I'm a beginning writer, but comments welcome. ;)
° original picture: Pixabay, free use°
Prologue
"You look stunning."
Lizzy smiled at her reflection. Soft, golden curls of hair cascaded down her shoulders. The sheer sleeves of her elegant wedding gown glistened with crystals of silver and blue— colors she hoped would start a fad among her fellow fashion bloggers. It was wedding season, after all.
Stunning.
She had a lot of favorite descriptions and captions, but this word in particular had a special effect attributed to its meaning. A word that could conjure up the mental image of everyone around her rendered unconscious as their eyes witnessed her flowing gown. She quite liked that description. It meant she was doing a good job, and that her taste and flair for design was still soaring.
“Oh, yes! You're missing the headdress," Shauna tittered, heading towards the door. "You wait here, girl."
And with that said, she scurried away, leaving Lizzy face to face with her reflection staring back at her from the human-sized, ornate mirror. Lizzy McShaw was a fashionista at heart and ambitious in spirit. She was pleased that she could now finally add 'Designed My Own Wedding Dress' to her résumé.
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach when she thought about her fiancé. Somehow, the closer it got to the wedding date, the more she fell in love with David, despite having been around him for as long as she remembered. Picking up her cell phone, she re-read the update from her best friend. Tarryn Clarke was to be her honorary bridesmaid. With excessive emojis as always, she had wished Lizzy all the best for the fitting, and once again, expressed her apologies for being unable to make it that afternoon.
Lizzy's eyes skimmed through the bulk of her other messages, but her inbox did not contain any recent news from the man of her dreams.
David was terrible at keeping in touch with texts.
Still, she could overlook it. Lucky for him, she was utterly lovesick, and this meant she had a greater tolerance for his caveman-esque struggles with communication. She smiled to herself, recalling the first time she had seen him in a new light. It was a classic case of Boy Next Door turned Sparkling Prince.
She only realized how much of a catch he was when he caught her on the day she fell out of the oak tree she had been sitting in. For her fourteenth birthday, she had received a lime-green dress and was hoping to get a good photo. The dark green leaves would have provided the perfect contrast. Unfortunately, the old branch didn't agree with her weight. From the moment she fell into his arms, staring into his blue eyes that shimmered with concern, she knew. Right then she knew.
Ever since, she had harbored a crush on him. And despite the long time it took for them to finally confess their feelings to each other, fate had seen that they were inevitably united. In the last year of high school, they became known as the Power Couple. Aesthetically pleasing with cheesiness abundant. Even her little following on the internet had come to call them couple goals.
She smiled at the thought. All good things came to those who wait.
Briefly, Lizzy wondered if sending him a picture of her in the dress would jinx the wedding. It technically didn't count as the groom actually seeing the bride, right? She wasn't sure if the jinx was dependent on the physical presence of the person. With a shrug, she decided not to risk anything. Besides, her phone's battery was nearly dead.
Just then, Shauna barreled in with the headdress. Sparkling diamond designs bedazzled the fabric that was beautifully folded into roses, adding a touch of elegance to the long lacy trail. Shauna wasted no time to get out her phone and snap pictures while Lizzy laughed as she was directed to pose in every which way. In her mind, the blonde bride-to-be reviewed her mental checklist. Perfect dress, prefect fiancé, and perfect wedding day.
She freelanced for the local fashion column by night, and enjoyed her work as one of the designers of Flourish Boutique by day. Her end goal? Starting up a boutique of her own. Her spirit soared in anticipation as she thought about beginning the many new chapters to come in her life. She knew what David would be saying if he found out she was over thinking the future again: "Easy does it, doll, baby steps."
But, Lizzy was a planner by nature. And thankfully, everything was going according to the grand scheme in her mind.
At least, that's what she thought when she returned to her modest apartment. She stopped in the living room, dumping her handbag on the coffee table. She was then hit with a strange realization. Wasn't David supposed to be home already? They had agreed to meet up tonight to finalize plans and spend some quality time together. Still, David's coat wasn't on the hanger. His shoes weren't sprawled across the floor either, as she had come to expect from him.
She heard the landline ringing. Almost no one noteworthy bothered calling that number, other than the landlord or the occasional salesperson. Perplexed, she answered. There had been an accident. The family was at the scene. She was told to come immediately.
Where? Downtown.
Who? Who was in the accident?
David.
Her David?
No, she couldn't accept this. But, reality waited for no one. When Mrs. Richter confirmed she had heard right, it all came crashing down with the force of a sledgehammer. Already, her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes snapped up, meeting the mirror in the foyer. Pupils dilated, wide and wild.
Stunned.
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