THIS HAS NOT YET BEEN EDITED!

Sorry this chapter took so long!!
Highest rank on the hot list over the last two weeks - #19 in Chick Lit and we hit 43k!

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© 2017 Shay Spencer. All rights reserved.

Something Real

[ Chapter 31 ] Color Me Pink

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Waking up the morning of my mother's wedding had been hard enough. But having to tune her out as she droned on and on about the wedding itself, was a feat even I couldn't fathom.

"The second I tried on this dress, I knew it was the one." The woman spun around once more, looking herself over in the mirror. This, causing Wren to have to take a step back from her in the process.

Finally, my mother settled back into one place.

"You're going to look amazing, Angel." Wren gushed as she stretched out the long train on my mother's dress.

"This will be the best day," she nodded back. "Elias is going to be my husband."

I sat alone in the corner of the large room near the balcony, propping my feet up on the edge of the desk as I looked out over the vineyard. I could see the many workers all preparing for the long day ahead.

Though as I watched, it seemed like even the workers knew how particular my mother was. Even from where I was sitting, it looked as if they didn't want to mess a single thing up.

Towards the farthest end of the beautiful walkway, was a large fountain where the ceremony would be taking place. A long light pink fabric was being placed down the middle to act as the isle, and chairs were being set up on either side. Every three feet or so, a standing bouquet matching those of our bridesmaids flours had been placed on either side of the isle.

The entire setup was gorgeous, and that was saying a lot considering my mother had planned the entire event.

"Scarlett," my mother said, pulling me from my daze. "I asked you to put on your dress nearly ten minutes ago."

I nodded, standing from my once comfortable seat before rearranging my robe.

"I was making sure everything looked okay downstairs," I tried, knowing my mother wouldn't buy it. "It looks lovely."

"No time for excuses now," she waved me off towards the bathroom. "Your dress is hanging on the door. Find it and slip it on. Wren and I are already dressed."

I turned away, making my way towards the opposite end of the bridal suite my mother had reserved. Out of all of us, she had the biggest room. Not that I had expected anything less.

Just as I turned into the bathroom, a knock sounded on the door.

After peeking through and seeing Hayden standing on the other side, I opened the door and quietly walked out into the hallway.

"Is this what you get to wear for the ceremony?" Hayden mocked my short robe. The light pink fabric stopped halfway down my thighs. "I'm not complaining, but as an equal rights activist I do think I should be allowed to wear a robe."

"I couldn't agree more," I smiled back up at him.

Without warning, Hayden took my hand and pulled me around the corner, stopping and resting me back against the wall. He quickly pressed a kiss to either one of my cheeks before brushing his lips against my own.

The moment was over as quickly as it started.

"What was that for?" I asked, playing with our interwound fingers as he looked me over lovingly.

"Calm before the storm, I guess?" He shrugged off his own response. "I don't want to get everyone all worried, or anything, but Jay and I can't find Elias."

"What?" I frowned, half waiting for a chuckle to follow from him. "You've got to be kidding."

"We went by his room, no answer. So either he's gone, or he's hiding from us," Hayden narrowed his eyes in on me. "Are you sure he's not Angel?"

"Hayden," I sighed. "I've been in there since I got up. Every inch of that room is covering in makeup, and dresses, and bouquets."

"Then I guess I'm on a man hunt," Hayden popped his eyebrows up and down suspiciously.

"What the hell is a man hunt?" I practically scoffed back at him. "We're on the clock here, Hayden. You guys better find him."

"Why do you think I kept our time together so short," he whispered against my lips. He kissed me once more, turning on his heel and stalking back around the corner there after.

"Text me if you find him," I called dryly after him.

"Text me if I can change into that robe you're wearing," he countered without another word.

I huffed out a breath as I rushed back to my mother's room, opening the door once more and slipping inside. Quickly, I made my way into the bathroom and dropped the robe to the floor, slipping the pale pink dress over my head and arranging it as best as I could.

