"You look like a zombie."

I feel like one too.

"What? All I'm going to get is a grunt?" Rebecca asks,"No explanation of how you disappeared off the face of the earth?"

"Not now." I groan rubbing my head. It had been a long day and to be honest one that I couldn't wait to put an end to by just going to sleep but I knew that tomorrow was going to be much much worse.

If that's even possible.

"If it makes you feel worse Samantha ditched me too." She says,"She ran off with one of the guys in the party and made me cover for her. You know how scary her parents are, it was an absolute nightmare."

I don't respond as she continues to talk,"And Alec. He disappeared half way through the dinner and came back up like after forever and Jake literally ran out when Alec came back. It was all you wasn't it?"

I quirk an eyebrow at her,"All me?"

"Yeah I mean I figured it the moment you disappeared. You like running away from things so I figured that the tension between them was all because of you."

I wanted to say no. I mean honestly a while ago I would have laughed at this situation.

Two boys fighting over me? Pssht, are you high or something?

But this time I couldn't.

"I don't know Rebecca." I say tiredly,"I've had really long day I need to sleep."

She raises an eyebrow suspiciously at me. She knows me well enough to see right through my clear change of subject but I'm grateful when she keeps her mouth shut and nods.

I go on autopilot after that. I get ready for bed like a zombie not registering what I was doing. I changed, brushed my teeth and then fell head first into my bed.

But I can't sleep.

Yeah cause that's just what I need.

After Jake point black asked me to choose Alec over him, more than anything I was hurt.

Which was just flipping ridiculous.

I mean isn't that supposed to make my supposed "choice" easier? Oh god I seriously needed to reevaluate my life.

You know what both of them can go to hell. To hell with Alec who suddenly woke up out of nowhere and said that he loved me.

I mean seriously what bullshit was that?

And then Jake. Don't even get me started on the asshole, I was probably going to have an anyuresim just thinking about him.Well then I would at least get out of this shit.

And Eric.

I don't even want to go near that topic.

I don't think the fact that something like that had actually happened had registered. Honestly in the past few months my life has been a bullet train that my brain forgot to climb on.

I don't know when I fell asleep but the next I know is that I'm woken up rather rudely by Rebecca.

"What?" I say rather snappily rubbing my eyes.

"It's eleven in the morning and Sam is not back." She says,"I'm starting to get worried."

I quickly shake off my morning daze and focus at Rebecca who is sitting on her bed looking anxious.

"Have you tried to call her?" I ask getting out of bed to go brush my teeth.

"Only about a billion times." She responds,"And I'm scared that her parents are going to start calling if they can't reach her."

Samantha Adams has the scariest parents on the planet. They are both extremely qualified professors and have had several of their books published. They are the kind of parents who push Samantha to do everything perfectly, while I study on my accord Samantha is pressurised to do everything. When I visit her is the only time I am grateful that my parents are always in absencia.

There is a knock on the door and Rebecca scrambles off her bed and I quickly wash my face and follow her.

"Sam where were-" She stops mid way when she realises that it wasnt Samantha who was standing at our doorstep but Alec, who was looking straight at me.

"Oh Alec, what are you doing here..." She trails off when she realises that Alec's attention is only on me.

"Hey Rebecca."I say not taking my eyes off Alec,"Don't you have to go?"

"Go where?" She asks dumbly and I glare at her. She laughs weakly,"Oh right."

She then heads towards to the bathroom and I sigh knowing that she is going to be hearing every single word we were going to say.

"We need to talk." Alec says gently when she shuts the door.

My hands get clammy and I honestly can't seem to put two words together so I simply nod and gesture towards the towards the hall.

He nods and I shut the room door behind me. We start walking towards the elevator.

"Nice PJ's." He says giving me slight smile looking at my Hello Kitty! pyjamas.

I smile recalling the fact that two months back when Alec had come into my room I had been wearing the exact same pants.

"So today is the big day, huh?" I say trying to make small talk.

