The door to her bedroom was flung open and Bella Martinez burst in with much enthusiasm. She had numerous hair adornments, makeup cases, and a bottle of bubbly champagne sparkling with morning sunlight filtering in from the window.
"Good morning, lovely bride!" she exclaimed with a smile, a tone that would have made the naive Aria smile back. But the tone now bothered Aria and put her in a bad mood.
Aria smiled with her lips, trying to make it seem genuine. She utilized all she learned from acting in charity functions. "Bella! I'm glad you are here."
The lie didn't even sit well with Aria who said it, yet Bella's face clearly indicated joy. She set her items down on the vanity and rushed over to hug Aria with her powerful scent of expensive perfume.
"How are you? Are you feeling nervous or excited? I brought mimosas to ease any tension!" Aria took a step back and examined Bella's face. "You're really pale in the face. Are you alright?"
'If only you knew', Aria thought, attempting not to withdraw from Bella's touch. Instead, she chuckled softly. "I think it's just wedding day nerves. It's such an important day."
"The biggest!" yelled Bella, eyes flashing bright green. But as she turned away to fetch her makeup bag, Aria caught a fleeting glance of herself in the mirror looking so calculative.
"Put this lovely dress on and let me help you with it," Bella said as she went to the wedding gown with gentle hands. "You will surely impress Marcus."
'I know I will', Aria thought with a tinge of sadness as she allowed Bella to assist her into the elaborate dress constructed of lace and silk. The gown was exquisite and a work of art in itself. She spent more on the dress as it cost more than many automobiles.
"Oh, Aria, you look truly stunning. Marcus must be the luckiest man alive."
Aria glanced into the mirror at Bella's face as she spoke and was shocked by what she saw. Bella was not kind or friendly in her gaze. She was giving her a hard and judgmental stare—as if she were critiquing a rival rather than complimenting a friend.
****
Flashback - Two Years Ago
"You're extremely fortunate to have your mother's body," Bella told her while out shopping, a note of wistful envy in her words. "Other women must work a great deal harder to look any better."
Then Aria immediately went over to comfort her friend. But now she realized what it was—the first crack in the mask of friendship.
****
"Let me style your hair then," Bella said to Aria leading her to the chair. "Today is a special day and I do not wish to miss a thing."
Bella began to style Aria's hair into a neat bun. They talked about their plans of the day, the vendors and the guests who had started coming in. Aria was studying Bella's face intently, observing each subtle expression.
"I still can't believe you're marrying Marcus, he's nearly too good to be true, isn't he? He's extremely handsome, extremely romantic, and extremely loyal to you."
The remark chilled Aria. Something in the way it was spoken was off—too guarded, too significant.
****
Flashback - Two Months Ago
"I just want to make sure he's good enough for you," said Bella when Aria spoke about a minor disagreement with Marcus. "Men have a tendency to hide what they truly are until after the wedding."
Aria had dismissed it previously since she had believed Bella was being protective. She now understood she had been provoking her into doubt without ceasing to be supportive of the wedding.
****
"And talking about commitment," she said, reaching for the jewelry box on the dresser, "you should wear your grandmother's diamond necklace today. It's the prettiest thing I've ever laid my eyes on."
Aria touched her bare throat hastily. Her grandmother's necklace was lovely and worth more than what the average person makes in a year. "I was thinking about something simpler—"
"Nonsense! You're getting married today. You have to look perfect. Plus," she whispered like she was in on a secret, "didn't you tell me that Marcus had a thing about you wearing this?"
Marcus never mentioned the necklace. Aria was certain. This either meant that she was lying or that she knew something about Marcus's tastes that she was not meant to know.
"Did you and Marcus discuss my jewelry?" Aria inquired slowly, observing Bella's response in the mirror.
For an instant, Bella's hands paused in her stroking of Aria's hair. "Oh, you know how everyone discusses such things. Planning a wedding makes everyone get caught up in the details."
It was an answer that did not quite fit in but was accepted.
Bella's phone vibrated on the table and she picked it up immediately. The smile spreading across her face as she read the text was one Aria had never witnessed from her so-called best friend. Happy and proud—nearly like a huntsman who has caught his quarry.
"Good news?" Aria questioned, trying to sound innocent. She carefully applied lipstick, despite the anger welling up in her chest.
"It's only Marcus inquiring after the details of the schedule," Bella smiled and was already typing away as if she did this daily. "He really is being very kind in going out of his way to make things perfect for you."
Aria caught a glimpse of Bella's screen in the mirror before she had time to cover it. The messages were lengthy—far longer than necessary for wedding planning. The first one gave Aria a racing heart.
'Everything ready for tonight? She suspects nothing.'
Bella dropped the phone and grinned broadly as she put the phone back into the cradle. "There. Done. Let's go get your bouquet and wrap up the final touches. You will be the most stunning bride anyone has ever laid eyes on."
"I can't wait," Aria said with a smile masking her anger, gazing into the eyes of Bella in the mirror. "What can go wrong on a day so perfect as this one?"