Marx Girl

“Well, I did call you, but you wouldn’t say anything.” Adrian frowns.

“I was with Eric, for Christ’s sake,” I snap.

Adrian rolls his eyes. “Go on…” He sighs.

I shrug as my eyes stay firmly fixed on Eric. “Ben says he’s come back for me, and that he wants a second chance.”

“He what?” Adrian snaps. “Oh, he can just go to Hell on a broomstick.” He then whispers, “He’s a bit fucking late, isn’t he?”

I nod. “Damn straight.”

Adrian and I squeeze hands.

Tash’s face falls. “But… it’s Ben.” She smiles hopefully. “We love Ben.”

I roll my eyes. “Ben’s a douche,” I whisper angrily. “Don’t you dare defend him to me.”

Tash frowns as she glances over at Eric and looks him up and down. “So, I see Mum loves him, then.”

I nod, annoyed. “Everyone loves Eric.”

Adrian and Tash’s eyes hold mine and Natasha raises a brow. “Except you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I frown.

Adrian purses his lips as he thinks. “I’m picking up something here. Your body language with Eric is off.”

“Ssh, keep your voice down. You are not picking up something with my body language at all. What, are you Oprah now? I’m done with Ben. End of story,” I whisper angrily.

“No, you’re not,” Ben snaps from behind me.

We all turn around guiltily, and I narrow my eyes. “Stop hanging around like a creeper, Ben. You are seriously pissing me off. And get it through your thick skull… I am so done with you.”

“I can’t stand seeing you with him,” he growls.

“Then look away.”

Eric walks over with Mum. “Ready to go in, babe?”

Ben glares at Eric and the group withers.

I glance at Tash and Adrian, who are both wide-eyed as they watch Ben glare at Eric. What a predicament. This is the most uncomfortable I have ever been in my life.

“Yep!” I snap angrily. I grab his arm and Mum’s hand, and march into the church on a mission.

Screw it. I should ask Eric to marry me right here, right now.

Anything, to get rid of Ben and his fucking fan club. We walk into the church and I see my brother, Brock, handing out the order of service.

That fucker. This is all his fault.

“Take a seat and I’ll go get us a program.” I smile.

Eric and Mum make their way to our row of seats, and I corner Brock at the side of the church.

“Get over here,” I whisper.

“Huh?” He frowns.

I push him hard in the back and pull the black velvet curtain around to hide us.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I hiss.

Brock scowls. “What are you on about?”

“You called Ben and told him I had a boyfriend.”

He winces. “He told you that?”

“Yes, he told me that.” I push him again in the chest. “How could you?”

He shrugs. “I was helping out a mate.”

“What the fuck, Brock? I’m your sister. Eric is a good man.”

He cringes. “Yeah, I got nothing.”

My eyes nearly bulge from their sockets. “Oh, you will have nothing, all right. I’m going to cut off your fucking dick, Brock. Fix this!”

“Fix what?” He frowns.

“Get rid of Ben.”

“How?”

“I don’t fucking know,” I whisper. “You started this, now you get rid of him.”

“I’m sort of in the middle of something here.” He widens his eyes and holds up the programs that he’s supposed to be giving out right now.

“Well, you’re doing a shit job of that, too. Go out there and tell Ben to go home.”

“No.”

“Yes!” I snap.

“You belong with him, Bridget.”

Steam feels like it’s shooting out of my ears, when the curtain suddenly opens to reveal Natasha. “I don’t know what you two are doing hiding in the curtain, but it looks fucking ridiculous,” she whispers through a fake smile.

“Natasha, I’m losing my living shit. Help Brock get rid of Ben.”

“Losing your shit, for sure,” Brock mutters under his breath before taking off back into the church to continue his duties.

Tash grabs my hand sympathetically. “It’s okay, babe, calm down. We got this. Take a seat and I’ll handle it.”

I nod. “Are you going to ask Ben to leave?”

She fakes a smile. “Of course.”

I nod, and my nerves begin to subside. “Good, good.” I walk back and take a seat next to Eric. He puts his arm around my shoulders and kisses my forehead. I glance over and see Ben glaring at me from the other side of the church.

He looks like he’s about to come over and knock Eric out.

Honestly, is this a joke? He breaks my heart, leaves me, and then I don’t hear from him in five years, only for him to turn up here, acting all jealous as if he has every right. Who the hell does he think he is?

I begin to perspire.

I glance up to see Joshua and Cameron smiling from ear to ear, loving every minute of this. They have a prime position from where they’re standing, and are watching the whole damn show.