t want anyone in my room while I’m gone. So go on.”

I yanked my ring off of my finger and slid it under her bed covers before following her out of the room. She locked the door, and I watched as she went down the stairs.

The second I heard the front door slam I darted to Dante’s room. He was sitting at his desk reading a book, so I stepped in quietly.

“Hey, Dante?” I murmured, smiling softly. He put his book down, smiling back.

“What is it? Why aren’t you with Darius?” he asked me, sounding genuinely baffled.

“I was in Marcy’s room showing her my ring, but she had to go. And I accidentally left it in her room. She locked the door, so I can’t get in.” I smiled sheepishly.

“Oh. Well, I can unlock it for you.”

I followed him back to Marcella’s door, beaming on the inside as he pushed it open, leaving me all alone. I grabbed my ring and darted to the desk. Tearing the paper out of its hiding spot, I unfolded it.

Written across the top was “The Wedding” in bold print. It looked like a to-do list.

“Make invitations, order cake...decorations...” I grumbled to myself.

Maybe it hadn’t been entirely worth it. I scanned over the list until I got to the very last thing.

“Talk to Darius about—” I froze, dropping the paper. “Oh my God...”