Stan sprinted to the marriage booth as the strong wind brushed through his hair. He couldn’t allow the students to degrade Elsie because of him again. She had endured enough embarrassment. Because of the incident in the broadcasting studio, he couldn’t keep her with him. It was the last thing he wanted.
When Stan arrived at the marriage booth, Elsie was with a man in a black tuxedo. If he knew she was her bride, he wouldn’t be late. He narrowed his eyes and recognized him. He was the most unexpected person he ever thought of.
“What are you doing here?” Elsie asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m here to marry you,” Cade replied while catching his breath.
The ceremony began with another gossip. Everybody was in awe of Cade’s appearance. He was without glasses and his formal attire looked expensive on his body. He carried himself with dignity, far from being a dork. The girls were eyeing him like thirsty ravens.
“Do you, Curtis Fleming, take Elsie Lynch, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.”
Elsie broke their suffocating eye contact. She couldn’t think straight.
“Do you, Elsie Lynch, take Curtis Fleming, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live together in matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
Elsie roamed her eyes to the audience. Some of them were delighted, while others were annoyed, especially Emberlynn who couldn’t hide her irritation. Then she gazed at the man standing at the back with eyes she couldn’t comprehend.
“Elsie?” the priest called her.
Cade clasped her hand. “Elsie. Look at me.”
She came back from her reverie. “I am your groom. I’m marrying you right on time.”
“Let’s do it again,” the priest whispered. “Do you, Elsie Lynch, take Curtis Fleming, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live together in matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.”
Cade and Elsie put the rings on each other’s fingers. Her hands seized to tremble when he held it tenderly.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
“We don’t have to do this,” Cade uttered as his eyes avoided her gaze.
Elsie got rid of the veil covering her face and kissed his cheek. Cade turned red as he stepped back. His heart was raising.
‘What is this? Am I having a seizure?’ he thought.
Cade looked at his hands. It also turned crimson.
‘What’s wrong with me?’
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Something is not right with me.”
Elsie accompanied him to the clinic. The doctor said he had an allergic reaction to lipstick and perfume. Cheap products irritated his sensitive skin. A while ago, he urgently borrowed perfume from his classmate and sprayed it on his wrist before crashing into the wedding booth.
“What did the doctor say?” Elsie asked.
“Oh, it’s an allergy. There were some ingredients from the lipstick you were using and the perfume I sprayed that triggered an allergic reaction. It rarely happens to me.”
“That’s a relief.”
“I’m also relieved that it’s just a seizure. It won’t happen again,” Cade replied while reminiscing how his heart had gone wild after the kiss.
“Why are you wearing a tuxedo and holding a microphone?”
“I’m a host at the game booth. Right! I almost forgot. I have to go back.”
“Are you fine now?”
“Yeah. I took some medicine.”
Cade walked away and was about to leave the door when Elsie called his name.
“Anything else you want to say?” he asked.
“You look different today,” she said. “You look handsome.”
“Oh… Thanks.”
If she meant he was ugly before or he looked better in his outfit, he didn’t want to know. He must end the conversation right there and save himself from more drama. If he was going to prolong the conversation, he could say she looked beautiful in her white dress and the kiss impaired his sense of logic, but he couldn’t say that. He shouldn’t.
***
Cade’s social status changed after the foundation day. Every morning, love letters fell from his locker. It came from his admirers who recently discovered his hidden charm. His hair grew longer, and he didn’t wear his broken glasses. He didn’t buy a new one either. Since that day, he had been avoiding Elsie.
“Hey! Curt!”
He knew it was her. The lower years looked at him as he passed by the corridor, walking faster with a pile of books in his hands.
“Wait for me!”
As shiny as the floor was, Cade slipped, and the book flew above him.
“It’s okay. I don’t need your help,” Cade said while quickly picking up the books on the floor.
Elsie didn’t listen and tended to him. “Why are you avoiding me?”
“I’m not,” he replied.
“Is it because you’re popular with the girls now?”
“No. I was busy.”
“Then why can’t you meet me eye to eye?”
“You don’t want to know.”
Cade snatched the book from her hands. He was flustered when Elsie held his hand. A bolt of electricity crawled into his veins, taking over his rationality.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“This is exactly why I shouldn’t stay close to you,” he replied, and pulled his hands from her.
