empty gold

he was hurt. fine. maybe he should let it slide, but no, he couldn’t. not when bringing up his father, the piece of shit who put him through the worst childhood imaginable. it was a low blow, so low it caused tears ready to spring from his eyes. his best friend, the one person whom he considered family was throwing his hardships and struggles, nightmares even right at his face, always being perfect to hurt someone with words. “you’re so lucky i won’t pound your face in right now dylan..” he spat at him, once clenching his jaw, he couldn’t believe what was going on. “and you’re just a selfish asshole who thinks the world owes him shit, but guess what dylan? nobody owes you anything, figure it out by now.” he yelled at him, ignoring the glares and the murmurs from the people surrounding them as dylan walked away. standing there silently, he clenched his fists in rage, breathing heavily as his eyes roamed around finally finding soph’s, only to walk away to find the nearest exit. 

laughs and cheers suddenly turned into whispers and gentle gasps as shouting and hurtful words were thrown around in the venue, the attention going from the married couple to ivan and dylan. eva’s heart was now pounding within her chest as she listened to the exchange between the two, now acknowledging that dylan was actually there… but why hadn’t he come sooner? confused, she handed her beige floral bouquet to one of the brides maids as she quietly walked away from kyle. “ take some pictures with your groomsmen and family..” she suggested, the crowd of photographers continuing without her, left in confusion. slightly picking up her dress from the ground, she excused herself and made her way over to the commotion, seeing dylan already walking away and ivan heading in the other direction. looking up, she blocked his path, no words exchanged within the first few seconds of sight, attempting to find the words. “what are you doing?” she asked, left in utter confusion. 

dylan let the words enter one ear and leave the other. they were echoing through the vicinity of the walls of the venue and he needed to leave. he needed to disappear, abandon this shitty town once and for all. his dad was right about this place. it took his mother away, drove his family out and now he was falling victim to the poison around him. his best friend had turned on him, and eva? eva was long gone too. he stopped in his tracks, tears messily making their way down his cheeks. he looked nowhere but down, not wanting eva or anyone to see him this vulnerable. “ruining your wedding. i know. i’m sorry, eva.” he mumbled, briefly placing his hands on her shoulders before letting go just as quickly. “i don’t know what i was thinking. like i could possibly walk in and stop your wedding.” he shook his head at the thought, lifting his hand to wipe off the tears on his face. “go make your life, okay? your husband’s waiting for you and i..i’m leaving.” he offered her a sad smile before looking over at the crowd who’d been staring intently. “goodbye, eva.” he said before stepping aside and continuing his way out.

all of this was her fault. she had once again managed to fuck everything up in a matter of minutes. a heavy sigh left her lips as she silently took in every one of dylan’s insults. she was watching a life long friendship break right before her eyes and there was nothing she could do to mend the damage being caused right now. “please..” she whispered, hoping neither of them would resort to physical violence. the brunette didn’t want either of them to get hurt, much less for a fight to break out in front of eva’s guests. thankfully, neither of them had the heart to hit one another, though their words weighed much more than any punch or slap could. her eyes averted from the two and towards eva who’d been visibly upset. she mouthed an apology before rushing out towards ivan who’d made a rush for the exit. “ivan,” she breathed, holding back the tears that were forming in her own eyes. right now he needed her to be strong. “ivan you need to find him. he’s your brother..deep down he still loves you like one. you just, you just need to speak to him.” her words were rapidly leaving her lips, hands reaching out to lace her fingers with ivans, to pull him back to reality. “he’s so wrong about you, ivan.” 

ivan didn’t know what to expect from his best friend, but it definitely wasn’t that. his eyes went wide, quickly attempting to calm him down. “dylan, i swear i-” he was caught off, stumbling back on his feet. immediately pushing back, he grew defensive as dylan spoke about sophia, his pointing fingers making him grow angrier by the second. “she had nothing to do with it-and don’t even start that bullshit with me, dylan because a princess is exactly why you’re acting this way.” he spat back at him, his face expressing distaste at the male before him. seeing him lift a hand, ivan’s heart began to race but he wasn’t ready to back down, anger taking over him completely. “the only one who’s a piece of shit here is you! you want a swing? fine, go ahead! but that won’t make up for the fact that you landed yourself in this situation.” eyes were now turning in their direction, making him immediately stop. “look- i’m sorry dylan.. but you’re just going to have to get over this. you did it to yourself. sure i’m to blame for not texting you, fine, whatever, but this is on you for not getting your feelings straightened out and you know damn well i’m right.” he said through gritted teeth, attempting to keep himself calm. 

dylan had been expecting him, but ivan flipping the script on him wasn’t one of them. he was blaming him for it all, telling him that not even this last effort would have made a difference. his fist curled tighter, nails digging into his palm the more his best friend retaliated at him. he didn’t care about anyone looking at them, even if eva was one of them. right now this was about betrayal, about his best friend once again choosing sophia’s side over him. “oh i’m a piece of shit? really, you’re gonna come out and have the nerve to say that?” he tilted his head to the side, completely ignoring the presence of everyone else in the ballroom. “who was always there for you? through everything. who let you sneak in late at night to stay in my house so that your dad would stop attacking you. who the fuck supported you when no one else would, when your own fucking girlfriend wouldn’t even give you the time of day. hm? but i’m the piece of shit. i’m nothing.” he had practically been sobbing without even realizing it until he felt the wet tears on his face, and the rising heat to his cheeks. “your dad was right about you. all you do is fail everyone eventually even your own goddamn brother.” he shook his head, turning on his heel and making his way toward the exit, fist still tight in his hand, ready to attack whoever dared to come in his way. 