"Yeah my dad can't get more excited." He says,"He deserves this and so does Jeanine they are perfect for each other."

I nod,"I agree. Sometimes you make a mistake the first time."

His eyes darken fractionally and his face becomes slightly paler showing of his bruised nose.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, Jake was out of hand." I say carefully,"Is your nose okay?"

"Yeah, it is." He says,"it was my fault too and I've been through much worse."

I have no doubt. Being a football player hurt.

"Jake had every right to do that." He says and I stop in my tracks,"You are his girlfriend."

Not really.

"I need to tell you something." I say taking a deep breath,"Jake and I aren't really-"

"I know." He interrupts,"Samantha told me."

I raise an eyebrow and am about to ask how Samantha was involved but he starts to say,"The night of the Christmas dance I broke up with Natalie because I was convinced that I was in love with you."

My breath hitches.

"And I kissed you." He says,"That was the first time I lost control, seeing you with him makes me want to pound his face in."

He doesn't look at me,"I have been in love with you since freshman year but I was scared of losing you. I've never had the best track record with girls and you were, still are my rock and every time I even think of being more than what we were or still are I was overwhelmed and terrified with the fact that I may lose you."

"And then Natalie and Michella." He sighs,"I didn't even realise how badly I screwed up but you were still there you were always there until he came. You may have been putting up an act but can you still tell me that this is all still fake?"

I keep quiet.

"I couldn't stand seeing you with him and I understood how selfish I was being after everything I had done to you." He says,"I tried, I tried but then the night of the homecoming dance I realised that I wasn't ready to let you go."

"Alec-"

"I need to say this." He says cutting me off,"I know you like him Clara and I know there is a very high possibility you're going to choose him because I was such a bloody coward all of these years."

"He may not be your boyfriend but he has the balls I never had." Alec finally turns towards me,"I'm going to fight for you Clara this time. I promise. If you choose him I'll back off, I'll be your friend but I won't give up on you just like you didn't all these years."

He stops looking at me with his green eyes. They were much lighter than Jake's, they were deep but readable.

"I love you Clara Wilson."

Oh god.

"Alec-" I start to say but he kisses me, it's short, brief but sweet and I can feel it up till my toes.

"Midnight tonight." He says,"Meet me downstairs in the lobby. If you don't I'll know I'll have to fight harder and wait a little longer."

He gives me one last smile and heads towards the elevator.

Someone clears their throat and I jump to see Samantha standing in the corner her eyebrows raised.

"Clara why are you smiling?" She asks. I look at her for a moment and I know need to ask her something that's bothering me but I can't put my finger on it because I'm still thinking about Alec's kiss.

"I'm smiling because I realised that I don't have to make a choice." I say,"Because there was no choice in the first place. I'd made that choice long back."

--------

The few hours leading up to the wedding was hectic. It involved various fittings and final adjustments to my dress which was made of shimmery gold fabric that matched the color of my hair.

When i was finally ready, I stand in front of the mirror look at the girl who's blue eyes didnt look a dull but shockingly bright against the thick black mascara and her pale face. Her hail was tied with a few curls tumbling out making her look like an old times princess. Bottom line she looked beautiful.

I was that girl.

This time when I saw my reflection I didn't feel that I was looking at someone else this time. Today I felt like myself for the first time in my life. Confident and pretty.

"Clara."

Jeanine soon to be Evans stood in front of me. She was actually glowing in her beautiful wedding dress that was a beautiful mix of gold and satin white. Even I had to admit that my mother had outdone herself, the dress would definitely be the talk of the wedding.

"You look beautiful."I say smiling,"Mr Evans is a very lucky man."

She smiles too,"Thank you Clara, you look very pretty too dear, I was just wondering if you had seen Jake lately?"

My throat constricts as I think about what I have to do after the wedding. My mind flickers back to the last time I had seen him. When he had looked straight at me and told me to choose Alec.

"No, I haven't." I manage to choke out.

She looks disappointed,"Oh. Jake has this terrible habit of disappearing at the worst of times."

