The Runaway Bride

“Not much for dancing, but for you I did”

-“Last Kiss” Taylor Swift.

Rain.

It was the only certain thing that could ever put her nerves to ease. And these days her nerves were off the charts, but listening to the rain tap lightly on the window next to her desk eased her nerves. It put her in a tranquil state. The clinic was oddly quiet that morning. There were no children running around, parents chasing after them or people complaining about pain. There was just, silence. Maybe that was a good thing too. For who could ever wish anyone any harm?

She could, however, whip up a few little things she wanted to do to Paul. Other than ravish him of course. But whatever. Let bygones be bygones, right? Although, she wasn’t ready to forgive him. Her ego was still hurt. What could she say? She was stubborn. She wasn’t going to stick around somewhere she wasn’t wanted. Paul made it clear he didn’t want her.

She sighed frustrated. Enough about Paul! she thought. For goodness sake! She was a cancer survivor! A freaking cancer survivor. She was strong. She was a survivor. She was a freaking warrior!

She grinned at her last thought. A freaking warrior, that’s right. She was a freaking warrior.

“Nurse! I need a nurse!” The doors slammed opened. Violet quickly got up from her desk and followed the familiar voice. As soon as she arrived to the front of the clinic her eyes quickly connected with Embry’s panicked brown eyes as he held his hand.

********

“Go home Embry” Violet said annoyed for the 20th time.

“Will you just listen to what I have to say?” Embry asked again.

“I already told you it’s just a paper cut. Here” she grabbed a Band-Aid and placed it on his thumb.

“That’s not even where the cut is!” Embry exclaimed. “What kind of nurse are you? Funny business you guys are running here”

Violet rolled her eyes. She knew he hadn’t just come in for his tiny paper cut. He came to talk about Paul. He was just ridiculous enough to use his paper cut excuse to come to the clinic to talk about Paul while may she emphasize was working.

“Go home Embry” she made her voice sound a little more forceful. “And tell Paul not to be sending you here anymore” she said sitting at her desk.

“Paul didn’t send me. He’s too stubborn. You know that Vi” he stood behind her. A place where he wasn’t allowed to be but Embry being Embry didn’t care.

“Then why in the world are you here?”

Embry shrugged his shoulders “Just came to see one of my good friends. Is that so bad Violet?”

Violet sighed, “Well no I guess not”

“Yeah well-- so listen the gang and I were gonna go hiking on Saturday. You wanna come?”

“Will Paul be there?”

“He is part of the gang”

“Well then I’m sorry Embry but I have to decline your invitation”

“Oh come on Violet! Just ‘cause you hate Paul’s guts doesn’t mean you can’t hang out with us. Besides Leah and Seth will be there”

“No.”

“Are you seriously this heartless? Your friend is wounded and asking for a favor”

“It’s a paper cut” She rolled her eyes.

“Violet come on!” Embry grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her pleadingly.

“I can’t” she pushed him off of her.

“Paul won’t bother you”

“It’s not because of Paul” Violet said organizing some files on her desk.

“Then?”

“Ihaveadate” she mumbled quickly.

“Excuse me you have a what?” Embry placed his hand behind his ear.

Violet placed the files she had in her hands on her desk and turned her attention to Embry.

“A date” she said firmly.

“You… have….a…date…” Embry said slowly trying to comprehend the situation.

“Yes that is correct. I have a date”

“With who?” Embry raised a brow.

“That’s none of your business,” she said giving the files her attention again.

“Huh, I see” Embry said backing away a little from her desk turning his back to her.

Awkward she thought blushing lightly all while keeping her sight on the papers in front of her. She had never been the type to brag about her dates. Yet, she knew Embry would tell Paul. They were best friends after all. Deep down she wanted to get a reaction out of Paul. She wanted him to see that she wasn’t dwelling over him.

“Something wrong Embry?” Violet asked still not looking at him. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling.

“Nothing at all” he turned to face her again. “I should probably get going. The guys and I are gonna’ go cliff diving”

“In the rain?” she exclaimed “You guys are nuts!”

He flashed her his perfectly white teeth “best time to take a dive”

She shook her head but smiled at him nonetheless. He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks for everything nurse Madder” he said pointing to the Band-Aid on his thumb. She watched him walk away and turn to the corner until she couldn’t see him anymore. She shook her head. That boy was going to be the death of her she thought as she continued with her paperwork.

Her shift ended at seven. She rubbed her shoulder as she grabbed her bag from her locker. It had been a slow, yet stressful day with all the paperwork she had to do. She sighed as she walked towards the door. Just as she was going out Ben stopped in front of her.

“Hey, you” he gave her one of his dazzling smiles.

“Hey” she smiled tiredly.

“Is everything ok?” he lifted an eyebrow.

“Just peachy”

He chuckled “And why does that not sound convincing?”

She laughed “Maybe because it’s not”

“Ah, I thought so” he said shaking his finger at her “Now tell me what can good ol’ Ben do for you?”

Can you be Paul? she thought secretly to herself. “Nothing you haven’t done already” she said instead.

“So listen, I was thinking that maybe I could take you dancing after dinner? What do you say?” he asked a bit insecure.