People were cheering, crowds clapping and cameras immediately going off. Ivan’s eyes were on Soph, wide eyed and concerned, knowing how badly he had messed up. He was so caught up in arguing with Jack, making sure he knew his place, he had missed the cue, the one his best friend so desperately needed and depended on. He had failed him and honestly, did not know how he would face him. Immediately digging through his pocket to find his phone, he looked down at his notifications, guilt settling within the pit of his stomach. Hearing the exiting music, Eva and Kyle strolled by, the brunette shifting her eyes away from Ivan and faking her way by the guest. Spotting Soph, he rushed up to her, interrupting the wedding party and taking Jack’s place. “I messed up..” he whispered to his girlfriend, guilt in his voice as his eyes found Dylan, already fearing his reaction. “Shit-I’m sorry, Dyl..” he attempted. 

how could this have happened? how could he have messed up one simple task so badly? his eyes remained on eva, the obvious look of disappointment etched on her face. but everyone kept cheering, everyone carried on unaware that this wedding was the end of everything for him. he had turned quickly, hoping eva caught no sign of him. he couldn’t look at her longer anyway, not with the broken look on his own face. he was heartbroken, but most all undeniably angry. he searched and searched until he found the one person he’d been looking for this entire time, footsteps growing into stomps as he walked over to his best friend angrily. “how could you fucking do that shit to me, ivan?” he asked, voice cracking mid-sentence. he couldn’t help it as he lifted his hands to push the other male back angrily. “don’t even bother with the explanations because i already know she had something to do with it.” he was practically yelling as he pointed an accusing finger at sophia. “since when, hm? since when was some princess worth more than our friendship?” he lifted his fist, ready to bash it into his someone who he had once considered a brother. but he found himself incapable of doing it, even if he was fuming with anger. “fuck you, ivan. and fuck your little piece of shit girlfriend too.” 

Nervous hands and knotted throat was all Eva could feel as she stood before many, many that she barely knew, getting married to a man, a man she barely knew. She could see the fake smiles from the corner of her eyes, Kyle’s just like others but if one barely knew him they would think his smile was slightly genuine. Peeking to her side, the brunette could see her best friend, both knowing in their hearts just how wrong this was but looking out to the unfamiliar crowd, brown eyes desperately looked for the eyes whom they fell in love with, unfortunately no where to be found in the crowd of strangers. Feeling her hand being given a gentle squeeze, she was brought back to Kyle, as the pastor finished asking if she would take him as her husband. Suppressing a tear, she plastered a fake smile of her own before softly speaking. “I do.” 

dylan had been pacing back and forth, head pounding from the night before. he had gotten beyond drunk and found himself nearly hopeless until he had figured out his last resort. this was now or never and if it wasn’t done at the right time, then he’d lose the one girl he’s loved forever. yes, he loved her. he loved evangeline with every fiber in his being and there was no more denying it. a groan slipped past his lips, soft rays of the sun shining in his eyes as he tried to read for any sign of a text message from his best friend. ivan was watching from the inside and he had been responsible for letting him know of the perfect moment. “c’mon ivan.” he sighed, his steps growing heavier as he tucked his phone away in his back pocket and decided he had waited too long. he had taken a step forward to cross the street to the large venue where eva and kyle were set to get married, but as he approached he could hear loud cheers and clapping in the distance. had he gotten there too late? “no,” he mumbled as he took an awkward step inside, eyes widening to the sight of eva and kyle’s first kiss as husband and wife. 

eva’s chest grew tight, swallowing becoming harder and her hands clammy at her sides as Dylan approached them. She could immediately take in the familiar scent, the scent she cherished after multiple nights together, the scent she craved in the middle of the night when Kyle was gone. Taking in his features, she remained quiet, letting Kyle speak for them. “Thank you. I’m sure we made the right decision, didn’t we honey?” Kyle questioned, his tone almost sarcastically, as his eyes stayed on Dylan. “Mhmm.” she muttered, her brown eyes looking towards the ground. 

