"RISE FROM THE ASHES" by Sarah Ryniker

STORY LAST UPDATED ON 17/08/2002

Rise from the Ashes Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Epilogue

CHAPTER TWO

I had been correct in my assumption that Brendan Willcott would want to walk with Rachael down the aisle. I ended up on the arm of his cousin, Roger Branch. Roger was handsome, but to me, not nearly as knee weakening as Brendan. They had the same colour of blue eyes; only Roger's were a brighter blue with less violet.
    Roger Branch was also a friend of Michael's, though a bit more persistent, I would soon find out, than Brendan. He didn't hide his attraction that he obviously had towards me, and couldn't seem to keep his eyes above my chest. It was rather annoying to me, but I chose to ignore it. I smiled and walked on as the music began to play. We were the first in line.
    As we split at the end, Roger leaned over to kiss my cheek. My head shot a glance at him, but I was forced to pull away before I could say anything. It had stunned me so much I didn't think I had anything to say anyway. When I looked over to him later, I saw the arrogant grin on his lips and I wanted to gag.
    I stood on one side of the stairs leading to the gazebo, waiting for the others to come join me. I watched as Karen walked proudly on the arm of Michael. She was a sickening sight. Her smile was brilliant. You would have thought she was the one getting married. I knew that she would never shut up about how Michael's biceps felt beneath her hand. I nearly grimaced at the thought.
    When Brendan and Rachael came within sight, my heart jerked with anger. Why did she always get the attention of the good guys? Brendan was a good young man, one that girls dreamed of marrying. And I'm sure he would be devoted to her. Roger, all too obviously, liked me, but he wasn't the type a young woman married, or even dated. Hell, he wasn't even the type to become friends with. He was entirely too self-assured and full of himself. He also had an attitude about him that screamed, "I'm a loser in training".
    Mother came towards the gazebo with the grace of an angel. She walked beside no one. I heard gasps from the "audience", for surely they weren't guests. Pictures were being shot all over the place, the click of the cameras becoming an orchestra itself.
    I looked over to Gerald. He had no facial expression. He simply looked like he had expected her to look that breathtaking. He probably did. He wasn't the kind of man who was shocked by anything. He seemed to expect everything to be perfect for himself. How perfect was his first wife, who cheated on him immensely with his own twin?
    I hardly heard the vows, though I did notice some women in the audience mouthing the words. Were women so high in the clouds that they thought every wedding was to be a perfect union? A beautiful wedding, to me, was just a disguise to hide the ugly truth. It hid the future that was about to come about, swirling around all involved like an F-5 tornado. Why did women always have hopes and dreams of a man sweeping them off their feet? A man was bound to only ruin you in the end.
    We all turned to join again and walk down the aisle. But I was surprised to see Brendan at my side this time. I looked at him, the question written in my eyes. He smiled back at me and without a word he held his arm out. I took it quickly and we began our descent down the aisle.
    "Why are you with me and not Rachael?" I asked in a whisper meant only for him.
    "Because you're more interesting to me than she is." His words put my heart into a pitter-patter I wished only to put an end to. Had I not just been thinking how women were stupid to think of happily ever after as an actual existing thing? I willed myself not to be as stupid, yet my heart only beat faster with the feel of him beside me.
    The reception was filled with people I didn't know. I stuck tightly to those I did, though I didn't exactly like them, either. I felt safer with Rachael, Karen, Michael, Mother, Gerald and now Brendan. I wasn't comfortable with Roger at all. He made me feel as if he was watching my every move. But according to Karen, that was exactly what he was doing.
    "He can't take his eyes off of you, Ella. Isn't that exciting?" she exclaimed with girlish excitement, followed by a round of giggles.
    "It would be if I was as boy-crazy as you are, Karen. But I'm sorry, I find no excitement of him taking interest in trying to peek down my dress." She looked at me as if I was crazy. I smiled at her. Of course I was crazy. I wasn't enjoying the dancing, the dressing up, nor a handsome young man staring at me like a mountain lion looking at its next meal.
    "Ella?" I heard the voice that made my legs feel like pudding say from behind me.
    I got hold of myself and then turned around, smiling. "Yes?"
    He smiled back. "You have the most beautiful smile. It's one of the only times I've gotten a glimpse of it today. You should smile more."
    I couldn't help but blush. "Well, I have not much to smile about," I answered back. "Is that all you approached me for? To give me a line?"
    It was his turn to look embarrassed. "No, of course not. I wanted to know if you would like to dance with me."
    I stuck my hand out towards him. "Of course I would. I love this song." He had to ask me on a slow song, didn't he? The romantic in me was making up a million different fantasies all at once.
    As we danced, I put my head on his shoulder. It felt good to have somebody paying so much attention to me. Somebody I actually wanted to pay attention me, rather than her. I had got my wish. Rachael was out of the question as far as this young man went. Maybe this day wasn't turning to be so bad after all. My heart was truly smiling. Smiling as brightly as Karen had been when she had walked down the aisle beside Michael.
    "Thank you for the dance, Ella," Brendan whispered in my ear. I felt like sighing out loud. My breath had quickened with those words whispered so seductively in my ear. I licked my lips and swallowed before thanking him for the dance as well.
    I watch him walk off to find Michael. I wasn't paying much attention to anything but him, until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Roger standing there. I almost wrinkled my face with how disgusted I felt. His presence, though only shared with me for a short time, already made me ill.
    "Yes, Roger?" I asked, forcing to keep a smile on my face.
    "You have danced with my cousin, don't you think it is only right that you should dance with me?" He seemed jealous and angry that I had danced with Brendan. And had he claimed so quickly as his that he thought I would believe it "correct" for me to dance with him?
