‘There will be threads online called We Hate Olivia Abbott and groups scrutinising every little thing you wear.’ Amy was leaning closer and closer. ‘They won’t leave you alone until there’s a break up – and being in the spotlight is one of the quickest ways to make that happen. Are you sure you can handle this?’
Olivia gulped. I can handle the existence of vampires, but what about the wrath of an army of haters? Olivia remembered how crazy Jackson’s fans were at his book signing in February.
Jackson looked at her, his eyebrows creased. ‘I don’t want to put you through anything horrible,’ he said.
She paused for a moment, but knew she didn’t want to pretend any more. ‘And I don’t want to date in secret any more,’ Olivia replied. ‘Amy, I think you’re overreacting and I won’t be scared into staying silent because of a few unhappy people.’
Jackson’s face broke into a huge grin.
‘We’ll deal with it, if and when it happens,’ she finished.
Amy did not look happy. She stared at Olivia, but Olivia refused to back down. She stared right back. The sounds of the hubbub going on in the supermarket around them faded away.
Amy opened her mouth, about to speak, when the shrill of her phone made Olivia flinch. It made Amy jump too, her arm jerked up and the lid of the coffee cup slipped off.
Then several things happened at once.
The froth of the coffee sloshed towards Olivia.
She tried to step away and stumbled.
Jackson started to pull her backwards.
But it was too late. With scalding heat, the coffee splashed right down the delicately layered folds of Olivia’s dress.
‘Oh, my goodness,’ Amy gushed. ‘I’m so sorry!’
Olivia looked down at the brown mess that was spreading in a stain across the beautiful pink chiffon. Her gorgeous dress; the biggest night of her life! And now it was ruined. She tried to hold back her tears.
‘How could you do that?’ Jackson demanded, grabbing the paper napkin out of Amy’s hand and dabbing at Olivia’s ruined skirt.
‘It was an accident,’ Amy insisted, holding up her hands. ‘I didn’t mean to.’
Olivia knew it was the truth but it still stung that Amy had got her way.
‘There’s no way I can walk down the red carpet like this,’ Olivia said. ‘It’s over.’
Just then, a young man with a goatee and a clipboard rushed over. ‘We are go. We are go. Jessica has arrived. Jackson, you’re up now.’
‘We have to get moving,’ Amy said to Jackson and Olivia wished she could disappear.
‘Wait –’ protested Jackson. His blue eyes looked pained.
‘No, go,’ Olivia said. ‘You can’t miss your moment.’
‘I don’t want to go without you,’ he insisted.
‘You have to,’ she whispered.
‘Are you sure?’
Olivia didn’t trust herself to speak again, so she nodded.
She watched Jackson being escorted away down the aisle with a horrified, apologetic look on his face.
My fairy tale has shattered, she thought miserably.
Ivy stepped around a display bin of multi-coloured sponges.