Something didn’t feel right. The way he held on so tightly to her in Dylan’s presence, his tone completely different, his demeanor slightly more possessive. As Kyle took her hand to place a kiss on it, she could pick up on what he was doing, claiming what was his in front of Dylan, showing off the big “rock” on her hand that he hadn’t even picked out himself. But why? she couldn’t understand, and frankly she didn’t want to, her eyes now trailing up to face Dylan. 

dylan was using every fiber in his body to control himself right now. he was tempted to do something he’s never done before and just run off, forget everything and leave the restaurant in the hands of ivan or someone else he trusted well enough. but the moment kyle had opened his mouth and the way he spoke through his actions, dylan knew he couldn’t let eva’s future husband off that easily. he couldn’t confirm it just yet, but he had a gut feeling that kyle had somehow found out about his past with eva. he was too sarcastic, too smug and it was making dylan’s fist twitch with anger. 

instead of resorting to violence, dylan did what he knew how to do best. hurt people with his words. “would you believe me if i told you i dated your future misses in college?” he raised a brow, a small chuckle slipping past his lips. it was a dick move, to just come out and say something he hadn’t been used to saying in years. “i even got a special shoutout of her book, isn’t that right eva?” he crossed his arms as he waited for an answer, but he refused to look at her as he did so. instead, he was intent on keeping his eye on kyle. this was a guy who could knock him out with one punch, but sometimes standing his ground was just worth it. “but enough with banters of the past, am i right? you two lovebirds enjoy your night. the love you guys feel for each other is just radiating through the air!” he said cheerfully as he pointed towards the special table that was ready for them both.

Smoothing down the solid colored dress hugging her skin, Eva kept quiet in the car, the car ride to the… their rehearsal dinner being much longer than expected. She could see Kyle from the corner of her eye, focused on his phone, making conversation with his assistant and gleaming with joy through it all, while she on the other hand, found it hard to even focus on her breathing. She didn’t understand why she was trying to be okay with it all, when in reality she was far from it. But she would continue to pretend, as long as it kept Dylan far away from thought. 

Getting down from the SUV, she could see Kyle already walking towards the door, not even bothering to offer her a hand, the hand where the large engagement ring sat, it’s crystal features reflecting off the setting sun, much more elegant than the girl have ever liked, but of course, it wasn’t her choice, much like everything else at this point. Entering the building, she could hear clapping and cheering, smiles all over the room as they welcomed the soon-to-be married couple. An arm suddenly slipping around her waist caught her off guard, immediately looking up at Kyle, who’s eyes were directly facing Dylan, now forming a tightening feeling in her gut.

dylan readjusted his tie, a small huff slipping past his lips as the guests began to walk through the double doors of his entrance. everything looked perfect for the bride and groom. it was truly a fairytale come to life. dylan knew he could never provide anyone with such royal treatment, much less eva. she deserved the best, that was for sure and he was forced to come to terms with the fact that he just wasn’t it. he ruined her and tried to break her down on countless occasions and now he had no idea what he wanted. he was stupid enough to have let her slip past his fingers and suddenly want her back now that she was with someone much better than him. 

on one corner of the room were sophia and ivan who seemed to have been happier than ever now that they reunited. he was happy for his best friend who was finally letting go of his haunting past. then there was cheering and clapping and before he knew it, he was face to face with kyle and eva. they looked like one of those couples you’d see on the red carpet, making it almost impossible for him to feel confident in himself. he took a few steps forward before clearing his throat. “good evening, please enjoy your night and thank you for choosing arazi’s as your venue for tonight’s event.” he kept it professional and simple, as he was supposed to. there was no more sarcastic remarks, no death glares. he was done with all of that. he knew how real it was this time around. 

and so when he finally made his return and continued running the business, that’s exactly what he had set out to do. he was going to forget about eva and move forward with his life. but of course, he couldn’t be let off that easily. see, he didn’t mind having to see her in the convenient store or here about her in the local news. but the fact that she was throwing her rehearsal dinner the night before she was getting married at his restaurant was definitely off putting. 

he was muted the entire night as he continued setting things up before the guests were to arrive. “hey, make sure you’ve got the servers ready to do their job. these people are gettin’ here any minute,” he hollered toward the back where his employees were busy making everything perfect as he had instructed. this was great promo, but if it meant having to see eva tonight dylan didn’t want it. 

To Dylan: well, you would think but we haven't really spoken about it

To Eva: ur so not cool

To Dylan: i'm the cool aunt that shops for everyone and only appears on holidays

To Dylan: yeah, kyle thought it would be best since he has his baseball stuff really soon and

To Eva: wait how come you get to be the aunt and i don't get to be the uncle?

To Eva: well THAT'S considerate

To Dylan: you are the dad, don't deny it. embrace it.

To Dylan: oh, it's the 17th..

To Eva: [thumbs down emoji]

To Eva: embrace that you're the mom first

To Dylan: hmmmm right right

To Dylan: which is why they do whatever they want, bc you're the dad seeeeee

To Eva: in your dreams but okay

To Eva: fine i guess i sort of am like the dad..not completely though

To Dylan: yeah, i can see lol

To Dylan: you, aka cranky dad

To Eva: fine whatever but you're not funnier than me

To Eva: all arazis are chick magnets

To Dylan: he's so cute omg

To Dylan: i am a surfing foodie who is also very hilarious, not a mom

To Eva: never

To Eva: yeah and he's got like a billion girlfriends at school. he is so my little brother

To Dylan: that's good, i'm glad, let me know how they go and please tell Devon i say hello

To Dylan: I am a rad foodie surfer, not a mom!

To Eva: definitely not

To Eva: i'll say you said hi but i think his heart might explode