He thought it was a seizure, but after that incident, his heart had been acting weird every time she was near. Now that their hands touched, it made things clearer.
“I don’t understand,” she said.
“I prefer not to be understood.”
“I was right. You don’t want them to think that we’re dating. You shouldn’t have gone to the marriage booth.”
“You’re wrong. I went there because Stan was a jerk. Though I hate to admit it. I wanted to save you. Alone. Without anyone’s help. And now I’m in trouble.”
“What trouble?”
‘Trouble of falling in love with you.’
Before he could reply, the bell rang, and the students dashed into their classrooms. So many girls had clung to his arms, yet Elsie was the only one who awakened his heart.
‘Pull yourself together, Robertson. This is not you. You are not soft. I must finish this mission once and for all. Then everything will go back to normal. I might also have my real identity back.’
When Cade came to the marriage booth as a completely different person, Elsie was reminded of a boy she hated at first sight. He had long, wavy hair, and he walked like he owned every place he was stepping in. Everything he wore was luxurious, and she sensed egotism in every detail of his body. She remembered his name clearly stamped in her mind. Cade Robertson. The boy he met on a blind date.
How could she forget his alluring green eyes? It was those of the snake that could inflict venom. She was not mistaken because the words that came out of his mouth were disrespect and selfishness. At that time, a popular and rich girl, Olivia Cooper, asked her to go on a blind date. She paid her 300 bucks in return. Elsie flew to London, bringing the image of Olivia.
The sound of a loud horn from a car made her turn around. The driver pointed a gun at her and in those 5 seconds, she thought she would die. Elsie dodged the bullet when a strong force pushed her to the ground.
She groaned when her bones cackled.
“I guess they’re back,” Cade said and helped her stand up.
“Who are they?”
“I’ll explain later.” He grabbed her hand, and they ran away from the bullets that the enemy had continuously shot at them. They climbed the railings of the male’s dormitory and quietly sneaked into Cade’s room when everyone was asleep.
“What were you doing outside beyond the curfew?” she asked.
“Just… wandering around. I was ruminating. Feeling the cold air and walking in the restless street at night is my therapy.”
Elsie studied his room and sat on the swivel chair. “So, tell me about them. I think you know something.”
“Yeah. This is the right time for you to know. Let me summarize everything. The people after you are members of The Doom Association.”
“I’ve read about them. I didn’t think they exist. How did you know it’s them?”
“When we rescued you at the laboratory, I saw their symbol. I can’t be wrong.”
“If you’re telling the truth, why are they after me?”
“Because… you are the last survivor of The Viper Tribe, the only daughter of their leader.”
Elsie didn’t react for a few seconds. After absorbing the information, she chuckled.
“Me? Daughter of the leader of The Viper Tribe? Nonsense. I’ve also read about them. They were the most feared mafia group in London before The Doom Association killed their clan. You sure know how to create a twisted plot, Curt. No wonder you’re such a nerd.”
“Do you think I will tell lies after risking my life and the lives of my friends to save you?”
“How can I be their daughter?”
“You’re an orphan, Elsie. It makes sense if you connect the dots.”
He gave her a glass of water to calm her down.
“Why do you know all of this?” she asked.
“I think Wilfred Robertson funded your scholarship. He’s a wealthy man and your father’s best friend. I know all of it because he sent me here on a mission to protect you.”
“What?” The shock was marked on her face. “Now you’re saying you’re like a secret agent?”
“Isn’t it cool?”
“That’s a lie. How can you say that when you’ve been a weak boy who always gets into trouble and I was the one protecting you?”
Hearing those words from her shuddered his pride, but it was bearable because it was a fact.
“I know. It turned out that way. That was unexpected, but I’m telling the truth.”
“Do you have something that can persuade me to believe in you?”
“There is. My real name. But I cannot tell you. You must not know my real identity.”
Elsie shook her head. “I’m right. You’re lying. Are you writing a novel? I almost believed in your act. You should sign up for the drama club.”
Cade felt defeated. Deep within him, he wanted to impress her. Revealing his actual status as a billionaire might do the trick.
“You left me with no choice but to admit.” He sighed. “My real name is Cade Robertson.”