Chapter Ten
Something Borrowed and Blue
Guinevere
“Why! Why am I like this?” I cried, trying to wiggle myself out of the damn dress. The zipper was broken, and it was not budging for anything. Glancing at myself in the mirror, I sighed. “You're an idiot, Gwen,” I whispered as my phone rang. “Eli, this isn’t a good time,” I answered.
“If you ever beg me for my book, or any of my wine again—”
“Wait!” I tried to move to my door, but I tripped slightly on the hem of my dress, knocking my desk over.
“What are you doing?”
Lifting it up at the bottom, I quickly walked out of my bedroom. “Just put the book and bottle by the door—”
“You want me to what?”
Urgh. “I’m having a moment. Just put—”
“Are you crying?”
“No, I’m not crying!”
“Guinevere—”
Annoyed, and without thinking, I pulled open the door. “Eli, I’m not crying.”
His blue-green eyes wandered down the strapless mermaid wedding dress I wore, then back up to my face.
I wanted to slam the door in his face I was so embarrassed, but I knew that would only make it ten times worse.
“Go ahead, laugh.” I sighed, waiting in the doorway as Taigi went up to Eli, placing both paws on his legs.
“I don’t see anything funny,” he replied, handing me the wine bottle and medical textbook I'd asked for before stroking Taigi’s head.
“I would prefer if you laughed.” It would make me feel less pathetic. “Thanks for these, I’ll return the book tomorrow.”
I was about to call Taigi back inside when I remembered. “We’re friends, right?” I asked, though it felt odd for me to call him just a friend.
He looked up from Taigi. “I guess.”
“So we can help each other without judging, right?”
“Just spit it out.”
“This is so embarrassing…”
“Guinevere, you are standing in front of me in a wedding dress. What could possibly be more embarrassing for you?”
He just had to ask.
“I can’t get it off.”
“You what?” he asked slowly.
“The wedding dress. The stupid wedding dress won’t come off, and it’s getting harder for me to breathe!” I placed a hand on my stomach. The goddamn thing was like an anaconda wrapping tighter every time I took a breath.
He covered his mouth to stifle a chuckle, but he couldn’t take it and laughed outright.