Luckily enough for me, my mother had changed our dresses last minute. What was once our short, bright pink, frilly-taffeta was now the new and improved maxi-dress like dresses.

"Scar?" Wren warned before walking into the bathroom. Absentmindedly, she picked up a stray makeup brush laying lazily on the counter. "Who stopped by?"

I could feel my face heating up with her question.

"Hayden," I spoke without thinking. "Don't say anything, but he and Jay can't find Elias."

Concern broke out on Wren's face, and I knew her breathing quickened just as mine had when Hayden had told me.

"What do you mean they can't find him?"

"He was supposed to be in his room," I shook my head. "Hayden says no one answered the door. Now they're out looking for him."

"Well he can't have gone far," Wren scoffed. "I mean we're really in the middle of no where out here. You're just surrounded by grape trees for miles."

"Grape wines, Wren," I corrected without skipping a beat. "But never mind. Just, help me keep my mother calm. She won't last more than thirty seconds after hearing Elias has gone missing."

"No shit," Wren nearly shivered at the thought. "I've got it."

I followed Wren out of the bathroom, the two of us making it into the main area before a second knock caught my attention.

"It's got to be Hayden," I muttered under my breath.

Throwing open the door, the shock at who was standing on the other side was all that held me together.

Zane, Axel and Eddy looked like a couple of dogs with their tails between their legs as they stared back at me. Each one looked more guiltily than the last.

"You look," Zane cut himself off with a shake of his head. "Can we talk to you for a minute?"

Glancing behind me to see Wren still distracting my mother, I slipped back out into the hallway, half wondering if Hayden was about to come scurrying around the corner with better news.

I closed the door, watching the three as Axel led the way to the vending machines down the hall. The man stopped as we reached a seemingly more private location.

"Take it away Mirada," Axel shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks.

Zane nearly rolled his eyes at Axel's attitude.

"Scarlett," he sighed, turning his attention to me. "We've been uninvited from the wedding, and we're on the next flight out to New York. But before we leave, we wanted you to give a message to Hayden."

I couldn't hide my confusion as I looked between the three, unable to wrap my head around what exactly was happening at the moment.

"Why come to me then?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"We've also been instructed to not go anywhere near Hayden and Jay for the foreseeable future," Eddy added with a small smile my way.

"Tell Hayden we're sorry," Axel cut in, taking a step forward. "I personally didn't know he would get kicked out of school for what happened, and if I had known, I would have stuck around to take the blame with him."

"Me too," Eddy piped in. "We're sorry Scarlett."

"That's what this is all about?" I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. "You guys pulled me out here to deal with this? I've got Hayden and Jay trying to find Elias right now because he's missing. It's taking everything Wren and I have to hold my mother together-"

"We know," Zane nodded back at me. "Elias has been with us all night. Calling the dean over at U-Pen, talking with Axel's dad. We didn't mean to keep him as long as we did."

I half breathed a sigh of relief at the news that Elias had stuck around for my mother. But the more startling realization kept me on my toes.

"You came clean to Elias?"

The three merely nodded back at me.

"It was the right thing to do," Zane leaned in a bit. "You were right, Scarlett."

"Thank you," I said, hoping to silence the conversation before it got out of hand. "I'll tell Hayden after the wedding."

I turned, hoping to make a quick getaway before Zane caught hold of my arm. He leaned in, making sure no one else could hear what he was about to say.

"I really am sorry, Scarlett," he whispered. "For what it's worth, you and Hayden deserve better than a day like this."

Zane walked away after that, leaving me alone as Axel and Eddy trailed after him down the hallway. But what stuck with me after they left wasn't the fact that they apologized; it was the fact that Zane had brought my attention back to the real issue at hand.

In less than two hours, Hayden Pennington would be my stepbrother.

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Don't worry guys! It's not the end of Axel, Eddy and Zane! 😜

How did everyone feel about the guys coming clean? And how do you think Elias will take all of this before his wedding??

I'M SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY!

But the next chapter will be up on August 25th! That's THIS Friday!

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Thank you all so much for reading!