A River Flows Through Us

27 Dresses...

I woke up Friday morning still feeling sad. I wanted to go back to the way things used to be. It's funny how when we are young we spend so much time wishing to be grown up, and then one day we are and all we want is the days when anything was possible. When magic was real, and life was happy.

I left work early today to meet everyone on the east side to get dressed and suits for the wedding. I didn't think Lizzy was going to fast because the truth is when you love someone why waste time. With the wedding being on Sunday, we were running out of time to get things done.

I just pray that Lizzy isn't going to make me and Bella wear something stupid. As I rode my bike to the east side I passed my old high school. How much I wished I could go back to that first day freshman year, scared out of my mind.

I think what hurts most about Knox is how much I really thought he was the one. I thought he was the kind of man my mother would have been proud to call a son.

I know I will be okay, but for a little while I didn't want to be happy.

As I pulled into the dress shop, I rode my bike all the way the the door, and leaned it against the side of the building. I pulled down my plaid sleeveless dress, and walking inside.

Lizzy, James, Bella, my dad, and Willie were already there. I'm guessing everyone else were on there way or somewhere else in the building.

"Oh thank god your here!" Lizzy said running over to me. "Okay so I wanted to let you know that you and Bella are matching."

"Okay." I say. I was thankful for Bella being Lizzy's maid of honor because then I wouldn't have to walk with Knox. I looked around the room, the first eyes I locked with was the person I didn't want to see.

Knox was standing against the wall, talking on the phone with someone, but starring at me. I'm sure I looked rough. I haven't been sleeping well, not that I ever did before.

I miss him.

I hated the thought as soon as it come into my brain, but I couldn't help it. There's so many unanswered questions, on my part for throwing him out, and ignoring him.

I wondered if the person he was talking to was his girlfriend. It wasn't any of my business. He is allowed tot all to whoever he wants. After an always moment of us looking at each other, I walked over to sit with Bella. Just waiting around until we are told what to do.

Thirty minutes passed before everyone else got there. Pretty soon me and Bella were thrown into a dressing room, to change into the dresses.

"What do we think?" I say to Bella, as we both looked at ourselves in the mirror. We were both in the same bright blue, cami strap applique floral lace midi dress. I couldn't lie it was a beautiful dress. But the shoes Lizzy picked for us, not so much.

"I like it," Bella said. "It makes me feel like a princess."

"You are a princess." I tell her.

"I don't like the shoes though." Bella said. The shoes were dark blue heals.

"Me either." I say. "Let's just not wear them."

"Yeah, definitely." She said.

       "Shut up it's my wedding I get to pick!" Lizzy yelled from the front room. I didn't know who she was talking to, but clearly she was having a bridezilla moment. Bella and I walk out to show her what we looked like in the dresses.

        "Because he's the only one out of us with a paper saying he can! .... Yes! Jesus is this so hard?" Lizzy continued to yell.

         "No they just don't listen!" I yelled over to Lizzy , making everyone turn to me and Bella.
   
         "Boys are so dumb!" Bella said.

          "Yeah!" I say smiling.

        "Oh my gosh!" Willie said standing to the left of me.
  
     "I love it!" Lizzy basically screamed at all of us.

        "Gracie, Bella, y'all look-" Steve started to say but stopped.

           "-Beautiful." Knox finished Steve's words. I looked over to him. He was wearing a black suit with a bright blue tie. I nodded to him.

         "Wait where are the shoes?" Lizzy questioned me and Bella.

          "We don't like them!" Bella said.

         "Yeah so We think is best to go barefoot!" I said, giving Bella a high five.

        "Umm no." Lizzy said.

         "Umm yes." I say back.

        "Would everyone stop being a pain in my ass! This is my wedding and you will do what I say. I can't believe you can't suck it up for 5 minutes just for me. I mean so none of you care about making me happy-" Lizzy said.

      "-Lizzy-" I tried to get her to stop. She didn't hear and just kept specking.

       "- I mean do any of you know the stress i'm under trying to get this all done?-" Lizzy said.

     "-Lizzy-" I said a bit louder but she didn't stop.

      "-It's making me feel like-" Lizzy said.

     "-LIZZY!-" I yelled and making her stop talking, and look at me.

     "What?" Lizzy asked.

       "You know you should really breathe in between monologues." I say to her. "You losing to much oxygen trying to get your words out."

        The whole room, Lizzy included laughed, at my words.

         "Don't worry, we will wear the shoes." I say to Lizzy and she lets out a breathe and nods to me.

      Knox walked over to me, "Grace." trying to say something, but I just walks away with Bella back to the changing rooms. I wasn't ready to talk to him just yet. I haven't cried all day, and I didn't want to start now.

         "Is your girlfriend come?" James said to Knox. James seemed to be pissed off.

        "What no. And she's not my-" Knox tried to say, but was cut off by Lizzy.

         "That bitch is not allowed at my wedding! If she shows up so help me God I will end you both!" Lizzy yelled at Knox.
  
         "She's not coming." Knox said simply.

      I can't lie, I smiled to my self in the changing room. Hearing she wasn't going to be there, made me happy. I'm sure she would judge my dads house, for being small, or say something that would make me want to hit her. Or worse If I had to watch her and Knox dancing together, or kissing I would probably die. So this was a weight lifted off my chest.