”Just one song!” He insisted.

“Paul, you know I have been cursed with two left feet!” Violet laughed as Paul tugged on her hand gently wanting to get her on her feet. His cousin’s wedding was big almost magical. Something Violet hoped for one day, if Paul ever got the courage to ask for her hand. But those two lovebirds sat through most of the wedding sitting at the table because Violet was not much for dancing.

“I love your two left feet” he kissed her temple as soon as he got her on her feet.

Violet groaned with exaggeration. “Why do you have to be so darn cute?”

“I got it from my momma” he chuckled. She roller her eyes hitting his arm playfully.

He put his arms around her waist once they got to the dance floor. Luckily for Violet it was a slow song, something she might be able to keep up with.

“Now tell me, why are you so awkward at dancing again?” Paul asked smiling down at her when she stepped on his foot for the second time even though the song had barely started.

“Sorry” she blushed stepping on his foot again.

“Just relax, love,” he whispered in her ear. A small shiver ran down her spine. Everything about him was so electrifying. She couldn’t deny the butterflies he made her feel even though they had been dating for a while now. He still managed to make her heart skip a beat.

They swayed to the rhythm of the music. She let him lead her. Like always she put all her trust in him and like always he never let her down. And with that she relaxed and put her guard down. They moved around the dance floor and suddenly everything disappeared. She didn’t have two left feet anymore. She only had herself and Paul. The room spun and so did her head. She felt as though she were high. He made her feel intoxicated. It was like she was 10 years old again. Like how she used to lock herself in her room and sway to music pretending she was dancing with her prince charming.

Only this time she was 21, she wasn’t pretending, and she really did have her prince charming in front of her.

She could go anywhere with him she knew.

When the song ended they stopped and stared at each other.

“It seems as though I defeated the curse” he smiled his smile at her. She looked at him in awe and that’s when she knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She once thought she would never find love, then he came into the picture and swept her off her feet.

He was right he did defeat the curse. He made her happy.

“Violet?” Ben waved his hand in front of her face.

“Huh?” she snapped back into reality.

“I asked you if you wanted to go dancing and you just kinda’ spaced out on me?” He laughed nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

“Sorry, I’m just not really into dancing”

“Oh, ok. It’s ok then. We don’t have to”

“Ok, I should really get going then “ She smiled tightly.

“Oh yeah sure, see you around” Ben said patting her shoulder leaving her alone in an empty hallway.

She sighed closing her eyes I love you his voice ringed in her head. She shook her thoughts. She had to continue living on just like she always did.

****

Paul took a deep breath as he tried to bring his breathing at ease. He had his index finger and thumb placed over his temples. “Let me get this straight” he spoke for the first time since Embry broke the news “She has a date”

“Yes that is correct” Embry said as he took a swig of cherry soda.

“With who?”

“She didn’t say”

“Oh” Paul leaned against the couch more. He grabbed the TV controller and changed the channel to a baseball game.

“Oh? That’s it?” Embry burst.

Paul turned his head with a raised eyebrow towards Embry.

“Aren’t you gonna’ fight for your woman?” Embry exclaimed.

“She’s not my woman”

“Well she’s not gonna’ be if you don’t do something about it!”

Paul shrugged.

“Are you serious, Paul?”

Paul didn’t say anything but continued to stare blankly at the television.

“I can’t believe this” Embry stood up from his spot on the recliner. “You’re a fucking coward Paul”

“What the fuck are you talking about” Paul demanded snapping from his trance.

“You love Violet, but there you go telling her you can’t be with her and now you you’re not even gonna fight for her?” Embry scoffed. “The girl left town because she had cancer Paul! Not because she didn’t want you. When the hell are you going to realize that?”

Paul shrugged “She wants to go out with the guy, let her go out with the guy. It’s none of my business.”

Embry nodded. “Yeah you’re right! Let her go out the guy! Maybe—Maybe she’ll even fall in love with him too!” He got up from the recliner “And who knows!” He lifted his hands in the air “Maybe they’ll get married and she won’t leave him at the alter!” Embry laughed sarcastically shaking his head “And maybe you’ll regret not fighting for her! Oh geez Paul, this is great! Good thinking!” he walked towards the door. “You’re always thinking,” he said lastly before shutting the door behind him.

Paul sat there looking at the door Embry exited from. He sat there dumbfounded. Why would he ever fight for a girl who decides to move on without him? She wasn’t worth his time. That was a lie, but he didn’t want to believe it.

Why didn’t anyone understand? A person could forgive, but forgetting that was the toughest. But if you can’t forget do you really forgive? Maybe deep down he still held that grudge against Violet. Could people really blame him though? The person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with had left him at the alter. She left the day of the wedding. She left without giving him any answers. She humiliated him in front of his entire loved one. Worst yet, she crushed him completely. Maybe he couldn’t forgive. Maybe he would be that grouchy guy everyone hated. But it wasn’t his fault.

He once knew what it was to love but he had forgotten. No one understood what he went through. It wasn’t as easy as many people thought. What he feared most was Violet becoming part of his world. His and Violets world were completely different. He was an animal. Violet was perfection. His world was too dangerous.

He was a beast.

Who could ever love a beast?