Prompted---SLOW UPDATES---

The Story

As many of the beautifully dressed guests found their seats, smiling, laughing and greeting family and friends, the man of the day stepped up onto the stage with a nervous grin. Soon after one of his good friends followed and, clearing his throat, called for everyone's attention. "Hello, ladies and gentlemen. If you don't mind taking your seats so we can get this show on the road!" he shouted joyously.

Immediately, old friends and new friends alike began taking their seats and quieting down to a gentle murmur, anxiously awaiting the moment they were there for.Within minutes, gasps and murmurs rose up once again. The man of the day looked up with the biggest grin as the love of his life began walking down the aisle towards him with a playful, loving grin. Tear-filled whispers of "how completely stunning she is" and "goodness, that dress is perfect" rippled through those gathered, but the couple seemed to be entranced with each other, their eyes locked.

As she made her way up onto the stage and to her groom, he said with utter amazement and awe, "You look..." His beautiful bride softly laughed and whispered, "Told you I'd leave you speechless someday."

He playfully rolled his eyes and lightly kissed her lips, only to be jokingly scolded by his best friend. "You're not supposed to kiss the bride yet, Idiot. You're supposed to wait for me to tell you. Goodness gracious, nobody ever listens to me anymore." Laughter broke out from the first fews rows of guests before Jeremy continued. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have gathered here today..."

******************************~2 hours later~********************************

Music and laughter filled the room as couples danced and family and friends talked about the wedding they had just attended.

Slowly the music faded and the groom stood up with a microphone smiling down at his new wife. "Thank you to everyone for coming and sharing this momentous day with Hanna and I. If there was a word to describe the happiness I feel in my heart that not only does my Hanna finally share my last name but that so many good friends, new and old, were able to share this experience with us, I would most likely be shouting it from the rooftops.

"Many of you we've met and grown attached to throughout our years deepening our relationship together. In fact, only a select few in this room were in either Hanna's or my lives before and/or during our meeting and the first couple rocky years. Over the years, Hanna or I have rarely told anyone the story of how we met, usually only saying with a soft smile that you would have had to have been there. Which is entirely true. You might ask why I am bringing this up. Hanna and I have decided that it is finally time to share this story with you. We ask for patience during our telling of our story because... Well, it's a difficult one. If Hanna and I hadn't met, neither of us would be alive today." Suddenly Hanna stood up and hugged Elijah tightly.

"It all started our junior year of high school..."

***************************~Eight Years Earlier~***************************

Walking down the school hallways is different for everyone. Some people are slow and happy talking with friends while some people are quiet, fast walking, and alone. And then there was me. I was the loner type, usually walking slowly through the hallways and taking my time getting to class yet still getting there early because I didn't have friends to make me late. Oftentimes, I sat at the back of the class, rarely speaking or making eye contact and leaving immediately after the school bell rings. But I always handed in A+ work, which baffled most teachers.