Under the First Mistletoe

Confessions of Love

To: Egyptian Elle

From: Lizzie At the Wedding

Subject: The Wedding

Hah! I cannot believe my sister is getting married. Today! In a couple of hours! Unbelievable! So, it's getting crazy around here. I managed to lock myself in my room and send you an email. Quick email. Do you know I'm wearing my gown? I feel so chic! So how about that? I changed my name. Weddings don'tsuck after all. It's cool. Oh, by the way, forget what I said about Spencer. He's cool. He's totally in love with my sister! Can you believe it? I know I do! *insert big happy smile here* The whole thing about the streaks was terrible. I feel so weird. Like I'm happy that Sally is getting married (to Spencer) but I'm sad that we're not talking to each other. I wish we'd just work out what happened. I wish I could turn back the time and make it not happen. Change all of it. Except maybe the fact that Spencer and I are totally okay now (yeah, yeah, so we talked and turns out he's a decent guy after all…not the devil's advocate or something). Ehehehe. I get to have another brother. (Like I don't have enough already). Can you believe it? Okay. I keep on repeating that phrase. What's up with that? Well, I guess I really just can't believe it! My life has gone completely upside down! Um…okay, so far I haven't mentioned him. Jordan. I've totally given up hope. He's not showing any signs (or maybe I just can't read them!) I'm not sure if he like likes me as a friend or more than that. And that crazy night when he told me he was about to fall in love, well, it probably wasn't me. I love him (oh yes, I admit it) but he doesn't feel the same way! *insert sad face RIIIIGHT here* I just don't know what to do. Lily is, as always, being an angel. She's so happy with everything. She sure is much happier now that she's tried on that rainbow hair look. Unbelievable. She looked like a clown. Teehee. I took a picture of us so you can laugh at us when you see it! I'm so excited to see you again! Why can't you be here (and help me sort out whatever)? Oh, gotta go. The wedding! See you! Miss you!

Lizzie clicked Send, and watched as the page changed. "Message sent," she read out loud. She pushed herself away from the table and stood up, examining herself in the mirror. She felt so sexy yet elegant in her dress, showing off her bare shoulders. Tilting her head from side to side, she examined the effect of the trinkets on her hair.

The hairdresser from Fair Hair did a very sort of complicated twist on her hair, so that her hair was hanging loose but not so low that it brushed her shoulders. It was loose enough to frame her face, and just skim across her bare shoulders. It was like she was wearing a half ponytail. And then there were 'periwinkle frostings' scattered here and there over her hair.

Lizzie smiled, despite herself.

She felt like an angel, with the shimmering hair and sparkling jewels, and her white frosty blue dress. She wondered what Jordan would think of her in this winter wonderland dress, but then she thought of how he would look in his tux.

A knock on her door sounded. "Lizzie?"

"Come in!" Lizzie said staring at herself. She seemed to be seeing herself in so many different ways.

The door opened and Lily walked in wearing a white dress that reached her ankles and with a gold satin ribbon around her waist, tied around her back. On her hair was a crown of petals. She was carrying a basket of blue and white petals. Sally had made Lily one of the flower girls. She was the oldest of the other four, seven-year old flower girls.

"You look like an angel!" Lizzie gushed smiling.

"You're the angel, Lizzie. My angel," Lily said putting her basket down the floor and throwing her arms around Lizzie.

Lizzie smiled, remembering that day. "So what's up?" she asked cheerfully.

Lily was quiet for a moment then she said, "Lizzie, remember what I've been telling you? About that thing I wanted most that would make me so happy?"

"Oh yeah," Lizzie replied, her brow furrowed. She never figured out what it was (although she suspected it had something to do with her and Jordan) but since it was Christmas, she merely thought Lily wanted a toy. "You keep on talking about that. I never figured out what it was. Was it a toy?"

Lily shook her head. "No."

"Oh." Lizzie frowned. "Then was is it?"

Lily picked up her basket again, and looking down she said quietly, "I just wanted to tell you that all I've wanted was for you and Jordan to be together," she looked up at Lizzie, "I wished every night and every day that he would fall in love with you and you would fall in love with him. And I know, I might be asking a lot when I say that I want you to marry him. I want you to be my sister 'cause I really love you." Then she ran out of the room, leaving the door open.

Lizzie stood there staring after Lily, her mouth hanging open.

So that was it.

She was right all along. It had something to do with her and Jordan, and Lily had just gone straight away and told her what she wanted. Lizzie felt her heart beat faster as she remembered Lily's words.

… he would fall in love with and you would fall in love with him…

In a way, Lily's wish had come true. She was falling in love with Jordan, had already fallen. But was he falling in love with her?

"Lizzie!"

Another voice interrupted her thoughts.

Someone was calling her.

Lizzie blinked and saw Donna. "What is it?"

"Sally's not coming out of her room!" Donna explained hurriedly. "Everyone's almost gone now except us. What are we going to do?" she asked in total panic.

"Try talking to her through the door," Lizzie directed, taking deep calming breaths. She was still reeling from the shock of hearing Lily's confession, and now this.

Donna ran down the hall.

"Oh where is it?" Lizzie muttered frantically searching her cluttered room for her bouquet of tulips. Then she saw it and headed for Sally's room, clutching the flowers. Her gown hampered her from running. She wondered where her mother was or where Becky was. She decided to take a quick look from the balcony. The four limousines were parked all over the grounds. She saw her father and John pile in the cars. Where was Becky or her mother? She wasn't good with handling pre-wedding jitters.

Then she saw him.

And at the same time, he looked up too.

Jordan looked gorgeous standing there in a black tuxedo with the snow all around him. Black against white. And Lizzie felt herself go weak all over just by looking at him. She knew she was in love with him. Then and there, while she was standing on the balcony looking at him.

…all I've wanted was for you and Jordan to be together…

Was that ever going to happen?

"Lizzie!" someone called again.

Lizzie cast a quick glance over her shoulder, and saw Donna rushing towards Sally's room. When she looked back at where Jordan was, her heart plummeted to the ground when she saw he was already climbing in one of the limos.

Oh Jordan, she whispered as though to him, as she watched the car door slammed shut and the car roared off. The wind began to blow and the snow began to fall, Lizzie stared down at the flowers she held.

"I love you," she whispered, to herself, and to no one.