SG-1

The Wedding

Late again. I sighed, checking my watch. I told myself every week that I was going to do something about this. I couldn't keep putting my life on hold, not even for my best friend. Just then, my childhood best friend, Amit plopped down in front of me.

"I'm sorry! It won't happen again!" He slid into the booth in front of me and smiled apologetically.

"It's fine," I said and smiled back at him. All my sour feelings dissipated as soon as I saw him. "What's so urgent that I had to skip the last 30 minutes of lecture?" He grinned at me.

"I couldn't tell you this over the phone, I wanted to see your reaction! I know you're going to be ecstatic once you hear the good news."

"Well, what is it?" I asked. I admit, I felt the growing excitement in my stomach. I wonder...

"I asked Anita to marry me and she said yes!" Amit sounded so thrilled and there was the biggest smile on his face.

I had thought that he and his long-time girlfriend were having troubles and they'd finally broken it off. That was what he was hinting at last night when he called me but evidently that didn't happen. And now I had to fake enthusiasm for his sake as Anita walked in and sat down beside him, like something out of a cheesy rom-com.

"Congratulations you two!"

She smiled at me and they held hands on the tabletop. It took all I had not to run out of the café screaming. The entire night, I was a good friend and feigned happiness for my best friend and his new fiancée. In my head, all I could think was, how stupid can I have been to think that he could ever love me?

All my life, I've been the "nice girl." The one who always follows directions. The one who always supports her friends. The one who never says no. And as much as I wanted to now, I couldn't say no when my best friend's fiancée asked me to be one of her bridesmaids. Now I was stuck helpless as I would soon be watching the man I loved get married to someone else. Except unlike in a rom-com where the best friend finally figures out they love the main character, I knew Amit really loved Anita.

By the time the wedding rolled around, it was too late to back out. So, I walked down the aisle and watched the man I had loved since we were children get married to another woman. At this point, I knew it was stupid and hopeless and I promised myself I would handle myself with what little dignity I already had.

At the reception, the wedding party had changed into our Indian outfits and were practicing our entrance. The bridal party was decked in dusty pink lehengas and the groomsmen had changed into matching kurtas.

After my entrance and obligatory speech, I headed outside to the deck to get some air while everyone else waited to be called to get food. The night was cool but not cold and peaceful enough even with "Subanallah" blasting in the background.

I had promised myself that I wouldn't shed any tears over this situation and I had stayed true to my word, although it had been a close call a few times. I wanted to close myself off completely to people. I didn't want to be hurt. Not like this. Not again. I knew I was too trusting and let people in far too easily for my own good. Somehow, they always ended up leaving me.

And now my best friend, my only friend, would be leaving me. Things wouldn't be the same anymore.

"You gave a good speech," I heard a voice say from behind me. "You almost had me convinced."

I turned around and saw a man, maybe a few years older than me dressed in Air Force blues. The first thing that struck me about his appearance wasn't that he was handsome, although he was very much so. It was that he was so compelling. His face was kind as he smiled at me and I could see there were crinkles around his strikingly green eyes.

Just as I was about to answer, one of the bridesmaids popped her head through the door, "Diya, I've been looking everywhere for you! Come on! We have to practice the dance!"

"Excuse me," I said quietly to the man and he nodded. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked away.

For some reason, I got the feeling that he knew how I truly felt about this wedding. Shaking my head, I tried to focus on the dance as the bridesmaids all practiced. I wasn't a dancer like the rest of them, so this stuff didn't come naturally to me and I truly had to focus on my every move. Between dance rehearsals for this, other wedding preparations, and grad school, it had been a tough few weeks. After tonight, I would finally be able to relax.

We went back out into the reception hall as our song began playing. The groomsmen joined in and partnered with us as "Channa Mereya" played through the speakers. The guests cheered us on and I faked more smiles as we danced. Once the song ended, everyone crowded the dance floor and dance along to the blaring music as I tried to weave my way through the crowd off the dance floor.

On my way out, I spotted the man from before dancing awkwardly with one of the older aunties. His face was utterly confused and he looked like he needed saving, so I made my way to him and stole him from the aunty, who winked at me before turning to someone else, "Shabash, beti."

"Thanks," the man spoke gratefully as we made our way back outside.

"No problem," I chuckled. "You have to watch out for the older aunties, they feast on handsome men." It had popped out before I'd had a chance to think about what I had said.

He smiled that crinkly-eyed smile again, and I could feel myself wanting to see that smile again.

"Well, thanks. I'm Cameron, by the way."

I tried not to blush and hoped he didn't notice. "I'm Diya."

"It's nice to meet you, Diya."

"Are you having a good time?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I've never been to an Indian wedding before, so this is great. Does it always last this long?"

"Longer," I laughed. "Are you on the bride's side? I've never seen you before."

"I'm a family friend, I grew up with her and Peter," he explained. "I couldn't get time off for the earlier festivities."

"But you're here now," I commented, smiling.

"I'm here now," he smiled back at me. "By the way, what did that woman say to you?"

I laughed nervously. "She was just joking around."

"Oh, come on, I saw your face. I'll tell you what, you can ask me any question you want if you tell me what she said."

By this time, we were walking down the deck and had hit the sand. I had to stop and take off my heels, otherwise, I would have sunk into the white sand. He waited patiently as I shed my shiny 6-inch death traps. We resumed walking along the beach and reached the edges of the water.

"Any question?"

"Anything," he confirmed, his eyes twinkling in the night.

I thought about what I would ask. Cameron carried himself with a much different air than the men I was used to. He must be an important person in the Air Force, I presumed. He looked like a military man through and through. He smiled at me as I pondered what to ask. I loved the way he smiled, it was such an easy smile.

I decided to go for a simple question, "Why the Air Force?"

"That's easy – I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps. He was also a pilot."

"So, you're a pilot?" I asked.

"That's two questions! But yes," he flashed me his pearly whites. "Now, what did the woman say to you?"

I smiled, my hands behind my back. "She congratulated me."

"On what?"

"You only asked me what she said," I teased.

"I gave you two questions," he responded lightly.

"Alright..." I stopped walking. "She wished me a good job with you."

Cameron smiled down at me and I continued, slightly embarrassed, "She meant that I'm lucky to have snagged you."

"And are you?"

"I'm not sure yet," I replied.

"I guess I'll just have to prove it to you," he said softly.