Suddenly I start feeling extremely guilty. I realise that yesterday Jake had bailed out of the Rehearsal Dinner because of me and my stupidity. This was probably one of the most important days of his mothers life and he was missing it because he couldn't look me in the eye anymore.

No I'm giving myself to much credit. I mean he wouldn't skip out on something like this because of me.

I don't know why I say it but my mouth goes on autopilot as I look at his mother,"Don't worry about Jake I'm sure he is here, I'll go find him."

I try to give her a reassuring smile but I know there is nothing reassuring about it. I'm terrified of facing Jake after making this decision but I have to talk to him sooner than later.

I preferred later.

I exit the room and crash into my mother on the way out.

"Clara." She regards me carefully and walks straight ahead.

My interaction with my parents have been zero over the past few days. My dad had gone out for a huge meeting to Switzerland and my mom knew better than to try to poke a sleeping dragon.

Yes, I was the dragon.

Michella had gone back to pretending that I didn't exist but I knew she was weary of me. My lie must have worked well enough to make her think that one wrong move and I would blab.

The place where the wedding was going to take place was in the same hotel taking place in a huge hall on the ground floor. It was beautifully decorated in the theme of gold, black and white. Artificial gold creepers climbed the walls while white trees loomed over the place where they would be standing. It was beautifully decorated with fairy lights that looked like shimmering stars.

All in all it was pretty breathtaking.

The people looked even grander this time all of them streaming in, talking to each other. The wedding was due to start in about half and hour and the the reception would take place after which was kind of a New Year's Eve party too.

I try to look for Jake's familiar mop of black hair standing out in the crowd but I can't see him anywhere.

A girl crashes into me almost making me fall but she catches me in the last moment and steadies me.

"I'm so sorry." She says her cheeks completely red,"I have the worst balance ever."

Looking at her flustered face and her blonde hair all over her face I smile.

"Trust me I'm worse."

She laughs,"I highly doubt that."

For the first time in New York I find myself actually liking someone. She was probably my age but she was much shorter. She looked pretty plain for someone who was attending the supposed 'wedding of the year' with her pale blue dress and next to no make up. She was still pretty though but in a different way than most people in the room without the snobby look and a kind smile.

"Hi I'm Clara Wilson." I say thrusting my hand out.

She accepts it,"Oh aren't you Jake Henderson's girlfriend?"

Almost immediately I want to withdraw my hand but she says,"The one who is supposedly to be a total tech genius? I mean obviously you are one your dad is the owner of a whole com-"

She stops herself turning red again,"Sorry about that I have a bad habit of rambling on,I'm Dare Williams."

I raise an eyebrow at her surname. Williams were one of the only competitors of the Hendersons. Maybe a little lower down but definitely catching up.

"Darella hurry up." A sophisticated lady called out from the front. She had one of those really stern expressions that said that she was a perfectionist and she kind of reminded me of my mother just like Dare reminded me of myself.

"Sorry, I have to go." She says,"Nice meeting you though."

And just like that she's gone.

----------------------------

It's like God had heard my wish.

Jake was nowhere to be found and I couldn't be happier but at the same time I was feeling so incredibly guilty due to the fact that he was probably skipping out on his mothers wedding because he was avoiding me.

That was a ridiculous thought wasn't it? Although I was relieved that I didn't have to talk to him and feel guilty over my choice I hated the fact that he was being such a coward. Was he actually hiding in his room because he couldn't face the fact that I would choose Alec over him?

I was half in the mood to go to his room and shake him and ask him what in the bloody hell was wrong with him.

"Miss Wilson, looking for my son I suppose?"

I clench my hands and turn around plastering a fake smile on my face.

Conrad Henderson stood in front of me playing his role perfectly at being the rich businessman in his expensive suit.

"I suppose I'd also have to ask you as to which son now don't I?" He says.

"Alec Evans is not your son." I say through gritted teeth,"He was raised by his actual father a man who actually loved him."

