Chapter 39

Chapter 39

As summer break began, Tabitha felt relief and excitement wash over her. She was finally done with college, and it was time to step into a new part of her life. The biggest change was that her brother, Jonathan, was engaged to his best friend, Laura. The idea of having Laura as her sister-in-law filled her with joy, but it also brought back a lot of emotions about the past year. She had managed to stay away from Mr. Albrecht, her charming professor, all year long, but memories of him still danced in her mind, both thrilling and painful.

Today, she found herself in the busy atmosphere of Golden Lining Fabrics, a well-known boutique famous for customizing wedding dresses and tailored suits. The shop was alive with the sparkle of beautiful fabrics, intricate lace, and the soft buzz of happy chatter. Tabitha stood next to Laura, who was eagerly going through a pile of wedding dress samples, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Can you believe it's finally happening?" Laura exclaimed, holding up a delicate piece of ivory lace against her dress. "I can't wait to see how beautiful it'll look!"

Tabitha grinned, her heart swelling with happiness. "You're going to look absolutely stunning, Laura. Just wait until Jonathan sees you in it!"

As Laura admired the sample dresses, she stumbled upon a design that caught her eye, but it appeared a little too small for her frame. A mischievous smile crept across her lips as she turned to Tabitha, who was also busy browsing through the fabrics.

"Tabbyyyy..." Laura started, her tone playful.

Tabitha turned to her, curious. "Yeah?"

With a gleeful gesture, Laura lifted the dress in front of Tabitha, startling her. "Can you wear this for me? I want to see how it looks, but it's too small for me. And since you clearly are smaller than I am..." she hinted with a wink.

Tabitha hesitated, her brow furrowing. It didn't make much sense to her, but seeing the excitement in Laura's eyes, she found herself giving in. "Alright," she relented, taking the dress from Laura and headed to the fitting room.

Meanwhile, Laura's mind shifted to finding the perfect veil. She wandered through the shop, her excitement mounting as she considered various styles. The delicate lace, sparkling embellishments, and soft tulle all blended into a dreamlike array of options. She could almost picture herself in the dress, walking down the aisle toward Jonathan.

As they busied themselves with their tasks, the door to the shop swung open, ringing a small bell above it.

"Good day, sir. How can we assist you?" one of the staff members greeted.

"I'm looking for a tuxedo in my size. My sister is attending a wedding and I'll be her plus one," Zayn Albrecht replied, scanning the shop.

"Oh! We have just the size you need. Please follow me," the lady said, leading him deeper into the boutique. Just as he passed by the fitting room, the curtain swung open unexpectedly, startling him.

"Oops! Sorry about that!" Tabitha laughed, not realizing who she had interrupted. But when Zayn turned to see the source of the commotion, he was momentarily speechless. There stood Tabitha, draped in a stunning ivory wedding dress that clung perfectly to her curves. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, which only added to her charm.

Before he could muster a word, Laura approached, her eyes wide with delight.

"Tabby! You look absolutely stunning! You're going to be a beautiful bride!" she exclaimed, causing Tabitha to blush and look down.

"Oh please, it's just a dress," she replied shyly, brushing off the compliment.

"I found the perfect veil for you!" Laura continued, carefully placing the veil atop Tabitha's messy bun.

"Beautiful," Zayn said softly, almost to himself, yet it was enough for the two to hear. Laura chuckled, glancing at Zayn as if to gauge his reaction.

"Right?" she echoed, her excitement palpable.

Tabitha turned, ready to giggle at the compliment, but froze when she registered who had spoken.

"M-Mr. Albrecht?!" she gasped, her heart racing as a flood of memories washed over her. Zayn had been her crush for four years, but their brief relationship had crumbled after just seven days. He had broken her heart without a second thought, leaving her with unresolved feelings.

Zayn seemed caught off guard as well, his expression shifting to one of concern. "So, you're getting married? You look... beautiful." His tone was laced with an emotion that stirred something in Tabitha.

"It's none of your business," she replied sharply, trying to twist away from him.

But Zayn was quick, his hand tightening around her arm. "Wait, Tabitha," he urged, his voice low and almost pleading.

"Hey! That's not how you treat a girl!" Laura chimed in, her tone filled with concern. But Tabitha let out a resigned sigh.

"Give us a moment, Laura," she requested softly, her eyes meeting her friend's. Though reluctant, Laura nodded and stepped away, casting a cautious glance back at them as she left.

Once alone, Zayn released her arm, his expression shifting from surprise to something more earnest. "I've been looking for you. I've been texting you, trying to call you..." He paused, searching her face for a reaction.

"I somehow deleted my contacts," she replied coolly, lying through her teeth. "I don't answer unknown calls or messages."

"Why are you avoiding me?" he pressed, his voice steady but laced with confusion.

"Are you seriously asking that question?" Tabitha shot back, frustration bubbling to the surface. "We're done, aren't we? We broke up. You and I have no business with each other. So just leave me alone already."

His brow furrowed, the weight of her words hitting him harder than he expected. "It's not that simple, Tabitha. I know I messed up, and I didn't treat you right. But I want to change that."

"Change?" She scoffed, crossing her arms defensively. "You think a few words can erase what happened? You think I'm just going to forget how you treated me?"

"I never wanted to hurt you," he said, his voice low and filled with regret. "I was scared, Tabitha. Things were getting serious between us, and it made me uncomfortable. I thought I could handle it, but when it came down to it, I panicked."

He paused, searching for the right words. "I didn't want to be like my father. He loved my mother, but she left him for someone else. I watched him suffer through it, and it was painful. I didn't want to put you through that kind of hurt if things didn't work out between us."

Zayn took a breath, his eyes earnest. "I should have been honest with you instead of just walking away. I was young and foolish, and I let my fear get the best of me. You deserved better than that."

Before Zayn could say anything more, Tabitha spoke, her voice laced with bitterness. "You were right. I deserve better than that. So thank you for letting me go."

She turned on her heel and strode back to the fitting room, her heart racing. Each step felt heavy as she fought against the emotions swirling inside her. She wanted to feel empowered by her words, but deep down, the sting of rejection and the memories of their brief time together lingered like an unwelcome shadow.

Once inside the fitting room, Tabitha took a moment to breathe, pressing her back against the cool wall as she tried to calm her racing heart. She couldn't let him see how much his words affected her.

After all, he had made his choice.