31 Day Writing Challenge: Day 29 - 'Wedded'

I married him, I married the wrong man. I'm sat here, in Hawaii, on my honeymoon and I have been wedded to the wrong man. I married a good man, I married the 'safe' man. I married the man who had never broken my heart. I settled.

He's in the shower. I'm sat on the hotel bed, thinking of the last time is saw the love of my life: my wedding day. 

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"Stop that! Stop it, right now! You don't get to do that. You don't get to look at me like that!" my anger did nothing to alter the expression on Elliot's face.

"I always knew you'd make a beautiful bride." Elliot presented me with a white rose that he had plucked from the vase on the vanity table.
I sat on the bed, my hands resting on my lap, delicately holding the rose. All I could do was stare down at the pure, white petals and vibrant green stem. I just stared down at the rose, my hands and the beautiful tulle skirt of my wedding dress that created the background. 

"You left." I didn't raise my gaze, wouldn't look at him. After all this time, he turns up on my wedding day, like he was an invited guest. With his tie undone, his shirt a little mussed up and his rich, brown hair in a just-slept-in mess, Elliot looked good. Really good. Too good.

I mentally shook myself.

He didn't get to do this. He didn't get to show up now and look at her like she was the one who had given up on them, She hadn't closed that door. 

"Are you in love with him?" When I looked up, wounded green eyes seemed to be trying to read my mind, or my heart.

"Elliot." It was soft, but clear and with a hint of exasperation. I couldn't do this, especially not now. 

"Are you in love with him?" This time it was said slower, and the tone demanded an answer.

"I love him, yes." I didn't break eye contact.

"That wasn't what I asked. And you know it, Shayne." Elliot knew what I was trying to do, we both did.

"What the hell is it to do with you how I feel about Tristan?" I was on the defensive and it was cleat to both of us why. Still, I could see the anger build within Elliot.

"Because I'm the one who's supposed to have your heart. You swore you'd given it to me and I sure as hell don't remember giving it back. If that's true, you cant possibly be in love with Tristan," Elliot's disdain at the name was clear on his face. "But if you are in love with the up-tight, humourless, jackwang; then what we had is clearly not what I thought it was. If you are, then I gave my heart to a woman who gave her's to some guy, while leaving me convinced I was in possession of something I'd spend lifetimes trying to deserve." 

When Elliot looked at me, I knew he could see the tears pooling in my eyes. He walked over and knelt in front of me. He began gently stroking my cheek with his thumb, His voice was soft when he asked one more time,

"Shayne, please. Are you in love with him?"

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"Shayne, my darling." Tristan's voice from the bathroom woke her from her reminiscing, "Care to join me,"

Not really. You're not him.