Conrad Hendersons eyes darken at that and he mutters,"I agree and Jake deserved just as much "

I'm actually taken back at his answer. I look at him my jaw slack with surprise.

"Surprised that you don't know everything Miss Wilson?" His smile is polite but his eyes have a hard glint in them as if daring me to say otherwise but I take the smart option out and just kept my mouth shut.

"Jake left quite abruptly, I suppose your little run in with his friends had something to do with that?"

My hands went cold.

"You knew about that?" My tongue tasted like sand in my mouth,"And you let him go?"

"Miss Wilson remind me again but wasn't it you who had asked me to I quote back off?" His tone is jovial and I'm sure other people were under the illusion that we were having a perfectly normal conversation.

"How did you know?" I ask trying my level best to keep my voice down.

"Like I've said before I make it a point to know everything about my son and since you seem to have such an influence on him-"

"Your son could have died." I hiss.

"Jake is all to valuable for that." He says,"No one in their right mind would do anything to him. In fact if anything were to happen it would probably be you who suffered the consequences."

His expression is calculating almost amused and that's when it strikes me.

"You sent Eric after me, didn't you?" I say.

He breaks into a smile,"Very good Miss Wilson. Trust me it wasn't easy, a lot of manipulation had to go into it since I couldn't go directly approach him."

I look at him trying to process what was going on.

"You were trying to get me killed?" I say unbelieving.

"No, no Miss Wilson I think that's very childish. I was looking for more shock and terrify." He says,"But it seems like yesterday's events effected my son more than you."

"That's why Eric didn't touch me." I say slowly,"What did you hope to achieve? I don't back off easily."

"And Miss Wilson neither do I." He says,"I saw exactly what was happening and may I say that you impressed me. Someone threatening you with a knife and you still manage to run that awfully loose mouth of yours."

"You've bugged your sons room." I state trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together,"You're disgusting."

He laughs at that.

"But then you should now that Eric backed off." I say smiling,"Spencer convinced him to leave so your plan is now down the drain."

His eyes darken and are almost black ,"Unfortunately that part was cut out. "

I laughed,"The bug was in the lamp wasn't it? And when I threw the lamp, it broke. So your plan was a complete bust after all."

"Not if you tell me what the girl said that changed-"

"What makes you think that I know." I say,"In fact what I find amusing is that you actually believe that I'll tell you if I did."

He is about to reply when he is cut off.

"Dad."

You know at times you have to marvel how perfect Jake's timing is.His voice is cold, steely and it's more like a warning than a greeting.

Conrad Henderson smiles,"Hello son, just talking to your girlfriend over here, or have you both already broken up?"

I wonder if Conrad Henderson knows what happened in the balcony yesterday.

"And why would I do anything that would do anything you remotely want?" His eyes flicker at me for a moment and then he forces himself to look back at his father,"We are still together."

I see doubt clearly flashing through his eyes and I'm sure Conrad Henderson did too. Suddenly I can't look at Jake anymore without getting overwhelmed by a whole wave of guilt.

"Clearly." Conrad Henderson says clearly noticing the change in the mood,"I'll go meet your mother and wish her all the best."

"She doesn't need luck dad." Jake says,"She's got enough, after all she got rid of you now didn't she?"

Conrad Henderson smiled,"Well son it's unfortunate you're still stuck here with me." His eyes flicker towards me and then behind me. I turn around to see Alec's green eyes keenly trained on us.

"But it looks like now you're going to be stuck alone." He says smirking,"Trust me you're better off without-"

Jake surges forward with his fist clenched. This time I don't make he same mistake like yesterday and immediately step in front of him and put my hands on his shoulder.

I look into his dark green eyes and say,"Not worth it. Not now. Don't ruin it for your mother today, please."

His eyes immediately lighten and they become softer. He unclenches his fist and steps back.

Conrad Henderson laughs tauntingly,"Is this going to be your legacy? Hiding behind women? I shouldn't be surprised though, you were always such a disappointment as a son."

This time it takes all my self control not to punch him. Again.