Cold Feet The sun shone through the trees, gently reviving the countryside from its slumber. The birds flew through the sky and lit up the air with their beautiful song. Crystal walked through the meadow, the sweet scent of summer engulfing her. She sat by the bank, and looked into the distance. Absent-mindedly, she made patterns in the cool, aquamarine water with her delicate, milk-white fingers. She was in a dream. She thought of yesterday and how she had been here with Rodney, his strong embrace making her feel warm and safe. She smiled, and remembered how his kisses had set her soul on fire, making her feel alive. Her happiness was tinged with regret. Rodney was such a warm, caring person, yet he was not the one she was going to marry. Tears welled up in her eyes. Yesterday had been so special � Tony, her fianc�, had never made her feel as loved as Rodney did. She closed her eyes and all she saw was Rodney. His brutally short hair and seemingly endless blue eyes, his muscular torso and strong arms�. the thought of him made shivers down her spine. Her heart swelled with sadness. Her whole life would never be the same now she had met Rodney. How could she marry Tony without wishing, everyday, that it was Rodney instead? Crystal stood up and brushed the little pieces of grass from her coral pink summer dress. She walked along the bank and meandered as long as possible. She didn�t want to go back to the mansion, her mother exhausting her with wedding plans and her father talking of the future. She picked a flower and childishly began to pick the petals, whispering, �Loves me, loves me not� under her breath as she did so. Suddenly, she felt a warm hand grab her around the waist. Her heart stopped and she didn�t dare breathe. She closed her eyes and turned around. When she opened them, her heart deflated when she saw Tony standing there. His thick, honey blonde hair had fallen over one side of his face, his clear brown eyes were peering from underneath. His perfectly lean body in no way compared to the strong masculine shape of Rodney. She found it difficult to smile, and when Tony leaned forward and kissed her, she wanted him to be Rodney. �I�ve missed you so much, my love!� Tony whispered, running his hand through her long, ebony hair. They kissed again, but there was no spark like when she�d kissed Rodney. �Are you looking forward to tomorrow?� he asked as they walked hand in hand back to Highway Mansion. She nodded, trying to look happy. Crystal walked along in a daze, thinking of her lover. That night, the stars glistened like diamonds and the sky enveloped Crystal as she sat in the twilight of her bedroom. She felt sick, thinking that she would be Mrs. Antonio Anagnostakos. She didn�t feel like the blushing bride that everyone thought she was. She looked into the mirror of her dressing table. Her milky fair skin looked ghostly in the reflection. Her hazel eyes didn�t have their usual sparkle. Her long hair fell over one shoulder. She felt a fake. One small salty tear fell down her cheek. She longed to feel his arms around her and his soft sweet kisses all over her body. Suddenly, she heard a sound at the window. She turned and saw Rodney, like a knight in shining armour, his sodden hair plastered to his finely chiselled visage, and she longed to reach up a tiny hand and wipe away the rain. �Oh Rodney�� gasped Crystal and ran over to him, throwing her arms around his muscular torso and sobbing. �Crystal, it breaks my heart to see you so unhappy. Don�t marry Tony, come away with me!� With this Rodney held her porcelain face and kissed her ruby red lips. She melted in his arms, and the world stopped�when at last they both came up for air, their arms still entwined, at the door stood Tony. �Tony!� shrieked Crystal and pushed Rodney away. She felt dizzy and nauseous. She didn�t want it all to happen this way. �Tony, what are you doing here?� Tony was still standing by the door, his face wearing a stony gaze. �Rodney� he said as he stepped into the room, looking at Rodney with anger flaring in his eyes, �what are you doing here?� Crystal looked at both of them curiously. �Tony�Rodney - do you know each other?� �Yes,� Rodney said in a cold voice, �we know each other very well.� Rodney put his strong arm around Crystal, and gently pushed her to the side. He then walked up to Tony, both of them staring each other straight in the eyes, like arrows ready to hit the target. �What�but how?� Crystal gasped, confused. �I should have told you before Crystal, and I�m sorry.� Rodney cradled his head in his hands. �About what? What is going on? Tony?� Crystal�s voice shook as she spoke. Her eyes were filled with fear. She looked at Tony, and then at Rodney. Their silhouettes against her bedroom wall looked menacing and ghostly. �Crystal, the man you have been cavorting with is�my brother!� Tony shouted, his voice filling the darkness. Crystal felt her heart break into tiny pieces. �But�how?� She whispered, tears blurring her vision. �You told me you didn�t have a brother!� �When I came to live in England, Rodney stayed in Greece with my father. We have never got on at all. I thought that if he came to our wedding then maybe we could make amends. But he has just proved to me that he is the no good brother I always thought he was!� Crystal couldn�t take in what she heard. She looked at Rodney, and his sad blue eyes told her the truth. She sat down on her bed, her head in her delicate hands. She began to softly sob, despair flowing through her like a river. What had she done? Rodney sat down next to her, holding her gently, and she let herself fall against his strong body. Just an hour ago she had longed for Rodney to be with her. Now he was and she was so unsure of everything. Suddenly she felt the warmth of his body taken away. She looked up and saw Tony and Rodney fighting on the floor. Crystal called out, but they did not hear her cries. She ran over to them, and flung herself between their punches. �Stop! Stop!� She shrieked, and then both of them were standing either side of her, bleeding and out of breath. �How could you have done this to me, Crystal?� Tony gasped, as blood ran down his face. He looked so fragile and vulnerable. Crystal remembered how she had once dreamt of Tony holding her, and how she had been so happy to become his wife. She went up to him and brushed away his angelic blond hair from his eyes. �I�m so sorry Tony.� She didn�t know what she was doing, but she planted a kiss on his bruised lips. Suddenly, her feelings became clear. She knew whom she had wanted all along. �Please forgive me Tony. I love you, I really do.� And as she said the words, she meant what she said, and happiness welled inside her like rays of sun in the early morning. Tony reached for her, and wrapped his arms around her fragile body. She turned to Rodney, and her eyes filled with regret. �How could you have done this to your brother?� Crystal asked, the lust for Rodney disappearing into thin air. How could she have loved this man? �I just wanted to ruin his life!� Rodney cried with bitterness in his voice. �So you used me?� Crystal asked. �Yes! Do you think I could love someone who loved my brother?� Rodney sneered. Crystal felt the pain in her heart. To think that she would have given up Tony for such a villain! She knew she had made a very big mistake. Crystal turned from Rodney and back to Tony. She held his hand. As she looked into his brown eyes she knew she was deeply in love. He smiled back at her and she knew that he had forgiven her. She had been fooled by Rodney, blinded by a foolish lust. She held Tony�s soft hand, and walked towards the door. Tomorrow was her big day, and she had lots to prepare for. The next day, after all the excitement, Tony and Crystal sat together at the grand table. �I�m sorry for what I have put you through,� she said, stroking Tony�s soft cheek. �I never meant to hurt you. I don�t know what came over me.� �It�s fine. Everything will be all right. Nothing matters now I have you. Maybe you just had a bad case of cold feet?� He smiled as he pulled her towards him and kissed her deeply. |