The Roller Coaster Wedding

Chapter 1: Miss Maid of Honor

"I'm sorry to tell you this Jocelyn, but the economy isn't as good as it used to be and we aren't getting many clients," my boss, Mr. Woods sighs.

"I understand," I reply, trying to keep my cool. I know what's coming; I can see it. It's pretty obvious he doesn't want to be telling me this as much as I don't want to be hearing it.

"I'm afraid we will have to lay you off, but once we start getting more clients we will call you back."

I nod my head slowly to his words. I totally saw that coming. I begin to walk out of my boss' room, but he grabs me, putting his hands on each side of my arms. He turns me around so I'm facing him.

"Listen, I hope to see you soon Jocelyn. You have much talent and you could become a promising designer if you keep working at it," he tells me with all seriousness, looking to me with eyes of encouragement.

I feel like breaking down. I just love my job! My eyes start to get watery, but I fight back the tears.

"I hope to be back soon," I say through choked words.

I walk out of the room with my head hung. I slowly make my way out of the building. I turn around and stare at the building. I see the huge words on the rooftop of the building saying "Stylish Spaces Interior Design." I haven't even been working for them for a year, but it already feels like home. This is my dream. I don't want to leave!

Ever since I could remember I had an eye for design. While most kids grew up watching Disney Channel, I grew up on HGTV. I've always found decorating so exciting. When I was young I constantly changed up my family's home and made cute little decorations to place around the house. And now my first job dealing with interior design is now labeled as failure. I shouldn't think that way though, I'm only twenty four. Just like Mr. Woods said, I need to keep working at it.

I hear my ring tone go off on my phone. I check to see who it is and see the name Gavin Harris appear on the phone with his picture to the right of his name. Every time I see the picture it brings a smile to my face. It's only a simple picture of Gavin enveloping me in a hug, giving a smirk to the camera, but I treasure it anyway.

"Hey!" I answer the phone on a cheerful note. Seeing the picture made me semi forget I was just laid off.

"Hey Jocelyn can you come over to my place real quick?" he asks in his smooth manly voice. Everything about him makes my heart flutter, from his light enchanting blue eyes, to his smooth voice, to his kind and fun personality, and his cute wavy light brown hair.

"Of course, I'll be there in a jiffy," I end the phone call and get into my shabby old dark green pick up truck and drive off to the direction of Gavin's house.

I arrive to a cute log house that Gavin constructed himself. He owns his very own building company. It's surprising someone can be so young yet so successful.

I knock my knuckles against the shiny, maple wood door. Gavin opens up the door, and I walk right into his house. His place is like my second home to me; I always hang out here. I immediately make my way over to the marble counter and sit on a comfy stool.

"Um Jocelyn, someone else is here you know." Gavin says, gesturing his hand to the plaid couch beside him.

There sat Claire, Gavin's fiance. Gavin seemed to always act so stiff when he's with Claire. It bothers me to see him act so different.

Claire is a very pretty girl with blonde hair and eyes that sometimes come off hazel and sometimes come off blue. I never knew much about her life; I just know her dad is rich. Don't get me wrong, Claire is a very nice and sweet person, but I just can't ever find myself to like her. It's not a random hatred though it's out of jealousy of being with Gavin. No matter how many times I try to dismiss the idea from my head, I can't. I want to be with Gavin.

Gavin and I go quite some time back. We formed a friendship in college. The day was like any other. When walking to my next class I stopped at a vending machine. I entered my quarters into the slot and press the option for Lemon Lipton tea. The tea never came out, and I resulted in kicking the vending machine. I payed a dollar fifty for the tea so I wasn't leaving without it. I have always been tight on money so a dollar fifty made a big difference.

I continued to kick the machine, every so often I stared at the bottom of the machine waiting for the tea to come out. Just when I was about to give up hope I saw a muscular, well built arm appear by the side of my face. I heard the clang of a quarter entering the machine, and next thing I know, my tea comes popping out of the machine.

"You were missing a quarter." Gavin told me.

"I swore I put in six quarters," I mumbled quietly out of embarrassment.

We talked some more that day and agreed to hang out sometime. Each day we hung out more and more until we were practically spending every second we could together. After a month with hanging out with Gavin I started to develop feelings for him. It already seemed like we were a couple, but without the romantic gestures.

It's been three years since we got out of college and a total of five years I have been loving him. I could never bring myself to tell him how I feel about him, and now he's getting married. I should've told him sooner so I could be his fiance instead of Claire. He finally found the girl he loves; I should be content with that. I really don't see why he likes her, but he has to have his reasons. Maybe it isn't too late, but I have to face reality, it's too late.

"Jocelyn I finally decided my Maid of Honor," Claire announces to me.

"Really, who?" I asked her in reply. I don't really know why she would be telling me this because I'm not even a part of the wedding party. I hardly even talk to Claire.

"Her name is Jocelyn Todd," she points to me, "the one and only." I see Gavin grinning at me from the corner of my eye. I knew he would make me at least a bridesmaid but not this!

I couldn't find myself to smile, "Um why me exactly?" I question Claire, "I mean don't you have a sister who could do it?"

"My sister died when I was young and I do have other friends, but Gavin insisted that you should be the Maid of Honor. He told me a lot about you and said you are an excellent hard worker. I need a hard working Maid of Honor to be beside me, all my other friends are too lazy and irresponsible for this duty," Claire lists off speaking with a passion while making tons of hand gestures.

"Oh.."

"You will accept won't you?" Claire inched closer to me as she said this her eyes sparkling with a blue tint today.

"Yeah," I agree to the duties of being the Maid of Honor.

Why did I even say yes? I guess I don't have the heart to decline such requests. I've always had the problem in life not being able to say no to people. I don't want to help out with a wedding where Gavin is marrying Claire, I want to help out with a wedding where Gavin is marrying me. I don't want to be constantly around the two, it will only pain my heart.

"Jocelyn," a manly voice fills my ears, and I look up to see Gavin's friendly face. The conversation with Claire made me forget he was even here.

"Yeah?" I raise my eyebrows staring in his direction.

"Would you be willing to design the reception and ceremony space?" Gavin asks me, slouching against a wooden wall with his arms crossed and one leg propped up against the wall.

"She's an interior designer!?" Claire shouts out. "We can't have you doing that for free! I'll pay you fifteen thousand dollars to do it!"

Another thing that aggravates me about Claire is she just tosses money around like no big deal while I have to work hard for every cent I make. I don't know what her dad does, but whatever it is it makes tons of money.

I know I won't be able to turn it down if Gavin is asking me to do so. Plus with that amount of money how could I turn it down. I'm without a job now so I need every opportunity I can take even if it will pain me to do so.

"Yeah I'll do it," I respond to the eager couple awaiting my response. They both exhale releasing a deep breath after I answer.

Great I'm their wedding decorator and Maid of Honor. I will never be able to get away from my nightmare now. I wish for Gavin to be happy, but I wish for him to be happy with me. I guess that wish isn't ever going to happen...