Chapter 1
His POV
The church building was well adorned by white blooming flowers, and the floor was clad by a white fluffy carpet. For sure, the decoration was outstandingly made. I looked around and saw the chairs blending to the color of the theme in the building. It was going to be a huge happy wedding that was going to excite the people of my town.
After admiring everything, I went back home but passed by Cassie's house. I stopped at a distance, watching her friends and family fitting clothes while others were making her hair. She looked gorgeous and pleased. I was assured she was ready to marry me.
'I walked into the church building, counting my footsteps. People gleamed at me with warm smiles. They stood up as I proceeded to the podium. I looked at the priest in front of me. He was standing still, holding his bible and waiting to receive my hand. When I was closer to him, he walked towards me, nodding his head as he was swiftly running his eyes over me. I knew my dove suit was expensive. The priest held my hand. We walked back to the podium and turned to face the congregation before they sat down. After that moment, everyone went quiet. They stared at the entrance as the piano man pressed the keyboard, echoing the building with a rhythmical sound. The beautiful colored and glittering flowers filled the space inside the building as people threw them. I took my eyes up when people stood again and looked at the entrance. She was beautiful! Her perfectly small body was well adorned by a white gown. She had sweet white flowers in her hands. She slowly walked forward, taking all of her time. I could see her smiling under the veil. She was flawless!'
My phone rang, so I shoved my hands in the pockets of my jacket and fast took it. There were already two missed calls from my mother. I wondered why I couldn't hear my phone when it rang, or was it I was fantasizing about my wedding with Cassie?
"Hello mom!"
I loudly said as I received the call.
"Jaxon! Where are you?" she asked, sounding so worried.
"I am on my way home, mom," I said, walking.
"Please take a taxi, tomorrow is your wedding day. There are many things to be done!" she screamed and hung the call.
I moved from Cassie's gate and walked along the road, heading to my house. I didn't plan to take a taxi as my mom suggested because I wanted to save money. Not only that, but I had countless things to do that night, and they were going to change my life.
Everyone was happy about my wedding, but I wasn't into it, not because I didn't love Cassie, but there were many complications and our parents weren't aware of them. I also thought of how my friends reacted when I told them about my wedding. It pushed me away.
"Hey, get inside a cab!"
The taxi driver insisted when he saw me dragging along the road. He didn't know I was eating my brain with thoughts and, moreover, I was already home, so I gestured him to go away.
I opened the door and saw everyone busy preparing the food, washing dishes, making phone calls, and doing many things that were supposed to be done before the wedding. My mother realized I was home, so she called me. I walked to give her a light hug.
"I love you, mom," I said, smiling at her.
"Oh really! Today, you said it," she teased, "you usually don't say it."
"What is it, mom? It's true, I love you," I giggled.
"Not you, my son. I know you, just tell me what you want," she said, smiling at me.
"Okay. You got me. I want your motorbike," I stated, looking at her facial expression that disagreed with me.
"No son. Do you remember what happened the last time you rode at night? You ended up in the hospital. It's late now. You should relax; tomorrow is your big day," she said, pulling some boxes and shifting them out of the room. She was creating a space for more guests that were going to come. I helped her at the same time trying to change my luck on her motorbike.
"Where do you want to go?" she asked, looking so worried.
"I want to go and invite my friends from Mt. Seal," I said.
"You can invite them over the phone. You know this wedding is crucial to the family, so you shouldn't ride at this late; it can be dangerous," she explained.
"Their phones aren't reachable, mom. I think they will love to see me showing up," I said, looking at her with a vibrant face.
She looked at me by the corner of her eye and agreed. She never liked to debate with me for too long.
I rushed to my room and picked some clothes, and shoved them into my bag. Thereafter, I took my passport from the drawer and got all the money from my wallet, which I saved after high school. Likewise, I was tempted to take the necklace I was given by Cassie months back on my twenty-second birthday, but I stopped.
When I was done packing, I threw my bag through a window and walked normal to exit the door after I kissed my mom's cheek and hugged her tightly.
I started the motorbike, and it was my last night in Gwanda town.
I ran away.
Her POV
I watched myself from a big curved mirror while my friends were dressing me up. I looked happy and blushed on my smile. Life with him was something I imagined since I was a kid. He was always my charmer; always fun and always where I was. My love for him never changed like a North pole. It stayed the same.
People were filling the building, taking their seats on either side of the way leading to the podium. There were many attendants because our parents were famous in the city. Moreover, Jaxon's mother was a city mayoress, so no one wanted to miss the wedding. Faith and Mary were busy perfecting my makeup before I was going to bloom in front of Jaxon. They were my best friends since we were ten, and we were already climbing another decade together.
A knock hit the door, and we all stared. It was Linx, Jaxon's best buddy. He didn't wait for us to respond to his knock. Instead, he entered. Some of his friends were standing outside the door staring at our beauty, which was sucking their eyeballs out.
Linx looked at me from the corner of his eye, and I felt my heart vibrating as I blushed. I was too shy. I stood up and picked up my long white dress from the floor. I turned to give him my attention so that he was going to state the reason for his presence in the ladies' dressing room.
"Did you see Jaxon?" he asked, looking so serious.
I shrugged and ran out of words because of what he spoke.
"To all of us in this room, Linx, you are the one who knows better about your friend's whereabouts," Mary said, moving closer to him.
He nodded his head and said, "I am sorry if this is true."
I looked at his soured face and weighed his posture. I was trying to pick what he wanted to say before he even talked.
"Linx! Talk, please." I screamed, giving him my ears after failing to understand his gesture.
I felt like he was done talking without saying anything of sense to my ears. And definitely, he was done talking. He shoved his hand into his pocket and came out with a letter.
"I never opened this letter since Jaxon handed it to me weeks back. He asked me to give it to you if he wasn't going to be present after nine o'clock," he talked, gazing at the watch that was hung on the wall.
I looked at his hand, stretching to give me the letter. I quickly grabbed the letter and tore the envelope open. The card inside the envelope almost got torn, too. My hands were quivering. I sighed and slowed down. I opened the card to read it.
'Cassie. You are reading these words, which means I am gone. I know they might have made you believe we are good together, but I can't do this.
I am sorry!
Jaxon'
After reading those words, I walked back to the mirror and fell on my knees. I saw myself trembling, and tears ran on my perfectly applied makeup. It was a heartbreaking turn. I couldn't believe it. Jaxon wasn't going to do that to me, so in hope, I waited and waited, but he never showed up. I was shattered and embarrassed. My happiness evaporated like a volatile substance. It was too quick for it to fade, and it crushed me. Faith and Mary tried to pacify me, but it didn't help.
