Deja Vu

{Memories, dresses, and late-night visitors.}

_

The first thing to catch her attention when she arrived at her house that day, was the unlocked door. Sure, she hadn't been to her house in quite a while, but she was more than sure she'd locked the door before leaving.

She looked at the wooden mahogany door for some time, debating whether to enter or not.

Ultimately, she decided that her rightfully deserved blackbelt would come in handy in case of any intruder.

She cautiously opened the door, only to have her heart momentarily stop.

Someone was sitting comfortably inside her living room, legs crossed, and arms folded.

"Damn it, Valerie!" Lily's frightened voice rang out.

"What the hell are you doing here, and how did you even get in?!" She interrogated, staring intently at her assistant, who was cozily resting on one of the living room armchairs.

"Well, since you decided to avoid me, I decided to wait here. And did you forget you gave me your spare house keys?" Valerie commented calmly staring at Lily, although deep down, she was raging mad.

"Val listen—"

"I don't want to hear it. Now please go upstairs to your room and try on the wedding dress I bought you. We don't have a lot of time to—" Valerie spoke, only to be interpreted.

"Wait, wait, wait! You bought me a dress?" Lily asked, almost in complete awe. "Why?!"

"Why?" Valerie repeated sarcastically.

"Well first my dear Lily, is because tomorrow is your wedding day in case you forgot, two, it's because you wasted the whole day avoiding me, so, I decided to get one myself." Valerie stood, coming face to face with Lily.

Lily sighed knowingly, plopping herself down on the couch, and placed her shopping bag beside her. She didn't remember ever seeing Valerie this agitated. Valerie had been her assistant ever since she started L.E.E (Lily's Earthly Events), two years ago. Over the years, Lily had grown fond of the girl not only because of her calm and kind nature, but also because of her unfaltering loyalty.

"Are you really THAT afraid of my parents?" Lily implored teasingly, raising a brow.

"It's not just that," Valerie conceded, taking a seat next to her.

"Your getting married Lily. And as your friend—who's also organizing your wedding— I want you to have the very best. I want tomorrow to be a special day to remember for you." She clarified, taking Lily's hand in hers.

"I just wish you'd make this a little less difficult for me," Valerie finalized, then without waiting for a response, grabbed her purse and left.

Lily sighed softly, feeling a lot like an antagonizer at that moment.

She then headed upstairs, as she had to make the guestrooms ready for Riel and Seon, as Mia, her hired housemaid, had gone to see her parents in Italy.

After making all the essential preparations, she returned downstairs, grabbed the shopping bag from the couch, and she groggily dragged herself upstairs to her room.

Lily almost gasped on seeing the bridal gown that was placed nearly on the bed.

It was a fit-and-flare gown with a cut between a modified A-line, and a mermaid cut.

She ran her hands over the gown, feeling its lace fabric beneath her fingertips. Deja Vu hit her like a storm as memories of her wedding day came flooding back.

She recalled having decided to have the ceremony in the late evenings. A meteor shower was said to be happening that night, and she implored her parents to let her make this one decision, as they had somewhat made all the others for her. They had completely forbidden her from organizing her wedding, therefore passing the assignment to another event planning company. Lily adamantly refused and somehow convinced them that Avery was just as skilled as she was, and promised them she wouldn't arbitrate in any way.

Lily looked at the dress a final time, before placing it in an empty box and almost shoving it somewhere inside her closet.

Her mood lightened as she turned to her shopping bag, taking out a black dress, which Riel had helped pick out.

It was a stunning, midnight black dress with a free back, a slit on the side, and a deep cut that almost reached her belly button, slightly revealing her cleavage.

She tried it on and couldn't help gaping at herself.

"You look sensational ." She heard a familiar voice behind her.

Her green eyes caught his red ones, and her breathing stiffened as she noticed his keen gaze on her.

She also noticed that his cloak was gone and that he had another outfit on. The material looked the same except the color was royal blue.

Lily didn't say a word, but watched him silently through the mirror, as he slowly walked toward her.

"Should I assume you're stalking me?" Lily asked jokingly trying to calm her hectic heart.

"Something like that." He answered seriously.

"How did you even enter my—"

"I can teleport." He answered neutrally like it was an everyday occurrence for him.

Lily didn't comment on that, as she'd already been through enough to either believe him, or assume she was out of her mind.

"Thanks for clarifying." She said as she watched him stop right behind her.

"But can I ask something?" She said and he nodded wordlessly.

"Nothing's been happening like before...you know, the last time. Like seeing Riel again. I never saw her before my wedding the other time, and I'm guessing that's because I've changed a lot of things... but how come my wedding dress is the same one?" She inquired and saw him slightly tense up.

A long, tense silence followed, which made her want to turn and face him. And she was just about to, when he suddenly and gently held her shoulders, sending a trail of goosebumps through her body. She again felt that sense of familiarity with his touch.

"Altering one event does, and will cause a tremendous shift in the time stream, but, some of the events remain the same no matter what." He deciphered.

Lily had barely heard any of what he'd said, as she was distracted by the electrifying feel his hands were conveying to her body at the moment.

"Uhm Darien...Is there a particular reason you're here?" She questioned and finally felt him release his hold on her.

"Don't you have anything you want to ask me?" He asked, raising a brow at her.

"Of course, there's a lot I need to know...But I'm thoroughly exhausted as of now, and I also need to prepare myself mentally for tomorrow." She rationalized, finally turning to face him.

He nodded understandingly, then gave her a look. A look that made her think he wanted to say something, but ultimately, he didn't.

"Goodnight, Mina." He said, then vanished again the moment she blinked.

"Damn it, Lily... You should've asked him why he keeps calling you that!" Lily muttered irritatedly to herself, eyeing the place he stood only seconds ago.

❤️⏲️