AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s cocky and wrong,” I say confidently.
He might have longer legs and more bulk, but I’m pretty fast. I make a point of going for a run in the mornings when I can. I also really hate losing.
Nico smirks, taking off his jacket. “Okay, sweetheart. Let’s do it. If I win, you’ll grant me a wish.”
“Fine. The same goes for me when I win. On three?”
He nods, flexing his muscles.
“One,” I count, my adrenaline spiking. We used to race a lot when we were little. I’ve never beaten him before, “Two.”
I don’t call three before I’m racing through the house and heading out the backdoor. An easy laugh escapes me as I hear Nico curse behind me before he starts to run as well. We take off down the private boardwalk, feet pounding against the wood. Just when I think I might actually get there before him, I feel him rush past me.
“No!” I yell when Nico overtakes me, reaching the shore before I do.
A vast expanse of golden sand meets the endless blue of the ocean. The waves roll in gently, their rhythmic sound soothing and hypnotic. Seagulls call out overhead, and a gentle breeze ruffles my hair, carrying with it the promise of relaxation and renewal.
I can’t even find it in me to be upset, not when something so beautiful stretches out in front of me. Breathing heavily, I stare at the sea and the setting sun on the horizon.
“Cheater,” Nico says, a playful glint in his blue eyes.
I shrug. “You still beat me. I guess I owe you a wish,” I say grumpily. ‘What do you want?”
“I just want us to try to enjoy the next few days, mi vida,” he tells me, blue eyes meeting mine. “You think we can do that?”
My lips pull into a smile. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
I kick off my shoes, letting my toes sink into the soft sand. "I love it here," I say, more to myself than to him.
“Why do you like the sea so much?” he asks.
I consider the question for a moment before replying. “Because it’s this vast, open limitless amount of water, unrestrained and strong. And it’s really beautiful.”
“So are you, mi vida,” Nico says softly.
His eyes are already on me. There's a softness there, an openness that I haven't seen in a while. For a moment, we stand in silence, the ocean's symphony filling the space between us. It's peaceful, almost surreal, and I can feel the tension of the past months start to melt away.
“You did what?” Lucia screeches in my ear.
It’s the next day of our “honeymoon”. Nico’s outside the house, standing on the patio and having a conversation with someone over the phone. We’ve actually been getting along okay. We haven’t spoken much, but after our moment at the beach, things have seemed easier. Like it helped us to remember exactly where we came from and what we used to be to each other. We were out there for a while, sitting in silence on the beach and watching the sunset. I would have stayed there for longer, but Nico insisted that it was getting late and we’d had a long day. We ordered some food for dinner, ate, and then we went to bed.
It’s hard to believe that just yesterday I was getting married to him in a church. It was fake, but the reality of it is impossible to ignore. To so many people outside this little bubble I’ve built around myself, I’m his wife now. I thought I would hate it. But I find I don’t mind as much as I thought I would.
Maybe because it’s not real.
When I woke up this morning, I decided to call my sister and finally deliver the news. It’s safe to say she’s not taking this well.
“I got married to Nico,” I repeat, intentionally leaving out that it’s fake. She’s already shocked. I can’t explain all of our machinations to her right now.
“Please tell me that’s a joke. I’m about to be sick. Aurora. You’ve done a lot of insane things, but doing something like this without informing me, is next-level, batshit crazy. How could you get married before telling me?”
I smile. “Would you calm down? It’s not really like that.”
“So what’s it like?” she retorts.
I take the time to explain the specifics of the whole thing, finally letting her understand that it’s all just a fake arrangement.
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Lucia questions once I’m done.
