She Can't Read Minds

Nellie

Griffin sat beside our Mom and Dad while we waited for this wedding to begin. It was boring and this section of the church smelled of old people and farts. I gazed around to find Markus, but he seemed to be hiding off somewhere. Griffin grumbled, “Why is this taking so fucking long?” I smiled, shrugging until a commotion erupted in the back. Everyone turned in one swift motion and one swift sound. Miranda was running out of the church with her friends behind her, all shouting for her to stop and asking what was happening. No one followed after them other than the lone Belle whose hand covered her cheek.

Belle grumbled, glaring out the doors before stomping back to the room she had come from. I bit my lip, elbowing my brother to tell him I’d be back before chasing after her. Now everyone was nearly shouting, wondering what had happened to make the bride’s daughter run away like that. I didn’t care though; instead I followed after Belle until she stopped near a window. This window would allow her to safely gaze down at the group of girls lingering on the pavement below. “What happened?” I questioned, walking up slowly.

“Nothing,” Belle snapped, pulling her hand away and placing it back, “now get back by your mommy.” I rolled my eyes, stepping beside her to look down as Miranda sat on the sidewalk. Belle cursed under her breath. “Since you aren’t leaving, tell me if it looks bad.” She instructed, showing me her bruising face.

“It’s fine,” I said, briefly glancing at it before looking back down at the girls, “barely noticeable but I bet it sure hurt.” She shrugged, replacing her hand gently. “Why’d she do it?” Belle ignored me to grumble and curse some more. “I bet you’re very angry right now—and you deserve to be, I mean, she punched you. Probably over something stupid, I know Miranda, she tends to do that.”

“I told her the wedding needed to be stopped and she did this.” Belle sighed, wincing as she poked it softly.

“Come with me, I’ll find a bathroom to put something on that.” I grabbed her arm firmly and tugged her down the hall to the clearly marked “ladies” room. No one was inside of it though since the wedding had begun finally. Belle rolled her eyes, knowing she was defeated. The wedding would not be stopped. I kept her in front of the mirror while I wetted down a slip of paper towel. “I know a way you could get back at Miranda, Belle, if you’re willing to help me that is.”

She held the paper towel to her cheek as she said, “What’s the plan then?”

“Just go along with whatever I do,” I smiled, drying off my hands as she watched me cautiously, “okay? I won’t do anything that will hurt you, don’t worry.” Belle raised an eyebrow at I carefully tossed my paper towel into the trash.

“And I assume you’ll gain something from this as well?”

“Yeah, I will.” I smiled as she followed me out the bathroom to take quiet seats in the last pew. Belle gave me a look so I explained. “Her boyfriend.”