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Tonight was the big night and I had been dreading it.
I bounced my leg up and down the nervousness coursing through my veins. I hated this so much. I couldn’t keep still and I was sure my face mimicked the current turmoil spilling into my body. I was never good at hiding what I was feeling.
A hand came over my knee to stop it from bouncing. I followed the long arm and met the hazel gaze of the man who had been leaving me flustered for two weeks now.
“Stop.” His voice was calm and gentle. “You’ll be fine.”
I let out a nervous laugh. “I’m about to be photographed by hundreds of people and my face is going to be broadcasted all over the world. My world is literally about to flip on its axis. I will not be fine.”
“Yes you will be,” he released his hand from my knee. “I will be right there beside you. We will get through tonight together.”
“And after?” I looked at him nervously. “What happens when all the media and press start coming for me?”
“I will hold your hand then too. I told you that we are in this together and we will be okay. Okay?”
I nodded but his words did little to comfort me.
Those comments I had read from that article a few days ago played in my mind over and over again. I feared that with the confirmation of this engagement the hate would only get worse.
Gabriel had told me to stay offline but I couldn’t help it. Curiosity got the better of me every time. I wanted to know what they thought of me. I wanted to know if they liked me or not.
It was ironic how little a stranger's opinion mattered in our lives yet we constantly sought approval from them.
They constantly compared me to Adriana. This was expected of course seeing as she was his former wife. They thought she was this angelic woman who needed their protection. It was strange how empowered people got behind a screen. They said the most vile and disgusting things about me.
They claimed I was a gold digger and only after his money. Some had even insulated that I was the reason for their split. But that was all a lie of course. Well, partially. I was the one who had told Gabriel about the affair.
“My parents will be present tonight.” Gabriel said.
“What? Why didn’t you tell me?”
He looked at me with a passive look. “I’m telling you now.”
“Do they know about our plan?”
He shook his head. “And they will never find out about it. They would meddle in my business and I don’t need that right now.”
“Got it. Don’t tell the parents.” This just further complicated everything. I had only met the Farringtons on three separate occasions briefly. From the little interaction we had I knew that the father was not a big fan of me. And his mother had made it known thatI was nowhere within their class.
We pulled up to the front of their museum and I felt all the air leave my lungs.
“I’m going to pass out.” I muttered to myself. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
I could hear the screaming from the outside and the flashes of the camera flickering on and off. My heart hammered in my chest frantically. The blood rushed past my ears.
The world tilted on its axis and everything felt like it was spinning.
I could hear my name being called in the distance but sounded like I was under water.
Gabriel grabbed my hand and threaded his fingers through mine. “Brianna.”
I turned my head to face him.
“You’re okay. I’m right here, okay? We are going to do this together.” His voice was tender yet assertive and strong. “Just keep holding my hand.”
The door on his side opened and sounds from outside grew louder. He moved toward the door but then I pulled him back.
His eyes looked at me in question.