    I managed to dance through another slow song, only this one seemed to last forever. I prayed for it to end as I was twirled ever so slowly on the dance floor. It lasted far too long, and when it was over, I choked out a thank you and practically ran from him. He gave me the creeps something awful.
    Brendan didn't approach me for another dance the rest of the reception. I felt my good mood and my feeling of floating begin to disappear. Either he had been teasing me, or I had made up the twinkle of attraction in his eyes. Either of the possibilities was upsetting. Why did I always have to be the one who ended up with nothing at the end of the day?
    We watched and threw rice as my mother and Gerald ran to get into the limo. They were going on some fancy cruise for their honeymoon. If only they had taken Michael, Rachael and Karen with them. I would have been a bit happier without being alone with them for a month.
    I stood on the side, my bitterness filling me again. I felt as if I had done something wrong to scare him off. Was I not gracious like the next rich beauty? Was I not a good dancer? Was I too serious, and not giggly and stupid like other girls my age? Is that what he had wanted me to be? Why couldn't he just give me another chance? If he wanted me to be stupid and giggly like other girls, I could do that! I could!
    Suddenly I felt a hand on my arm. I looked beside me and couldn't stop the smile the floated onto my lips. Brendan. He had come to stand beside me. Maybe I had been overreacting and he really was interested. Oh, please, let him be interested. I would do anything to make him fall head over heels in love with me.
    "I didn't get a chance to dance with you again today, Ella. But I am interested in knowing such a fascinating young woman. Before I leave, might I ask you if you are doing anything this coming Saturday?" His voice put electric chills throughout my body.
    Yes! my mind screamed. Yes! Yes! "Yes, I'd love that!" I exclaimed, smiling brightly, not bothering to hide my eagerness.
    "Great! I will call you later this week." He smiled and then kissed my cheek. Twice I had been kissed that day. But only one made my entire body feel hot and my mind spin.
    "He's awful handsome, Ella. You're a very lucky girl," I heard Rachael say after we had entered the house and the guests had departed.
    "I certainly feel lucky, Rachael." I sighed. No more jealousy of Rachael, I thought to myself, relieved. Maybe we could become friends.
    "Is he taking you out somewhere fancy? Or is he taking you to the fair that is starting this weekend?" She was very curious, I thought to myself. I got a sudden urge to spin on her and tell her to shut her mouth. I had him and she could put a stop to her stupid questions. She was obviously jealous.
    I was shocked by the sudden outburst I felt coming on. Never had I felt like that before. My jealousy was definitely getting a little crazy. I shook off the feeling and made my escape, telling her I needed sleep.
    Two days later I got the call that made my heart flutter. Brendan told me to dress very elegant and nice. He didn't tell me why or where he was taking me, but he wanted to make sure to tell me there was a dress code. I talked to him for a little while on the phone, trying to get out of him where we were going. He ended the conversation before he would tell me. I laughed after I hung up, suddenly feeling very much the seventeen-year-old I was. I am normal! I thought to myself in amazement and happiness.
    Summer was hot that year, but nothing could compare to the warm chills that enveloped me whenever I heard Brendan speak. I couldn't wait to go out with him. He talked to me at least a half hour every day before our date and came over every day to visit. I was thoroughly convinced that he was perfect. He was handsome, charming, intelligent and everything a girl could want. I was falling head over heels in love.
    Thursday night had me choosing what to wear, though that was a difficult choice to me. I wanted to look like perfection for him. I wanted him to look at me with awe and want to attack me right then and there. The thought of him wanting me so badly made my heart race and sent electrical shots of heat throughout my body.
    I didn't choose a dress, or even a hairstyle, until exactly an hour before my date Saturday evening. The dress I did choose was one I had found in my mother's closet. It evidently had belonged to Gerald's first wife Jessica. She was obviously a woman with good and sexy taste. I suddenly had an appreciation for her. She'd been small chested and all of her dresses had been made to fit her snugly around her chest, that way it would seem she had a lot more than she did. I loved it!
    The dress I chose was one of a deep, navy blue. It wrapped around my neck and held my breasts tightly within the bodice. It fit a little loosely around my hips, where she had been wider than me, but I improvised and managed to gather the loose material into the back and make it look fantastic. It stopped mid-thigh and was backless. It had matching high-heeled shoes and it looked fabulous on me. For once in my life I felt sexy.
    I curled the ends of my hair and pulled part of it back into a barrette. I let the curls hang down my back and over the rise of my breasts. I put on make up, but not so much that I looked whorish. In fact, it seemed invisible. I was proud of what I looked like. My eyes dazzled and my cheeks were filled with colour. I'd had no need to use any blush.
    I went downstairs to wait for Brendan. I had planned on waiting upstairs until he was announced, for a more dramatic effect, but I was much too excited. So I bounced down the stairs to wait. I sat in the front parlour, waiting anxiously for the butler to come in and announce his presence. I was ready for the perfect night.
    And I waited for the perfect night to begin. And I waited for the sound of chimes to echo throughout the house. And I waited to hear the sound of shoes clicking on the hardwood floor. And I waited for a full hour and a half.
    I checked my make up to make sure that everything was in placed before he arrived. Two hours later, my hair had begun to fall. I added a little blush to my cheeks, and tried to save my hair. Three hours later, my hair had gone completely flat and my make up was of no concern to me.
    Four hours later I fell asleep in the chair I had been sitting in all night. The perfect night. It had been ruined. No, not ruined. It had never started. He had led me on all this week, only to bring me down. There was not going to be a perfect night because there was no such thing as a perfect man.

Rise from the Ashes Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Epilogue

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