Speak Now │The Begining Of The End

Part 1

Justin’s POV:

I watched Ella’s farther place her hand in mine. She grinned at me from under her veil. It wasn’t a warm smile.

There was a short silence; the only sound was that last fading note of the organ after a song that sounded like a death march.

Then the Preacher spoke. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Justin Drew Bieber and Ella Jane Smith.” Ella looked down the aisle like a pageant queen.

My tie was suddenly tighter then it was when I put it on this morning. Ella was pretty, she was funny and smart, and, yes, I guess I did like her. I do. Or do I? Every cell in my body screamed I was giving my name to the wrong person. I knew damn well who the right person was, but she was gone.

“Should anyone object to the marriage of this couple .. Speak now or forever hold your peace.”

The loudest silence I’d ever heard rang across the room.

The Preacher opened his mouth to speak again, but he was interrupted.

Sixty or so gasps.

6 rows back, 1 seat in, a young girl with long, springy bronze hair rose out of her seat, her free hand shaking. Her other hand was held by a tan guy who looked like he lifted logging trucks loaded with elephants for a living. He looked up at his beautiful girl the same way I used to look at—

She took a deep breath, her confidence seemed to grow by the second. She looked me in the eye. “I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion. Trust me. My parents are going to bite my head off for this.” The buff guy next to her laughed quietly, like it was just those two who knew the punch line, “But you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl.”

The person behind her – who I recognized as Ella’s uncle – spoke up, but unfortunately didn’t have anything intelligent to say; “Man, this is messed up!” He sat back and grinned, like ‘oh, hey, where’s the popcorn?’.

I frowned and ignored him, “But, um, I don’t even know you.” But you have no idea how much gratitude I have towards you. Ella squeezed my hand – it was a furious squeeze, unlike the reassuring one I’d had before.

“I know you don’t. But you know my best friend. Very well.”

“O.kay. What are you talking about?” I shook myself from Ella’s angry grip and walked off the altar. Beads of sweat trickled down the back of my neck.

“You remember New Years, 2011, with her, don’t you? And when she turned 16?”

My bottom lip quivered. I thought about those things every night but having them spoken to me was different. It was like putting lemon juice on a paper cut. Like rubbing in the fact that she was gone. “Alex ..” I whimpered.

The girl continued. “Look, I’m sorry if it hurts to remember, Justin.”

I snorted, still upset. “You think?”

The big guy tensed, looking over-protective. His hands shook a bit.